[Min KSP 1.11] Mk-33: X-33-inspired parts for KSP!

[Angelo Kerman]

7 hours ago, Puggonaut said:

Quick question : Any chance you will release this version without the cockpit part as option , so it can be used as a drone ship for resupply ?

 

Please do so if possible . 

Drone core hasn’t been removed. The cockpit is an alternative to the forward tank.

[Puggonaut]

23 hours ago, NHunter said:

Was the drone part removed recently? I haven't updated to the version with the finished cockpit yet, and I most certainly have the drone core.

Seems I have got it , i'm just a bit thick , I should've asked about the forward tank instead .

18 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

Drone core hasn’t been removed. The cockpit is an alternative to the forward tank.

Aha just found the forward tank , forgive me for being stupid lol an not looking in the tank section .

Edited July 24, 2020 by Puggonaut
I'm thick lol

[Angelo Kerman]

Despite a lot of burnout last month, I finally got the Mk-33 cockpit done:

Stock flight controls; my policy for this mod is no external dependencies, including my own. MAS support could happen at some point but not at initial release.

Edited August 2, 2020 by Angel-125

[Angelo Kerman]

Should have a new pre-release tomorrow...

[smotheredrun]

17 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

Despite a lot of burnout last month, I finally got the Mk-33 cockpit done:

*snip*

Stock flight controls; my policy for this mod is no external dependencies, including my own. MAS support could happen at some point but not at initial release.

That looks great!

Instead of wasting time doing a number of projects around the house tomorrow, I am going to be productive and spend time with this mod.  

[Angelo Kerman]

Here we go!

Latest Mk-33 pre-release is here!

Added Cockpit IVA
Added airlock depth mask
Fixed missing cockpit decals
Fixed cockpit drag cubes
Updated CryoEngines Patch (Thanks @JadeOfMaar! )
Adjusted part masses: rule of thumb is 0.34 (based on shuttle super lightweight external tank fuel to structure ratio) * LFO mass * 0.75 (composites)
Increased lift values

At this point the vehicle itself is complete. While I don't have payload parts for it, the ones from Cormorant will work just fine.

I'm in the home stretch: this month I hope to finish up the launchpad parts, then the mod will be ready for release!

[davidy12]

23 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

Oh, humor in Stockalike mods, never change. 

[Angelo Kerman]

Strongback WIP:

[MonkeyCan'tDock]

Love that someone is finally doing the X-33.

This is a bit of an epilogue but I have designs for the crew section from the last Venturestar incarnation that Lockheed was playing with.

I'm still trying to figure out how to upload photos (help please!) but if you have seen the version with the hump (i.e. the last version), that was to be a cargo section , a crew modules with its own propulsion system could be put inside the payload bay, complete with its own APAS docking port.

Still trying to figure out which document it came from, but It seems they wanted Venturestar to operate autonomously when the crew module was removed. The capsule probably serves as launch abort too.

[Angelo Kerman]

13 hours ago, MonkeyCan'tDock said:

Love that someone is finally doing the X-33.

This is a bit of an epilogue but I have designs for the crew section from the last Venturestar incarnation that Lockheed was playing with.

I'm still trying to figure out how to upload photos (help please!) but if you have seen the version with the hump (i.e. the last version), that was to be a cargo section , a crew modules with its own propulsion system could be put inside the payload bay, complete with its own APAS docking port.

Still trying to figure out which document it came from, but It seems they wanted Venturestar to operate autonomously when the crew module was removed. The capsule probably serves as launch abort too.

You can post them to a hosting site like imgur. Just create account there, upload your photos, and paste the links in the thread.

I think I've seen that humpback VentureStar:

 

For the Mk-33, I chose an older design:

The Mk-33 is inspired by the above, but redesigned for Kerbal Space Program. It does have a probe core for automated flight, and of course I just finished the Mk-33 cockpit as well. Given the way I made the parts, you can load up the mission bay with fuel tank modules and put cargo bay parts on its back..

For the launchpad parts, I'm aiming for something like this:

The X-33 had a moveable hangar that for now I won't be building, but I'm including a launch platform for use on the stock launchpad, and a launchpad part that you can drive around and set up some place for some immersive game play. The Mk-33 has that aft docking port so that it can dock to the strongback, and then you use DockRotate to rotate the strongback vertical. Anyway, the crew tower and access arm will be based on the above picture..

Edited August 5, 2020 by Angel-125

[Puggonaut]

Is there a specific way to set up the RCS Thrusters ? 

The reason I am asking is for example if I have the ship set to the prograde marker just orbiting , the RCS is continually operating . 

Even docking to is difficult due to the RCS doing so , like when I am trying to slowly approach a docking port on the target maker I may press the forward button to slowly move the ship towards the target , but after releasing this , the other RCS Ports also operate ? 

[NHunter]

1 hour ago, Puggonaut said:

The reason I am asking is for example if I have the ship set to the prograde marker just orbiting , the RCS is continually operating

This is normal: prograde direction changes (as do retrograde, radial in and radial out) as ship moves along the orbit - it's a local "forward" and is a tangent to orbit in local movement direction at the specific point. And since the ship by itself isn't rotating with T = orbital period in that direction, your RCS thrusters have to work to keep it pointed in prograde direction.

The ship rotation adjustment threshold might be a bit too sensitive, but the described behavior is expected and is correct.

Edited August 6, 2020 by NHunter

[Angelo Kerman]

12 hours ago, Puggonaut said:

Is there a specific way to set up the RCS Thrusters ? 

