Project Space Shuttle Vessel

[DaveS]

STS-3 still used a unique kind of ET, I think. The first orange (unpainted), but with some differences to the first standard weight tank (SWT) ET used on STS-4. Somewhere was an overview of the first tanks used, but I can't find it again.

All launches up to and but not including STS-6 used SWTs. STS-7 was the last SWT to be used. Although, STS-6 was the first ET with the LOX Anti-geyser Line removed and substituted with Direct Helium Injection and the GH2 pressurization line moved to where the LOX Anti-geyser Line used be, next to the GOX pressurization line. So it was the first ET with the final propellant system configuration.

The STS-7 ET was a bit weired with no LOX Anti-geyser Line but the GH2 pressurization line still remained in its original location.

The SLWT did not change this and neither did any of the post-Columbia modifications. The post-Columbia mods were all about reducing the number of ascent debris sources, so the PAL Ramps and Bipod Aeroramps were removed and the Ice/Frost Ramps had slight design changes.

 

[GLS]

Launched sts3

Not sure on which ET?

There is a STS-3 mission file included in SSV (no payloads), just take a look at it.

 

[gattispilot]

Thanks. So I took that and add the payloads. Did STS 3 NOT have a KU band Antenna?

 

[GLS]

Did STS 3 NOT have a KU band Antenna?

There was no TDRS yet.

 

[gattispilot]

Ok. So STS 2 Should I use the setup for STS3 and change the payloads?

 

[GLS]

Ok. So STS 2 Should I use the setup for STS3 and change the payloads?

Just check the Fire Retardant Latex in the ET, and that should be it as far as vehicle configuration.

 

[gattispilot]

Ok. So I get this.
Weird but my sts 3 shuttle launched on its own. But this guy just sits there

 

[GLS]

Ok. So I get this.
Weird but my sts 3 shuttle launched on its own. But this guy just sits there

Log file please.

 

[gattispilot]

Weird. I thought they were the same. But STS 2 stops at -27.00

 

[GLS]

Weird. I thought they were the same. But STS 2 stops at -27.00

Was the scenario created with Mission Editor?

 

[gattispilot]

yes I have it set launch -31. The one that launches start countdown below -27.

I will look at them

 

[GLS]

yes I have it set launch -31. The one that launches start countdown below -27.

I will look at them

If it is stopping at T-27s, I'm 99% sure the LCC is not talking to the shuttle... which shown not happen with scenarios created by Mission Editor.

 

[gattispilot]

So I redid the scn from the mission editor. And she countdown to -27.
000000.863: (SSV_LC39) [INFO] Hiding new lightning mast
000000.863: (SSV_LC39) [INFO] Hiding GVA access platform
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] (Atlantis::clbkVisualCreated) Entered.
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] GETTING DEVMESH
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] Set OV-102 window seals
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] Calling subsystems VisualCreated
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] Hiding OV-103 and subs aft bulkhead handrails
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] Hiding FSS panels
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] Started Panels VisualCreated
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] Ended Panels VisualCreated
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] (Atlantis::clbkVisualCreated) Leaving.
D3D9: NewShader [SSV\OV\OV]=FFFF
(SSV_LCC) [INFO] RS Countdown Hold Flag is on @ T-26.997
000004.003: (SSV_LCC) [INFO] LPS Go For Auto Seq Start Hold
000004.003: (SSV_LCC) [INFO] Cutoff
000024.012: (SSV_LCC) [INFO] Orbiter Access Arm emergency extend
000083.693: (SSV_OV) [INFO] Save subsystem states..

