OHM Better ISS

[Max-Q]

OrbitHangar download link
https://www.orbithangar.com/showAddon.php?id=cfa3ed55-2985-46c1-a88b-c8c4eee30dd3

Yet another ISS addon!

First, a bit of back-story: (Do we actually need another ISS addon?)
For a long time, I have wanted a good, high resolution ISS in Orbiter 2016. The model that comes with Orbiter kinda looks like it came from 2006.
It was good in its day, but in addition to being very low poly, it was modeled after the intended future configuration of the ISS.
Needless to say, the actual finished ISS is different from the initial concepts.
Also, I wanted CMG attitude control and working solar panels.

Features:

• CMG Rate Gyros
• Sun-Tracking Solar Panels
• Working window covers on Destiny and the Cupola
• Virtual Cockpit for the US side and Zvezda
• Functional robotic arm and MBS
• Moving EATCS Radiators

CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED!!!
This addon is not for low-end computers!
The total poly count for the exterior is 255,419 triangles across 7 meshes.
The total poly count for the virtual cockpit is 349,709 triangles across 4 meshes.
Together, the TOTAL poly count for the whole model is over half a million triangles! (605,128)

Keyboard commands:
1 = CMG Free Drift
2 = CMG Zero Angular
3 = CMG Attitude Keeping
7 = Enter TGT Roll
8 = Enter TGT Pitch
9 = Enter TGT Yaw
SHIFT S = Sun Tracking On/Off
G = Open/Close the window cover on Destiny
K = Open/Close the Cupola window covers
INSERT/DELETE = Move the MBS
S/W = Fly through the VC

Configuration file options:
DEFAULT_CMG_MODE = This sets the mode the CMG Gyros will be in if not specified in the scenario.
MAXTIMEACCEL = This is the maximum time acceleration allowed for the CMG gyros. If time acceleration is more than this, the CMG gyros will be disabled.
HAS_PIRS = If this is false, the earth-facing pirs module will be gone.
HAS_IDAS = If this is false, the PMA docking ports will revert to the Shuttle-era configuration (No IDAs)
ASTRONAUT = Set this to false if you want to fly solo...
IROSA = If this is set to false, the iROSA solar panels will be gone.
CAMSPEED = Sets how fast the camera translates in meters per second when flying through the VC.

Required Addons:
Canadarm2 v 4.0
SSRMSD.dll update

Credits:
ISS Models from the NASA website. (No way are my 3D modelling skills that good!)
Zvezda VC mesh and textures created by 4throck, redistributed with permission
Sun-Tracking solar panels code from the "Cargo Dragon" addon by BrianJ
CMG Gyro code adapted from the CMG v2.0 addon by Poscik
RotateMesh function orginally written by Face as part of the "Ascension Ultra" addon.
Texture for the iROSA solar panels modified from the Antares 3.0 addon by FOI.
The code to fly through the VC adapted from the addon "FirstPersonExperience" by escapetomsfate.
Thanks DaveS, for providing me with several helpful resources with technical data about ISS

This addon is released under the GPL 2 license.

 

[francisdrake]

Very nice! Great view!
I took the Dragon DM2 docking scenario, used the ISS_HD instead, copied the CMG and Solarpanels line in the sceanrio file and could fly it right away.

On my dated notebook I get 45 fps, instead of 65 for the default ISS. This seems acceptable for such a detailed model.

 

[TCR_500]

Looks good. Perhaps you could create a low-poly version (1/10 the polys from this version) for low-end computers.

 

[Max-Q]

I found this model on the NASA site. My 3D modeling skills are pretty… uhh bad. I wouldn’t even know where to start on reducing the poly count. As stated above, the FPS drop is not excessive, so I don’t think this would be worth the effort. However, this is GPL license, so you are welcome to do it yourself if you want.

 

[Gargantua2024]

This is great! It runs so smooth on my computer! Simple yet detailed. The finished model, if I analyzed it correctly, is what the ISS looks like from 2017 to 2021, which is just after the relocation of PMA-3 to its final position above Harmony and shortly before Nauka's arrival.

 

[4throck]

Thanks! Look very nice and the extra detail gives it some scale!
There are some good 3D NASA models that will work really in Orbiter

 

[jgrillo2002]

Holy . Nice job with this addon. Had no FPS issues with this since im using a RTX 2060 Super

 

[gattispilot]

I wonder if different versions can be had. To simulate the different phases. Which model did you convert?

 

[Max-Q]

Which model did you convert?

This one. https://www.nasa.gov/specials/3d/iss-viewer.html
It is an older configuration, I had to manually move PMA3 and the MPLM, as well as add a cover to the node 3 end port. Should be fairly easy to “rearrange” the model, each module/component is a separate group in the original model. I have a separate mesh usable in orbiter for each piece, 65 in all.

 

[4throck]

The separate meshes might be useful for others if released as "developer resources".
This happened with the Soyuz 7K meshes years ago and allowed the creation of some nice add-ons.
There are alternate station configurations that might be built out of those modules (ex: Freedom, Polar platform, etc).

 

[Gargantua2024]

There are alternate station configurations that might be built out of those modules (ex: Freedom, Polar platform, etc).

A new Space Station Freedom is interesting to work on

 

[4throck]

Most of Freedom's hardware, if built, would have been the same as ISS. The final Freedom configuration ("Fred") is basically ISS without the Russian modules.
The main difference is that Freedom had a double row of modules. I think that's it's doable by docking two Nodes side by side.
(Sorry for the OT, don't want to distract from the current addon discussion)

 

[Max-Q]

The separate meshes might be useful for others if released as "developer resources".

Having trouble with orbithangar...
They will be available soon.

All 65 meshes share the same material and texture list, so very easy to "put them together".

 

[Max-Q]

Here they are.
https://orbithangar.com/showAddon.php?id=f858cd49-e511-4a6b-aaa5-c03f22faf0e0

 

[Kyle]

Wow! This is great. Will be adding this to my SpaceX scenarios.

 

[Gargantua2024]

Added BEAM and Bishop by donamy directly to USModules.msh in my installation to complete the current configuration of Tranquility

 

[4throck]

Here they are.
https://orbithangar.com/showAddon.php?id=f858cd49-e511-4a6b-aaa5-c03f22faf0e0

Thanks! Love the license

 

[MercuryGlider]

This works great! I wasn't really a fan of the standard ISS in Orbiter so this is perfect, nice job!

 

[4throck]

Playing with the individual meshes in Vesselbuilder I got a decent Freedom:


Not too bad up close!



Many thanks for this!

 

[Gargantua2024]

Playing with the individual meshes in Vesselbuilder I got a decent Freedom:

Removing P6 will turn Freedom into Fred (1991). Very nice!