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


AlphaMensae

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5 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

The Agena Tower is coming along nicely. WIP Wings3D screenshots, still need to add extra details (railings, pipes, etc.)

<snip>

Looking great!

Since you're revisiting the Agena tower, this might have been asked before but would you consider doing the SLC-4W tower too?

Also some panels on the Agena tower like the ones seen on OV1 flights would be cool too, if it's not too much to ask :) 

atlas_f_ov1_1.jpg

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11 hours ago, KeaKaka said:

Looking great!

Since you're revisiting the Agena tower, this might have been asked before but would you consider doing the SLC-4W tower too?

Also some panels on the Agena tower like the ones seen on OV1 flights would be cool too, if it's not too much to ask :) 

 

SLC-4W is more asscociated with the Titan II variants launched there, and that isn't planned any time soo.  Raidernick has the tower in his US Rockets mod.

This isn't BDB, I only do the common type, and just focusing on the tower as used with the Ranger launches, since that's what I have the best images for.

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And it's in the game, after some revising and minus the height variants (which won't be a lot):

tMQlkVd.png

v0APQXH.png

I had to modify the Agena Umbilical Arm. One, I removed the taller umbilical section variant, as the top would clip into the tower when retracted. Two, I think the actual umbilicals were angled, not straight out, as the latter case would put the tower way too far to the side of the Atlas itself. Angling them puts the tower in a position better matching the pictures. The collider on the tower does not go all the way to the bottom, leaving some leeway for clipping the tower into the pad static if desired.  This is also the first use of fake "stairs" in a tower. :D 

 

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20 minutes ago, Zyfle said:

Oooh I'm gonna love updating all my Atlas builds with these. Are you planning to update the Atlas-Centaur tower as well?

Actually, I am going to make a dedicated Atlas-Centaur tower. Two of them, in fact, as I will do the Atlas G/I/II version and arms as well. I might be able to combine the the two towers in one part depending on how much different they are. The original is shorter than the later one, and if it is just that with some detail changes then it is doable, but if the two have size and other structural differences then they will be separate.

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Posted (edited)

After some more tweaks to the tower and arm, the Atlas-Agena Service Tower is done. Added 3 height variants: a shorter one and two taller ones. Also, turns out the aem has to be rotated a slight bit in order to fit the tower on the LC-14 static from Tundra's Space Center; how much depends on how close to IRL you want it. All the images of the Atlas-Agena tower I looked at were angled shots, but it seems the tower and Atlas were lined up with each other. With the arm mounted on a cut-out corner of the tower, I had to make guesses as to how that alignment was done.

Anyway, here is a little demo; the tower and revised arm are now on the GitHub master branch. Oh, the exisiting Atlas Mini Modular Tower was renamed to Mini Modular Service Tower Type 4. Haven't yet changed the part iteself, may just leave it as is.

 

Edited by AlphaMensae
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All dressed up, ready for Unity

zQzB23K.png

AmQeT3Q.png

i1iwNKi.png

The whole arm frame has been redone, it's now more of a plate with more concealed extension for height adjustment. I also realized I had the arms on the wrong side of the tower, so they've been moved. Both arms will have horizontal X-axis adjustment, and the big Arm 1 will still have vertical adjustment with a modifief mount.

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Got the tower part into KSP. Default color is the mostly gray with mixed red upper parts as seen with the Pioneer 10 launch; alternate colors include all medium gray and all red, plus the usual others. Has 4 taller height variants; the default height will align with the BDB Atlas SLV3-Centaur D.

mdcMch4.png

EF0hy6F.png

Edited by AlphaMensae
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I have to tweak the position of Arm 2 (the flat, lower one) and possibly the umbilicals as well to get it to align with Arm 1 in the default position. The umbilicals for the arms are set up only in Unity, where having the origins (which are the points of rotation) at 0,0,0 makes animating them very easy, but which means I can't see them in Wings3D, so I ended up putting both arms at the same maximum forward position. Oops :D 

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Ended up modifying Arm 1 (the angled upper one) instead. Looking at one of the good images I have more closely, I realized that I could extend the umbilicals by adding a short fixed section, long enough to  align with the Arm 2 umbilicals without having to move either arm backwards. I also tweaked the two inside umbilicals of Arm 2, shortening them by small bit. Now the arms match the old ones:

jGtZniY.png

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There is a bug with new Centaur arms - the part name in cfg is the same as the old one (AM_MLP_AtlasUmbilicalArmCentaur, instead of AM_MLP_CentaurUmbilicalArms) and the old part is still present, which results in new part not loading.

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51 minutes ago, biohazard15 said:

There is a bug with new Centaur arms - the part name in cfg is the same as the old one (AM_MLP_AtlasUmbilicalArmCentaur, instead of AM_MLP_CentaurUmbilicalArms) and the old part is still present, which results in new part not loading.

Ah, I forgot to delete the old version on the GitHub. Just did so now.

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  • 2 weeks later...
8 hours ago, bjbeardse said:

Seem to have an issue with the Saturn V and MLP. The Saturn S-IC sits way too high. Am I missing something?

The attach node on the base and the extra one for the BDB S-IC are not aligned in any way, just placed at random spots. Just have to offsrt them into proper positions.  They'll get aligned in the remake, but that's for the future.

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OK Hey! things fit much better now. Now the only thing is the Saturn Crew access arm is just a bit low. Can ya steer me to the place I can move it up a bit? 

Please??:valawe: 

Is there a site that explains the cfg files?

Edited by bjbeardse
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  • 4 weeks later...

Ok, it's been quiet in here, even beyond the forum going down. I needed a break after the Atlas-Agena tower, that took longer than expected to make and it wore me out.  But I have been working on the Atlas I/II tower, just been taking it a lot more slower this time. Anyways, here's what I have so far, still very much a WIP and in a bit of a mess right now:

oG7aMDO.png

One note on the Wings3D screenshots: I use the shaded view for the images, but work in the unshaded view, with all the edges shown (hard edges are orange). Easier to work with, but not as pretty. :D 

Edited by AlphaMensae
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6 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

Ok, it's been quiet in here, even beyond the forum going down. I needed a break after the Atlas-Agena tower, that took longer than expected to make and it wore me out.  But I have been working on the Atlas I/II tower, just been taking it a lot more slower this time. Anyways, here's what I have so far, still very much a WIP and in a bit of a mess right now:

oG7aMDO.png

One note on the Wings3D screenshots: I use the shaded view for the images, but work in the unshaded view, with all the edges shown (hard edges are orange). Easier to work with, but not as pretty. :D 

this is for 2.8? and SLS fro 2.9?

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