WHAT'S NEW IN VERSION 1.21
**************************
Corrections
-----------
- During 2nd stage separation of Saturn V: the vessel
was systematically going to new "Abort: Premature
separation" status (a feature introduced in 1.20).
[COLOR="red"]- Apparently, since Orbiter 2010, it was not anymore
possible to undock from the LM or even to switch
the focus to the LM, in the configuration: docked
with the LM without the Service Module (Apollo 13
case). [/COLOR]
- They were still some cases, where it was possible to
redock with the LM, even after a definitive undock.
- Sometimes, the roll program to set the proper azimut
launch heading, failed to run properly. Lets hope it
is OK now, because it is a long times I try to solve
this case.
- The sound "TowerAbort.wav" became inappropriate, as
the sound of the tower jettison was also included.
It has been replaced by a correct one.
[COLOR="red"]- The vessel "AS-503_lost", created after you abort
the flight during 2nd stage burn of Apollo 8, was
inadequate (a LM visible inside, instead of the
Apollo 8 mass compensation structure). A correct
specific mesh has been created for this case.[/COLOR]
[COLOR="red"]- The Saturn V decoration texture (black stripes) of
2nd/3rd inter-stage are correct now.[/COLOR]
- KILL-LIN functions (Ctrl-5 / Shift-Ctrl-5) should
not anymore remain dead locked (cannot achieve the
kill), when used at relative far mutual distance
of both vessels. The kill precision is now adjusted
in function of both vessels distance, which should
avoid the dead lock.
- Parachutes sequence is not anymore shortened for
low altitude aborts. You will see the drogue chutes
and then, the full deployement sequence of the 3
main chutes, same as for the high altitude sequence.
- Configuration CM+Escape tower had a pitch only RCS
implementation, which was used to return the vessel.
Now, the tower only has a single pitch engine as it
should, to give the strong and very short impulse,
during type 1A aborts. To return the vessel, the
code simulate the aero-dynamic effect of the escape
tower canard wings.
- Some problems of the Angel sequence solved. Now
sequence always start in external view, with the
camera aiming at the Angel, even if, when you "die",
you were in a cockpit view.
- If the LM was undocked empty (no crew) and then,
later on, it would be destroyed. The LM crew members
where signaled dead by error to the Apollo vessel.
- Corrected a mesh name bug, which crashed scenario
"Tribute to LazyD" or if scenario was able to load,
made the Apollo 17 Rover missing in the scenery.
Improvements
------------
[COLOR="red"]- Now, the mini-panel of the Apollo vessel, will
display "FLIGHT ABORTED" status, when you will be
in a such situation.[/COLOR]
- Now, except for Apollo 9, separation of the CSM,
when 3rd stage fuel remaining is more than 60%
(no TLI burn achieved) is an "abort flight", with
the confirmation question.
- Now, when you are in "FLIGHT ABORTED" status, you
can still dock with the LM parked inside the 3rd
stage, but you won't anymore be able to extract
the LM. AMSO ATC, custom or not, will be cancelled
(You will only hear the random OrbiterSound ATC).
- Now, the "POWER BUS" voltage indication, when you
had the "Cryo-tank #2" failure event (Apollo 13),
is displayed in the VC mini-panel and NOT anymore
in the bottom line as before.
[COLOR="red"]- A new parameter "PROBABILITY" allow to change the
default probability of 0.05 %, for the damage &
failure engine, for both Apollo & LM vessels, in
the valid range from 0.001 % to 1 %. This should
allow to tune the engine, according to your taste.
See chapter "TECHNICAL INFORMATION", in the User
manual, for more information.[/COLOR]
- Now, you can increase (F12) [COLOR="red"]AND DECREASE [/COLOR](F11), the
actual probability factor, by 10 times. When you hit
the key, the actual factor is just shortly displayed
on the bottom line. To change it, you must re-hit
the key during the display time.
- Now, the Saturn V launch autopilot check that the
roll program to set the proper azimut heading, has
run properly. This check start when the Saturn V
cleared the altitude of 300 meters. Of course, if
an anomaly is detected, the autopilot is deconnected
and an "AUTOPILOT MALFUNCTION" failure event is
generated, if Orbiter has failure function enabled.
