[1.8.1-1.12.x] Modular Launch Pads v2.6.1: Launch clamps evolved: Real-style launch bases and towers [03 July 2023]

[AlphaMensae]

18 hours ago, Wirelex said:

how about the chinese rocket launch pad?

What I make are actually launch clamps,  i.e. the bases/platforms/plates, mobile or fixed, that rockets are mounted on for launch, and the accessories like service towers and hold-downs. The Saturn-Shuttle and Soyuz bases are the only replicas I'm going to make. For everything else, I made the General Launch Base and Plate, with the associated towers and hold-downs. I have no interest in recreating every IRL launch platform, that's what the General parts are for.

[svcino]

ok

[AlphaMensae]

I've been busy all week with the remake of the Soyuz/Russian stand and base, and finally have have the core stand portion complete and working. It's a total remake, with just the original clamp arm core object being reused, but fixed up and completely re-UV mapped and textured.

With that, pics!

 

I made the arms retract more than before, and more than IRL, since it looks cooler with them opening up like a flower.

I also fixed the rotation problem, now the arms can be properly rotated 45 degrees without them coming off their support pads.

This core stand will have the full deck and frame of the former Soyuz Launch Pad as an option, remade of course.   

Next up are the other arms and things: the small fuel arm, the larger one (with the double truss and vertical umbilical), and of course the big main service arms.  The crew elevator will remain separate, as it works better that way in KSP.  I also will (pending on how it works out) integrate all those arms into the base itself, all able to be switched on or off and adjuisted, with stand-alone versions available separately.

[TK-313]

On 5/13/2019 at 6:12 AM, AlphaMensae said:

Next up are the other arms and things: the small fuel arm, the larger one (with the double truss and vertical umbilical), and of course the big main service arms.  The crew elevator will remain separate, as it works better that way in KSP.

Beautiful! One request, though: can the big service arms still double as crew elevators, too? This schematic shows that it goes througt their square part:

Edited May 14, 2019 by TK-313

[AlphaMensae]

3 hours ago, TK-313 said:

Beautiful! One request, though: can the big service arms still double as crew elevators, too? This schematic shows that it goes througt their square part:

Oh, I know about that, and I'll see if I can do that while keeping the crew elevator's adjustable parts on it like it does currently, so it can be used with pods and rockets that aren't R-7 based.  But the elevator has to be vertical, and the entrace has to be on the deck, so probably won't happen, as it works best in KSP if it's a separate part.  I'm going to have a separate elevator in any case.

Edited May 14, 2019 by AlphaMensae

[TK-313]

6 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

But the elevator has to be vertical, and the entrace has to be on the deck, so probably won't happen, as it works best in KSP if it's a separate part.

Well... Maybe make the standalone part with the elevator then? It would be pretty sad (at least for me and, I believe, some other soviet-style players) to have authentic crew elevators for Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, but not Soyuz.

[AlphaMensae]

@TK-313

I just had an idea for a solution: I'll just add those access platforms on to the sides at the the top of the crew elevator, and give the whole thing the angled mount arms, to make it resemble that one main service arm that does have the lift in it.

That way the adjustable part of the elevator--the walkway--will still work, and be able to move up and down within the platforms.

Edited May 14, 2019 by AlphaMensae

[ely8937]

@AlphaMensae Hi, will you make in future a new FSS tower? 

[AlphaMensae]

20 hours ago, ely8937 said:

@AlphaMensae Hi, will you make in future a new FSS tower? 

Not anytime soon, but when I do a partial remake of the Saturn tower parts, I'll set it up so I can add a third color variant for current look.

[AlphaMensae]

Progress with the Soyuz stand-base remake:  the base deck and frame is done.....deck off....deck on....deck off.....  

The arms can also be turned off, and an alternate mount pad can be selected (one with them rotated to the 90-degree positions); with the arms off, the separate version or other hold-downs can be used in either of the pad positions.

Access ladders have also been put in and are working.

[JojoGames114]

R7 core from RN's soviet rockets does NOT want to attach to any parts from this and it is incredibly frustrating. the R7 launch stand does not want to attach at all. any ideas?

[AlphaMensae]

1 hour ago, JojoGames114 said:

R7 core from RN's soviet rockets does NOT want to attach to any parts from this and it is incredibly frustrating. the R7 launch stand does not want to attach at all. any ideas?

Yes, there needs to be a free attach node available for the bases to attach too; normally an engine's lower node will suffice, but if there isn't one, you have to make a MM patch.

Here's one to add an extra node to the RN R-7 core; copy and paste it into notepad or other text editor, and save it as a .cfg file somewhere in GameData.

@PART[rn_r7_blok_a]:NEEDS[RN_Soviet_Rockets]
{
    
    node_stack_bottom02 = 0.0, -15.0, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 4

}

[JojoGames114]

12 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

Yes, there needs to be a free attach node available for the bases to attach too; normally an engine's lower node will suffice, but if there isn't one, you have to make a MM patch.

