[1.8.1-1.12.x] Modular Launch Pads v2.7.0: Launch clamps evolved: Real-style launch bases and towers [04 July 2024]

[davidy12]

33 minutes ago, AlphaMensae said:

This is weird, as the general version of the Saturn arm works fine...and the two arms have pretty much the same .cfg file. 

 

It's for the BDB version. 

[AlphaMensae]

2 hours ago, davidy12 said:

It's for the BDB version. 

I've sent messages to Starwaster, as I don't know what's going on.  The same arm that worked fine in 1.3.1 has this issue in 1.5.1/1.6.1...and the other v2 arm is fine, plus the current release arms.

In the meantime, you'll have to use an action group to retract the BDB arm.

[davidy12]

Coolio.  

PS: Why not make configs for the rest of the BDB rockets like the 3.75M SRBs? 

[VoidCosmos]

@AlphaMensae there is bug on the v2 builds the falcon 9 strongback does not have the crew varient

Fixed it. Sorry for bothering you.

Edited February 19, 2019 by Nigel Cardozo

[Cheesecake]

@AlphaMensaeI had the same issue with some arms. They didn`t retract. I`m not at home in the moment but I can check which not work in the evening.

[smotheredrun]

@AlphaMensae  You're going to make me hit my limit of "Likes" for today.  All will be on your thread 

 

[VoidCosmos]

18 hours ago, Cheesecake said:

@AlphaMensaeI had the same issue with some arms. They didn`t retract. I`m not at home in the moment but I can check which not work in the evening.

Same here 

[AlphaMensae]

I might just have to remove Animated Decouplers from the Saturn arms if the problem can't be found; they'd have to be action-grouped.

Now the general crew elevator tower is not working right either...may have to remove the animated doors.

[davidy12]

Also, the large general launchpad doesn't decouple the BDB Delta II

At least when using the strap-on boosters

[AlphaMensae]

10 hours ago, davidy12 said:

Also, the large general launchpad doesn't decouple the BDB Delta II

At least when using the strap-on boosters

Just checked, used the BDB Delta II 7320 craft file, added the large general pad; works fine.

1.6.1 craft file is on the Github, in AlphaDev/Craft_Files.

Make sure the SRBs aren't clipping into the pad.

[davidy12]

13 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

Just checked, used the BDB Delta II 7320 craft file, added the large general pad; works fine.

1.6.1 craft file is on the Github, in AlphaDev/Craft_Files.

Make sure the SRBs aren't clipping into the pad.

My bad

[smotheredrun]

@AlphaMensae  Your making life difficult fun!  Using a combo of the main release for KSP 1.3.1 and the Dev Branch for 1.3.1., I've been able to slice my Jool 5 mission Launch Vehicle from 400+ parts to 396 parts on the pad!  It also looks cooler now.

The large Saturn pad seems better able to keep my 40-something metre tall rocket from tipping much better than the smaller pads...

[AlphaMensae]

@smotheredrun

Awesome!  Yep, the large version of the Saturn pad was an early experiment to make something support a real-scale Saturn V or some Kerbal monstrosity, though it's actually bigger than that, due to having to increasing the size again and again so the support columns wouldn't sit on the ground pipes and bridges and such, all of which have colliders.    I never followed it up with a matching tower, but it's great to see it getting used.  

I'll probably add a large version of the v2 Saturn base, but do have plans (for a later update) for a truly monster-sized pad, which I have taken to calling the "Gojira Launch Pad"

 

 

 

 

[AlphaMensae]

After more testing, I'm going to have to remove the doors from the general crew elevator's car.  For some reason, closing the doors now makes the car shoot instantly up to the max height setting when you hit the "up" button, ignoring the deploy limit and being useless to lift Kerbals. So, scratch that idea.

[Natokerbal]

@AlphaMensae is the New crew access arm on the Beta version?

[AlphaMensae]

10 minutes ago, Natokerbal said:

@AlphaMensae is the New crew access arm on the Beta version?

Not yet, I have to finish revising the general crew elevator first.

[Natokerbal]

3 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

Not yet, I have to finish revising the general crew elevator first.

Ah ok thanks for the reply

[AlphaMensae]

A heads up notice for some changes coming to the General Towers:

After seeing some of Rocketology's current 2.7x mod career stream and some re-thinking on my part, I'm going to eliminate the separate Saturn Launch Stand Tower (or small Saturn Tower), and merge its functions into a revised General Crew Elevator that will be the sole one for all the General Launch Pads and Launch Stands.  It will have the center rail and attach nodes on the non-crew access sections for use with umbilicals and swing arms, but still have the one-part modularity feature that I've added.  The mesh part of the Saturn Stand Tower will become an alternate Medium-sized variant in the General Modular Multi Tower.

