Orbiter Screenshot Thread

[T.Neo]

Little bit of an alternate history fantasy inspired by my suggestions on the IRC channel about how awesome it would be- economics, safety and practicality issues aside- to have a Russian shuttle from the Buran program docked to the end of Zvezda while Discovery is docked to PMA-2.

I actually tried to stage the photo with a bit of intelligence involved... it isn't obvious, but the station is flying with the truss along the vector of travel, in attempt to alleviate the potential for RCS damage to both shuttles (since flying the station ROS or USOS end first would expose at least one vehicle full-on).

Also please excuse my attempt to name things in Russian... at least it shouldn't say "tumbling frog". I hope. :shifty:

Also try to spot how I have jumbled around the arrangement of modules and spacecraft on the ISS, to make them fit with the 'complete' Project Alpha ISS arrangement. Not sure how plausible they would be, but I wanted to retain some sense of 'normality' in the image, an ironic contrast between the 'mundane' and the 'extraordinary'.

 

[clickypens]

TNeo, could you get more pictures like that? It looks actually really interesting. I'm also wondering what modules you used (for example, for the russian solar power module, etc.)

 

[Izack]

TNeo, could you get more pictures like that? It looks actually really interesting. I'm also wondering what modules you used (for example, for the russian solar power module, etc.)

That's the default ISS, isn't it...?

 

[DaveS]

That's the default ISS, isn't it...?

That it is.

 

[T.Neo]

Yes, that is the stock ISS. Not only was it easier to stage a photo that way (partially because I'm lazy), but I wanted to envision an alternate history where the ISS did not become as castrated as it did in reality from all the cancelled components. Presumably if the billions exist to keep the Buran shuttles flying, there was enough for funding things like the SPP.

I'm interested in making more images like this... does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Wishbone]

Going to Mars sooner?

 

[Izack]

Going to Mars sooner?

Neat idea.

[ame="http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4562"]Mars 1994 – Russian Mars Transfer Vehicle 1.0[/ame]

 

[T.Neo]

Ok, here it is. Unfortunately no fancy titles this time but I did rustle up my very own solar power trusses for this. :shifty:

After this I have a feeling that URMS doesn't like Spacecraft3, for some reason. :dry:

Not sure why a Progress is docked there when there is a whole space shuttle to deliver supplies... maybe it is transferring fluids or it has dedicated spacecraft cargo that is easier to move to the spacecraft without having to weave it through the rest of the stack. I'm also a bit disappointed by the attitude, it looks a bit skew... I dunno, maybe the mission planners decided it would be superior, or the stack is in free drift or somesuch.

Try to figure out which Mir and ISS components I used to make up this orbital construction platform.

EDIT:
I docked the airlock to the main module using a passive port... I want to slap myself now. :facepalm:

 

[Izack]

After this I have a feeling that URMS doesn't like Spacecraft3, for some reason. :dry:

Which reminds me...that mesh really deserves a DLL module, not just a spacecraft3 file. Ah well, maybe as a pet project some day... :hmm:

 

[n122vu]

EVA - post-launch inspection of the XR2 hull, utilizing BrianJ's wonderful [ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=5123"]Spotlight Vessel[/ame] addon, along with Kulch's [ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3262"]Universal Cargo Deck[/ame] to attach the spotlight.



Fun with spotlight color - Resistance is Futile.

 

[T.Neo]

Were there originally any plans for a Shuttle-Salyut flight? Would be pretty interesting to see in Orbiter...

I also came across this when reading about the Mir Core Module:

At one point, it was planned for Buran to visit the station around 1992 and exchange the existing core module for a new one. A grappling arm would transfer the attached modules to the new core, and then take the original core module back to Earth.

Now that would be interesting... I wonder how they planned to do that. :blink:

 

[Tycho]

I don't think that there was a Shuttle-Salyut flight in the works, but I do remember reading about the proposal to swap out core modules on Mir using Buran.

Now that would be interesting... I wonder how they planned to do that. :blink:

I agree. I would imagine it would be a very complex operation (that goes without saying). Anyways, Astronautix has a very interesting article on Buran, as well as some of the development flights and missions it would have carried out (http://www.astronautix.com/craft/buran.htm).

 

[David413]

STS-133 Flight Day 10

22:57 UTC, 5 March 2011; The STS / ISS Complex approaches the coast of Washington State:

 

[David413]

STS-133 Orbital Sunset

Although I have the complex flying the wrong way, here is on-orbit sunset about 10 minutes ago (15:57 UTC):

 

[n122vu]

Really enjoying the [ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=5123"]Spotlight Vessel[/ame] by BrianJ.

Here are a couple of shots of the XR2 after rendezvous and docking with the Arrow Freighter, taken from the vantage point of one of two floodlights I added to the bay.

The first shot shows the default white spotlight.


Changing the light to red gives it a much darker, maybe even more 'military' look.


I can't get enough of the spotlights! It adds a whole new level of immersion. Thanks again to BrianJ!

 

[David413]

STS-133 Discovery Flyaround

Discovery performing the flyaround following undocking, passing over the southern tip of South America, ~12:35 UTC:

 

[Nistenf]

Arriving at Saturn on an Arrow after a looong flight

 

[David413]

STS-133 looks back at the ISS

Two different views of the departing ISS from Discovery; the first is at a range of around 30 nm, and the second is "out the window" following sunrise on orbit 173 at the ISS at a distance of 68 km (see the docking display window). These are taken using the updated Shuttle Fleet V4.7.1 and ISS fleet for Orbiter 2010P1, with a release in the near future.

Dave

 

[markl316]

XR2 Ravenstar, docked to the ISS...


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[n72.75]

What earth textures are you using?