Here's one to add an extra node to the RN R-7 core; copy and paste it into notepad or other text editor, and save it as a .cfg file somewhere in GameData.

@PART[rn_r7_blok_a]:NEEDS[RN_Soviet_Rockets]
{
    
    node_stack_bottom02 = 0.0, -15.0, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 4

}

thanks, are there also configs for the Saturn parts from real scale boosters?

[AlphaMensae]

6 minutes ago, JojoGames114 said:

thanks, are there also configs for the Saturn parts from real scale boosters?

Haven't gotten to those yet, but being a Necrobones mod, I'd think the F-1 at least would have a lower attach node.

If there aren't any on some of the parts, you can make more MM patches like the RN R-7 core one above. Just replace the part name in @PART[xxxx] with the appropriate ones from RSB; you can find the part name in .cfg file, there will be a line that says "name = xxxxx".

For the NEEDS[], put the name of the mod's GameData folder inside the brackets; NEEDS[] just means "only load this patch if this mod is present".

 

[x170doom]

i have some patches for the RN soviet parts. ill upload them when i get the chance

[CirrusUpdraft]

Quick question, are there proper hose connectors that would decouple as the rocket launches by getting yanked out as the rocket goes up?

[svcino]

Modular launch pads or MLP for short Version 2 was biggest upgrade ever

[AlphaMensae]

9 hours ago, CirrusUpdraft said:

Quick question, are there proper hose connectors that would decouple as the rocket launches by getting yanked out as the rocket goes up?

There are both swing arms and drop-hose/pipe umbilicals in v2.  They don't actually connect to a rocket, but can be adjusted so they are right up against the side (the ends have no colliders).  The drop-hoses have end connecters that retract first, and the swing arms also have retracting umbilical connecters; this happens before the drop or swing animation starts.

[CirrusUpdraft]

20 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

There are both swing arms and drop-hose/pipe umbilicals in v2.  They don't actually connect to a rocket, but can be adjusted so they are right up against the side (the ends have no colliders).  The drop-hoses have end connecters that retract first, and the swing arms also have retracting umbilical connecters; this happens before the drop or swing animation starts.

Ahh, Alright

[xD-FireStriker]

im going to guess that this works in 1.7 but i have to ask, does this work in 1.7? Only asking because the title hasn't been changed to reflect if it works or not

[Cheesecake]

2 hours ago, xD-FireStriker said:

im going to guess that this works in 1.7 but i have to ask, does this work in 1.7? Only asking because the title hasn't been changed to reflect if it works or not

Yes, it works.

[VoidCosmos]

3 hours ago, xD-FireStriker said:

im going to guess that this works in 1.7 but i have to ask, does this work in 1.7? Only asking because the title hasn't been changed to reflect if it works or not

It basically works................. 

 

Really well

[xD-FireStriker]

Just now, Nigel J. Cardozo said:

It basically works................. 

 

Really well

Thanks, Part mods typically works across updates

[AlphaMensae]

3 hours ago, xD-FireStriker said:

im going to guess that this works in 1.7 but i have to ask, does this work in 1.7? Only asking because the title hasn't been changed to reflect if it works or not

Yep, it works   I don't think you even need the latest versions of B9PartSwitch and Animated Decouplers for 1.7,  but you could get them if desired.  I don't use any of the new features added to B9PS since the KSP 1.3.1 version and B9PS for KSP 1.4.x works fine in the later KSP versions, as those haven't broken B9PS.  Same thing for Animated Decouplers.

*************************

A status note:  As of now, the WIP v2 AlphaDev from the Github completely replaces the old Saturn pad parts in v1.3.8; the old ones can be deleted from ModularLaunchPads if you don't need them (delete the Saturn_Pad folder).  If they are kept, AlphaDev hides them.  

Work on the Soyuz pad remake has been on "pause", as last month I got sick with chest congestion and a nasty cough; it took over 2 weeks to get over it, and during that time I had no energy or desire to work on v2.  Since then I decided I needed a break, and so haven't done anything in a while, but I'll get back to the Soyuz pad soon.

Of course, during the downtime, I had a chance to think, and decided to make the full version of the Soyuz launch base the only one, and remove the core stand option (what is now the Russian Launch Stand). With the conversion of the Soyuz base to a launch clamp, the reasons for having the separate Russian Launch Stand (a compact launch clamp version of the full free-standing launch base) are gone, and since I greatly prefer the full base version, it will be the only style for it.  Makes it a bit less complex as well.

Edited June 29, 2019 by AlphaMensae

[xD-FireStriker]

haha that's what i get for using a shuttle that this hasn't been designed for

I think the SRB got snagged on the decouple cause it just vibrating rapidly before Rapid Unplanned Disassembly happened lol

Its probs kerbal error in placement but was too funny not to post

Edited June 29, 2019 by xD-FireStriker