[Project] Orion MPCV

[francisdrake]

This is about the development of an Orion MPCV for Orbiter.
- Orion crew module
- ESA service module
- Orange SLS launcher, with ICPS and EUS
- Deep Space Habitat
- Solar Electric Mars Ship

** Update Version 14 - 2017-03-11 ** for Orbiter 2016 only.

Keys Commands
[ A ] Auxillary thrusters on/off

[ C ] Deploy drogue, deploy chute;
drogue will deploy automatically at 3000 m,
main chute will deploy at 800 m altitude

[ K ] Open / close the hatch door

[ S ] Deploy solar panels, swivel forward / straight
[ D ] Solar panels swivel down / straight

<Ctrl> [ J ] Jettison the ressource module

Known issues:
No animations. Textures directory cluttered.
Pls report in case of missing configs, meshes or textures.

[Astro SG Wise]

It's great! Looks just like NASA animations. Can't wait to see it on the hangar!

---------- Post added 11-19-14 at 01:35 AM ---------- Previous post was 11-18-14 at 10:38 PM ----------

When I tested your docking scenario, when I use Linear controls, the Orion also rotates. When I moved up and down, Orion began to twist. Is this a realistic addition or just a mess up in multi-dimensional velocity and thrusters?

[PhantomCruiser]

I don't think it did that for me... I have gotten in to the habit of hitting the [5] key after every translation though. But I don't remember doing that for this one.

[romanasul]

Wow, very cool!

[francisdrake]

On linear translation: Do not activate 2 directions at same time, e.g. up and left simultanionsly. Do them one after the other.
This is due to the oblique placement of the thrusters.

[gattispilot]

This is his Orion on my SLS IPCS.

[Astro SG Wise]

What else are you going to change on Orion besides animation errors/UMMU?

[francisdrake]

@gattispilot: Looks good on the SLS! Could I try it as well?

What next? My intention is to make a 'well-behaved' addon that can be launched on modern launchers (like the SLS or FalconHeavy). If launched as an attached payload it shall have a functional lauch abort system.

The Orion will usually team up with other vehicles for deep space missions, so it shall be easy on the frame rates. Meshes and code to be functional, but not over the top.

Next step will be cleaning out the code, some tedious work to do.

[gattispilot]

Sure All I did and changed the scenario to your Orion. I emailed you the scenario I used

Do you have mine SLS?

[francisdrake]

Thanks for the scenario!
Sorry, I don't have your SLS yet. Was it published in the SLS-thread? Could you please show me a link to it? (I will try it on Sunday, away from home right now.)

[Astro SG Wise]

I predict these two projects will become the new AMSO of the future. Great work guys!

---------- Post added at 05:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:27 AM ----------

Also, I am continuing a small conversation that was carried on in the SLS and Orion MPCV request thread. Will Orion really be black? First of all, all the mockups are white. Secondly, all the animations (besides EFT-1) have a white Orion, and it gives Orion a new sense of separation from Apollo. Of course, maybe Orion was to be white when they made the mockups, but they changed their minds, but their newest graphic of the Orion MPCV is white. francisdrake, your Orion style is great, and I think you should keep that color, but still, will Orion actually be white? If NASA knows that Orion will be black for Mars missions, why continue to make Orion pictures and animations with it still white?

[C3PO]

I suspect that the final color will have very little to do with esthetics. It depends on how well the thermal control works during these tests. Remember that while bright colors are good at reflecting incoming radiation, dark colors are better at radiating heat away from the craft. So far both shuttle systems have used dark colors on the side that faces Earth during reentry for just that reason.

With Orion using solar panels instead of fuel cells you don't get the surplus water that you can boil off (sublimate) to cool down. Thermal control is a hard nut to crack on long-duration missions.

Edit: Ignore "sublimate". Sublimators use mostly dry ice, and hauling it along for cooling a space craft wouldn't be very efficient.

[DaveS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by C3PO

 With Orion using solar panels instead of fuel cells you don't get the surplus water that you can boil off (sublimate) to cool down. Thermal control is a hard nut to crack on long-duration missions.

Actually not. Thermal control is usually accomplished by a so called Passive Thermal Control (PTC) roll (AKA "BBQ roll") that evenly spreads the heat all around the spacecraft. And both shuttle and the Apollo CSM used radiators to cool the EPS and ECLSS.

[ISProgram]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astro SG Wise

 If NASA knows that Orion will be black for Mars missions, why continue to make Orion pictures and animations with it still white?

{image}

Don't forget this is the same agency that still has SLS looking like Saturn V2 when external document and (some) people already know its going to look like Ares/Shuttle ET.

[C3PO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveS

 Actually not. Thermal control is usually accomplished by a so called Passive Thermal Control (PTC) roll (AKA "BBQ roll") that evenly spreads the heat all around the spacecraft. And both shuttle and the Apollo CSM used radiators to cool the EPS and ECLSS.

AFAIK STS is the only one that uses boilers for cooling. The hydraulic oil was cooled in water spray boilers, and it didn't use water from the fuel cells. I'm just saying that it's an option IF you use fuel cells.

Part of the BBQ roll is that the side that faces away from the Sun radiates heat.