[DEV HALTED][1.3] CxAerospace: Stations Parts Pack v1.6.2 [2017-5-24]

[cxg2827]

This mod adds several new parts heavily inspired by the International Space Station to be used for space stations or interplanetary
crafts. All crewable modules have IVAs, with future plans to continue adding additional props and texture revamps to increase immersion.
Docking ports based on the Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) and Androgynous Peripheral Attach System (APAS) also included, with
features such as docking port gendering (active can only dock with passive) and restricted docking angles (90 degree for CBMs and 120
degree for APAS). Primary goal for current phase of this mod pack is to now provide Truss components, Solar Panels, and Radiators.

 

Download
SpaceDock

PLEASE REMOVE THE FOLDER OF OLDER VERSIONS OF THIS MOD PRIOR TO INSTALLING 

 

 

(If you like this pack enough and would like to fuel my iced coffee addiction, please consider donating via Patreon or PayPal)

 

List of Parts

Spoiler

Command

• Z1 Truss

APAS Docking Ports

• APAS - Passive
• APAS - Passice Mk1-2
• APAS - Active
• APAS - Active - L04F (flows with Tantares 0.9375m size standard)

            
CBM Docking Ports

• CBM - Passive
• CBM - Active
• MBM - Active

Grapple/Effector Docking ports

• Grapple Fixture
• Grapple Effector
• Grapple Fixture Standoff (structural bit)

  Truss Docking Ports

• Rectangular Truss Attachment System (RTAS) - Active
• Rectangular Truss Attachment System (RTAS) - Passive

     
Structural

• Long Spacer Truss (Integrated Truss System)
• Integrated Battery Assembly (Integrated Truss System)
• Solar Array WIng Spacer Truss (P5/S5)
• KHM 1.25-2.5M Endcap Adapter
• KHM-4-1 Node Cover
• KHM-6-1 Node Cover

 

Utility

• Node1 Utility Module
• eX-R-S Activity Module
• Kerbal Habitation Module 3-1 (KHM-3-1)
• Kerbal Habitation Module 4-1 (KHM-4-1)
• Kerbal Habitation Module 4-2 (KHM-4-2)
• Kerbal Habitation Module 6-1 (KHM-6-1)
• Kerbal Habitation Module 6-2 (KHM-6-2)
• Quest Joint Airlock System
• Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA)
• Trunnion Pin

Science

• Experiment Logistics Module (ELM)
• Joint Experiments Module (JEM)
• KU-Band Antenna
   

 

Gallery of Parts

Imgur Album

 

Future Goals/ Road Map
Roadmap kept on Google Docs (updates might be intermittent)

 

Supported Mods
You will need Module Manager to use the supported mods

KeepFit
Snacks!
Connected Living Spaces (Thanks to @panarchist for help)
Tweakscale (by @VenomousRequiem)
RemoteTech (just the KU Band Antenna)
USI - Life Support (by @panarchist)
(more to come)

 

Mod Conflicts

ActiveTextureManagement has been known to cause lag with these parts

Tweakable Everything may cause the Front node on the APAS Active ports to disappear.

HyperEditing a craft with APAS or CBMs will require you to go back to space center before un-docking.
Otherwise you will experience a phantom force on both crafts once un-docked.

MechJeb docking might not work with the gendered ports with fixed offset snapping

 

A Special Thanks

@CobaltWolf for helping me improve my texturing
( Check out his great modpack here)

@sumghai for pioneering the use of colliders for guide fins on docking ports.
 

 

FAQ

Q: Why do the Kerbal Habitation Modules have a designated floors and a ladder? I thought in space there is no "down"?
A: These modules were designed around the idea of being able to be used with stations or interplanetary crafts which use spinning to provide artificial gravity (via persistent rotation or just role-playing). The IVAs will also make sense if you do decide to also use these in some planetary bases.

Q: Why do the Kerbal Habitation Modules have a lower crew capacity than the amount of bunks in the space?
A: The thought behind the crew capacities with these parts is that the sleep modules arent used for hot-bunking, so every personnel on the vessel has their own personal bunk and storage lockers. It kind of forces the effect of crew rotations by making it appear that the empty bunks are kerbals on duty or just off-duty and putzing around. The empty bunks in the sleeping modules would be whoever is currently on duty and in the command pod or science module. [If you do plan on increasing the capacity, without me adding new transforms in the Unity project file, the extra crew wouldn't show in the IVAs or have portraits.]

