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[1.9.x] RCS Build Aid Continued - New Dependencies


linuxgurugamer

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The mod hasn't been updated for more than a year, the author hasn't been around since August and has not responded to any PMs or postings.

If/when @m4v comes back, I'll gladly return control of this mod to him.

The new version for KSP 1.4.1 has new dependencies

New Dependencies

CKAN has been updated to install the dependencies, if needed.

 

Mod originally written by @m4v, original thread is here: https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/33124-12-rcs-build-aid-v091/&

This is something I made for placing RCS thrusters in the right positions in the first try without having to go back and forth between the VAB and the hacked gravity launchpad.

Features:

  • Display thrust and torque forces caused by RCS or engines.
  • Delta V readout for RCS.
  • Dry center of mass marker.
  • "Average" center of mass marker.
  • Center of drag marker (CoD) for parachute placement.
  • Ability to resize editor's overlay markers.
  • Display total mass of resources.

Supports:

Once enabled you should see RCSBuildAid's window, select the translation mode or press any of the translation flight control keys ("hnijkl" keys) and then you should see something like this:

2yXRr1K.png

 

Cyan arrows represents thruster forces, the green arrow represents the translation motion (or thrust). The red arrow represents the torque force in your vessel, if you have a red arrow then your ship will rotate when trying to translate in docking mode. So all you have to do is place your RCS thrusters in a way that eliminates this force. The red circular arrow is an indication of how fast the vessel will rotate. The red CoM marker is the dry center of mass (DCoM) which represents the center of mass of your vessel when it doesn't have any fuel (in the picture, without liquid fuel, oxidizer or mono-propellant, but is configurable).

Image album with some examples

http://imgur.com/a/UJdV7

 

 

Video explaining how to use RCSBA (version 0.5) by Geneborg

 

This plugin only works with parts using stock modules such as ModuleRCS and ModuleEngines, mods that use custom modules will not be detected.

Known issues:

  • delta v readout will only show for monopropellant RCS, doesn't work for the new Vernor RCS.
  • Parachute mode only works with stock aerodynamics and parachutes, will not work with mods such as FerramAerospaceResearch and RealChute.
Edited by linuxgurugamer
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Thanks for picking up yet another essential mod.

This was a request I put in a while ago for the original version, but after m4v had stopped actively developing.

Would it be possible to add a total buoyancy figure and a center of buoyancy indicator to RCS build aid? I would like to build submarines but making something that sinks and maintains a stable attitude under water is tough without more information.

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On 10/18/2017 at 5:06 AM, tomf said:

Thanks for picking up yet another essential mod.

This was a request I put in a while ago for the original version, but after m4v had stopped actively developing.

Would it be possible to add a total buoyancy figure and a center of buoyancy indicator to RCS build aid? I would like to build submarines but making something that sinks and maintains a stable attitude under water is tough without more information.

Not sure when I’ll have time, but put it into the issues on github so it doesnt get lost

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  • 1 month later...

Hello

Thank's again for this very useful tool.

Is there any means to get the possibility to use numbers to move what we have to move to balance our ship instead of moving the mouse on the 3 axes?

It could be much more accurate.

A kind of precision tool as we can use on maneuver node on MechJeb

Edited by gilflo
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21 minutes ago, gilflo said:

Hello

Thank's again for this very useful tool.

Is there any means to get the possibility to use numbers to move what we have to move to balance our ship instead of moving the mouse on the 3 axes?

It could be much more accurate.

A kind of precision tool as we can use on maneuver node on MechJeb

That's likely out of the scope of this mod - there are some precision engineering mods to help place parts preciously (which is what I think you're asking for), but none that's pure numbers that I know of.

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3 hours ago, gilflo said:

Hello

Thank's again for this very useful tool.

Is there any means to get the possibility to use numbers to move what we have to move to balance our ship instead of moving the mouse on the 3 axes?

It could be much more accurate.

A kind of precision tool as we can use on maneuver node on MechJeb

Well, not by me, and not right now.

If someone would want to write the code, I'd ben happy to help and review, but I don't have time or interest to add that right now.

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3 hours ago, gilflo said:

Hello

Thank's again for this very useful tool.

Is there any means to get the possibility to use numbers to move what we have to move to balance our ship instead of moving the mouse on the 3 axes?

It could be much more accurate.

A kind of precision tool as we can use on maneuver node on MechJeb

You don't need that much accuracy usually.  If you place RCS ports in symetry and move them enough to minimize torque, then SAS can handle the rest. My placement is four ports above COM, four below, move them up or down and fine tune ports' thrust. Because they're placed in the symetry, all three directions are covered.

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Hey @linuxgurugamer! Thanks for keeping this going!

There's been a persistent ... odd behavior (not sure if it's a true bug)...If I have RCS build aid installed, but not activated it likes to pop up the Red/Orange/Yellow center of mass balls whenever you go into and then exit the Action Groups tab.

Start in the normal build tab, switch to the action groups tab and then back to the build tab. When I do this the center of mass balls always pop up.

Are others seeing this?

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2 minutes ago, Tyko said:

Hey @linuxgurugamer! Thanks for keeping this going!

There's been a persistent ... odd behavior (not sure if it's a true bug)...If I have RCS build aid installed, but not activated it likes to pop up the Red/Orange/Yellow center of mass balls whenever you go into and then exit the Action Groups tab.

Start in the normal build tab, switch to the action groups tab and then back to the build tab. When I do this the center of mass balls always pop up.

Are others seeing this?

Yeah, I had assumed I was just mousing over the RCS action group and that that's what made it pop up; I could be entirely wrong though.

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