Project Roskosmos "тайга" Lunar Lander

[N_Molson]

I'm starting a developpement thread for that one, rather that posting spare news on different topics.

I redesigned the whole lander ; I wasn't liking how the first draft I made was evolving (the mesh was awfully too complex). This time I used face extrusion for the landing window and the hatch, it is much simpler and much better. The LEM hatch was square-shaped after all.

It is a "classical" 2 stages design, excepted that the 2 stages share the same engine (S5.92) for mass saving. Which implies, for descent, a torus-shaped tank (N2O4+MMH, separated by walls inside the torus) built around the engine. I still have to consider how to design the ascent tank.

The lander will have a mass of 10 tons, and will be able to provide life support for 2 cosmonauts on the surface on the Moon for 36 hours.



Current version : v0.811 Beta

UPDATED TO-DO LIST (18th of May 2012)

Download link : Currently not available

Let's write a "little" to-do list (in fact, it is rather scary, so I begin to put priorities to keep my heading !) ;

* Guidance rails inside the descent stage for lunar liftoff -> Beta - DONE
* Add lunar dust ParticleStreams at very low altitudes -> Beta - DONE
* Defining shadow cones for Earth & Moon -> Beta - DONE
* Hatch (lock, manometer, handle) animation -> Beta - DONE
* Earth re-entry effects -> Beta - DONE
* Engine advanced parameters (hi-pressure gas cleaning, ullage burns, limited restarts, pressurant management). -> Beta - DONE
* Modeling of an accurate docking target -> Beta - DONE with LEDs, calibrated for Thornton's SoyuzTMA
* Moderate damage on rough landing -> Beta - DONE
* Integration of a "BlockDML stack" based on Thorton's work -> BETA - done.
* Cabin pressure equalization when docked to the SoyuzTMA -> v1.0 - DONE
* Re-compilation of TransX so that the target vector view is now functionnal for Y-axis oriented vessels -> v1.0 - DONE
* LEVA simulation (using DanSteph UGCO "Action area" concept) -> v1.0
* Resizing of the toolboxes, animation of the doors, handles, tools -> v1.0
* Sounds -> v1.0
* Crew management system -> In progress, v1.0
* Load/Save of the variables -> In progress, v1.0
* Virtual Cockpit -> v1.x
* 2D Panel -> v1.x
* Systems failures -> v1.x
* Descent AutoPilot -> v1.x
* Ascent AutoPilot -> v1.x
* Spacecraft remote guidance simulation in "unmanned mode" (delays...) -> v1.x
* Meshing of subsystems access panels for EVA repairs. ->v1.x
* Subsystems EVA repairs -> v1.x
* Re-design of the descent stage -> v2.0
* MIK (Vehicle Assembly Building) -> v2.x
* Rockets production chain & infrastructure (Samara, railroads...) -> v2.x

... to be continued ! :blahblah:

Full mission simulation status : Landed on the Moon

 

[ghostrunner01]

Really Cool! I like addons that feature lunar landers. It will be really cool to see this thing in action in Orbiter!

 

[IronRain]

Looks nice :thumbup:

 

[N_Molson]

I calculated the masses and the required tanks volume taking the needed DeltaV in consideration. The ascent tank is a cylinder going through the hole of the torus, located between the floor of the cabin and the engine itself (which is pretty small).

I use N2O4+UDMH, for which Astronautix gives a density of 1,19 g/cc

I end up with (rounded) :

Total Mass : 10,600 kg
Fuel+Oxidizer Mass (descent) : 5,400 kg
Fuel+Oxidizer Mass (ascent) : 2,160 kg
Empty Mass (total) : 3,040 kg
Empty Mass (ascent stage) : 2,500 kg

The torus tank is quite impressive in "real" size, but still fits in :

Edit : when I write "empty mass", I mean "full mass minus the propellant" !

 

[mc_]

Can we take a look on the ascent stage?

 

[SiberianTiger]

N.Molson, where did you get this design from? Is it purely imaginary?

 

[N_Molson]

It's a crossing between the LK lander and the LEM... I wouldn't say it is completely imaginary, because it is an attempt to answer mass and functionnality constraints. I also took ideas and advices from the Soyuz Lunar Mission thread.

The torus external tank and the cylindrical central tank design which share a same engine is mainly taken from the Breeze space tug. That LM is hence supposed to be the result of the combination of russian hardware designs.

The cabin is has roughly the dimensions and the shape of the future BO of the ACTS.

The mass figures were found by trial and error using the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation ; the DeltaV figures required for descent/ascent were taken from the LEM.

