Project XR4 Nyx (WIP)

[PeterRoss]

The more I look at it, the more it seems like this is a gap in the XR series (despite the reasoning I posted above.) If I do a redesign of this, I'm going to see what I can do to get a 4.6m (as per jedida's post) height cargo bay in the thing. It won't be a perfect fit, but I'll try to make it usable as an STS replacement.

I checked the SBB4 modules size, it's ~4.5 m in diameter, so it would fit anywhere STS payload fits. I think many people will be grateful if you make it possible. I will :tiphat:

 

[jedidia]

he'd just need to tweak the 2D panels and assorted extras for each craft.

Just? Just? controls, animations and interface for three complex vessels aren't anywhere near "just" in my dictionary :lol:

 

[Loru]

From my talks with Doug most time consuming thing is getting aerodynamics right and tunning autopilots. From my experience it takes ages to implement those 2 things

 

[Spacethingy]

wrt the OP, just wow! It looks the love child of an XR5 and a DGX.

Beautiful, nice job! Not to small, not to big. :thumbup:

 

[KuatYards]

I quite like it! At first glance it reminds me of the shuttles from Babylon 5.

Exactly what I thought, great series... Good looking ship

 

[jangofett287]

I wonder, will the name end up being ironic, or will this ship really move?

 

[Epsilon]

wrt the OP, just wow! It looks the love child of an XR5 and a DGX.

Beautiful, nice job! Not to small, not to big. :thumbup:

Thanks! That was the idea - I was working from the general shape of the XR5, and then trying to make it slimmer.

Exactly what I thought, great series... Good looking ship

Funny thing is, I never watched Babylon 5. See above. :lol:

I wonder, will the name end up being ironic, or will this ship really move?

Hopefully it'll really move, although that only really applies in the atmosphere. Once you're on orbit, you can't really do a whole lot to "speed yourself up" without expending fuel.

(This is something of a moot point with the namechange now. For posteriority*, the ship was formerly called the Fleetfoot.)

Needless to say, if she handles more like an XR5 than an XR2, she's getting a namechange to "Pelican" or something.

* This is intentional.

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Liking this Epsilon(and subsequently Doug), the fleet needs has been waiting along time for its intermediate lifter. :thumbup:

A few curios...

1. What's the design purpose of those otter feet things sticking out the back?

2. Size is one thing, and is the hot topic it seems, but what's the proposed weight lift of this bird to leo or lunar?

3. If turns out to be a brick, call it the albatross

keep up the good work.

 

[Rybec]

What exactly do you need help with texture-wise? Is it just the actual texture, or do you need UV help as well?
Either way, I'm willing to give it a go.

 

[Epsilon]

Liking this Epsilon(and subsequently Doug), the fleet needs has been waiting along time for its intermediate lifter. :thumbup:

A few curios...

1. What's the design purpose of those otter feet things sticking out the back?

2. Size is one thing, and is the hot topic it seems, but what's the proposed weight lift of this bird to leo or lunar?

3. If turns out to be a brick, call it the albatross

keep up the good work.

1: Those are actually supposed to be the radiators. I'll probably want to stick 'em out a bit more - looking at it, the surface area is kind of pathetic. They fold out in a neat and complex pattern - should look cool when deploying.

2: Well, if it's 12TEU, by design, it'd be 12t x 12, so 144t (plus fuel). (I HAD TO EDIT THIS SO MANY TIMES FFFFFFFF-)

3: :rofl:

What exactly do you need help with texture-wise? Is it just the actual texture, or do you need UV help as well?
Either way, I'm willing to give it a go.

Okay, so here's the thing. I can model. I play around with the models until they work for me, and it looks good. The problem is that I've got no concept of how to make a UV map that's useful to an artist, and I can't art worth a damn. So basically, I'd give you the "naked" model and let you go to town on it.

 

[wehaveaproblem]

1: Those are actually supposed to be the radiators.

2: Well, if it's 12TEU, by design, it'd be 12t x 12, so 144t (plus fuel). (I HAD TO EDIT THIS SO MANY TIMES FFFFFFFF-)

3: :rofl:

1. Oh cool, I look forward to the anim!
2.Ah k, yeah could have done the maths myself I guess, sorry for the pain!
3. Better yet, call it Tarka...

 

[Rybec]

Okay, so here's the thing. I can model. I play around with the models until they work for me, and it looks good. The problem is that I've got no concept of how to make a UV map that's useful to an artist, and I can't art worth a damn. So basically, I'd give you the "naked" model and let you go to town on it.

That's the best way, because then I don't have to gripe about your useless UV map. (not that it really matters, blender lets you paint directly on the mesh anyway.)

I'm at "work" (read: sitting in a room for 7 hours with nothing to do) right now and this putsy laptop doesn't have the oomph to run my tools, but if you PM me what you got I can throw together the basics (UV and simple example tex for now) when I get home tonight.

 

[Arrowstar]

This looks awesome! I can't wait to give her a test flight. The new additions to the XR fleet are very exciting.

 

[Epsilon]

This looks awesome! I can't wait to give her a test flight. The new additions to the XR fleet are very exciting.

I guarantee you I want to test-fly her more than you do. :thumbup:

I've got a decent history of putting XR class vessels through their paces in situations they wouldn't normally be in.

Like flying the XR5 through the ORL course.
And racing an XR5 from KSC to WIA. :shifty:
I think I voided a warranty on that one. :lol:

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Like flying the XR5 through the ORL course.

Crikey! let me guess: "wing stress... wing stress.... wing stress..."
Did you post a good time?

 

[RacerX]

Not to threadjack too much, but this is the concept for the XR4, compared to the XR5:

Maybe I'll start a thread for people to look at all the shots of it that I've got. ;p

I was thinking and had an idea about the cargo bay doors. I made a very rough sketch in windows paint of my idea

 

[Epsilon]

Crikey! let me guess: "wing stress... wing stress.... wing stress..."
Did you post a good time?

The turn radius is crap on the XR5, so the time was terrible. But I made it through all the gates eventually.

 

[Loru]

I was thinking and had an idea about the cargo bay doors. I made a very rough sketch in windows paint of my idea...

While I don't think cargo bay would be airtight I'll adress this one.

The problem with that solution is in real life aircraft/spacecraft body isn't 100 rigid. There are always deformations caused by forces acting on vehicle, unequal temperature expansion/contraction and many other. Due to this fact almost all airtight doors/hatches has to be opened "clasically".

Althouh theoretically possible, I think it's not feasible solution.

 

[Epsilon]

I was thinking and had an idea about the cargo bay doors. I made a very rough sketch in windows paint of my idea

My take on this is that there isn't enough room in the hull for doors like this, either. Believe it or not, she's already packed pretty tightly - fuel is gonna be wherever we can put it, and that doesn't even take into account the rest of the internal systems.

Also, the doors are wider than the rest of the body of the craft. All in all, it wouldn't work properly.

As for the drag issue, that doesn't really matter when it comes to being in orbit.

 

[Hlynkacg]

I might look into seeing if I can make the payload bay a bit taller without affecting the overall shape - I wouldn't mind it being able to be used for this purpose in any case.

Edit: Part of the problem is that I don't want it looking like a humpback whale. You know, like the XR5.

Edit 2: Oh dear god that looks ugly. I'll keep this in mind if I decide to redo the model though. >_>

Did you consider extending the bay down instead of up?

It seems to me that you could thicken the fuselage by a meter or so and give it a X-33/Venture Star-esque profile without ruining the overall "Altea Aesthetic".