[WIP]United Launch Alliance Pack *V1.0RC1 Released*

[Chimer4]

Hehe, glad I can help

[RocketTurtle]

Heh. Anyways, back to the mod. When do you plan to have the Atlas V, and the whole mod, done?

[Chimer4]

Ah ah ah, you know not to ask those kind of questions

But to be honest the SRB and 5m fairing shouldn't take too long to model, 2 days maybe? Then I need to touch up some textures, maybe another day for that. It is currently in testing and seems to be going well. So I don't want to put any exact dates on things and seeing as I'm on holiday so can't do anything, but I would expect to have a release of the Atlas V within the next 2 weeks. As for the ULA pack as a whole, I don't know

I also have plans for what I want to do after I am finished with the Atlas, but that is a secret for now *hint* it's more Lockheed Martin stuff

Edited June 9, 2013 by Chimer4

[RocketTurtle]

Hehe. I'm really exited for this, I think you're the first one to do this (?)

Well, I've got things to do. *rushes to Google and desperately searches Lockheed Martin's space things*

[Deltac]

Time to torture RocketTurtle with pictures!

Testing is underway to balance the Atlas V (light).

(full album here)

There's a few cosmetic touches needed, as well as a possible but non-game breaking bug with the CCB. I'll let Chimer4 post about that if he wants. Like I said, non-game breaking.

Within the next 2 weeks seems reasonable, so long as Chimer4 doesn't run into any roadblocks.

[Chimer4]

Yes there is a problem, which is down to the pipe on the side of the CCB. It doesn't effect the way that it flies, but for those of you who are testing it, it is causing the lag whenever you load up the CCB. I know what is causing it and fixing it shouldn't be too hard

[RocketTurtle]

Cyber torture. Great. Just what I needed.

[Good_Apollo]

Well in reply to both rocketturtle and good_Apollo, I will be doing the 5 meter fairing and SRBs for the Atlas V, and MSL was launched atop an Atlas V 541, so when I make the 5m fairing I could put the MSL mission badge on it for you. I know that spirit and opportunity were launched on a delta II, as was Phoenix, so that is blazingangels department.

Oh and I will also try and make some payload adapters that will fit the stock parts so it will look a little better if you want to launch your own creations

To be honest, it was after trying to make the Atlas V and Delta II out of random parts for yoguis mods that made me want to do this pack in the first place

Nice, I don't care about stuff like badges but at least if it's functional and aesthetically sound to what it was. I'm sure you got it, I'm really just glad that someone is finally making these launch systems...god knows why it took so long for anyone to take interest.

[RocketTurtle]

One more question: I know you aren't finished with the Atlas V yet, but what range capabilities do you plan on it having? Will it be able to send a rover to Duna? Or no more than a rover to Minmus?

[Chimer4]

Just thought I would post a sort of roadmap of how I want things to pan out with the Atlas V when I am back

• Fix the problem with the CCB
  
• Touch up the textures, mainly the fairing. Might change the CCB to a solid texture that is seen in most Atlas V CCBs
  
• Possibly remodel or fix the fairings as there is a gap at the top of them
  
• Implement any changes to fueling, thust, weight, etc that has come from testing
  
• First release of the Atlas V in 401 configuration
  
• Model and texture SRBs and 5m fairing
  
• Balance and test those
  
• Release the SRBs and 5m fairing allowing the building of all Atlas V configurations
  
• Consider learning emissive and normal maps to add more detail to the models
  
• Super secret new project(s) (There are a couple of things I want to work on, the first shouldn't take too long, but the other will probably take significantly longer)
  

Also as far as payload capacities go, for the Atlas V 401, I am aiming to get about a 6t payload up into LKO, and about 3t into KTO. From testing it seems that it is already quite close to those goals. As for the other variants, if you take 64% of the vaules that are on the wiki page for the Atlas V for payload capacities, it should give you and idea what they should be able to carry. Obviously variants such as the 541 (which carried MSL) should be able to get a small ~2.5t payload to Duna. I'm not sure how heavy yoguis curiosity replica is but it should be able to get that to Duna

Edited June 9, 2013 by Chimer4

[RocketTurtle]

Aweshum. May I ask, when do you plan on returning?