The reason I am asking is for example if I have the ship set to the prograde marker just orbiting , the RCS is continually operating . 

Even docking to is difficult due to the RCS doing so , like when I am trying to slowly approach a docking port on the target maker I may press the forward button to slowly move the ship towards the target , but after releasing this , the other RCS Ports also operate ? 

Also, the RCS ports aren't strictly parallel to the rotation or translation axis. The game figures that if you rotate up, for instance, the side roll thrusters will fire too because they can provide some upward thrust.

[Guest]

You can prevent some of that by separating RCS thrusters into multiple transform groups and adding multiple RCS modules on the part, each with specific activation toggles. This can cut down on mode mixing and make maneuvering more precise.

[Angelo Kerman]

10 minutes ago, Dragon01 said:

You can prevent some of that by separating RCS thrusters into multiple transform groups and adding multiple RCS modules on the part, each with specific activation toggles. This can cut down on mode mixing and make maneuvering more precise.

Actually, I originally did that and got a lot of complaints.

[Guest]

Weird. In my experience, unless you change orientation for docking (which messes with actuation toggles), this usually only improves the handling.

[Puggonaut]

15 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

Actually, I originally did that and got a lot of complaints.

I won't complain lol . might make things easier , well for me at least . 

[Angelo Kerman]

Got the mechanics worked out:

The launchpad will be similar to the stock pad in that you will have a ramp to roll the Mk-33 onto. Then with DockRotate installed, you can rotate the Mk-33 vertical. It can handle a full payload but the fuel tanks should be empty. If you don't use Kerbal Konstructs then you'll need to attach wheels via decouplers and drive the pad out to your launch site.

The strongback will also support a more traditional launch platform for those not interested in in-flight reuse of the Mk-33...

[Misguided Kerbal]

1 hour ago, Angel-125 said:

~snip~

@Angel-125 have you considered doing a collab with @AlphaMensae for the launchpad?

[Angelo Kerman]

12 minutes ago, Misguided_Kerbal said:

@Angel-125 have you considered doing a collab with @AlphaMensae for the launchpad?

Actually I did speak with him about it and he's pretty busy with Modular Launch Pads. But MLP is definitely a source of inspiration! I use them a lot in my career game.

[AlphaMensae]

I could make a specialized launch stand cradle rather quickly for the Mk-33.   It'd be simple, based on that concept image, just the two forks that hold it up. 

Angel's going for full reusablity functionality that I'm not interested in.  

 

[Puggonaut]

On 8/8/2020 at 9:15 PM, Angel-125 said:

Got the mechanics worked out:

The launchpad will be similar to the stock pad in that you will have a ramp to roll the Mk-33 onto. Then with DockRotate installed, you can rotate the Mk-33 vertical. It can handle a full payload but the fuel tanks should be empty. If you don't use Kerbal Konstructs then you'll need to attach wheels via decouplers and drive the pad out to your launch site.

The strongback will also support a more traditional launch platform for those not interested in in-flight reuse of the Mk-33...

Looking at this , I think I may rename my next X33 Thunderbird 2 .

[Angelo Kerman]

More progress: tested the docking system today, and got the Mk-33 to dock with the Strongback:

It's working fairly well; I need to add a support strut to the strongback so you can retract the landing gear- otherwise you'll get jackhammering as the strongback raises or lowers.

I also blocked out the crew tower and cockpit gantry:

There will be a different gantry to access the crew module...

[Clamp-o-Tron]

4 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

More progress: tested the docking system today, and got the Mk-33 to dock with the Strongback:

It's working fairly well; I need to add a support strut to the strongback so you can retract the landing gear- otherwise you'll get jackhammering as the strongback raises or lowers.

I also blocked out the crew tower and cockpit gantry:

There will be a different gantry to access the crew module...

Incredible work on the strongback! How, though, did you tow the craft up that slope? I don't think kas winches will do it! 

You mentioned a gantry for crew access into the midbay. Could that be used for cargo loading too?

Again, fantastic work on this whole thing!

[Angelo Kerman]

9 hours ago, Clamp-o-Tron said:

Incredible work on the strongback! How, though, did you tow the craft up that slope? I don't think kas winches will do it! 

You mentioned a gantry for crew access into the midbay. Could that be used for cargo loading too?

Again, fantastic work on this whole thing!

Thanks! It’s getting there, I have another functional element to add to the strongback before I am ready to texture it.

For cargo handling, that is a trickier issue given the wide variety of different cargo types out there. I foresee the player docking to the strongback and then driving up a player-made crane of some sort to load the various payloads. I don’t want to force players down a particular path any more than necessary. Hence the reason that there will also be a launch platform for those who don’t want in-field reusability, but you will need to build your own ground support vehicles if you use the pad.

To get up the ramp, you might notice that the landing gear is both powered and steerable. The Mk-33 can drive itself up the ramp.  The idea is that you offload or dump remaining propellant after you land, drive over to the pad and dock with the strongback, load up new payload, rotate vertical, refuel, and launch. The real also X-33 had a retracting hangar for vehicle service and checkout but in KSP it would make it hard to load up new payloads...

With no mod requirements, refueling will require a tanker of some sort that the player builds but there will be locations on the pad to let you grab with the claw or dock with a docking port. If you use a mod like Kerbal Konstructs then you have the option of setting up a nearby fuel depot and purchasing propellants.

Edited August 11, 2020 by Angel-125