[WIP] DCCPW, Spy Sat stuff

[dishycourier]

I sort of had this concept for a combo ISA/camera. There's not much else to do in terms of science just yet. Maybe Kethane scans, but I haven't really looked at it much yet. I'm not sure I like this model much or if I will continue it, but maybe something similar. The Gambit system employed something similar-- A radar dish and high resolution capable camera were placed facing out in the body section above the attitude control, though obviously not as cartoony looking.

Ion engine 2 some time this week. Rocket engines next week. I have these stick-on foil heat shields I might finish as well (they aren't really fairings, just struts that decouple and become space junk). In testing I've been rethinking the color scheme (for the fourth time). I need to move everything into Unity and see how it turns out, but the default shader in the game makes each piece except the top look stupid.

[TheCardinal]

I bet you've been listening to The Alan Parson project! (Eye in the sky).

[dishycourier]

I have not. Mostly The Doors and some Black Keys. I'm much more of a bluesy-classic-rock sound type person. Minibosses and Red Sparrowes, too. Post-rock is fine by me.

Anyway. I've decided that some of the mission packages should be cut up to be attached as players see fit. the ISACAM mission section above probably won't exist, but instead, you'll get a set of trusses that can be arranged just about any way you like, a set of section caps (to make it look pretty), and a few tools to make your satellite worth lofting.

Unfortunately, most of it will be cosmetic for the time being. Some parts can and should be plugin-compatible. For instance, cameras, ISA dishes, remote platforms. However, Kethane is really the only other science mission at the moment, and I don't have any permission to do anything with it in terms of compatible parts. I haven't even set up my own Kethane mission ingame yet.

How does this sound?

Functional:

Scanning dishes and cameras -- already done, we know about these already.

I might be able to make a space-laser, but I haven't looked at it yet. Just thought it up, in fact.

Non-functional:

Magnetometer

Particle mesh capture surface

Impact probes (I've been planning this anyway)

Cosmetic antennae, big long ones.

"We are here" plaques and gold records

weather sat equipment (like a radome or something)

Solar cameras and observation gear

If Dani-Sang approves:

A kethane scanner

[togfox]

I know your on the satelite track but have you thought about buildings? Habitation modules, service modules, science labs, cosmetic airlocks, command centres etc? We could put them in orbit or land them on a moon. . Yu could make them compatible with BACE which many ppl still use.

[dishycourier]

I know your on the satelite track but have you thought about buildings? Habitation modules, service modules, science labs, cosmetic airlocks, command centres etc? We could put them in orbit or land them on a moon. . Yu could make them compatible with BACE which many ppl still use.

Probably in a further release? I really like BACE. I've been meaning to turn the reactor section into a working one with Kreuzung's plugin, but just haven't yet. I noticed the inflatable section and wanted to put one up. Haven't gotten to it yet, though.

[MaverickSawyer]

A one meter lens?!!!!! Isn't that overdoing things? Although ... it IS the Kerbal way!

It is not the size that counts, it's the quality of the lens that determines the quality and details of the picture.

IIRC, the focal length and angular resolution are MUCH more important for optics.

For example, the KH-11 supposedly has a mirror the same size as the Hubble, but has a slightly shorter focal length for a wider field of view. A 1-meter lens is a pipsqueak by modern spysat standards, but more than adequate for any Kerbin-mapping missions.

[anaximander]

Non-functional:

Magnetometer

Particle mesh capture surface

Impact probes (I've been planning this anyway)

Cosmetic antennae, big long ones.

"We are here" plaques and gold records

weather sat equipment (like a radome or something)

Solar cameras and observation gear

I'm working on a mod to add some of these, in a manner of speaking. I'm building a radiation sensor/particle capture mesh, an atmospheric sensor package, an observations camera set and a soil sampler that will do two things: generate simulated data based on what you'd get in that situation (I'm currently working on estimates for Kerbol solar wind output and flare activity) and also earn science "points" that will alter the performance of various parts, so that atmospheric data makes fins more effective etc. I'm a software developer by trade, so the coding isn't too much of a problem, but I'm less confident when it comes to modelling. Would you mind if I added the functionality to some of your models?

[Tommygun]

Great stuff in here. I'm looking forward to them.

I wonder if it would be possible to have a spy satellite were the images are put together as a larger mosaic image of the whole planet.

Similar to how that one plug-in maps out the planets heights into a graphical image.

[dishycourier]

I'm working on a mod to add some of these, in a manner of speaking. I'm building a radiation sensor/particle capture mesh, an atmospheric sensor package, an observations camera set and a soil sampler that will do two things: generate simulated data based on what you'd get in that situation (I'm currently working on estimates for Kerbol solar wind output and flare activity) and also earn science "points" that will alter the performance of various parts, so that atmospheric data makes fins more effective etc. I'm a software developer by trade, so the coding isn't too much of a problem, but I'm less confident when it comes to modelling. Would you mind if I added the functionality to some of your models?

I would absolutely not mind! I'm glad so see someone else has an interest in this stuff too. Once I get the preliminary models done, I can send them along for you to check out. I'll try to get them at least partially done by the end of the weekend.

[dishycourier]

Great stuff in here. I'm looking forward to them.

I wonder if it would be possible to have a spy satellite were the images are put together as a larger mosaic image of the whole planet.

Similar to how that one plug-in maps out the planets heights into a graphical image.

It really would be cool. I've been snapping pictures with the multioptix just to see what I can come up with in a 5km orbit around the Mun. Some really impressive stuff (you can see the arches). I think someone posted their experience with mapping, hoping to do a google earth-type package with ultra-high resolution mapping data and POI photos, but I don't know what the status of that is. It would be really fun to do. I know there was a Hack a Day article that wanted to do a NASA type map of the Mun. I think that's in the same post, but I'd have to find it.