 

[GLS]

So I redid the scn from the mission editor. And she countdown to -27.
000000.863: (SSV_LC39) [INFO] Hiding new lightning mast
000000.863: (SSV_LC39) [INFO] Hiding GVA access platform
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] (Atlantis::clbkVisualCreated) Entered.
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] GETTING DEVMESH
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] Set OV-102 window seals
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] Calling subsystems VisualCreated
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] Hiding OV-103 and subs aft bulkhead handrails
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] Hiding FSS panels
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] Started Panels VisualCreated
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] Ended Panels VisualCreated
000000.866: (SSV_OV) [INFO] (Atlantis::clbkVisualCreated) Leaving.
D3D9: NewShader [SSV\OV\OV]=FFFF
(SSV_LCC) [INFO] RS Countdown Hold Flag is on @ T-26.997
000004.003: (SSV_LCC) [INFO] LPS Go For Auto Seq Start Hold
000004.003: (SSV_LCC) [INFO] Cutoff
000024.012: (SSV_LCC) [INFO] Orbiter Access Arm emergency extend
000083.693: (SSV_OV) [INFO] Save subsystem states..

Can you post the scenario please?

 

[gattispilot]

Sure:

 

[GLS]

I feel deja vu with this one...
So, it seems the scenario doesn't actually start at T-31s, but instead starts at T-30.999992s.... which is past 31s so the LCC never sets the "LPS Go For Auto Sequence Start" flag, which means that when the RSLS checks for it at T-27.92s, and the flag isn't set, it stops the show.

I think the best solution is to subtract 0.1s to the scenario start time, making a T-31s scenario start at 31.1s and the T-9m start at 9:00.1s, so these rounding errors don't cause missing commands, while still having the scenario start at to the advertised time.

For this particular mission, after the T-31s scenario is created, the Date MJD needs to be manually edited to 44920.631585, so the scenario actually starts before 31s.

 

[Urwumpe]

Wouldn't it be smarter to start the scenarios in the final one or two minutes of the T-9 minutes hold? Also you could use the Go/no go poll then for an immersive error check.

Or even earlier? The computers get configured in the T-20 minutes count, that might be a bit long waiting on the pad for most players, but the T-20 hold would also be the safest entry point for an generated launch scenario. That is pretty much the phase where the shuttle goes from standby to ready to fly.

 

[STS]

...you could use the Go/no go poll then for an immersive error check....

Question; is there a go/no go poll feature? In that case, I didn´t know and that feature is cool!

 

[Urwumpe]

Question; is there a go/no go poll feature? In that case, I didn´t know and that feature is cool!

AFAIR, we always assumed a successful poll in SSU and just dived into Auto-Sequence start, since mission control was too rudimentary to play much with it. But its an old idea to use this for checking for configuration errors. Thats also why some code for the communications already exist for some years without ever getting much care since.

 

[GLS]

Wouldn't it be smarter to start the scenarios in the final one or two minutes of the T-9 minutes hold? Also you could use the Go/no go poll then for an immersive error check.

Or even earlier? The computers get configured in the T-20 minutes count, that might be a bit long waiting on the pad for most players, but the T-20 hold would also be the safest entry point for an generated launch scenario. That is pretty much the phase where the shuttle goes from standby to ready to fly.

I've thought of having the scenario start earlier, but there needs to be a definition the of countdown: when does it start, where are the holds and how long are they, recycle points, etc.
Even starting at T-20m would already add much logic as the T-9 minute hold was "dynamic". Initially in the program it was 10 minutes, but with the Mir (and later ISS) missions coming in, it had 30 minutes added. But, to account for late updates to the orbit of the target, the countdown actually targeted the 0-second of the minute when the launch window opened, so outside of the window. The 40-minute hold would have to be extended a few seconds to get to the actual opening of the window. In addition, that is when the decision was made to delay the launch until the in-plane time (for performance margin), so usually an extra ~5 minutes were added, ending with the famous ~45-minute hold at T-9m.
So we would need to define all this, and allow the user to configure and control the clock in the LCC to add these delays, and the user would have to configure a several times, instead of a single T0, and in the end the vehicle would be pretty much in the same state it is at T-9m, as the DPS isn't advanced enough to do the T-20m init.
So that is why I only go back to T-9 minutes.