totm sep 2021 Space Station Freedom - A Kerbalized recreation of Space Station Freedom from Eyes Turned Skywards

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

Introduction

About a week ago, I embarked on a quest - a quest to recreate Space Station Freedom from the Alternate History, "Eyes Turned Skywards". 

I wanted a Challenge, something Cool to do, & something to share and show on the forums. So this will be where I document the creation and assembly of the Station

However, this will be my Interpretation of it, as firstly, it's more entertaining to recreate it in your own style/way, and also, I haven't read too much of ETS yet ( I keep meaning to, but I always forget ). For example, this is extremely evident in how I chose to make most of the Ports CBM's and not APAS's like in ETS. this is for a number of reasons, but mainly that the APAS are a smaller diameter than the Modules, and using an adapter doesn't look the best.

 

Where are we?

Currently, I have launched the first 4 Flights. Over the next few days, I will post them, making way for the "new" stuff.

I'm aiming for a new mission every few days or so (Let's see how that goes )

 

Mods

My Modlist fluctuates a little, but for the most part, the main bits are:

-BDB (Note - As my computer is pretty bad, I have pruned most of the files from BDB so my PC doesn't take 1 Hour to load {I'm not joking about that - Sometimes it does})

-Habtech2

-KSRSS 2.5x

-Katniss Cape Canaveral 2.5x KSRSS configs

-Modular Launch Pads

Note: As of now, I am playing in 1.11 as it otherwise, lots of my mods are broken - I will say when I switch to 1.12

Here's the Full modlist as of July 28th: 
 

Spoiler

000_ClickThroughBlocker

000_Harmony

000_TexturesUnlimited 

001_ToolbarController 

999_KSP-Recall

All Tweak

Animated Decouplers 

B9 Part switch

BDB_RealNames

Benjee10_SharedAssets

Benjee10_Suits

Benjee10_HistoricalHeads

BetterTimeWarp

Bluedog_DB 

Chatterer

CommuniterCatagoryKit

CommunityRescourcePack

Conformal Decals

CustomPreLaunchChecks

DeployableEngines

DistantObject

EditorExtentionsRedux

EVE-Redux

FMRS

FShangarExtender

HabTech2

HabTech Props

Janitors Closet

Katniss Cape Canaveral + 2.5x KSRSS configs

KerbalEngineer

KerbalKonstructs

KerbalLaunchFaliure

Kopernicus

Kronometer

KSCSwitcher

KSRSS

KSRSSVE

Mechjeb2

ModularFlightIntegrator

ModularLaunchpads

OSSNTR

Planetshine

PoodsSkyboxes - Deep Star Map 

ReentryParticleEffectRenewed

Rescale 2.5x

Restock

RocketSoundEnhancement

Scatterer

Shabby

SigmaDimensions 

SAF

SpaceTuxLibrary

StagedAnimation 

TextureReplacer

Trajectories 

TriggerTech - KerbalAlarmClock & TransferWindowPlanner

TUFX

TundraSpaceCentre

Tweakscale

Waterfall

God that took ages to type - Thanks for reading lmao 

 

Inspiration

I have to say a big thanks to @Kuiper_Belt and his shuttle adventures thread for inspiring me to try something like this. If you haven't seen his Kerbalized Shuttle adventures thread, check it out here: 

Also a Big thanks to @CobaltWolf for his amazing parts in Bluedog Design Bureau - I literally couldn't do these missions without his parts.

Edit - I totally forgot to thank @e of piFor creating ETS  - Keep up the work and rock on dude!

 

 Where Next?

If this turns out to be popular, well, I might just do a full recreation of ETS, either from Apollo 18 onwards or from the start of the space race! No promises though - That's a big challenge to take on, and if I do, it'll be once the BDB Saturn Update comes out, so don't expect it next week 

 

I Hope you Enjoy...

Edited July 30, 2021 by AmateurAstronaut1969

[Maria Sirona]

Sounds great! Also should note that the Freedom Station was an actual proposal for a real space station. It eventually got cancelled, but many ideas for it are repurposed for the ISS.