[dishycourier]

IIRC, the focal length and angular resolution are MUCH more important for optics.

For example, the KH-11 supposedly has a mirror the same size as the Hubble, but has a slightly shorter focal length for a wider field of view. A 1-meter lens is a pipsqueak by modern spysat standards, but more than adequate for any Kerbin-mapping missions.

At first, I aimed to just replicate the KH-7 Gambit. Then I thought the shape was pretty boring, so I turned it into a cartoon of something we would have seen in a 60's Bond movie. I'm still planning on KH type models, though. As I've been testing some of the completed models, the realization that non-cheesy stuff would work just as well.

[dishycourier]

So here are some sensors and rtg's I just finished. I tried to get them as historically accurate and used some of the technical diagrams for US satellites as a base. They are a bit off the spysat set, but should do for the science stuff. I'll take suggestions for more probely bits (probably the name it'll be released under), and of course critiques. There's also a bonus camera lens more in the fashion of the KH-11 at the bottom. All of these are unwrapped, but yet unskinned.

Magnetometer

Meteorite detector:

Radiothermal generator (the bigger one)

Smaller RTG on a boom, similar to Pioneer - just a much shorter boom and fewer fins:

I'm not clear on what this sensor does, but it kept popping up and it's easy to make, so there's this:

And finally, not the best view, but here's the KH-11-like surface.

[MaverickSawyer]

Excellent work! You're moving in on the Probe Kit in terms of diversity of parts.

[Tommygun]

Here is an idea for that sphere with the three rods sticking out.

What about a gravity geodesy meter for mapping the ocean floor or land through heavy cloud cover?

[anaximander]

It really would be cool. I've been snapping pictures with the multioptix just to see what I can come up with in a 5km orbit around the Mun. Some really impressive stuff (you can see the arches). I think someone posted their experience with mapping, hoping to do a google earth-type package with ultra-high resolution mapping data and POI photos, but I don't know what the status of that is. It would be really fun to do. I know there was a Hack a Day article that wanted to do a NASA type map of the Mun. I think that's in the same post, but I'd have to find it.

I remember some software for orthorectification and mosaic building of aerial photos from my days programming homebuild UAVs; I'll have to dig it out at some point.

[Kreuzung]

Don't worry about solar panels, there's a much better set by Dani-Sang which I'm responsible for, but I got tired of it after calculating the energy/volume and energy/mass ratios of all the batteries we have so far (did you know that the large one from the Deep Space Mission Pack is way underpowered even if it feels likea cheat part?).

Did something else instead, but now I'll probably resume to work on that.

Don't even know where to get solar panel surface area from for most parts except bugging the authors and searching for old parts in my .14 folder...

[dishycourier]

Don't worry about solar panels, there's a much better set by Dani-Sang which I'm responsible for, but I got tired of it after calculating the energy/volume and energy/mass ratios of all the batteries we have so far (did you know that the large one from the Deep Space Mission Pack is way underpowered even if it feels likea cheat part?).

Did something else instead, but now I'll probably resume to work on that.

Don't even know where to get solar panel surface area from for most parts except bugging the authors and searching for old parts in my .14 folder...

I need to talk to Cardboard about reusing one (or three) of the Kosmos panels in the future. The LK array is perfect for smallsats, but the Kosmos short/long are great for larger deployments. I've recalculated the power output with some guesswork, but it's strictly in terms of the Kerbal universe. Relative size of the panel to the average craft it would appear on, with the assumption that an ion engine capable of outputting 48kn uses 2.4 energy/second (this is close to thobewill's engines, I think). It's pretty much BS in terms of science, but that's the fun part.

LK arrays should provide no more than .42/second

Short panel should provide no more than 1.2/second

Long panel 1.6/second.

The Xlong panel, if we go by this scheme should provide something around 3/second.

So far in my experience, the Dynavolt panels and Dani's panels are both the most attractive and most balanced sets. The MMI panel is perfect in terms of weight/size vs output.

I sort of landed on just making a few types of lateral panels for my set. The reconfigured probekit panels have been acting as a stand-in for the time being.

[dishycourier]

So Sixteenbit, my beta tester just sent me this:

http://imgur.com/a/1y9wl#0

Not that I would suggest building a nuclear aircraft, but I have to admit it's pretty cool.

[dishycourier]

Finished the long focal length mission section. Updated the plain yellow aluminum to some nice paneling and brighter but grittier steel. I'm hoping this is more like what people were wanting to see. I'm pretty happy with it.

The other parts, minus the heat-shielded sections, will be updated with this color scheme. Any thoughts on it?

[togfox]

Nice. Any room for some unobtrusive rivets/bolts along the body or circumfrence?

[dishycourier]

Oh there's room, I just want to keep the number of faces down. Each rivet would add at least 7 more... multiply that by, what, like 30 minimum? I think when I import everything into Unity, I can do a bump map. If I put it in the texture, I might be able to make them pop up a bit. I have literally ZERO experience with Unity so far.

[togfox]

Seams where the plates might join (and the rivets would go)? Access panels placed in random locations with a "access here" stencil in bright yellow text? Just making stuff up ... Its fine the way it is.

[MaverickSawyer]

You can add the "rivets" as part of the graphic/image texture, IMO. Same thing with the access panels.

Otherwise, looking pretty good.

[dishycourier]

You can add the "rivets" as part of the graphic/image texture, IMO. Same thing with the access panels.

Otherwise, looking pretty good.

This can be done pretty easily. I'll take a look during the week. I haven't had much time to do anything today.

[dishycourier]

The new version of the reactor, after the color scheme change.

Also, yes. I have tons of bolts, rivets, etc that I can apply to the telescope texture as well. I like these colors a lot more than the yellowed aluminum.