Vessel New addon request: SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System

[JonnyBGoode]

New addon request: SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System!

 

[zyates87]

I'd like to second this. As soon as I saw the video I wanted to fly it! Perhaps we can be testers for SpaceX? ;-)

 

[zyates87]

Can I second this? As soon as I found out about it I wanted to try flying it for myself.

 

[vchamp]

Since presentation of ITS I thought that it would be cool to try something like this in Orbiter. So I want to make a prototype of ITS. I have Blender but no c++ compiler. Where would you suggest me to start from? I want to do it simple and quick first. I have a little experience with Spacecraft3 but not with multistage or velcro, and I want to do this in Orbiter 2016.

 

[Urwumpe]

Since presentation of ITS I thought that it would be cool to try something like this in Orbiter. So I want to make a prototype of ITS. I have Blender but no c++ compiler. Where would you suggest me to start from? I want to do it simple and quick first. I have a little experience with Spacecraft3 but not with multistage or velcro, and I want to do this in Orbiter 2016.

What about docking the stages together and make them independent spacecraft? This way you can also implement the refueling in space.

I still wait for a reaction from BrianJ there... he already has a SpaceX-like autopilot for landing that seems to work well.

 

[vchamp]

What about docking the stages together and make them independent spacecraft? This way you can also implement the refueling in space.

I still wait for a reaction from BrianJ there... he already has a SpaceX-like autopilot for landing that seems to work well.

Right, I forgot that I need also the landing autopilot and there's no library or tool for this. It's too much effort to code it myself, so I just hope that it will be available from other devs.

Meanwhile launching the thing would also be something and docking booster and spaceship may be a good idea if Orbiter updates masses properly and allows docked vessels to sit on the ground.

 

[Urwumpe]

Meanwhile launching the thing would also be something and docking booster and spaceship may be a good idea if Orbiter updates masses properly and allows docked vessels to sit on the ground.

Exactly that happens in 2016. :thumbup:

That is why I suggested it as possible "Hail Mary"-solution.

 

[Face]

Meanwhile launching the thing would also be something and docking booster and spaceship may be a good idea if Orbiter updates masses properly and allows docked vessels to sit on the ground.

Also what about aerodynamics? Wouldn't even 2016 calculate the drag-forces for each docked element individually and add them up, because it can't calculate the "shadowing" by elements in front of the stack? I guess for that aspects to be compensated you'll need awareness of the full stack in each element, anyway.

 

[Urwumpe]

Also what about aerodynamics? Wouldn't even 2016 calculate the drag-forces for each docked element individually and add them up, because it can't calculate the "shadowing" by elements in front of the stack? I guess for that aspects to be compensated you'll need awareness of the full stack in each element, anyway.

I doubt he will be doing much aerodynamics initially and when stack aerodynamics become important, its a way more advanced project anyway, with way more important tasks having precedence.

 

[BrianJ]

What about docking the stages together and make them independent spacecraft? This way you can also implement the refueling in space.

I still wait for a reaction from BrianJ there... he already has a SpaceX-like autopilot for landing that seems to work well.

Hi,
I'm kind of busy with other stuff at the moment, to do any add-on development. The code for landing the Falcon 1st stage is included in the Falcon9/FalconHeavy add-ons if anyone wants to use it, but it's horrible code and should probably be re-written from scratch (the code evolved from my first attempts and has become very "tangled"!). If anyone takes up this ITS project, feel free to drop me a line if I can be of any help.

Cheers,
Brian

 

[Urwumpe]

Hi,
I'm kind of busy with other stuff at the moment, to do any add-on development. The code for landing the Falcon 1st stage is included in the Falcon9/FalconHeavy add-ons if anyone wants to use it, but it's horrible code and should probably be re-written from scratch (the code evolved from my first attempts and has become very "tangled"!). If anyone takes up this ITS project, feel free to drop me a line if I can be of any help.

Cheers,
Brian

OK, sounds like a starting point there. How is the code licensed? You did include the sources but no copyleft license to continue development. (So default copyright applies, the source code is read-only)

 

[fred18]

if you want to use MS2015 there are some ways to use it:

- make the second stage a live payload, so it will be attached and "live" and available to anything during the launch
- use a ghost second stage (no mass, no mesh, no thrust etc) and once the first stage is detached instead of using the default stage.dll module, use a dedicated dll with the land back autopilot.

in this way you can exploit ms2015 launch PEG autopilot, its telemetry monitor, the MFD etc.