 

[N_Molson]

It slowly takes shape... I managed to land with it !

Still a lot of work to go...

 

[N_Molson]

Setting up the RCS (with not too much collateral momentum) is a quite complex problem, given the "1 stage and a half" configuration of the vehicle.

Of course, when finished, the "plasma" exhaust flames will be replaced by white particlestreams. Also the RCS nozzles will be improved.

Edit : RCS system done & operational, with better nozzles and particle exhausts. It took a lot of trial & error but now it works in rotation & translation modes without too much unwanted momentum.

Now I need to add a folding system and some suspension for the landing legs, and of course add details on the upper stage (antennas, subsystems...)

 

[CurlSnout]

This looks fun. Thanks for continuing to post updates; it's interesting to see how these projects evolve.

cs

 

[Grover]

cool, but two questions:

1) is this a custom DLL? cool if it is

2) will its engines be defined as hover engines or main engines? its damn hard to rendez-vous with another craft when you only have hover engines that you cant control with your joysticks throttle

cant wait to see it!

 

[N_Molson]

is this a custom DLL? cool if it is

of course ! I'm rather an "anti-spacecraft3"

will its engines be defined as hover engines or main engines? its damn hard to rendez-vous with another craft when you only have hover engines that you cant control with your joysticks throttle

Yeah, I'll take that into consideration. Maybe a "vertical" and an "horizontal" mode, or something like that...

 

[Grover]

Awesome man, cant wait. I wish i could be anti-spacecraft3, but i dont have the software (until i get internet) or skill or knowlege to make a custom dll

Laters

 

[N_Molson]

Worked on the cabin inside and the landing gear, I won't be able to use the UmmU mesh in the release though.

Also added an antenna for long range communications.

 

[Izack]

Very nice looking so far!

 

[mc_]

Looks good, but, IMHO, angle of view down is not the best possible. Try to make a screenshot "from pilot's eyes".

 

[N_Molson]

It isn't that bad, but I plan to add two cameras : one for docking, and one for the final landing phase (tilted 45° down, located on the front of the cabin), to make sure there is not a big rock right under ! That's the kind of technology we have today and that was not existing (or was very heavy/unreliable) back in the Apollo era.

Also, nothing prevents the pilot from getting a little closer from the window.

---------- Post added at 11:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:47 AM ----------

The LM in ascent configuration :

I reached an orbit of 40x120 km from the lunar surface... I had 5 kgs of propellant left ! But the RCS system is powerful enough to make small corrections for the rendez-vous.

 

[mc_]

40x120 will be enough?

 

[Grover]

Maybe a little more dV would be nice, aim for at least 120km orbit then put a little more fuel in the tanks

 

[N_Molson]

Maybe a little more dV would be nice, aim for at least 120km orbit then put a little more fuel in the tanks

No, the vessel has exactly the same DeltaV than the LEM had, so it's just enough. And it has to be put into Lunar Orbit by a Proton rocket with a spacetug that Thornton developped from a russian near-future project (KVRB). For now I fear that 10 tons will be a little too much, so if I can save 100 grams of propellant, I will :lol:

Anyways I flew those ascents quickly, it leaves a lot of room for trajectory optimization. Of course, an ascent autopilot would be wishable. But there is a looot of work to go before that

---------- Post added 03-09-11 at 12:24 AM ---------- Previous post was 03-08-11 at 11:16 AM ----------

I started playing with textures... I couldn't help to add a Gagarin portrait, given the date...

Also I added a docking light, like in the LEM (the little red beacon). Now there are 3 sets of antennas : the docking radar, the long-range (should be steerable) dish, and the VHF antennas).

The "boxes" on both sides are extra room for various tanks (LOX, N2, H2O, coolant...) and other subsystems. They also act as radiators if needed.

I worked the code, and now there are 3 possible views : cabin, landing cam and docking cam (you won't be able to scroll these two last views since the cameras are fixed). Those views really help piloting the thing, you just have to get used to it and remember where are the x, y, & z axis...

---------- Post added at 07:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 AM ----------

Rendez-vous after Lunar Liftoff :

According to the mission plan, the SoyuzTMA would then undock, and rendez-vous with an orbiting spacetug for the TEI.

Also, the vehicle is now uMMu-compatible

---------- Post added at 08:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:10 PM ----------

I applied Multi-Layer Insulation on the propellant tanks and other parts that might require passive cooling. Also, golden foil looks cool :lol:

It begins to look like a spacecraft Too bad I'm helpless with UV mapping :facepalm:

Now the part I'm afraid of since the beginning... Animations :shifty: