[0.24.2] TiberDyne Aerospace R&D Division - Shuttle System 3.6 Career Update!

[wasmic]

That looks just great, Tiberion. I assume that some of the stuff will be in Experimental Rocketry?

[Tiberion]

Might be a couple of pieces. Its hard to spread out the shuttle parts too much, because you need pretty much every one of them to make it work. And if I stuck them all at the end, its pretty much a waste of time, it might as well have stayed a sandbox mod.

Again, I feel the end nodes are for amazing tech, bleeding edge or near-futute tech that are really something to work for. I don't think that big launcher parts or even a shuttle fuselage are cool enough to make them "rewards" and they make more sense in the middle of the progression.

[wasmic]

Hmm, you might be right. But do consider moving the NovaPunch 5m parts to Experimental Rocketry - it will allow you to shift most of the NP tech tree towards more advanced technology, bringing it more in line with the stock parts. I just think we get the 2.5m parts a bit early.

Anyway, I'm not here to talk about NP. So I have a question: will there be enough shuttle-derived parts in this mod that we can make an SLS, or will that require too many non-shuttle derived parts for you to include it here?

[Tiberion]

All the parts for the Core stage and the initial phase of boosters are the same as the Jupiter I developed, except the SLS has the Saturn-style paintjob and uses 4x engines (they dropped the middle one)

So it would just be a texture change on the tank, and using the 5 segment booster with the nosecone, with the 4x adapter and the SSMEs. Thats only the core stage though, I'm not making any upper stage parts currently. And later versions of the SLS will use different boosters and engines (probably developed from the RS-25 shuttle engines though)

As for the NP tech tree, I explained it in that topic at some point; NP is designed to make 'realistic' style rockets and not 10 or 12 small stages taped together. So the parts come faster than stock to keep tech unlocking naturally. Science and tech are so new and undeveloped anyway, its not worth fretting over yet.

[Tiberion]

Today's activity: Operation Remake the Lame Booster.

I did not like the 'new' energia/zenit booster I had whipped together to use with the Blizzard launcher. It was a rework of one my 1st models, you can probably find it on page 1 or 2, and it just wasn't meshed in a useful way at all.

So, I made a new one

Haven't made the nozzles yet, but the rest is done. I made the nose and outboard equipment packs separately so you can use Zenit alone as an inline stage (its 1.75m too so you can use the same adapter as the SSRB)

I must say, those weird lumpy shapes are hard to unwrap and texture properly. I don't like it.

[Wahgineer]

I think your mod just became the best shuttle mod, period. Your mod has what the other two big shuttle mods lack: inter-compatibility. Where as the Component Space Shuttle and Bobcats Buran are fine on there own, they only function well on there own. Your pack, on the other hand, goes the extra mile to allow each and every part of the shuttle to work well when used for another purpose. By adapting a stockalike look for most of the parts, the shuttle looks like it belongs in the game, where as CSS and Bobcats Buran stick out like a sore thumb. By making every piece modular, it allows you to use it for something else, ex: the new liquid boosters will be made of separate parts so that they can be used for inline stages, the SRB will have a separate nosecone so that you can build an Ares 1, the SSMEs/Broncos have been separated to be used as launcher engines, etc.

Bobcats Buran can only use its parts, nothing else. CSS is either too big or looks ugly/out-of-place when used anywhere else. Also, your shuttle no longer relies on a plugin, where as Bobcats Buran relies on a PLETHORA of plugins just to get off the ground.

In My book, this shuttle mod is the best shuttle mod ever made, and is the ONLY one that truly combines form and function while staying close to its stock roots.

[DasBananenbrot]

I think your mod just became the best shuttle mod, period. Your mod has what the other two big shuttle mods lack: inter-compatibility. Where as the Component Space Shuttle and Bobcats Buran are fine on there own, they only function well on there own. Your pack, on the other hand, goes the extra mile to allow each and every part of the shuttle to work well when used for another purpose. By adapting a stockalike look for most of the parts, the shuttle looks like it belongs in the game, where as CSS and Bobcats Buran stick out like a sore thumb. By making every piece modular, it allows you to use it for something else, ex: the new liquid boosters will be made of separate parts so that they can be used for inline stages, the SRB will have a separate nosecone so that you can build an Ares 1, the SSMEs/Broncos have been separated to be used as launcher engines, etc.

Bobcats Buran can only use its parts, nothing else. CSS is either too big or looks ugly/out-of-place when used anywhere else. Also, your shuttle no longer relies on a plugin, where as Bobcats Buran relies on a PLETHORA of plugins just to get off the ground.

