Project ISSU

[Orbinaut Pete]

Are you guys going to make your own Solar panels or are you going to use someone elses with permission?

That is unknown at this time.

I'd like to use Donamy's, and implement solar tracking into them.

But, we'll see.

 

[Lucy]

This looks incredible. I can't wait to see it working!

If I could help, I would. I'd like to do what I can, but I'm afraid I can't.

 

[andysim]

looking really nice.

 

[pburt68]

Cool!!

This looks pretty cool guys. I wish I knew how to use SDK. I don't understand the slightest thing about it... All I know how to do is fly the missions, and use the MFDs. I would help out, but unfortunatly I don't know how I could... So, just wanted to leave the comment that its a pretty cool project that you have going on, and I look forward to seeing it out there for download in the future!!!

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Thanks for all the nice comments, guys!

I'm hoping to get this project moving again in the next month or so - I've had a few new ideas!

More soon!

 

[george7378]

Wow! This looks like an excellent piece of engineering so far - can't wait for the release, especially if the entire interior is mapped.

Thanks.

 

[Kyle]

Well don't make us cry pete post pics of your progress!

Lol.

 

[george7378]

Is this project still alive? I hope it is...

 

[insanity]

Pete seems pretty dedicated to getting it done right, so I assume it is still alive until he says otherwise... probably dealing with the nuisance of reality

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Don't worry, ISSU is most definitely still alive!

As insanity said, I'm kinda busy with loads of real-life related stuff at the moment, but I definitely intend to resume progress sometime in the future.

I am always steadily working on my textures - I'll post some pics of my latest work soon!

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Okay, here's a picture of a work-in-progress of mine.

I'm currently in the process of what I call "layering" this image.
I'm adding the latch/unlatch mechanism.
I've still got to find a suitable image that shows the upper part of the mechanism, edit it, insert it, & blend the two together (so you won't notice they are different ).

 

[4throck]

Nice textures! Keep at it, it will take time but the end result is going to be worth it.
I know from self experience, as I'm in the progress of making a fully textured Zvezda interior mesh (about 50% done) and photo coverage is a nightmare. Most of the times the angles aren't right or there's something covering the parts we need to see.

 

[george7378]

You should get in contact with in ISS resident - what a lot of help that would be

 

[barrygolden]

Great stuff

I really have enjoyed all of this great work and look forward too much more

 

[ddom2006]

Loving the work so far .

Really looking forward to seeing the completion of this project, Well worth the wait.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Thanks to all for the nice comments! :thumbup:

I'm still working on textures! :lol:

 

[Turbinator]

Actually, they're blue (at least the sides with the actual solar arrays are (like other solar arrays) darkish blue, but the undersides are somewhat orrange. From what I've seen on images and videos. Take a look at this:

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/ISSRG/ (click the 'how it works' icon or watch the introduction)

The ISS Solar Array Wings (SAW's) (the big, main, most recognizable arrays) have only 2 colours, Orange and Black. This is why. They are Silicon flexible thin-film module photovoltaic cells; they are made using Amorphous Silicon and that means that the active surface side is black. Pitch black. Now the orange colour comes from the circuitry, because they use flexible circuits. With copper as the conductive metal, encased in a protective layer giving it the orange colour. The arrays are arranged in such a way and designed with flexible circuitry so they can be folded, because they cover a HUGE surface area.

Each of the Solar Array Wings are 34 m (112 ft) long by 12 m (39 ft) wide, and are capable of generating nearly 32.8 kW of DC power.[4] They are split into two photovoltaic blankets, with the deployment mast in between. Each blanket has 16,400 silicon photovoltaic cells, grouped into 82 active panels, each consisting of 200 cells, and each cell is 8 cm² with 4,100 diodes.

Here are some super high res pictures;

Under Side:

Top (active) Side:

Underside, and top side in one view:

Complete full super high rez view of top of starboard side:

Super close up, super high res view of bottom side, so close you could lick it:

Super close up, high res view of top side (makes awesome texture):

The Russian parts of the space station use a different kind of a solar array. They are a thick, solid rigid structure. Made of Gallium Arsenide and Crystalline Silicon multi-junction cells. This means that their surface can be anywhere from a deep dark purple (almost black) to a bright brilliant blue, depending on the angle you are looking from. This also gives them a very cool fractured crystalline look, having more than one colour, and having them change as your angle changes.

Here is a very high res example. All tough this one has some red paint in the middle for an unknown reason. Makes a great texture.

The four Photovoltaic Radiators (PVR) for the International Space Station are white in colour.

This is what you will need to model the ISS power system. For the rotation animation, electrics system, and computer control systems;

The solar arrays normally track the Sun, with the alpha gimbal used as the primary rotation to follow the Sun as the space station moves around the Earth, and the beta gimbal used to adjust for the angle of the space station's orbit to the ecliptic. Several different tracking modes are used in operations, ranging from full Sun-tracking, to the drag-reduction mode ("Night glider" and "Sun slicer" modes), to a drag-maximization mode used to lower the altitude

Far more detail here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Glider_mode

Here is a diagram you will need in order to properly model the rotation and electronics of the arrays.

Wow, thats a lot of info for one post. I think this is the longest one I have ever done. I learned all of this doing research for my Virtual ISS simulation program.


This is what the ISS looks like when viewed from the ground by a amature astronomer telescope:

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Thanks to Turbinator for that great post!

ISSU is currently evaluating a few offers it has received, and a public announcement will be made in the next few days.

All I will say is that I think the work rate can really increase in 2010, with the resources we now have!

 

[SakyaIllidan]

wow, el proyecto luce muy bien

Y si está Mustard allí, no dudo de que sea un éxito

 

[statickid]

hey they just made those out of kapton tape! probably in some garage! I knew things were made by the lowest bidder but sheesh! :rofl:

---------- Post added at 01:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:00 PM ----------

I read the night glider thingy. its sooooo cool that they fly the space station like that, its more like a weird space craft than a station. where are the space station thrusters?? never seen em, oh wait i could probably find out myself