[WIP] Stock-alike Ares 1 SRB

[Aurum6]

I've been teaching myself how to navigate Blender for a couple of weeks now, and have decided to try to make something for KSP. For a first attempt, I settled on an SRB styled after the first stage of the proposed Ares 1 launcher.

The booster has a 1.875m diameter, which widens to 2.5m at the top to be compatible with standard parts. I debated leaving the top 1.875m and making a separate 2.5m adapter so that the booster could be used radially as well, but having non-standard sized attachment nodes bothers me greatly.

I imported a stock 2.5m fuel tank to make sure I had the size right, and I have to say I'm very pleased with the result. I've still got a long way to go, but I'm happy with the progress I've made so far.

- UPDATE -

After spending several hours tweaking the model (and learning Blender lessons the hard way) I think I'm finished with the model. I might try to add some details, like a pipe running down the side, but I'm happy with the overall shape. Next up is texturing, which I'm much less comfortable with. I know how to do it, but making it look good is something else entirely. Fortunately, I've seen several tutorials here on the forum. Anyways, here's what I have so far.

Thanks for your comments, any feedback is appreciated.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Aurum6
Update #1

[SnowWhite]

Is this SRB 24-faced?

Anyway, good luck!

[_Augustus_]

Great, but why model an Ares booster? Constellation was cancelled nearly 2 years ago.

[benjee10]

People still make N-1s and space shuttles even though they've been cancelled.

Great work by the way, KSP really needs more variety when it comes to SRBs.

[_Augustus_]

People still make N-1s and space shuttles even though they've been cancelled.

Great work by the way, KSP really needs more variety when it comes to SRBs.

Both Buran and the Shuttle flew at some point.

Then again, they did once test an Ares booster.

[Reddragon]

Great, but why model an Ares booster? Constellation was cancelled nearly 2 years ago.

Because it's an interesting design.

[Aurum6]

Is this SRB 24-faced?

Yes, if it's good enough for stock parts it's good enough for me.

Because it's an interesting design.

Exactly, thank you. I like using SRB's as first stages, but the stock ones don't do that well, unless you cluster a bunch of them. I really like the big 2.5m boosters from KW Rocketry, so this is meant to kind of fill in the gap between the stock NASA SRB and those.

[Chezburgar7300]

Great, but why model an Ares booster? Constellation was cancelled nearly 2 years ago.

Because he wants to make it? He's allowed to.

[Nitrous Oxide]

Great, but why model an Ares booster? Constellation was cancelled nearly 2 years ago.

Great, but why model an N1? The Soviet manned lunar programs were cancelled nearly 40 years ago.

[stratochief66]

Great, but why model an N1? The Soviet manned lunar programs were cancelled nearly 40 years ago.

And why build crazy rockets, piloted by little green men and send them to a fictional 'Mun'? Because it is fun, and challenging!

I personally love both historic and un-historic rockets. Both find a time and place in my fun time!

[Nitrous Oxide]

And why build crazy rockets, piloted by little green men and send them to a fictional 'Mun'? Because it is fun, and challenging!

I personally love both historic and un-historic rockets. Both find a time and place in my fun time!

Great, but you totally failed to see the sarcasm and original post that I was parodying.

[AlbertKermin]

Awesome looking booster!

I've been meaning to build an Aries-type SRB for some time now, but I always seem to get distracted from it somehow.

As one self-taught blender user to another- smoothing the part(button up in the left corner under "shading") and adding an edge-split modifier (up in the right corner, under the little wrench icon that says modifiers), really, really, helps in making a part look correct in KSP's lighting. Just remember not to apply the modifier until you're ready to export to unity, because it makes editing- 'intresting'.

[Aurum6]

As one self-taught blender user to another- smoothing the part(button up in the left corner under "shading") and adding an edge-split modifier (up in the right corner, under the little wrench icon that says modifiers), really, really, helps in making a part look correct in KSP's lighting.

Thanks for the tip, proper shading really does make a big difference.

In other news, I tried adding a pipe running up the side like the real Ares design had and really liked how it looked, but when I went to bake the AO it caused some weird issues. I spent a significant amount of time trying to fix it, but in the end I decided to just leave the pipe out. After all, this is really just a learning project for me, I don't want to get bogged down with details just yet.

[zekes]

nice job! The ARES-I has been a favorite one of mine....