Scenario AMSO Apollo scenarios

[Genesis27]

Hi there, I am a big fan of using the AMSO apollo missions in Orbiter and seem to cope well with them..now I have tried to fly them using real timelines from the internet..however, when I come to use the P12 auto launch from the moon, I am wondering if there is any way to preset the launch time to the actual historic time..because once I "engage ascent" P12, invariably it will tell me "time to launch .XX seconds" which is it's own computation, and not the historic launch time...any ideas anyone?..thanks, Trevor

 

[Mantis]

Using the autopilot, you can get close to historical times by timing the initiationj of the ascent autopilot to being close to the correct historical time but it won't be exact because it does, as you observed, make it's own calculations, etc. The only way to be exact would be to fly the ascent manually which requires lots of practice! Even then, you could launch precisely but it would be difficult to time your ascent precisely to rendezvous at the historically correct time.

 

[ACSoft]

The computation of launch time for P12 rely obviously on CSM orbit characteristics and CSM position on this orbit. The liftoff and ascent belong already to the main target as that time of the mission: to realize an optimum rendezvous (fuel usage) with the CSM.

As you probably remarked, the liftoff of the ascent stage will always occur when the CSM pass over the landing site. This is probably because it is the optimal position for an efficient rendezvous.

Now, the challenge is to obtain that the numerous orbits the CSM do until it reach this precise launch position respect the historical timings too. This is not obvious at all, because Orbiter do not simulate all the true characteristics of Moon orbits. It will also become more and more difficult to achieve this goal with all successive missions, because the time passed on the surface will increase more and more and you have therefore more and more CSM orbits until that time.

Therefore, you will have to cheat more or less, with Orbit characteristics (first eliptical orbit after LOI #1, and the most important, the more or less circular orbit, after LOI #2) in order the CSM to remain as close as possible on historical timings.

In fact, this timing problem begin even before that. It begin with the TLI and TLCC (flight correction) characteristics, in order to obtain a LOI #1 burn, right on historical time, to start with. This is now perfectly possible to do, thanks to the incredible precision of the flight instrument "LunarTransfertMFD".

I hope this help.

ACS

 

[NukeET]

Therefore, you will have to cheat more or less, with Orbit characteristics (first eliptical orbit after LOI #1, and the most important, the more or less circular orbit, after LOI #2) in order the CSM to remain as close as possible on historical timings.

Which is exactly what I've done in my scenario packs for Apollo 12,14,15,16. Cheating? I don't think so...it is a simulation.

The only way to be exact would be to fly the ascent manually which requires lots of practice!

The only way? P12 for 12 and 15 occur exactly on the historical time. 14 is 14 seconds early, and 16 is 2 seconds late.

 

[Cras]

After flying many many Shuttle missions in Orbiter, I decided to go back in time and give AMSO a try, and I am stumped.

I really want to fly with LT MFD, and with the sound packs, it is a big incentive to also fly on the correct timeline, but i am having a heck of a time doing so.
How exactly do you guys fly the missions so close to the historical time line? Where do you get the data and how to you tranlslate that data into LT MFD?

I have attmpted to fly Apollo 8 now five times, and either the thing doesnt get into orbit, or I end up running out of fuel in the TLI, or the TLI burn goes very bad and does not get me to the moon. I know this is user error here, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ACSoft]

Where do you get the data and how to you tranlslate that data into LT MFD?

http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4029/SP-4029.htm

Have good flights !

ACS

 

[Cras]

That should do the trick. Thanks.

 

[korolevspace]

Orbiter crashes just before 1st stage separation

I just flown on the launches of Apollo 15 and 11 on Orbiter 100830, and every time Orbiter crashes just before 1st stage separation, around the time of inboard engine cutoff. Is there any modules missing? I've flown on the same scenario on another computer and worked fine.

 

[Mantis]

I just flown on the launches of Apollo 15 and 11 on Orbiter 100830, and every time Orbiter crashes just before 1st stage separation, around the time of inboard engine cutoff. Is there any modules missing? I've flown on the same scenario on another computer and worked fine.

That's very odd. Are you using the very latest version? I was a beta tester for that version and found it to be incredible stable.