 

Spoiler

On another note, the same happened to the soviet Mir 2 except that one of its modules already got built before cancellation. Today it knows the name Zvezda.

 

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

3 minutes ago, Maria Sirona said:

Sounds great! Also should note that the Freedom Station was an actual proposal for a real space station. It eventually got cancelled, but many ideas for it are repurposed for the ISS.

Yeah I know - IRL SS Freedom is so cool! Maybe even cooler then the ISS - I chose ETS though because it’s something different, and I like the design better

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

Right, I think it's time to Start...

Challenger - Launch of the Freedom core module

As the Spacelab program came to an end, beginning almost 15 years prior as a backup for Skylab, the last heritage Apollo hardware died with it. However, at the same time, new Apollo derived Hardware was being prepared for flight. This includes the first flight of a Saturn Multibody, an M02 to be exact, to carry AARDV-14 to Spacelab, but also the preparation of the initial modules for Space Station Freedom. By the Start of 1988, Challenger was nearly ready for launch, but one major component was left to test - The launch vehicle itself; The Saturn H03.

The Saturn H03 was the heaviest configuration of the Saturn Multibody - It has the S-1F Saturn Common Core and two S-1G Saturn Liquid Boosters, with an S-IVC topping off the Stack. It's Capabilities were close to the Saturn V  Itself - Truly NASA's next Generation Rocket! However, to carry Challenger to Orbit, The Saturn H03 couldn't go Untested:  

July 1988 - The maiden flight of the Saturn H03 carries a 77 tonne steel ballast to orbit proving the vehicle to be flight certified.

October 1988 - The enormous core module "Challenger" is mated to the Saturn H03, and rolled out to the pad in November.

Resting on this launch was the nations hopes and dreams, and as E of Pi put it "Not since Spacelab had so much depended on a single launch". Resting on this launch was not just the core of Freedom, but the entire program ahed.

Sitting on LC-39B, the H03 alone weighs 1.8 million kg, most of which will be Combusted in the next 10 Minutes.

3

2

1

...

Liftoff!

Approaching Burnout

Clean Booster Separation 

Approaching Core Burnout...

Core Separation and S-IVC Ignition

Burnout and Separation of Challenger

Challenger Proceeds to Deploy it's Dorsal Radiator and Unfold its "Keep alive" Solar Arrays

 

#

After 10 minutes of terror, Freedom made it to orbit! The dreams of a nation will carry on, and so will the freedom Program.

Challenger now waits in orbit for the arrival of Freedom Expedition 1...

Alright I Hope you all enjoyed this first mission  - If you like it, tell me! If you didn't like it...Begone Tell me!

Freedom Expedition 1 will probably come tomorrow as I have a backlog of missions, so have a great evening and I'll see you all tomorrow 

[Talverd]

good stuff

[Kuiper_Belt]

9 hours ago, AmateurAstronaut1969 said:

I have to say a big thanks to @Kuiper_Belt and his shuttle adventures thread for inspiring me to try something like this. If you haven't seen his Kerbalized Shuttle adventures thread, check it out here: 

 This means a lot! The fact that Shuttle Adventures has taken a small part in spawning a new thread like this fills me with so much joy! I saw your post in the BDB thread and I'm happy to see it come to life! The first mission looks beautiful and I'm real excited to watch this pan out!

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

2 minutes ago, Kuiper_Belt said:

 This means a lot! The fact that Shuttle Adventures has taken a small part in spawning a new thread like this fills me with so much joy! I saw your post in the BDB thread and I'm happy to see it come to life! The first mission looks beautiful and I'm real excited to watch this pan out!

Thanks so much mate  It really means a lot!

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

Hi everyone! I've had a busy day working on Freedom today, I completely reworked the Trusses and replaced and redid lots of the modules, so I haven't made progress with the next mission, luckily I have a backlog of a Few missions, so today I present...

