Project Orion MPCV

francisdrake

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
Messages
1,060
Reaction score
864
Points
128
Website
francisdrakex.deviantart.com
picture.php


This is about the development of an Orion MPCV for Orbiter.
- Orion crew module
- ESA service module
- Orange SLS launcher, with ICPS and EUS
- Deep Space Habitat
- Solar Electric Mars Ship

** Update Version 15 - 2018-04-13 ** for Orbiter 2016.

Keys Commands
[ A ] Auxillary thrusters on/off

[ C ] Deploy drogue, deploy chute;
drogue will deploy automatically at 3000 m,
main chute will deploy at 800 m altitude

[ K ] Open / close the hatch door

[ S ] Deploy solar panels, swivel forward / straight
[ D ] Solar panels swivel down / straight

<Ctrl> [ J ] Jettison the resource module

Known issues:
No animations. Textures directory cluttered.
Pls report in case of missing configs, meshes or textures.
 

Attachments

  • Orion-MPCV-14.zip
    3.5 MB · Views: 737
  • Orion-MPCV-15.zip
    3.6 MB · Views: 346
Last edited:

Astro SG Wise

Future Orion MPCV Pilot
Joined
May 26, 2014
Messages
489
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Website
www.aesd.blogspot.com
It's great! Looks just like NASA animations. Can't wait to see it on the hangar!

---------- Post added 11-19-14 at 01:35 AM ---------- Previous post was 11-18-14 at 10:38 PM ----------

When I tested your docking scenario, when I use Linear controls, the Orion also rotates. When I moved up and down, Orion began to twist. Is this a realistic addition or just a mess up in multi-dimensional velocity and thrusters?
 
Last edited:

PhantomCruiser

Wanderer
Moderator
Tutorial Publisher
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Messages
5,600
Reaction score
165
Points
153
Location
Cleveland
I don't think it did that for me... I have gotten in to the habit of hitting the [5] key after every translation though. But I don't remember doing that for this one.
 

francisdrake

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
Messages
1,060
Reaction score
864
Points
128
Website
francisdrakex.deviantart.com
On linear translation: Do not activate 2 directions at same time, e.g. up and left simultanionsly. Do them one after the other.
This is due to the oblique placement of the thrusters.
 

francisdrake

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
Messages
1,060
Reaction score
864
Points
128
Website
francisdrakex.deviantart.com
@gattispilot: Looks good on the SLS! Could I try it as well?

What next? My intention is to make a 'well-behaved' addon that can be launched on modern launchers (like the SLS or FalconHeavy). If launched as an attached payload it shall have a functional lauch abort system.

The Orion will usually team up with other vehicles for deep space missions, so it shall be easy on the frame rates. Meshes and code to be functional, but not over the top.

Next step will be cleaning out the code, some tedious work to do.
 

gattispilot

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Joined
Oct 17, 2007
Messages
8,636
Reaction score
2,613
Points
203
Location
Dallas, TX
Sure All I did and changed the scenario to your Orion. I emailed you the scenario I used

Do you have mine SLS?
 
Last edited:

francisdrake

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
Messages
1,060
Reaction score
864
Points
128
Website
francisdrakex.deviantart.com
Thanks for the scenario!
Sorry, I don't have your SLS yet. Was it published in the SLS-thread? Could you please show me a link to it? (I will try it on Sunday, away from home right now.)
 

Astro SG Wise

Future Orion MPCV Pilot
Joined
May 26, 2014
Messages
489
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Website
www.aesd.blogspot.com
I predict these two projects will become the new AMSO of the future. Great work guys!

---------- Post added at 05:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:27 AM ----------

Also, I am continuing a small conversation that was carried on in the SLS and Orion MPCV request thread. Will Orion really be black? First of all, all the mockups are white. Secondly, all the animations (besides EFT-1) have a white Orion, and it gives Orion a new sense of separation from Apollo. Of course, maybe Orion was to be white when they made the mockups, but they changed their minds, but their newest graphic of the Orion MPCV is white. francisdrake, your Orion style is great, and I think you should keep that color, but still, will Orion actually be white? If NASA knows that Orion will be black for Mars missions, why continue to make Orion pictures and animations with it still white?