- The damage & failure event "SPS ENGINE MALFUNCTION"
(Apollo main engine lost) was causing big problems
for trajectory burns made with instruments like IMFD
or LunarTransfertMFD. The revised code don't cause
these problems anymore and the instruments are now
able to detect immediately the lost of the engine.
[COLOR="red"]- Now, when "AUTOPILOT MALFUNCTION" occur, you may
sometimes try to reset the computer with the "K"
key, during the 10 first minutes after the event.
Later than that, You need to wait the full hour
as before.[/COLOR]
[COLOR="red"]- All 3 Aborts type-1: 1A, 1B and 1C are now correctly
simulated.[/COLOR] Type 1A, up to 3000 meters altitude, has
the pitch impuse and canard simulation. Type 1B,
from 3000 m to 30.5 km, canard only simulation and
finally, Type 1C, over 30.5 km, where pitch impuse
and canard wings are not used and the crew must
jettison manually the tower and turn the CM bottom
forward (blunt-end forward or BEF attitude), also
manually, with the CM RCS system.
- For better looking action, added a pitch rotation
movement to escape tower, after it is jettisoned.
- Added the parameter "Vertical acceleration" (Vacc)
to the mini-panel for reentry phase and reorganized
the parameters display order.
- The reentry autopilot has been replaced now by a
custom attitude control "AOA-180-LOCK" which can be
toggled ON/OFF with numeric keypad ENTER key, as
soon as the vessel reach the CM configuration.
- The whole parachute sequence has now event sounds
and ambiance sound loops, during all the descent,
until splachdown.
- The escape tower pitch impulse during Mode 1A abort,
has been fully reworked, in order to produce a more
realistic vessel escape trajectory as before.
- The main 3 parachutes extraction representation has
been now decomposed in more than one step.
- The parachute section of the CM, after the parachute
shield has been jettisoned, now look always correct
and not anymore always "empty". For example, just
after the shield is gone, you will see all the
parachutes stowed, all mortars closed. After the two
drogue chutes are deployed, their 2 big mortars will
look empty, but you will still see the main parachute
stowed in their respective compartiments, etc...
[COLOR="Red"]- When main parachutes deploy, 2 VHF antennas and a
re-entry flash beacon light mast also deploy as it
was for real. You can toggle ON/OFF the flash light
with the usual "Ctrl-L" command.[/COLOR]
- Missions over Apollo 14, have a lower Earth parking
orbit of 166,68 km (90 NMI) as it was in the reality.
Previous missions remain with the orbit of 187.7 km.
Optimizations
-------------
- I removed several "trick code" needed to overcome
some Orbiter 2006 "crash to desktop" cases, as they
are not anymore necessary with Orbiter 2010. One
of them was even causing the unability to undock
from the LM.
- In the Saturn V launch autopilot, suppression of the
yaw control component (LOI Moon plane interception).
This was something added in the perspective of the
TLI autopilot LazyD was developing. At that time,
the instrument module "LunarTransferMFD" also didn't
existed. This code always had problem to restart
properly from a scenario. It could be even really
catastrophic for scenario saved close from the end
of launch (close from orbit). Moreover, imprecise
launch time and/or incorrect mjdloi parameter,
could also be very problematic and jeopadize the
precision and reliability of the autopilot. So,
today, better to remove this feature and rely on
"LunarTransferMFD" instrument.
- I have displaced in the code, my "Preloading meshes"
feature. The new location seem to improve a lot the
stability (I have much less random CTD on exit).
Scenarios
---------
- Addition in miscellaneous, of a new adventure scenario
"Apollo 15 LM is in trouble". A nice scenario I recommend
you try !!! Complete description of what you should do
in the scenario description.
- Improvement in miscellaneous, of scenario "Apollo 11
Abort flight sequence". It start now when the Saturn V
has just cleared the launch tower, so you can try all
3 Mode-1 abort type (A,B,C). It has also a complete
description of these different Mode-1 types.
- Addition of a whole set of new scenarios "AS-510" to
demonstrate the usage of "LunarTransferMFD" precision.
These scenarios also use the "Map" function of IMFD
instrument to display the situation.
Documentation
-------------
- Some modifications in AMSO-User-manual.doc, in relation
with the improvements made.