Freedom Expedition 1 - The first Crewed flight to Freedom

So we start our story today where we left off yesterday - The Core Module of Freedom has successfully reached Orbit, and the First Apollo Block IV is Sat atop LC-39A, awaiting launch the next day...

The Apollo Block IV was the next generation of Apollo derived Hardware. Originating from the Block one and Block II, the SM was cut down to create a lighter and more efficient LEO ferry for crew. This became the block III, and was eventually improved on by adding a mission module, creating the block III+ and allowing for more living space and a larger crew. For Space Station Freedom, Crews would be flying on the Saturn Multibody M02 instead of the Saturn 1C, and to take advantage of it's larger payload capacity, a larger mission module was designed; The Apollo Block IV.

The crew of this flight includes Commander Jack Baily, Gerald Mitchell and three other scientists. Their goals for the expedition are to dock to Challenger, check out the module, make sure it's performing correctly, host an AARDV docking, the docking of Node 1, Unity, the docking of the P1 Truss and the docking of Freedom Expedition 2, and to hopefully return safely!

The next day, over 650,000kg of vehicle is sat fully fuelled on the pad, primed for launch.

 

''Ignition...

...Liftoff! The return of American Crews to Space''

''Passing Through Max-Q'

''Apollo, you are go for Stage Separation...Engine cuttoff...Separation...and J-2 Ignition!''

''Apollo, you are looking nominal''

''...aaaand, Burnout... Apollo you have Nominal orbital insertion...Prepare for Transposition and Extraction...''

 

''Apollo, Prepare for docking approach''

''...200m...''

''...50m...''

''...5m...''

''...Apollo...you have confirmed hard capture, Welcome to Freedom!''

''Enjoy your stay...''

Next time...AARDV-15

Thanks for reading everyone, as always, I hope you enjoyed it. I don't really have much to say today, so I'll see you all next time hehe 

[Maria Sirona]

BEAUTIFUL! I absolutely love this! But why does the SM seem a bit... Short?

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

9 minutes ago, Maria Sirona said:

BEAUTIFUL! I absolutely love this! But why does the SM seem a bit... Short?

Haha...In the ETS timeline, (and a bit in real life too) there was a proposal to cut down the SM to make it smaller, lighter and more efficient for LEO transport. This is because the Apollo Block II had to be only half fuelled as it was too heavy for the Saturn 1B. What’s the point of lugging around all of that dead weight, when instead it could be used for something useful, like the Block III+ Mission Module used on the Saturn 1C

[Maria Sirona]

Ah ok 

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

Sorry Guys, no post today. I’ve been busy working on the Unity docking and other real life things. AARDV-15 Should be coming tomorrow though 

Have a great evening 

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

Hi everyone, slight change of plan - I the AARDV 15 mission the other day, however I don't think it really fits in with this recreation for now. Firstly, it was launched before my major redesign of freedom, so it was designed to interface with the current ports I was using at the time, however I have changed all the ports to now be APAS's in order to be more faithful to the actual ETS Freedom, so the AARDV had an awkward adapter. Secondly, at the time, it  flew over my head that Challenger would be Pre-Stocked with consumables and science for the crew, and I assumed they flew an AARDV mission to restock it. In actuality, once rechecking the mission list, I realised many things about Freedom that I didn't know earlier, kinda leading to it's redesign. Therefore, Today I present...

Node One -  Unity

(& Freedom Boost Mission 1)

Freedom Node One, Known as 'Unity' is a major part of the Station, and a key hub for all expansions of the Station. Its Zenith port is replaced with the Cupola, a key part of Freedom for it's visual capabilities, in Mission critical uses, such as guiding in a new module, or casual uses, such as viewing the Earth. It's Nadir port is a general docking adapter for Apollo's and AARDV's. It's Starboard port will host the Columbus module, pride of the ESA, and It's Port will host the US lab, Destiny. Finally, it's Fore port will host Node Two, Harmony, where further expansion for the station will take place.