 

C3PO

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Donator
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Messages
2,604
Reaction score
17
Points
53
I suspect that the final color will have very little to do with esthetics. It depends on how well the thermal control works during these tests. Remember that while bright colors are good at reflecting incoming radiation, dark colors are better at radiating heat away from the craft. So far both shuttle systems have used dark colors on the side that faces Earth during reentry for just that reason.

With Orion using solar panels instead of fuel cells you don't get the surplus water that you can boil off (sublimate) to cool down. Thermal control is a hard nut to crack on long-duration missions.

Edit: Ignore "sublimate". Sublimators use mostly dry ice, and hauling it along for cooling a space craft wouldn't be very efficient.
 
Last edited:

DaveS

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Donator
Beta Tester
Joined
Feb 4, 2008
Messages
9,429
Reaction score
680
Points
203
With Orion using solar panels instead of fuel cells you don't get the surplus water that you can boil off (sublimate) to cool down. Thermal control is a hard nut to crack on long-duration missions.
Actually not. Thermal control is usually accomplished by a so called Passive Thermal Control (PTC) roll (AKA "BBQ roll") that evenly spreads the heat all around the spacecraft. And both shuttle and the Apollo CSM used radiators to cool the EPS and ECLSS.
 

ISProgram

SketchUp Orbinaut
Joined
Feb 5, 2014
Messages
749
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Ominke Atoll
If NASA knows that Orion will be black for Mars missions, why continue to make Orion pictures and animations with it still white?


Don't forget this is the same agency that still has SLS looking like Saturn V2 when external document and (some) people already know its going to look like Ares/Shuttle ET.
 

C3PO

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Donator
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Messages
2,604
Reaction score
17
Points
53
Actually not. Thermal control is usually accomplished by a so called Passive Thermal Control (PTC) roll (AKA "BBQ roll") that evenly spreads the heat all around the spacecraft. And both shuttle and the Apollo CSM used radiators to cool the EPS and ECLSS.

AFAIK STS is the only one that uses boilers for cooling. The hydraulic oil was cooled in water spray boilers, and it didn't use water from the fuel cells. I'm just saying that it's an option IF you use fuel cells.

Part of the BBQ roll is that the side that faces away from the Sun radiates heat.
 

francisdrake

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
Messages
1,060
Reaction score
864
Points
128
Website
francisdrakex.deviantart.com
The color of the Orion: For now I will stay with the white color, but may provide a black variant later on.

I am not sure on the surface of the service module (or any design details of it). I think the Apollo SM had body heat radiators, as the original designs of the CEV-SM. Some current pictures of the European service module show ATV-like clothes, while others show blank metal surfaces.
 

orbitingpluto

Orbiteer
Joined
May 1, 2010
Messages
618
Reaction score
0
Points
16
I found this presentation(2013) on the NTRS that does say a ATV derived SM will have six body mounted radiators, though the radiators aren't discussed beyond that. The concept art below from the ESA(gotten off this recent Space News article) looks pretty much like the graphics in that presentation, and the layout of the flat surfaces around the SM certainly seem like good places to mount some radiator panels.

Orion-Copyrights-NASA_final.jpg


I should point out that aside from searching out this info today, I don't know much about Orion or it's SM, so I can't say for sure this is the right design.
 

francisdrake

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
Messages
1,060
Reaction score
864
Points
128
Website
francisdrakex.deviantart.com
picture.php

Orion fairing and LAS separation.

If attached to a launcher the Orion can be started in launch mode 10, controlled by the scenario file. In this case the Orion brings its own fairings and LAS. It jettisons them when reaching a certain altitude (here: 118 km). The Orion itself stays attached to the launcher.

This enables the Orion to be placed on any launcher without requiring interaction until payload jettison.
 

gattispilot

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Joined
Oct 17, 2007
Messages
8,636
Reaction score
2,613
Points
203
Location
Dallas, TX
If attached to a launcher the Orion can be started in launch mode 10, controlled by the scenario file. In this case the Orion brings its own fairings and LAS. It jettisons them when reaching a certain altitude (here: 118 km). The Orion itself stays attached to the launcher.

This enables the Orion to be placed on any launcher without requiring interaction until payload jettison.

What is launch mode 10? Can it be added in a scenario to the SLS velcro so it uses your LAS?
 
Top