In My book, this shuttle mod is the best shuttle mod ever made, and is the ONLY one that truly combines form and function while staying close to its stock roots.

You say it although at the moment I am quite into RSS mod and I don't want to rescale this mod by myself so I am currently not using it but it is still BY FAR the best shuttle mod on the forum. Keep up with your good work Tiberion

[Tiberion]

I wouldn't put too much work into resizing things, since a lot of the parts are fixing to get swapped out for the new ones. Getting pretty close to being done with this update.

[Guest]

Do you think that you could also make the engine separate from the rest of the booster? The mount would have to be a bit weird (since it'd have to look good on both 2.5m and 1.75m tanks), but it'd add another bit of modularity to the pack. Oh, and a 1.74m second stage, cage decoupler for it and a set of Zenit-style PLFs (or a Procedural Fairings base) in that size would nicely round out the pack.

Though, now that I look at it... Is the tank split into several sections? Zenit 2nd stage is about 1/3 length of the 1st stage, so if there were about 3 sections...

[DasBananenbrot]

I wouldn't put too much work into resizing things, since a lot of the parts are fixing to get swapped out for the new ones. Getting pretty close to being done with this update.

Don't want you to do the resize,just were thinking out loud

Maybe I will find someone who will be so kind to rescale it : As you said you better save your time on finishing the important work on this mod and bring out your update

[Tiberion]

The engines would be so small as to be useless (like less than 0.625m) so they don't make sense separately.

The cage would probably be a shroud built into the upper stage engine (any other engine you use there would have their own shroud anyway) and any upper stage stuff is going to have to wait until later.

Das: I didn't mean that i was going to resize it (I Just got done doing that, heh) but rather anyone pondering a resize of this pack would probably want to wait for the update, as a lot of the launcher parts are being replaced (new folder names, part names, and everything)

[DasBananenbrot]

The engines would be so small as to be useless (like less than 0.625m) so they don't make sense separately.

The cage would probably be a shroud built into the upper stage engine (any other engine you use there would have their own shroud anyway) and any upper stage stuff is going to have to wait until later.

Das: I didn't mean that i was going to resize it (I Just got done doing that, heh) but rather anyone pondering a resize of this pack would probably want to wait for the update, as a lot of the launcher parts are being replaced (new folder names, part names, and everything)

Ah well then better wait xD

[Guest]

The engines would be so small as to be useless (like less than 0.625m) so they don't make sense separately.

It's actually a single, 4-chamber engine. So that would make more sense. I think that the cage should be a decoupler, then the engine should have a shroud anyway, above it. That's how Russian rockets are often set up, the engine shroud is often jettisoned after the previous stage.

[Tiberion]

Yeah thats true, but you can find an RD-170 elsewhere to use anyway. If I start splitting everything up into small tank sections and separates, its basically retreading what NP, KW, etc are, but in weird inbetween sizes. It's already pretty flexible, way more than it has been.

[Thesonicgalaxy]

Um. If i time warp at all the command pod pops off. Same with quick loads. i've strutted it up completely and it still breaks.

[Tiberion]

Um. If i time warp at all the command pod pops off. Same with quick loads. i've strutted it up completely and it still breaks.

That's an old bug, can you confirm that you're using the newest version of Tiberdyne (3.2b) and not using any older craft files made for previous versions? I cannot make it happen with the current configs...

If its one of the included craft files, can you tell me which one it is?

Also, try taking the pod off of the cargobay and placing it again to see if it was improperly saved.

[Tiberion]

Okay I just uploaded the new version. Spaceport is broken, so I can't upload or update there. I uploaded it to Mediafire so that should suffice.

Edit: Spaceport is working, now.

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Features and changes in the latest version (3.5alpha - skipped versions due to major part revisions)

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1. Two all new launcher parts set. The Orange 'NASA' set of tanks, engines and boosters has been remodeled and is now known as the 'Jupiter' launching system. The 'Energia-Buran' style tanks, engines and boosters have been remodeled and are now known as the 'Blizzard' launching system

2. Tanks now include an upper section that interfaces with the nosecone or interstage adapter and includes flight computer (SAS) and reaction wheels as well as fuel.

