Ares 1 Replica - Update 2

[selfish_meme]

Ares 1 replica 2/3rd scale for LKO (100km+) operations with a crew of up to 6, SRB first stage LFO second stage. This is a great rocket, delivering the Orion capsule with Service Module flawlessly time after time.

Update 1: Less Parts, less crew, separation of Service Module and Second stage, more range, flies better, more fun, more solar panels arranged more like Orion solar panels (not the circular ones, the four in a cross).

Update 2: More parts, more crew, closer to scale, this has been reworked and optimised for 100km LKO, originally I went to fix a height issue because I based the SRB height on the 4 segment Shuttle SRB's not the 5 segment ones planned and used in the test launch, that led to a paint job, a video, lot's of launches, and sad to say lots of fixes. Stuff you don't really notice till you test it A LOT. It is now pretty bulletproof, even Mechjeb can fly it to orbit no issues and look good doing it. I recommend a 2 to 3 second delay between stages, especially when filming to give that NASA separation footage.

Parts: 83

Mass: 405t

Height: 63.1m

Width 1: 2.5m

Width 2: 3.75

Operating Instructions

Activate SAS and RCS (verniers to turn against SRB torque), stage SRB's and ascend as normal, gravity turn at 100m/s, slowly keep pitching over until at around 70 degrees by 10km. When SRB's are exhausted stage second seperation. Follow prograde marker until 100km apoapsis is attained. Stage fairing and LAS and then circularise as normal. The second stage should be exhausted or nearly so and can be detached. Continue on Service Module.

Launch Abort System - hit abort button

Action Group 1 is for chutes, if you abort on the pad it takes too long to stage through and the LES does not take the Capsule far.

Action Group 2 is for Solar Panels.

Thanks to Majorjim for some help with the craft and to CommanderSpock for testing an earlier version. Also Clivman for some feedback.

Download

Don't take any notice of the LES still being attached, twas piloting error

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Edited September 16, 2015 by selfish_meme

[clivman]

Orion has a very short service module and there is an upper stage to Ares 1 where you put that fairing, other than that, you got the look very well.

[selfish_meme]

Orion has a very short service module and there is an upper stage to Ares 1 where you put that fairing, other than that, you got the look very well.

Currently it is a combined upper stage/service module, will revisit it when I have some more time. Thanks.

[Majorjim!]

I really like it man. You made it yours, it's very unique.

[CommanderSpock]

It does look really good right now, I can work on updating it more if you would like.

[selfish_meme]

Updated to address some of Clivman's feedback, thank you for that.

[pTrevTrevs]

I think the second stage looks too wide compared to the first stage, but I don't really blame you that much, it's difficult to build a good Ares I, especially since the game lacks large SRBs

[selfish_meme]

I think the second stage looks too wide compared to the first stage, but I don't really blame you that much, it's difficult to build a good Ares I, especially since the game lacks large SRBs

The numbers match pretty good, the real one was 3.71m and 5.5m, this one is 2.5m and 3.75m, 67% scale of original gives 2.48m and 3.68m, I purposely scaled the booster to 30m which is 67% of the real one and 58m for the whole craft which is almost 67% of the 90m of the real one. It is very close all round, I wasn't really pushing for ultimate realism but it just worked well.

- - - Updated - - -

Also I'm not joking when I say it's fun to fly, it is very stable, and it has gobs of margins everywhere, it could probably do a Mun flyby easily.

[Sampa]

meme, you had managed to accomplish what I tried to do months ago and failed! You deserve this rep that I can't give you because it says I need to spread it around first...

[selfish_meme]

meme, you had managed to accomplish what I tried to do months ago and failed! You deserve this rep that I can't give you because it says I need to spread it around first...

Thanks for that, it was a lot of fun working on this and getting help from everybody. I can't wait for Yukon0009 to get back from holidays so I can fly a crew up to Hermes.

[selfish_meme]

Update 2! Images have been updated, craft file soon, need to remove some mods.

[Yukon0009]

You mean this thing?

[Majorjim!]

You mean this thing?

http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah315/Yukon0009/screenshot5041_zpshuc7wn5u.png

Hi Yukon. It's a little too wide in the fairing. Are those some air surfaces at the base? If your using clipped SRBs the torque of them will hold you on course without them. If they are indeed surfaces.

[selfish_meme]

Majorjim is right, i did not need to clip any aero surface in at all, just some verniers to make it turn against the torque of the SRB's, mines 2/3 scale, that seems to be 1/3 scale.

- - - Updated - - -

new Download is now live!

Edited September 15, 2015 by selfish_meme

[Majorjim!]

Majorjim is right, i did not need to clip any aero surface in at all, just some verniers to make it turn against the torque of the SRB's, mines 2/3 scale, that seems to be 1/3 scale.

- - - Updated - - -

new Download is now live!

I think maybe Yukon's is wider at the top to accomodate more crew. Right Yukon? It's always hard to make a three Kerbal Ares I, we need larger capacity pods.

[selfish_meme]

I think maybe Yukon's is wider at the top to accomodate more crew. Right Yukon? It's always hard to make a three Kerbal Ares I, we need larger capacity pods.

The orion is 4 to 6 crew, depending on which version

[selfish_meme]

Now with less Aerocam 180

[Yukon0009]

My Orion is 6 man, but it's also 2m, I extended the fairing for..well..actually I don't know why I did that.