[Chimer4]

I'm back on Saturday so work will commence then

[BlazingAngel665]

I'm back on Saturday so work will commence then

Sunday so ditto. I will hopefully be looking for some testers by Wednesday because the week after I am going to Hawthorne/JPL/Edwards for a week and a half. Maybe I will see something cool and get some inspiration. This time however I should hopefully have access to the files I need to continue development so if I get a testing version out then I can squash bugs in between lectures/photops.

[RocketTurtle]

Hey, you remember in my earlier post's that I wanted to print an Atlas V. Well, I took a shot at Blender, and I was able to make the upper stages pretty easily, but my attempt at the CCB ended up as a blob of polys. So would it be ok if someone who had the CCB model could send it to me? As you (Chimer4) were gonna send me the models anyway.

P.S. After you give me your answer, I promise I won't de-rail this thread anymore.

[Chimer4]

No-one has the raw blender files, and they are back home on my laptop. Not sure what format you need, but the format that everyone has are .mbm, if you can use those then I can send you a pack with them in, but it would be all the individual pieces

[RocketTurtle]

Ah. Oh well.

Edit: Here's my attempt at Blender, I couldn't get any further than this.

Edited June 9, 2013 by RocketTurtle

[Chimer4]

Blender can be a bit fiddly at times, the Atlas V was very first project in blender and I had some troubles at first (and it seems some of them are still in the model lol), but if you watch a few tutorials and pick up the basics you can get a good hold of things.

[RocketTurtle]

I decided to try sticking a KW Globe V SRB on the Atlas V to see if it was stable and still easy to control with only 1 booster (411 config.). It flies nicely and is very stable. I used fixed cameras to take some dramatic () pics.

Liftoff!

On-board cam.

Booster cam.

Booster separation.

Booster return.

Edited June 12, 2013 by RocketTurtle

[Chimer4]

I was wondering how it was going to fly with just a single booster, sounds good did you fly that manually with built in ASAS, or did you use mechjeb?

[RocketTurtle]

I was wondering how it was going to fly with just a single booster, sounds good did you fly that manually with built in ASAS, or did you use mechjeb?

Sorry for the late reply... Just spent a day beating Portal 1 and 2. Anyways, I used mechjeb but I am able to fly it manually.

[Chimer4]

A quick update on things I have planned, once the Atlas V is done. First off I might go and make the Athena I/II (possibly III) launchers seeing as Lockheed Martin plans on offering them again. I would also like to have a go at making a space probe, specifically Juno. This means I would need to learn animations and solar panels, but I'm willing to learn.

But my big project that I want to do, is still a bit of a secret. I've spent a bit of time trying to collect some source material, but it's a bit thin on the ground as it is not a real thing yet, although I did manage to find a ULA document on the project which has some pretty interesting stuff in it.

For now, all I shall say is "Phase 2"

[RocketTurtle]

A quick update on things I have planned, once the Atlas V is done. First off I might go and make the Athena I/II (possibly III) launchers seeing as Lockheed Martin plans on offering them again. I would also like to have a go at making a space probe, specifically Juno. This means I would need to learn animations and solar panels, but I'm willing to learn.

But my big project that I want to do, is still a bit of a secret. I've spent a bit of time trying to collect some source material, but it's a bit thin on the ground as it is not a real thing yet, although I did manage to find a ULA document on the project which has some pretty interesting stuff in it.

For now, all I shall say is "Phase 2"

Hm... I THINK I know what it is... will you be mad if I guess it right?

[Chimer4]

Not at all lol, it's not exactly hard to guess after the clue I gave xD

[Kerbal01]

Atlas heavy?

(Thank you google)

[Chimer4]

Nope although that will be possible with the current pack, is not the New project. It's not even "Phase 1"