[1.8.1-1.12.x] Modular Launch Pads v2.8.0: Launch clamps evolved: Real-style launch bases and towers [24 December 2024]

[AlphaMensae]

Realized the tower was a bit short, so added a half-section to the top, and now the middle arm is where it should be.   Also removed the foot pads, and removed the collider from the base frame, so it can be pushed down below the VAB floor, better aligning the lower arm with the core tanks.

[serialblack]

I don't know if I am missing something, I followed all instruction for installation to the letter. New career, building a basic sounding rocket and trying to use the small launch rail, as shown in the diagram, and found a youtube video detailing how to assemble everything. When I try to attach the rocket, there is no node in which to place it anywhere on the rail. This is with ksp 1.10.

Edit: I am also running RSS/RO ....and saw that "I am on my own" in regards to issues....however a node issue wouldn't be caused by that, would it?

 

[AlphaMensae]

1 hour ago, serialblack said:

I don't know if I am missing something, I followed all instruction for installation to the letter. New career, building a basic sounding rocket and trying to use the small launch rail, as shown in the diagram, and found a youtube video detailing how to assemble everything. When I try to attach the rocket, there is no node in which to place it anywhere on the rail. This is with ksp 1.10.

Edit: I am also running RSS/RO ....and saw that "I am on my own" in regards to issues....however a node issue wouldn't be caused by that, would it?

 

The launch rails surface attach to the rocket body, provided the tank or SRM has surface-attach enabled.

[serialblack]

On 12/31/2021 at 11:52 AM, AlphaMensae said:

The launch rails surface attach to the rocket body, provided the tank or SRM has surface-attach enabled.

So using the proc fuel tanks for RO probably won't work right? 

[AlphaMensae]

1 hour ago, serialblack said:

So using the proc fuel tanks for RO probably won't work right? 

If they don't have surface-attach enabled, then they won't.  I don't know anything about how the RO proc tanks work, whether the attach values are defined in the .cfg like normal so you can make a simple MM patch to change them.

If it is done in the .cfg, then look for this line in make it 4 ones and a zero:  attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0 

Or in MM:   @attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0

In any case, I think I will try out adding node attach to the rails and if it works ok along with the surface-attach, I'll update the rails in v2.3 of MLP.

[AlphaMensae]

Delta IV Tower is done with the addition of the upper external trusswork, the front part of which can be turned off for a plain surface for attaching arms. The two main Delta IV arms go in those cutouts in the trusswork, while the upper arm attached to the beam structure on the tower top.

Still using the General Swing Arms as a placeholders, though the Delta IV arms will just be modified versions of the Large and Medium sizes, with altered umbilicals.

[AlphaMensae]

I just put the Delta IV tower onto the master branch of the Modular Launch Pads GitHub. The arms will be made next, but the tower is now available for use.

Turning off the front trusswork also replaces the 3 Delta IV arm nodes with 7 general-type nodes.  There is also one height variant, 6m taller than the default.

[serialblack]

On 1/2/2022 at 5:47 PM, AlphaMensae said:

If they don't have surface-attach enabled, then they won't.  I don't know anything about how the RO proc tanks work, whether the attach values are defined in the .cfg like normal so you can make a simple MM patch to change them.

If it is done in the .cfg, then look for this line in make it 4 ones and a zero:  attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0 

Or in MM:   @attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0

In any case, I think I will try out adding node attach to the rails and if it works ok along with the surface-attach, I'll update the rails in v2.3 of MLP.

Ya I don't think they do, since no matter which rail I tried, it just didn't seem to attach. If I get a change I will certainly look into a patch, although I am not the greatest when it comes to modding, that seems simple enough, otherwise if you plan on adding it anyways, I will just keep an eye out. Thanks for all your help and for a great mod.

[AlphaMensae]

First Delta IV swing arm, for the core tanks, is done. It's a modified version of the Large General Swing Arm, with only the three side umbilicals  in a fixed length.  One change is that each of them can be separately adjusted in length, which was needed because the arm is mounted on the tower at an angle, resulting in different distances to the core tanks of the Delta IV.  The umbilical assemblies are also rotated opposite by the same mount so they would be perpendicular to the tanks, all as in IRL.  The truss block spacers (as I call them) can be turned off as well, in case you want to bring the umbilicals tight against the arm, and all three umbilical assemblies can also be turned off completely for different options.

 

 

[AlphaMensae]

Third and final Delta IV swing arm is done.

 

And a little demo, which starts in the VAB showing all the PAWs for the parts so you can see the settings.

The tower got a few minor mesh changes, main one being the addition of a toggleable base extension so there will be some visible support for hanging the tower off the edge of a launch pad static, like I did here to get the sun shining on the swing arm side.

Everything, plus the craft file for the demo, will be on the master branch of the Github.

[AlphaMensae]

Version 2.3.0!

Version 2.3.0 has been released on Spacedock and the GitHub.

Changelog:

• Added Delta IV Launch Stand, Service Tower and three Delta IV-specific swing arms.
• Added attach nodes for rockets to all four launch rails and updated Module Decouple for the rails accordingly. Rockets still can surface attach to the rails, and made the rails surface-attachable too.
• Modified the Saturn Hammerhead Crane to have a switch between the full crane and the remnant core, which appeared for some shuttle launches.
• Added v2.3 craft file for the Bluedog Design Bureau Delta IV Heavy using the new Delta IV parts.
• Updated BDB MLP patches, adding extra attach nodes for the Delta IV lower core tank and the Saturn LRB Engine Mount.
• Updated MLP Custom Category.

[DDE]

About three years ago before I gave up trying to keep my KSP modded install updated, I whined incessantly about this sort of thing missing. Thank you.

