Horizon Aeronautics - Development Thread

[stubbles]

Yeah, sorry about that! (thanks Roxette!). I didn't realize the heavy strut was part of KW. I noticed it in the OP in red text, that it would need to be re-strutted with default struts, if you don't have KW installed.

*edit* haha thanks Boamere!

[Boamere]

No problem stubbles, your modding skills are beyond "modder" and seem very professional

I only have 1 (well 2, but the second is a minor problem) problem and that is that the shroud doesn't seem to cover the engine

if you can see it, the shroud is covering nothing, unless I'm being an idiot and the shroud isn't meant to stop drag on that engine?

The other problem is that I have to use large winglets otherwise the whole craft will flip over (FAR again) but they look very out of place, would it be too much to ask for winglets? (eventually, not now, after what you have done!)

Edit: Also pay no attention to your decoupler showing up as black in the images that's just a loading issue (which also causes half the text in the game to disappear so I end up with no help from my other mods )

Edited March 4, 2014 by Boamere

[stubbles]

Yeah, the shroud is to improve aerodynamics and decrease drag. Without it, drag on the decoupler goes over 75kN.

What is your ascent angle like? I've manually flown it many times now without any issues, you just can't make big fast turns of like 10+º. Tap 1-2º, wait a second, tap a few more, etc. You can also try a low tilt trajectory, similar to how the shuttle operated. Shortly after liftoff, tilt the rocket 10º-15º or so towards your desired inclination. Should still be more than enough thrust to get to geosync and should ease the physics some.

[Boamere]

Yeah, the shroud is to improve aerodynamics and decrease drag. Without it, drag on the decoupler goes over 75kN.

What is your ascent angle like? I've manually flown it many times now without any issues, you just can't make big fast turns of like 10+º. Tap 1-2º, wait a second, tap a few more, etc. You can also try a low tilt trajectory, similar to how the shuttle operated. Shortly after liftoff, tilt the rocket 10º-15º or so towards your desired inclination. Should still be more than enough thrust to get to geosync and should ease the physics some.

That's a lot of drag, thanks for telling me! 0-0

Yeah I found that if I deviate from pro-grade too much it flips, (but i have also found that it doesn't with mini winglets, so it's alright)

Thanks for all the answers and for the help with launching!

[CERVERUS]

With Energia strap on boosters!

[Roxette]

I found that if I deviate from pro-grade too much it flips

How much of a load is it carrying under the shroud?

[stubbles]

Cerverus - niiiiice!

I was actually going to be working on Energia stuff but dang, if someone else already has... hah

FAR is just really touchy sometimes, boamere. I noticed the same, that I move more than a few degrees at a time, it will flop around. If the payload is 15 tons it should be okay, as long as it's not all top heavy (as in, small base at the decoupler, bulbous on top).

[CERVERUS]

Cerverus - niiiiice!

I was actually going to be working on Energia stuff but dang, if someone else already has... hah

FAR is just really touchy sometimes, boamere. I noticed the same, that I move more than a few degrees at a time, it will flop around. If the payload is 15 tons it should be okay, as long as it's not all top heavy (as in, small base at the decoupler, bulbous on top).

I rescaled from Soviet pack (rescaleFactor = 0.6),and reduce 75% of dry weight ,the propulsion fuels,and the max thrust...work nice!!!

[stubbles]

I rescaled from Soviet pack...

Ah, cool!

I'll probably still go ahead and make my own then, at least for the sake of having matching art. I'm also going to be expanding into Energia/Energia-2, so I may as well

[CERVERUS]

Ah, cool!

I'll probably still go ahead and make my own then, at least for the sake of having matching art. I'm also going to be expanding into Energia/Energia-2, so I may as well

I agree with you...go ahead and make it!

Really,ZENIT is my Standard launch system for my space missions,and with the boosters,i can lift more heavy payloads.

Thank you,for your time,and about share with us your creations.

[stubbles]

Awesome, thanks Cerverus! Glad that people are enjoying the work.