Q: Why aren't the docking ports working?
A: Common Berthing Mechanisms and APAS are gendered, and have (2) types: Active and Passive. You can only dock with the opposite gender type (active can only dock with passive). Docking a Passive/Passive, or Active/Active will not work.

Q: The docking ports pull to each other, but the crafts just bounces back and forth and doesn't dock
A: Docking ports will dock at specific orientations in 90 or 120 degree increments. The docking ports should magnetize and be attracted at any orientation, but the 2 vessels will just yo-yo and not dock until they are aligned, so you need to use SAS or RCS to rotate the craft a bit. The docking ports need to be oriented in any way that the ACBM guide fins are inside the PCBM guide fins like in the album below. Similar alignment is needed for the APAS docking ports.
http://imgur.com/a/SaG6A

 

Q: The alignment is hard to get, can you allow it to have more tolerance?
A: If its cause more trouble than its worth, go into your KSP directory on your computer and modify the CBM and APAS .CFG files as shown below for both active and passive:

Spoiler

MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleDockingNode
        referenceAttachNode = top
        nodeType = APAS_CXG
        gendered = true
        genderFemale = false
        acquireTorque = 0.5
        acquireForce = 0.5
        captureMinRollDot = 0.99999  <------ modify this parameter for both ports. change it to 0.99 or 0.9 and it should give it some more tolerance with docking.
        snapRotation = true
        snapOffset = 120
    }

Q: I hate the gendering/alignment feature
A: Go into your KSP directory on your computer and modify the CBM and APAS .CFG files as shown below for both active and passive:

Spoiler

MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleDockingNode
        referenceAttachNode = top
        nodeType = APAS_CXG
        gendered = true <------ Delete to remove gendering feature.
        genderFemale = false <------ Delete to remove gendering feature.
        acquireTorque = 0.5
        acquireForce = 0.5
        captureMinRollDot = 0.99999  <------ Delete to remove alignment feature.
        snapRotation = true  <------ Delete to remove alignment feature.
        snapOffset = 120  <------ Delete to remove alignment feature.
    }

 

 

Change Log

Spoiler

v1.6.2

Fixes:

• Passive APAS snap offset changed to 60 degrees. Docking issues now corrected.

v1.6.1

Fixes:

• SAW .mu file corrected animation. Colliders simplified to prevent other conflicts.

Updates:

• APAS docking ports no longer gendered. Active can now dock with Active, but Passive is configured to not be able to dock with passive to match RL.

v1.6

New Parts:

• P5/S5 Truss (Solar Array Wing Spacer Truss)
  • Note that the RTAS docking ports are needed to be used on the P5 truss in order to get the proper spacing to clear the deployed SAWs. If not there will be a bit of visible clipping.
• Grapple Fixture (Tiny Docking port/greeble)
• Grapple Effector (Tiny Docking port)
• Grapple Fixture Standoff

Changes:

• SAW animation changed a bit to clear the P5 truss.Nothing craft breaking.
• 1/2 Resolution textures updated per new changes.

v1.5.1

Fixes:

• CLS patch updated to include APAS_P_Mk1-2.

• JAXA Experiment Logistics Module (ELM) and Joint Experiments Module (JEM) CFG fixes to allow transmission of science

• Added new attachment node to Experiment Logistics Module (ELM) on centerline opposite of existing node.

• Added search tags to Unity and Destiny equivalent modules

v1.5

Enhancements:

• 1.2.2 Compatibility verified.
• Docking ports tweaked for easier engagement. Staging disabled.
• Crew reports added to KHM 3-1, eX-R-S, and JAXA modules
• "JAXA Texture/Model Pass". Redone UVs and reduced texture map by 1/2. Porklike/BDB Treatment, Specular Map. Added new greebles as well.
• 1/2 Resolutions textures updated per new changes.
• Kerbnet CFG edits added to the Z1 truss.
• SAW CFG tweaked.
• Node attach added to MRTAS docking ports.

