Attempt to make an Apollo-style hardware mod

[UH60guy]

Well, I've never built anything like this before but I bet it will be fun to try. So, in the effort to hold myself accountable, I'm posting my intent here. Now, I don't move into my new house for three more weeks, so that means while I can't start to build yet, I can get some serious planning done first.

My intent is something that looks/functions like a combination of the Apollo Command Module and Lunar Module, minus the gauges. If this initial project works out, I'll make a mark II with the gauges integrated into the panel, but for my first build ever, gauges are a bridge too far. Here is my inspiration:

Here are high-res links to the NASA site with Apollo Command Module and Lunar Module control panels.

Of particular note of what will influence my build:

• Two joysticks (like LM cockpit) for attitude and translation
  
• Guarded switches (like CM)
  
• Switches grouped by function (like both)
  
• Switches to control the panel itself hidden amongst the others (maybe a fuel cell control or something as a disguised panel on/off switch)
  
• Some extra functionless switches for cool-factor or action group use (VHF radio, radar, and an Apollo 12 memorial "SCE to Aux" switch)
  
• Action group switches will not be numbered buttons, I will hide them as I commonly use them for things like engine on/off, extra abort modes, parachutes, undocking, etc.
  
• Maybe some decals of gauges for appearance, since functional ones won't be in this build attempt.
  
• I will sneak in a space shuttle style abort button. It will be a rotary button to select abort mode such as Safe, Return to Launch Site, Trans-Oceanic, Abort to Orbit, and a space lander specific Return to Orbit option.
  

Now this is a long term project with no guarantee of success, but time to give it a shot!

[UH60guy]

OK, first planning attempt. I'm grouping all the controls, plus common action group functions as normal controls, in attempt to figure out the critical parts of the panel.

So far, I've come up with the following groupings:

1. Attitude
   
   • Joystick
     
   • SAS
     

[*]Propulsion

• Throttle dial
  
• Throttle Chop
  
• Stage
  
• Toggle Engines (action group 1 and 2 as my personal default use)
  
• Placeholder/decal for fuel gauges
  

[*]Abort- single button with dial dictating function

• Off
  
• Return to Launch Site / Launch Escape System (abort button)
  
• Trans-Oceanic Abort (action group 6)
  
• Abort to Orbit (action group 7)
  
• Return to Orbit (action group 8)
  

[*]Power

• Panel on/off
  
• Panel lights?
  
• Spacecraft lights
  
• Solar Panel Extend/Retract (action group 5)
  
• Placeholder/decal for battery gauge
  

[*]Space Operations

• RCS On/Off
  
• RCS joystick
  
• Fairing Jettison / Payload Deploy (action group 4)
  
• Docking port activate (dummy switch) and undock (action group 3)
  
• Placeholder/decal for radar data (target distance and relative velocity)
  
• Placeholder/decal for RCS fuel gauge
  

[*]Landing

• Parachutes (action group 0)
  
• Landing Gear
  
• Brakes
  
• Ladder extend/retract (action group 9)
  
• Placeholder/decal for radar altimeter, maybe vert/horiz velocity, and time to impact
  

[*]Simulation

• Trackball or mouse
  
• Time incr/decr
  
• Map
  
• Pause
  
• Camera and EVA/IVA controls
  
• Switch vehicle
  

I'm making some sketches, with the general concept of the attitude joystick and trackball on the right. RCS and propulsion/throttle will be on the left. That seems to make the best use of how and when I use two hands (launch is attitude/throttle, docking is attitude/translation).

That leaves a good portion of the center for either notional navball and orbital parameter gauges or some of the misc groupings.

[NecroBones]

Wow, this could be very cool. Keep us posted!

[Pecan]

I hope you have seen this and similar threads. Good luck :-)

[The Jedi Master]

Let's just be clear here: You are going to make a physical control panel, a la the first Steel Battalion... only with an Apollo-style interface?

I'll send you the insurance bill if my mind blows.

[Red Iron Crown]

Ambitious plan, I hope you are able to see it through.

[UH60guy]

Well, I'm going for something similar to what Mulbin is working on here, but without the awesome dials he is making and with more switches and more angled like a flight/cockpit panel. I doubt I'll get anywhere near as awesome results as he is getting, but hey I have to post something to keep myself accountable as I try.

[UH60guy]

One thing that I'm going to try to use, to make it easier as a first-timer, are preprogrammed circuit boards designed for flight simulator. My hope is to use spring-loaded switches that look like actual toggles, but function as a single key press, tied to these pre-made circuit boards that are purpose built to give keyboard/joystick outputs.

As long as I keep the joysticks on a separate wiring thingy, there won't need to be any programming or need to lean Arduino stuff on this particular build.

[Frank_G]

My heart nearly stopped... in the first moment i thought the picture was showing an already finished piece... Well, i wish you good luck! I´d like to see you succeed with your bold plan

[NecroBones]

For 15+ years I've had a grand dream of building an entire cockpit around (completely encompassing) my computer desk, complete with guarded switches, lights, blinking indicators, and so on, with some panels configured as keyboard inputs. It will probably never happen at this point. But seeing these sorts of projects come together does give me some hope.

[xcorps]

I see on those drawings a Dv display.

Astronauts is so noob.

[Red Iron Crown]

I see on those drawings a Dv display.

Astronauts is so noob.

Yeah, it basically lands on the Moon for them.

[NecroBones]

And look at all those switches. All they should need is the nav-ball. Cheaters.

[UH60guy]

Who cares if they're functional, I want MOAR SWITCHES! Looking at the Apollo CM schematics, there are 16 switches to operate the RCS system. There's an interesting way to try to fly.

Here's a (very!!!) rough draft of how I plan to lay things out functionally. It's based on the Apollo CM layout for the most part- staging, abort, fuel indicators, VHF comms, docking controls and a few other things are in the same general area. Of course there is plenty of artistic license, and thoughts of where I'd like to make sticky decals for gauges. Everything color coded is tied to a KSP control group somehow, and the white switches/pictures are intended to be functionless switches to feel more like a real spaceship control panel.

I've decided to expand the radar grouping to include the map, switch spacecraft, EVA/IVA and camera views since they seem to be what I use primarily when docking. Plus, "camera" and "target sel" sound more radar-y if I label the switches as such. I'm trying to hide the pure simulation buttons the best I can with similar names to real functions- though there's still a grouping of buttons for time incr/decr, pause, and possibly quick save/load that I haven't figured out how to disguise yet.

I counted the planned button uses, and as long as I use joysticks, that gives me 30 functions. That's perfect, since the circuit board I wanted to use can interpret up to 31 button presses and translate to USB joystick output. I'll hide a powered USB hub inside the panel, which should have input from the circuit board plus the attitude/translation/throttle joysticks and have a single output to the computer. At least that's the plan...

I think the next step will be buying a few switches and getting the exact measurements. That way I can start putting together a CAD drawing of the panel and really get the size and exact layout locked down.

[richfiles]

Use the Coms for saving and loading. VHF Transmit Telemetry, VHF Receive Telemetry, UHF Transmit Telemetry, UHF Receive Telemetry, for quicksave, load last persistent quicksave, save new quicksave save file, and load quicksave file.

Time warp could be disguised as command module "computer" program clock and step controls... program clock advance, program step advance (physics warp), program step back (physical and non physical warp speed down one factor), program realtime (jump to 1x speed), CPU Interrupt (pause).

I think those "disguises" would be fitting. Consider mocking up the famed navigation computer!