Just a suggestion. I'm a bit busy with other stuff, and not to good in 3d modeling, but if you wish to use this approach I'll be 100% available to help with the ms2015 part

 

[BrianJ]

OK, sounds like a starting point there. How is the code licensed? You did include the sources but no copyleft license to continue development. (So default copyright applies, the source code is read-only)

Guess I should include a "free to use and redistribute for non-commercial purposes" note (I know even less about code copyright than I do about writing code!). Anyway, folks are welcome to re-cycle any useful bits of my Orbiter add-ons.

 

[FlyingSinger]

I was looking at some ITS artist renderings on the SpaceX Flickr site and started wondering about this as a possible add-on. I've never done much 3D modeling myself but I searched to see if anyone else has, just for the fun of it. I don't know if it's helpful and I can't see any licensing info, but I found an ITS model someone posted in IGES and STEP format. I imported the IGES into my company's illumination modeling tool (the only 3D CAD tool I have on my PC) and it looks quite detailed: 3D CAD Model of SpaceX ITS

 

[BrianJ]

Thanks for the heads up, Bruce. Will bookmark that for future ref. Actually, since seeing a year old video of Mr.Musk at the IAC talking about ITS and giving us some figures, and seeing the prototype spacecraft fuel tank already built, I'm starting to take this idea more seriously. I'm very interested to see how workable it is if we plug Elon's numbers into Orbiter. After I've finished with updating my Falcon Heavy add-on, I might have to give this a go, if nobody else has started it already.

 

[Kyle]

I'd hold off on making an ITS addon until SpaceX updates their plans at IAC this year.

 

[BrianJ]

I'd hold off on making an ITS addon until SpaceX updates their plans at IAC this year.

I probably won't have a chance to get started until then anyway.

 

[Nicholas Kang]

So, has anyone started making BFR?

For add-on devleopers:

Updates are here:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqE-ultsWt0"]BFR | Earth to Earth - YouTube[/ame]

Wikipedia: BFR (Rocket)

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/09/the-moon-mars-earth-musk-updates-bfr-plans/

Completely reusable, both stages

Booster returns and lands on the launch mount

Multi-engine out capability, even during booster landing

Expected landing reliability on a par with major airliners

Automated rendezvous and docking

On-orbit propellant transfer from BFR tanker to BFR spaceship

Presence of the Delta Wing

Reusable heat-shield technology

150 tonnes (150 long tons; 170 short tons) payload mass, both to low-Earth orbit and, with on-orbit propellant loading, to the Moon or Mars, with full reusability; 250 tonnes (250 long tons; 280 short tons) payload mass if flown in expendable configuration

9 metres (30 ft) diameter

106 metres (348 ft) rocket length, booster stage plus the BFR spaceship (or BFR tanker) combined* liftoff mass 4400 tons

31 Raptor engines on the booster, providing 5400 tons of liftoff thrust
48 metres (157 ft) length of the BFR spaceship or BFR tanker or BFR orbital payload releaser, carrying 150 tonne maximum ascent payload with a typical return payload of 50 tonnes; carrying 1100 tonnes of propellant mass.

The BFR spaceship contains 825m3 of pressurised volume, with 40 cabins, large common areas, central storage, galley, and a solar storm shelter in Mars transit configuration.

Raptor engines have been tested for a combined total of 1200 seconds of test firing time over 42 main engine tests. The longer test was 100 seconds, which is limited by the size of the propellant tanks at the SpaceX ground test facility. The test engine operates at 200 atmospheres. The flight engine is aimed for 250 bar, and SpaceX expects to achieve 300 bar in later iterations.

The new BFR would also be able to perform crew rotation missions to the International Space Station – with Mr. Musk noting that while the BFR’s size compared to the ISS looks somewhat humorous, “Shuttle was [also] big. It’ll work.”

During the course of the presentation, a cargo version of BFR was also confirmed, one that would have the ability to launch large telescopes (with mirrors three times the size of Hubble’s) and satellites into orbit or also conduct orbit cleaning operations of defunct satellites – according to Mr. Musk.

Add-on scenarios suggestions (Just my 2 cents ):

Lunar Exploration:

Mars Colonization:

Earth-based travel:

It seems like this is going to be a huge add-on project, given the different missions involving 3 celestial bodies (Moon, Mars, Earth). The one on Earth-based travel would require suborbital travel. I really look forward to that one.

Hope to see Kyle's and Brian's work on this.

All the best to both of you! (and others who want to make this add-on as well) :thumbup: