General Question Hey all, back into orbiter and have a question

[chevelle505]

so, to my amazment, i discovered SSV Is out (i havent flown since shuttle fleet 4.8. anyway, i was super excited to see the mid deck is modeled now, and was reading the manual trying to learn on the cockpit camera positions, however, even though its in the chart, I can not for the life of me view the mid deck camera..ive tried all the ctrl arrow keys...can someone please help? also, is there any kind of "free camera" to float around the cockpit? i remember being able to do eva's with shuttle fleet, hopefully thats possible with SSV. Ive been waiting for something like this for years!! this finally brought me back to orbiter!

 

[GLS]

so, to my amazment, i discovered SSV Is out (i havent flown since shuttle fleet 4.8. anyway, i was super excited to see the mid deck is modeled now, and was reading the manual trying to learn on the cockpit camera positions, however, even though its in the chart, I can not for the life of me view the mid deck camera..ive tried all the ctrl arrow keys...can someone please help? also, is there any kind of "free camera" to float around the cockpit? i remember being able to do eva's with shuttle fleet, hopefully thats possible with SSV. Ive been waiting for something like this for years!! this finally brought me back to orbiter!

Hi there!
Bad news: no EVA in SSV... eventually it will happen, but there is a bit of stone to break before it gets there.
Good news: the middeck should be accessible by pressing down arrow when in the Payload Station position (behind the CDR). This will also improve in the future.

 

[chevelle505]

awsome no worries! is there a way to move around the mid deck? when i turn the cam to look around its tilted..kinda odd..not sure im doing it right lol but thanks anyway, much appreciated!! wish there was a tutorial for this thing lol..i cant even figure out how to control the rcs thrusters or the payload bay doors lol. i unlatch them, then select open but nothing happens...ughh..this will be a learning curve lol

 

[GLS]

is there a way to move around the mid deck? when i turn the cam to look around its tilted

From memory, there should be maybe 2 vc positions in there, and you can also go the External Airlock (but the visuals aren't great there due to limitations in the graphics).
There are some improviments in the vc system in the pipeline... eventually they will see the light of day.

wish there was a tutorial for this thing lol..i cant even figure out how to control the rcs thrusters or the payload bay doors lol. i unlatch them, then select open but nothing happens...ughh..this will be a learning curve lol

You have the manual, which should explain how to operate the Shuttle and Orbiter interface, and then you have to learn how the Shuttle worked from documents like the SCOM, DPS Dictionary and checklists. E.g., the payload bay doors are now controlled by the GPC, so you need to have the proper config in the computer to it comands the doors based in the switch position.
For good and bad, SSV is not a simple Orbiter vessel.

 

[chevelle505]

ok thats a start. Unrelated but i installed the D3D9 graphics client For orbiter, but when i start orbiter with that exe the shuttle mfd are all way too big and dont fit in the virtual cockpit anymore. i reinstalled SSV And they're still all messed up. any suggestions? it looks so much more beautiful with D3D0

 

[DaveS]

ok thats a start. Unrelated but i installed the D3D9 graphics client For orbiter, but when i start orbiter with that exe the shuttle mfd are all way too big and dont fit in the virtual cockpit anymore. i reinstalled SSV And they're still all messed up. any suggestions? it looks so much more beautiful with D3D0

Extra>Instruments and panels>MFD parameter configuration>MFD texture size: Virtual Cockpits>512x512

 

[chevelle505]

GOT IT!!Thank you so much!
So im going through the manual, im not seeing anything explaining what codes to enter (for example..ops 301, item 33 etc). the manual seems very VERY vauge in terms of what are the procedures for deorbit burn for example. theres a guy on youtube that did two tutorials, one on launch and another on OMS burn and he shows you exactly what to press. nothing on that or what to even look for in the manual unless im missing it. unfortunatly, and ive even seen several posts on this through the years but nobody seems to do a reentry tutorial. I basically just want to use the autopilot which i understand SSV Finally has just like the real thing, where it will fly you all the way to the HAC. however, i cant even find the proceedures to get that far. trying to open the Bay doors for example..ok so its controlled by the GPC...i know the acronym but how the heck do i use it?? again, nothing in the manual. what mfd do i use for this etc?

 

[GLS]

GOT IT!!Thank you so much!
So im going through the manual, im not seeing anything explaining what codes to enter (for example..ops 301, item 33 etc). the manual seems very VERY vauge in terms of what are the procedures for deorbit burn for example. theres a guy on youtube that did two tutorials, one on launch and another on OMS burn and he shows you exactly what to press. nothing on that or what to even look for in the manual unless im missing it. unfortunatly, and ive even seen several posts on this through the years but nobody seems to do a reentry tutorial. I basically just want to use the autopilot which i understand SSV Finally has just like the real thing, where it will fly you all the way to the HAC. however, i cant even find the proceedures to get that far. trying to open the Bay doors for example..ok so its controlled by the GPC...i know the acronym but how the heck do i use it?? again, nothing in the manual. what mfd do i use for this etc?