Fixes:

• CLS and KeepFit MM patches tweaked syntax.

v1.4

Enhancements:

• 1.2 Compatibility.
  • New Categories (Coupling, Electrical, Thermal, Communication).
  • KU Band (ModuleDataTransmitter,ModuleDeployableAntenna)
• Change temp limit of APAS and CBMs to 2000
• "APAS Texture/Model Pass". Redone UVs and reduced texture map by 1/2. Porklike/BDB Treatment, Specular Map
• "PMA Texture/Model Pass". Redone UVs and reduced texture map by 1/2. Porklike/BDB Treatment, Specular Map. Handrails Redone.
• 1/2 Resolutions textures updated per new changes.

Fixes:

• Quest Airlock: Rotated Model 180 along long axis, external airlock hatch facing “down”
• Solar Array Wing: Canister handrails needed smoothing.
• KHM 4-1: Endcap textures need the docking port texture 

v1.3.2

MM Config Hotfixes:

• Corrected RemoteTech Patch to fix an error that deleted the stock transmitter module in non-stock antennas. Issue happens in installs that don't have RemoteTech.

• For the RemoteTech Issue, if you dont use RemoteTech, you can just delete this MM config from the CxAerospace/Station Parts folder instead of re-downloading the pack.

• Fixed USI-Life Support Patch. Replaced FOR tags with NEEDS tags.

• Yes, this is the second time I've done this hot fix. should be the last time now.

v1.3.1

Added Missing Parts:

• Electronic Equipment Thermal Control System (EETCS) Radiators
• Solar Array Wing

v1.3

New Parts:

• KHM 2.5M-1.25M Adapter
• 1.25M APAS-Passive (Mk1-2)
• Long Spacer Truss (ITS)
• Integrated Equipment Assembly Truss (ITS)
• Rectangular Truss Attachment System (RTAS)- Active
• Rectangular Truss Attachment System (RTAS)- Passive 
  • Note these RTAs ports are tricky to use unless you are a veteran at docking. Forum Thread OP will get
    updated information regarding these
• Electronic Equipment Thermal Control System (EETCS) Radiators
• Solar Array Wing

Enhancements:

• Trunnion Pin received specular texture.
• Z1 received normal/specular textures. Tray deployment animation reduced angle. Slight change in model
  to accept RTAS docking port (not craft breaking). grabbable handrails.
• KU Band Antenna received normal/specular textures. Given surface attach node.
• 1/2 Resolutions textures updated per new changes.

v1.2.1

MM Config Hotfixes:

• Corrected RemoteTech Patch to fix an error that deleted the stock transmitter module in non-stock antennas. Issue happens in installs that don't have RemoteTech.
  • For the RemoteTech Issue, if you dont use RemoteTech, you can just delete this MM config from the CxAerospace/Station Parts folder instead of re-downloading the pack.
• Fixed USI-Life Support Patch. Replaced FOR tags with NEEDS tags.

v1.2

New Part:

• Trunnion Pin/Scuff Plate. Surface attachable greeble.

Enhancements:

• "USA Texture/Model Pass". Redone UVs and reduced texture map by 1/2. Porklike/BDB Treatment, Specular Map. Handrails Redone.
• "Airlock Texture/Model Pass". Redone UVs and reduced texture map by 1/2. Porklike/BDB Treatment, Specular Map. Handrails Redone.
• JAXA, APAS, and PMA handrail temporary color correction to match new USA Handrails. Models will be updated per Road Map. JAXA window temporary color correction to match USA texture.
• 1/2 Resolutions textures updated per new changes.
• APAS and CBM colliders modified so that the guide fins are now usable. Active APAS no longer a gimmick. Much easier to align and obtain a hard dock.

Mod Support:

• Corrected CLS Patch to work.
• Added TweakScale Patch.
• Added RemoteTech Patch for KU Band Antenna.
• Added USI-Life Support Patch.

 

v1.1

New Parts:

• APAS - Active - L04F (flows with Tantares 0.9375m size standard)
• Manual Berthing Mechanism (Ring docking port made specifically for the Z1 Truss. And yes you can pass through it)
• Z1 Truss (Probe unit, reaction wheel, hollow internal for surface attaching parts)
• KU-Band Antenna

Mod Support:

• Connected Living Spaces MM configuration files.
   

v1.0

General Changes:

• Out of Beta Phase
• Modification to License

New Parts:

• Added Active APAS. Includes deployable capture ring to allow soft docking. Use caution to not toggle once docked.