Moving on right now, I'm definitely eyeballing Energia. I think I'll make the side rockets first, since they're mainly just the first stage Zenit tanks/engine (RD-170 instead of 171, but close enough). The centerline is a bit more intrusive though. Much larger engine and when compared to the Zenit tanks, looks like it's going to be a 4m part. Energia-2's centerline stage is also telescopic - it extends for launch, then since it's a return vehicle, it contracts for re-entry. Not to mention that the centerline stage also opens a hinged nosecone to decouple it's payload o_O. Lots of work ahead.

Also, some engine variants on the centerline stage might be a good idea? I'm not doing the Buran, so don't eyeball that But the 0/3/4 engine centerline setups look awfully slick and would be nice to customize per your payload requirements.

[Roxette]

I think it looks nicer on the FASA clamps:

[Guest]

Note, the rocket you posted is callled Uragan, or Energia-2. The tank on the original Energia would be much simpler to make, without the contracting fuel tank. Also, nice idea about multiple engine configurations.

There's also Energia-M, for lifting smaller loads. The fairing is pretty big, it starts at the tapered section of the core:

And, if you want to really go over the top, there's the Vulcan:

It boasts a huge second stage powered by an RD-57M engine. It could bring a very large, manned lander to the Moon directly, without any rendezvous required.

Edited March 5, 2014 by Guest

[stubbles]

Yeah, the regular energia would be easiest. Though I still have concerns about things. The side boosters use the same engines as the Zenit I have, but the fuel tank is larger than the Zenit, so that's a new asset. Then the center tank is probably going to be a 4m asset, all new. I guess since assets can't "share" textures anyways, I'm still going to have to make all new textures for every asset anyways. Kind of disappointing. I want to try to make it as modular as possible while still giving the most customization options. The huge center tank seems almost wasteful if I don't make my own Buran shuttle, which I don't really feel like doing. Several other shuttle mods (like BobCat's Buran) are at a totally different model scale from my rocket components.

[NoMrBond]

You can share textures between parts as part of the MODEL{} system, the B9 mod does this a lot

[stubbles]

I'll have to look at B9 then, because I can't find any info on that elsewhere.

[NoMrBond]

There is some info on the MODEL{} node system in the 0.20 features thread, last bit of the opening post

[Edit] There are a few other examples in the modding info thread under Gamedatabase // MODEL{} too

Edited March 5, 2014 by NoMrBond

[Guest]

The huge center tank seems almost wasteful if I don't make my own Buran shuttle, which I don't really feel like doing. Several other shuttle mods (like BobCat's Buran) are at a totally different model scale from my rocket components.

Not necessarily. There was a Polyus (also known as Skif-DM) ASAT and anti-missile satellite that was supposed to be launched on Energia.

You could try your luck with that. Also, Energia booster tanks are not larger than on Zenit, but they do have an extension that houses parachutes and retromotors.

[stubbles]

Well, the Polyus laser system would require coding, which I don't do

I did start working on the energia though.

Still a long ways to go.

[MOARdV]

I'll have to look at B9 then, because I can't find any info on that elsewhere.

Parts of FASA share textures, as well (like FASA_Gemini_LR91_Pack). For an extreme example of model and texture reuse (half a dozen models or more assembled into a single KSP part), look at the URM fuel tanks in KOSMOS.

[Daemoria]

I like the look of the energia boosters so much. It's like a genuine sci-fi take on SRBs. And If you are indeed going to do those centerline engine clusters, please post lots of WIP shots.

[Proot]

Could be procedural fairings implemented in HA rockets? Or is too late to consider it?

[hieywiey]

The Zenit 3SLB works SO well. I love it.

[Boamere]

Love all the ideas, they make a great mod even better!

Will be watching this thread to see for awesome updates, and that energia/shuttle variant looks completely overkill (trust the russians )

Edit: One request: any chance of an extra extended fairing? (upwards) due to how long the things I am launching are. (no problem if no, you probably need a break anyway!)

Edited March 5, 2014 by Boamere

[m00f]

First off, This Mod looks amazing! Second, I was wondering how I could go about resizing this for RSS. I think that you have to change the rescale factor or something, but I cannot be sure. Could somebody help point me in the right direction for this?