So, the SSV manual is not a "Shuttle operations manual". It has information about how the Shuttle is simulated in SSV, listing the current differences and limitations, and also how to use SSV in Orbiter. It has some operations info, but it is limited to information not available anywhere else, like the SPDS checklists, which I created from scratch.
For actual Shuttle information, you need to use the (real) checklists, and learn about the vehicle from other documents. Lots of questions were answered in the project thread, so you should take a look in there.
For deorbit, FDO MFD is a very good tool to have, as it will calculate deorbit opportunities (in addition to being and invaluable tool for rendezvous). Then you just have to follow the checklists. This should be the only (external) MFD you need, as the Shuttle displays are implemented as a "vessel internal MFD" and allow control over the GPCs which run the show.
For the PLB door opening, the Post Insertion checklist has what is needed: block 18, on page 1-11. Read the DPS section in the manual first, as SSV currently only has 2 GPCs, so things are a bit different from the real thing.
Several scenarios are included, which allow you to make a launch, rendezvous, docking, entry and landing, without having to make all the preceding parts of the flight.

 

[chevelle505]

Just took a brows at the post insertion checklist…would be fine if I was an astronaut LOL..but in between a 9-5 this is goona be a while LOL. Man I really hope someone has put together just a basic simple list of procedures for bare necessities to get to orbit and get back down. Guess I’ll start where you said in the sec manual and go from there.

 

[chevelle505]

BTW, just caught that your the guy behind this shuttle? I’ve gotta say hats off..I’m a real world pilot and do a lot in DCS and MSFS and this is one of the best, most meticulous addons I’ve seen…sincerely thank you for the time you put into this!!
Now, if I could just see a video on YouTube of someone using the reentry autopilot LOL

 

[DaveS]

This is the document you want to read before doing anything in SSV: https://web.archive.org/web/2020060...390651main_shuttle_crew_operations_manual.pdf

 

[DaveS]

Also, this page holds the actual system workbooks that you might want to look over once you are done with the SCOM (they're down at the bottom of the page): https://web.archive.org/web/2020111...nters/johnson/news/flightdatafiles/index.html

 

[chevelle505]

Neither of those links work for me unfortunately..says they’re offline.
So, is there a breakdown of what ops do what and what’s each “item” is for? I understand that you’re essentially loading software (ops 301 for example) but then what does each item do. These nasa manuals are loaded with so much information that you have to weed through, makes someone who only has an hour or two every couple of day on the computer unable to use SSV, as I’m literally spending the whole time weeding through the manuals for relevant information..I don’t need to know how to stow the lavatory equipment for example..I can’t just cut to the chase of (ops xxx, item xx). Does ANYONE have a breakdown of the basics. For example, how to I activate the RCS thrusters? I turn flight cntlr power on (I assume) and turn the autopilot to “free”?? I mean I’m having to did through literally hundreds of pages through multiple manuals to do something like open the payload bay doors..wish I had that kind of time but really hoping someone can just simplify things with some basic checklists..even if the manuals were highlighted the relevant information for the simulator. Ughhh..sorry for the rant lol..I’ve done study level aircraft in MSFS but this is ridiculous

 

[DaveS]

Here you go while the Internet Archive is offline: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/eh1ru2yogbrupp7/AACuqOznifgHEok1CGrw1lnZa?dl=0

 

[DaveS]

Neither of those links work for me unfortunately..says they’re offline.
So, is there a breakdown of what ops do what and what’s each “item” is for? I understand that you’re essentially loading software (ops 301 for example) but then what does each item do. These nasa manuals are loaded with so much information that you have to weed through, makes someone who only has an hour or two every couple of day on the computer unable to use SSV, as I’m literally spending the whole time weeding through the manuals for relevant information..I don’t need to know how to stow the lavatory equipment for example..I can’t just cut to the chase of (ops xxx, item xx). Does ANYONE have a breakdown of the basics. For example, how to I activate the RCS thrusters? I turn flight cntlr power on (I assume) and turn the autopilot to “free”?? I mean I’m having to did through literally hundreds of pages through multiple manuals to do something like open the payload bay doors..wish I had that kind of time but really hoping someone can just simplify things with some basic checklists..even if the manuals were highlighted the relevant information for the simulator. Ughhh..sorry for the rant lol..I’ve done study level aircraft in MSFS but this is ridiculous

The shuttle is way more complex than any aircraft conceived before and since. Flight crew members usually spend their preflight training time 2/3rds studying and 1/3rd doing simulations (Mission Specialists (career NASA civilian astronauts) either in the Fixed or Motion Base Simulators if they're assigned as Flight Engineer along with Commander and Pilot). CDR and PLT usually spend most of their time in the Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA, modified Grumman GII) practicing landings.