Enhancements:

• General parts balance. Weight reductions/increases (majority of which decreased) to match closer to stock.
• 1/2 Resolutions textures provided with download.
• Majority of EVA handles modeled on modules are now grabbable.
• New internal camera switch added to Joint Experiments Module (JEM)

Mod Support:

• Corrected part name errors in KeepFit and Snacks! MM configuration files.

Bug Fixes:

• Reapplied Edge Split modifier to several EVA handles on Experiment Logistics Module (ELM).

 

 

License

Spoiler

All Rights Reserved. Refer to License packaged with download for additional information.

Models and Textures are permitted for modification and distribution by YANFRET in Chaka Monkey Exploration Systems.

Edited November 20, 2018 by cxg2827

[DasBananenbrot]

Congrats on release

[VenomousRequiem]

Wooo! Congratz on the release! 

[StarStreak2109]

Wohooo, thanks for making this!

[Eskandare]

Beautifully done!

[carlorizzante]

Looks great!

Quick question, what the Scientific modules in your pack do? I've never got to build a space station.

[frencrs]

Excellent work.

[benjee10]

Congrats on release! The level of detail in the IVAs especially is extremely impressive.

In the main picture in the OP it looks like the shaders are quite dark on the modules - it's something that's affected stuff I've done after updating to 1.1, thankfully it's a reasonably easy fix, you just have to set the shader's base colour to full white in Unity and then re-export. 

[MrMeeb]

Yay! Well done on release! 

[ndiver]

1 hour ago, benjee10 said:

Congrats on release! The level of detail in the IVAs especially is extremely impressive.

That's also what impressed me All my congrats for this release.

The point that surprised me in the IVA is that they all seem to be polarized, with a ceiling and a floor, more like in a submarine than in an environment without gravity where each surface could be used indistinctly of its orientation. But I noticed after writing this message that you explain the how and the why in the presentation of the mod, and your explanation makes totally sense.

Edited May 4, 2016 by ndiver

[trooperMNG]

How's this mod on texture utilization? Because I see a lot of different textures (and very detailed IVAs), should I expect heavy memory usage?

EDIT: I saw in your Roadmap that you will add a 1-Kerbal Z1. I'd like to see it more like a control part (SAS) but with no crew, like the actual counterpart. But I'd also like to know what are your other ideas for Z1 (maybe a base part) so the crew is totally acceptable

Edited May 4, 2016 by trooperMNG

[cxg2827]

Thanks all!

 

5 hours ago, carlorizzante said:

Quick question, what the Scientific modules in your pack do? I've never got to build a space station.

They have the same function as the stock Mobile Processing Lab. I'll be adding some more functionality to them down the road.

 

 

3 hours ago, benjee10 said:

In the main picture in the OP it looks like the shaders are quite dark on the modules - it's something that's affected stuff I've done after updating to 1.1, thankfully it's a reasonably easy fix, you just have to set the shader's base colour to full white in Unity and then re-export. 

Cool, thanks for the tip!

 

2 hours ago, ndiver said:

The point that surprised me in the IVA is that they all seem to be polarized, with a ceiling and a floor, more like in a submarine than in an environment without gravity where each surface could be used indistinctly of its orientation. But I noticed after writing this message that you explain the how and the why in the presentation of the mod, and your explanation makes totally sense.

The habitation and gym modules are the ones that really give off the impression of only one orientation because of the blue/gray floor tiles. Also, I remember reading how each of the modules have a designated "up", and most of the equipment is oriented in such a way as well (all lights are on the "top" , most vents are on the "bottom".
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/crew/exp7/luletters/lu_letter12.html
 

check out this virtual tour as well, and look in the Kibo and Columbus modules to see what I mean.
http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/virtual-tour-iss/

 

53 minutes ago, trooperMNG said:

How's this mod on texture utilization? Because I see a lot of different textures (and very detailed IVAs), should I expect heavy memory usage?