In addition, the highest core section variant for all the General towers will become 30m, allowing them to be used with the stock Tier 2 launch pad.  The height limits for the Tier 1 and 2 pads don't recognize mesh switching, so if any variant is higher than the limit (even if not selected), then the entire tower can't be used. Taller towers can be made by stacking core sections with the base and/or top sections turned off.

The current Gemini-style Tier 2 tower will either be left as is to be another Special tower (like the Atlas V and Delta II ones), or I'll add it as another variant to the General Service Tower;  not decided yet.

There will also be new names for the current launch stands, they'll be standardized to a new naming system. So no more Russian or American or Saturn Launch Stands, but Small and Large Round, Small and Large Square (small still to come), and Rectangular (a large one may be made). They all are basically general-type stands, so I felt they should have general-type names. The only specific names should be for the special pads: Soyuz Launch Pad, Saturn Mobile Launcher an Shuttle Mobile Launch Platform.

Edited February 23, 2019 by AlphaMensae

[infinite_monkey]

The General Crew Access Arm v2 has a mass of 50 tons, while the towers only have 0.1. Is that on purpose?

I was thinking about a tower for a launch/landing pad on other planets - something like you can see in the background here:

Since landing is never 100% accurate, it should either be on wheels or be able to rotate and have a flexible crew access corridor. Any ideas?

[AlphaMensae]

@infinite_monkey Yeah, that mass of 50t is a remnant of the part I used as a template, it will get changed.

As for that idea, anything like that will have to wait for a later update, I'm not doing it now.

 

 

[infinite_monkey]

32 minutes ago, AlphaMensae said:

@infinite_monkey Yeah, that mass of 50t is a remnant of the part I used as a template, it will get changed.

As for that idea, anything like that will have to wait for a later update, I'm not doing it now.

Sure, I was just thinking maybe someone already did something similar with existing parts. I think I'll just attach some weels to an existing tower or something like that

[AlphaMensae]

At last, the v2 General Crew Elevator and revised Crew Access Arm are done and on the Github!

 

 

The Saturn tower and Shuttle FSS crew access sections have also been revised to allow the general crew arm to be used with them.

[Natokerbal]

@AlphaMensae how do I use the New crew access arm for the FSS for the Dragon 2? where do I place it and what configs?

[AlphaMensae]

1 hour ago, Natokerbal said:

@AlphaMensae how do I use the New crew access arm for the FSS for the Dragon 2? where do I place it and what configs?

You'll need the updated Shuttle FSS Crew Access Section (the Saturn tower one also was updated); only the .mu and .cfg were changed, so you could download just those two files from the AlphaDev branch.

The Shuttle FSS Crew Section has two new options: Gen Arm C to be used with the arm's Saturn C mount type, this will attach the arm in the center with the wide arm mount;  Gen Arm S to be used with the arm's Shuttle S mount type, this will attach the arm where the shuttle access arm goes (with a one-sided slim arm mount) and using the orbiter access gap in the railing.

[AlphaMensae]

 

I took a little detour from the General Pads stuff to make a dedicated test stand, spurred by Rocketology's (RocketPCGaming) request for one, as it made a lot of sense when using part failure-R&D mods like BARIS. I started with a small version, with a large one to come later; the small one may become a medium one, with a new small stand.  Anyway, the small test stand is done and on the Github in the AlphaDev and v2_General_Pads branches.  There's only two files for it, the .mu and .cfg, as no textures were made for it or changed.

It has two configurations, a horizontal cradle and vertical tower.  The cradle is meant for engine and small stuff testing, with the tower for full stage static firing; the tower in the vertical configuration has three height options, all under 20m for the tier 1 launch pad, and can also be turned off for very tall tanks/stages. The cradle can handle up to a 2.5m tank, while the tower can accomodate a 3.75m tank.

Both configurations have theee deploy limit sliders that adjust the position of the various clamps.  There are no actual animations to toggle, these are strictly a cosmetic feature, so ignore the remnant "toggle" buttons in the right-click menu.

Probe core-type ModuleCommand, EC capacity and a generator are integrated so no separate command part or command chair is needed to control a test.