3. The engines exist in single standalone versions (1.25m but quite powerful) for use on 2 new adapter plates (3.75m) or with other parts. They have normal gimbal ranges appropriate for traditional rockets. There is also a "packaged" version in 3x (for the shuttle) and 4x (for the Blizzard main tank) that have the high gmibal ranges (and thrust vectoring) needed for use with the shuttle stack

4. The inclusion of optional engines and adapters means that traditional rocket launcher stacks are possible to build. These represent shuttle-derived launchers like Jupiter DIRECT, Ares and SLS as well as the standalone Energia and Vulcan launchers from the soviet era. Look for these options to be expanded in future versions to enable more "Shuttle derived" designs.

5. New boosters: 4 and 5 segment NASA-style SRBS for the Jupiter system and a Zenit-derived radial and stack liquid booster named "Zenith" for the Blizzard system.

6. New utility parts; a booster decoupler with built-in sepratron ejection motors, a version of the separator without decoupling action that you can place anywhere on a booster, and a new External Tank decoupler to attach the shuttle to the tank. The nosecone for the Solid booster also features sepratron motors (from the red ports)

7. Interstage adapters for both the boosters (1.75m to 2.5m) and the external tanks (3.75m to 2.5m) - both with built-in decouplers

8. The Shuttle wings with built-in intakes, fuel tanks, and engines have been redesigned to share the base model and elevators with the big 'Odyssey' wings; both shuttles have a very similar profile now.

9. A clone of the cargobay with a new door animation to compensate for the intakes on the Intrepid wings. The animation will be refined later.

10. The tail fin model was slightly tweaked; it now has an attachment base.

11. All new parts were rebalanced with actual volumes and masses derived from stock part scales. Pack function should be very close to the previous function. Please report any issues you discover.

So... test it out and let me know what is broken and not working now.

Edited November 26, 2013 by Tiberion

[wasmic]

Oh god yes

And I'm an atheist.

[DasBananenbrot]

This is awesome

[Wahgineer]

will get as soon as I can.

4. The inclusion of optional engines and adapters means that traditional rocket launcher stacks are possible to build. These represent shuttle-derived launchers like Jupiter DIRECT, Ares and SLS as well as the standalone Energia and Vulcan launchers from the soviet era. Look for these options to be expanded in future versions to enable more "Shuttle derived" designs.

Something tells me a revision of your SDHLLV will be returning in a future version. 'hint-hint-nudge-nudge'

[Guest]

I like the new tank system. However, the Shuttle looks a bit drab in comparison, especially the cockpit. Also, it seems that it still has those silly canards. Would that be possible to integrate them into the wings? They're definitely not needed anymore.

In general, I'd like to see a new cockpit with a proper IVA, with RastarProp monitors and ECLSS panels. Possibly two of them, Buran and Shuttle style. Also, it'd be nice to see a realistic, removable airlock/docking port (and perhaps Spacelab and Spacehab later on).

[wasmic]

I like the new tank system. However, the Shuttle looks a bit drab in comparison, especially the cockpit. Also, it seems that it still has those silly canards. Would that be possible to integrate them into the wings? They're definitely not needed anymore.

In general, I'd like to see a new cockpit with a proper IVA, with RastarProp monitors and ECLSS panels. Possibly two of them, Buran and Shuttle style. Also, it'd be nice to see a realistic, removable airlock/docking port (and perhaps Spacelab and Spacehab later on).

How does the Buran cockpit look from the inside? I've only ever seen footage of the outside. The good thing about ECLSS panels is, that you can just not install the mod, and then you'll not get the life support, which I don't personally want. RasterPropMonitors can never hurt.

[Tiberion]

The canards most definitely are needed, as it won't pitch up without them, especially loaded with cargo.

I'm actually rather pleased with the way the shuttle looks now, so I am disappointed to hear that. I do need to go back and set up some bumpmaps, its still diffuse-only while the new stuff is properly mapped, which is why they look a little different.

As for a realistic airlock.. I might make another stab at it sometime, but KSP still lacks the features needed to make it work authentically, so it'll always be 'faked'

And a new IVA with plugin-based displays and all that... is way way down on the list. I don't have the skills required and I don't like IVA-based gameplay enough to want to sit down and learn it. If someone wants to volunteer to make the IVA, that would be swell.

And while I'm soliciting volunteers, I'm always looking for someone who wants to tackle modeleing the 'new' shuttle Explorer

and awsumindyman: You are probably correct

[DasBananenbrot]

How about using FAR with this? I tried it, Launch was working well but as soon as I reentered everything went wrong......

[15nelsoc]

I'm actually rather pleased with the way the shuttle looks now, so I am disappointed to hear that.

Not trying to kiss ass here, but I think the shuttles look rather good as it is.