Unity was launched near the end of Expedition One's First month aboard Freedom, and will provide extra living space for the crew, and a dock for Expedition Two. It will be launched by a Saturn M02, a Standard for most of Freedom's Assembly, and will be guided to the orbiting station via an AARDV tug. Once the module is confirmed to be successfully docked, the AARDV tug will use it's engine on a low thrust in order to raise the Apogee of Freedom - Another AARDV tug will preform the second half of the burn. This leaves Freedom in a semi-elliptical orbit for a  few weeks before it is boosted to it's operational orbit ahead of the launch of the P1 truss.

Late November 1988 - Early dawn...

10...9...8...7...6...

...5...4...3...2...1...Liftoff!

The sun begins to rise as the Saturn passes through Max-Q, In less than 10 minutes, it will be in full daylight!

Burnout and Separation!

We have Good Indication of Fairing Separation!

AARDV Tug Separation has been confirmed

Unity Performs it's rendezvous burns

The crew of Freedom have retreated into their Apollo capsule as a precaution in case of damage or even depressurisation to the station from a failed autonomous docking.

 

Successful hard capture has been confirmed!

The AARDV tug preforms it's low throttle Apogee boost.

Undocking...

...and deorbiting

Once again, thanks for reading . Posts will probably slow down now to one every two or three days as I've depleted my 'Stockpile' of launches. See you all soon!

Next time...Mini Mission 01 - Freedom Boost Mission 2!

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

The boost mission should be coming tomorrow - I’ve been a bit busy the last few days 

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

Freedom Boost Mission 2

Freedom boost mission 2 is a small mission with little importance overall, hence the "Mini Mission" name for it. Simply, it's an AARDV tug with a few bits of important cargo for the future of the Station. The cargo includes, Mounting points for the SSRMS 01, EVA handrails, EVA equipment for the crew and more. The other objective of the mission is to boost Freedom's Perigee from 120km to 250km, putting it in it's circular operational orbit.

Freedom Perigee Boost

The crew unloading the external equipment from the boost vehicle

 

Thanks for reading everyone, I've been a bit busy the last few days with irl stuff, and I will be for another day or two, so expect the next mission in 3ish days 

Next time...S1 Truss and SSRMS 1 & 2

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

Okay so let me just say, I haven’t abandoned this project. I’ve just been a bit busy and also playing some other games (Blame HOI4 for this lmao), so freedom is on the backburner a bit. However, I haven’t given up at all - it’s still my intent to do the next mission. When that next mission will come, I’m unsure, but it will still come sooner or later. Probably in the next week or so. Thanks for your patience  

[noaa_satellite]

@AmateurAstronaut1969 wait how did you get the 3.75m habitation module for the first module? is it a rescale patch? This is a really cool thread btw, I'm excited for the future missions!

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

14 hours ago, noaa_satellite said:

wait how did you get the 3.75m habitation module for the first module?

I used All Tweak, a mod that allows me to tweakscale anything. The diameter is 1.800m wide. It’s a bit small. However it might change (Big Project announcement):

I was thinking about quitting this and waiting until the Saturn update of BDB comes out because I was finding hitting the deadline was quite of a monotonous task. However, I think I’m gonna carry on. I’ve started a project, and I’m gonna finish it. Anyway, I’m going to have to redo a few things, like for example, I’ve found a more accurate truss for Freedom in the old mod CXAerospace, and I need to relaunch basically every module to get that right. I hope you can bear with me whilst I redesign it a little, then hyperedit what I already had to orbit.

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

Hey everyone, here’s a bit of an update: 

Work on freedom has resumed! (Finally haha) 
Today, I’ve redesigned most of the truss to look like it does in ETS using a very old mod I found, and tomorrow I will be hyperediting what I have previously assembled to Orbit in order to carry on with this replica. 

Thanks for being patient everyone, so here’s a sneak peek of the new design!