EDIT: I saw in your Roadmap that you will add a 1-Kerbal Z1. I'd like to see it more like a control part (SAS) but with no crew, like the actual counterpart. But I'd also like to know what are your other ideas for Z1 (maybe a base part) so the crew is totally acceptable

Textures: 
With the standard textures: 80.4MB. If you completely replace them with the 1/2 resolution folder, the pack size goes down to 29.6MB.

I would suggest for a decent balance on the IVA prop textures to only replace the 11 largest ones with the half resolution. Replacing those as well as the exterior textures will reduce the pack to 32.4MB.

Z1:
This is currently planned to be an IVA that makes the inside space for storage and not like a command module. So much like my gym module; just eye candy and totally useless otherwise.
 

From the Wiki page:

Quote

While the bulk of the Z1 truss is unpressurized, it features a Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) port that connects its nadir to the zenith port of Unity and contains a small pressurized dome that allowed astronauts to connect electrical ground straps between Unity and the truss without an EVA.^[1][2] In addition, the dome inside the CBM of Z1 can be used as storage space

 

[FlyMeToTheMinmus]

congrats, good to see this released!

[trooperMNG]

27 minutes ago, cxg2827 said:

Thanks all!

 

They have the same function as the stock Mobile Processing Lab. I'll be adding some more functionality to them down the road.

 

 

Cool, thanks for the tip!

 

The habitation and gym modules are the ones that really give off the impression of only one orientation because of the blue/gray floor tiles. Also, I remember reading how each of the modules have a designated "up", and most of the equipment is oriented in such a way as well (all lights are on the "top" , most vents are on the "bottom".
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/crew/exp7/luletters/lu_letter12.html
 

check out this virtual tour as well, and look in the Kibo and Columbus modules to see what I mean.
http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/virtual-tour-iss/

 

Textures: 
With the standard textures: 80.4MB. If you completely replace them with the 1/2 resolution folder, the pack size goes down to 29.6MB.

I would suggest for a decent balance on the IVA prop textures to only replace the 11 largest ones with the half resolution. Replacing those as well as the exterior textures will reduce the pack to 32.4MB.

Z1:
This is currently planned to be an IVA that makes the inside space for storage and not like a command module. So much like my gym module; just eye candy and totally useless otherwise.
 

From the Wiki page:

 

Thanks! I didn't know Z1 internal was pressurized... anyway, do you know where I can find a decent Russian Segment? Not like Tantares, photorealistic

[CobaltWolf]

Gratz on release. 

[onlinegamesz]

Looking good! congrats

[Tristonwilson12]

congrats!

[Mister Spock]

Congrats!  This looks wonderful!

Um, so I'm okay at docking; I do it manually, with help from Docking Port Alignment Indicator.  Will it be significantly harder with this mod?

[cxg2827]

2 minutes ago, Mister Spock said:

Um, so I'm okay at docking; I do it manually, with help from Docking Port Alignment Indicator.  Will it be significantly harder with this mod?

Not at all. Docking magnetism kicks in just like stock, the only difference is that it wouldn't engage until it snaps in the correct angles. Sometimes it is a bit finicky, but if you give it a wiggle/slight rotation back and forth so it passes over the snapping points, it locks in.

[Mister Spock]

OK, that sounds manageable.  I assume the idea with gendered and active/passive docking ports is to foster more realism?5

[cxg2827]

That is correct.

[Mister Spock]

Sounds great!  I look forward to trying it.  Thank you for all your time and effort making it!

[Doc-Zer0G]

Congrats on the release @cxg2827! Loving the soft docking APAS and definitely excited to see future developments!

On a side note, does anyone know if this mod will be supported by RO in the (near) future?

[G'th]

Congrats on the release, but is it intentional for the Active APAS to not have a second node? Been wanting to use it as a port for the Mk 1-2 but the lack of a top node means I can't attach a blast cover and/or LES. 

[cxg2827]

6 hours ago, G'th said:

Been wanting to use it as a port for the Mk 1-2 but the lack of a top node means I can't attach a blast cover and/or LES. 

there is a top node, right at the mating surface of the docking port:

node_stack_top = 0.0, 0.075, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 1
node_stack_bottom = 0.0, -0.16, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 1

Are you unable to attach anything to the top, or am I misinterpreting your question?