Space Shuttle Ultra development thread

[Urwumpe]

I just found a free CAD software with motion analysis, I think this could get very handy for the payload bay door hinges and other advanced animations.

http://www.ar-cad.com/products/freecad/windows


EDIT: A very good photo of the ODS. Can that be used for improving the visual?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Shuttle_Orbital_Docking_System_(ODS)_close-up.jpg

 

[Donamy]

We've got a very good animation of the ODS from C3PO.


Anyone have a .dxf to .3DS converter ?

 

[Urwumpe]

Anyone have a .dxf to .3DS converter ?

Not really...looked for it, but can't find something

 

[gawinnard]

I know that Rhino3D V3 can import DXF and Export 3DS (you made need to alter the Poly count). I think Rhino3D V4 still allow a good demo use, which may help

www.rhino3d.com

 

[DaveS]

We've got a very good animation of the ODS from C3PO.

Could we see a demo please? Maybe something like the demo of the payload bay door C/L latches?

 

[Donamy]

 

[Urwumpe]

Donamy: Can you also add the passive and active hooks to the ring?

The passive hooks are on the inside of the ring (see my photo, opposite to each petal), the active hooks in the center of the petals. They don't need to get animated, I doubt anybody will ask for it (now).

 

[Donamy]

Shouldn't be very difficult.

 

[Urwumpe]

Shouldn't be very difficult.

If you say so, I take it as fact.

The mylar coating of the inside of the docking tunnel behind the ring would also be nice. Animating the hooks would be not too complex, but you would usually not see them move during docking, only when operating the hooks in manual mode.

 

[Donamy]

The passive hooks are not on the ring that extends, they are on the inner ring that capture on retraction.

 

[Poscik]

We've got a very good animation of the ODS from C3PO.


Anyone have a .dxf to .3DS converter ?

I have this converter If I can help you, contact me by PM.

 

[Donamy]

I'll have to learn more of the CAD program first, it looks interesting.

 

[Urwumpe]

The passive hooks are not on the ring that extends, they are on the inner ring that capture on retraction.

They must be on the ring, otherwise, you could not achieve hard dock by retracting the ring (The shuttle would bounce away from the station when the dampers relax again). Also the photo has the passive hooks on the ring, if you look carefully.

You can say, you have three types of hooks on the APAS: Active, passive and the latches for achieving hard dock later. The active and passive hooks go together. When you undock, only your hooks need to retract.

OK, i remembered the wrong terms :

On the ring are the latches, on the outside of the docking port the hooks. On the inside of the ring, opposite of each petal, is the opposite part of each latch.

 

[Donamy]

In this extended view, which ones do you mean ? feel free to use arrows.

 

[Urwumpe]

Interesting... in the retracted photo it looks like the opposite part of the latches is installed on the ring, in the extended they are on the main structure. Now I wonder, where do the spacecraft keep together after docking without firing RCS until the ring retracts?

 

[Donamy]

Here is the PMA side:

 

[Urwumpe]

Ok, when the other ring is not retracted, it makes sense. But the ISS side can only be passive, it seems.

 

[Donamy]

Problem with the ODS animation, it was done on a scaled up version. I have e-mailed C3PO, to see if he can apply it to the scaled down version.

 

[DaveS]

Tex just offered me to set up a dedicated Project page for SSU, like the one that has replaced the Orbiter bug reporting forum.

The upside is that it will allow us to easily track bug reports and feature requests, much better than we can with this thread.

I just wanted to throw this out here so we could discuss it and I can get back to Tex with an answer. My opinion is that we give this a shot and see how it will work out.

 

[GLS]

Hi there!
I have some code for SSME ops (ignition/throttle/shutdown/hyd lockup/etc)... Do you want me to do a MEC module for SSU???