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

Hi everyone, Freedom should have been up on Monday, however I managed to break my Computer as I was turning it on to upload the next mission. Luckily all I had to order was a spare Female to Female adapter to connect my Monitor to the HDMI in the back on my Graphics card, however there is a small chance it won’t work as in the process, the wires to my main fans got snapped out of their plug. 
 

However, I have been looking at buying a new PC for the last few weeks or so, and I’ve had the idea for a while, so hopefully the Next mission should be up tomorrow, possibly even later tonight.

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

After nearly a month of waiting, broken PC’s, a lot of quickloads and lots of broken promises, Freedom Truss S1 will be coming tonight! The mission is complete. In total, it took like a day of playing KSP, but my computer had been broken, I redesigned freedom multiple times, and I was quite busy, hence why it took so long.

Stay tuned...

[billbobjebkirk]

Very impressive stuff, every single vehicle so far has been gorgeous and perfect!. Just one little quibble: Shouldn't they be using the Worm instead of the Meatball?

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

1 hour ago, billbobjebkirk said:

Very impressive stuff, every single vehicle so far has been gorgeous and perfect!. Just one little quibble: Shouldn't they be using the Worm instead of the Meatball?

First of all, thank you so much! 

Secondly, I realised that they used the worm and not the meatball as I was redesigning it, so from this next mission onwards, you’ll see the worm and not the meatball, I’m very glad I spotted that the other week!

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

Truss Section Port One

The backbone of Freedom was it’s integrated truss structure. It was mounted onto the Nardir attachment points on the fore section of Challenger. It held attitude control systems aswell as high and low gain communication systems for the orbiting station. However, probably the most important part was the integrated solar arrays, split over the P1/S1 and P2/S2 sections. The P1/S1 sections held the main truss structure and the first set of arrays, along with the radiators and attitude control systems. The P2/S2 sections held the final set of Solar arrays. Finally, the S0 truss was mounted underneath Challenger, as a mounting point for all the other sections.

In January 1989, Freedom Expedition One had been docked for nearly 3 months now, and have been doing regular EVA’s in the new EMU spacesuit to prepare the port side of S0 for the docking of the P1 Truss. To lift such a heavy piece of Freedom, two Saturn H03’s were needed, one for each side of the Truss.

On the pad, the day before it’s launch, sits NASA’s new Superheavy launcher, flight proven twice now, beginning to fuel up for its flight early the next morning.

Once again, people hold their breath, because a single Failure could delay freedom by months, if not outright cancel the program, leaving the soviets to get ahead, something president Regan will not let happen.

In early dawn, the count lowers, the umbilical arms retreat and the engines throttle up, gaining in thrust as the pads clamps retract, sending the Saturn rocketing up into the skies above Florida.

About a minute Into flight, the Saturn enters its transonic regime, throttling down its F1-A engines to lessen the extreme aerodynamic force it’s facing as it passes through the air. 
“The vehicle is Supersonic”

The boosters Throttle down and proceeded to reach BECO, activating its separation solids, sending the cores flying away from the Saturn.

Next, the core is to separate, leaving the S-IVC to light up its two J-2X engines and separate the massive 10m barrel fairing

Confirmed Separation

Payload Separation is confirmed, leaving the AARDV tug to guide the truss to the station.

Approaching the Station, the truss is lined up for a capture via the soft truss connection system, of which the crew will later EVA to link up wires, electronics and multiple strong latches to secure the trusses in place, and to retract the Port solar array on Challenger and secure it in place.

Almost...

Confirmed capture!

Members of the crew waiting in the CSM, proceed to Preform their planned EVA after the AARDV departs.

Multiple hours later, the crew begins deployment of the first the Radiator system...

...and then the arrays and mounted radiator.

 

Next time...Freedom Expedition 2!

Thanks everyone for waiting so patiently. As a thanks for this, all crew members will be chosen from fans of my Freedom recreation. Expedition 2 is already taken by some friends of mine from discord who have been watching me recreate this, however of being on expedition 3 and later missions interests you, just ask, and I’ll put you on the list!

[SpaceFace545]

@AmateurAstronaut1969what mod are the trusses from?