However, I hate to be that guy, but the N-1 tower operated on a principle entirely incompatible with this mod: it would be withdrawn entirely a significant time before launch using a pivot (the cycle took 24 minutes). You can see the complete tower in the withdrawn position here:

[AlphaMensae]

3 hours ago, DDE said:

About three years ago before I gave up trying to keep my KSP modded install updated, I whined incessantly about this sort of thing missing. Thank you.

However, I hate to be that guy, but the N-1 tower operated on a principle entirely incompatible with this mod: it would be withdrawn entirely a significant time before launch using a pivot (the cycle took 24 minutes). You can see the complete tower in the withdrawn position here:

I realized that too about the N1 tower, it was for preflight only, which was one reason I haven't made it, and now I won't. I have the N1 Launch Plate, a large ring that the N1 sat upon, without any hold-downs.  Anything else is better suited to a Kerbal Konstructs pack.

Most of the Russian launch infrastructure is indeed very different than the American methods that Modular Launch Pads is based on.

[AlphaMensae]

I've finally put together a litle assembly guide/tutorial for the Launch Rails. This uses the v2.3 rails, with the attach nodes for rockets, but due to a very simple rocket being used as the demo, the rocket was built on the rail.

This will be put in the OP.

 

Edited January 12, 2022 by AlphaMensae

[cameronisher3]

With completion of the (amazing!) Delta IV parts nearing, do you have any plans for America's other resident orange rocket? Pairing the Saturn parts with a few key others works well enough as a placeholder, but with Artemis-I approaching I find myself wanting more detailed connections. 

Thank you ahead of time for your answer! 

[AlphaMensae]

11 hours ago, cameronisher3 said:

With completion of the (amazing!) Delta IV parts nearing, do you have any plans for America's other resident orange rocket? Pairing the Saturn parts with a few key others works well enough as a placeholder, but with Artemis-I approaching I find myself wanting more detailed connections. 

Thank you ahead of time for your answer! 

I've been waiting for SLS-Artemis I to roll out, or better yet actually launch, before making anything specific for it.  I was also going to hold off on SLS for version 3, since the Saturn parts really need a remake, but maybe I can kludge together something.

[cameronisher3]

3 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

I've been waiting for SLS-Artemis I to roll out, or better yet actually launch, before making anything specific for it.  I was also going to hold off on SLS for version 3, since the Saturn parts really need a remake, but maybe I can kludge together something.

With URRT now being in the past, you should in theory have everything you need in terms of references to model and animate the parts. 

I look forward to however you choose to go about it!

[AlphaMensae]

1 hour ago, cameronisher3 said:

With URRT now being in the past, you should in theory have everything you need in terms of references to model and animate the parts. 

I look forward to however you choose to go about it!

I'd rather use actual launch footage, so I'll wait. There should be plenty of cameras covering all parts of Artemis I, much like that of the Saturn V and Shuttle launches.

[DaOPCreeper]

do you have any plans to add the Saturn V  rolling service structure and if not would it something you would consider?

[Silvia Dragoness]

I feel like I'm losing my mind; I can't find most of these parts in the tech tree.  I've done some looking through the files and configs to find the names of the tech tree nodes I should be looking for, but they don't seem to be present on the in-game tech tree.  I'm in Career mode, currently about halfway down the tech tree (around the 550 level), and the only parts from this mod I seem to have unlocked are the very small ones that are in tech nodes that already existed (e.g., the MLP General Mounting Platform in "General Construction"); I don't see the new tech nodes that this mod is supposed to add.

I've got a feeling it's some jank resulting from my crazy mod setup, but I don't have a clue how to figure out what exactly is clashing.

[OrbitalManeuvers]

5 minutes ago, Silvia Dragoness said:

I can't find most of these parts in the tech tree

I would guess you have a conflict concerning CommunityCategoryKit? I seem to remember there being some issue on my setup when I had the wrong version of that. The MLP nodes should branch off to the left of the starting node, which is non-standard and so maybe requires a specific version CCK. That's the only required mod that seems related?

[Silvia Dragoness]

30 minutes ago, OrbitalManeuvers said:

I would guess you have a conflict concerning CommunityCategoryKit? I seem to remember there being some issue on my setup when I had the wrong version of that. The MLP nodes should branch off to the left of the starting node, which is non-standard and so maybe requires a specific version CCK. That's the only required mod that seems related?

CCK is installed, and I'm not seeing any errors related to CCK or Modular Launch Pads.  The nodes are just missing.

[OrbitalManeuvers]

2 minutes ago, Silvia Dragoness said:

The nodes are just missing.

Huh, sorry, beyond me. Idk what that thing in the top left is, and node placement is still a black box to me.

[Silvia Dragoness]

49 minutes ago, OrbitalManeuvers said:

Huh, sorry, beyond me. Idk what that thing in the top left is, and node placement is still a black box to me.

The icon not connected to anything on the tech tree?  That's Blizzy's toolbar with one mod icon on it.

[AlphaMensae]

8 hours ago, Silvia Dragoness said:

CCK is installed, and I'm not seeing any errors related to CCK or Modular Launch Pads.  The nodes are just missing.

You probably have Modular Launch Pads incorrectly installed, as the nodes should be present to the left of the start.

Or, you probably do have a mod conflict. Only the stock tree, Community Tech Tree (just addons to the stock one) and UnKerballed Start tree are supported. You might have some other mod that alters where mod parts go in unknown ways.

Also, dependuing on what changes have been done in newer KSP versions, new tech tree nodes may not show up if they were added after starting a new career.

Edited February 1, 2022 by AlphaMensae