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

[candlesayshi]

Yeah because those included in the pack have custom thrust vectors specifically designed for the shuttle.

Yeah, I figured as such. Will be switching them out soon.

Also, I dunno, I think the OMS in your mod are a little too flat against the orbiter, but it doesn't look bad. Not in the least. (Not saying that the stock OMS looks perfect, by any means, either though, of course.)

[Deltac]

I tend to have a problem piloting the shuttles in atmo. More accurately, turning is a beech. I haven't really messed around with the space planes, so I know it must be me. Got any tips for me?

[zombiphylax]

Wow, Tibby, now I feel bad for not checking back in on this project for awhile. I've been keeping up with Nova Punch, but I had no idea this looks like a shuttle now (no offense, it used to look like an aardvark with wings... ). I'm glad to see you've refined the balance a bit too, I'll be tinkering with this pack this weekend for sure, thank you!

[candlesayshi]

Yeah because those included in the pack have custom thrust vectors specifically designed for the shuttle.

Hmmm.... At high throttle the ones in the pack were doing this, too, but at least I've managed a stationary orbit.

[Tiberion]

Hmmm.... At high throttle the ones in the pack were doing this, too, but at least I've managed a stationary orbit.

This is a good point, if you place them too far "back" on the end of the shuttle, it loses balance and try to push the tail down, so place them as far forward as you can (typically your mouse will be over the rear tank, rather than the engine-mount/RCS block part.)

[CAPFlyer]

I think there's more to it than that, because I'm running into this issue with the included CRAFT file when I add a fairly lightweight Comm Sat to it (1 short fuel tank, lander engine, Remote SAS, MechJeb, RC Antenna, UHF Antenna, 3 sat dishes) I can't keep it straight above 50% throttle using SAS and RCS. The Buran analog has this problem too, but to a lesser extent. Maybe increase the thrust vector range a little more? It flies great when empty, but it's no use as a cargo hauler if it can't handle that light of a load.

FYI, I ended up abandoning this deployment method because the Remote Control is still messed up even with the mods made to make the Remote system work (Remote SAS doesn't work so the thing spins uncontrollably) so I had to deploy all the sats as the primary flight with an unmanned capsule on it and use the orbiting Buran Command Post as the relay station for the first launch to maintain radio contact.

Return and landing went perfectly though and the plane handled beautifully, so no complaints flying it in empty.

Edited September 28, 2012 by CAPFlyer

[Tiberion]

Hrm, I see. Can you figure out what the total mass of your cargo was? Just because it was small doesn't mean it was low-mass, especially with mod parts. But I'll edit up a part to sim that weight and see what changes need to be made. You can bump up the gimbal range as a quick fix.

Not sure what Remote SAS/Control is, I assume its another mod? Is it a problem with that mod or something in Tiberdyne?

[thesandbar]

He's talking about remotecommand, still not updated for .17

[CAPFlyer]

Yes, I'm talking about Remote Command. It's been partially updated by some users so that it'll work in 0.17 until the OP can get it fully fixed. I can't remember off hand what the weight of the stock short tank and lander engine are off hand, but the total of the mod parts are ~1.5 tons. I think the whole thing is less than 10 tons because the unmanned rocket that I launch it with is basically an Atlas 401 using Nova Punch parts.

[CAPFlyer]

I just rebuilt the satellite in KSP. The parts total 4 tons. The Buran can handle the payload but barely without flipping over, but the shuttle cannot.

[Pingonaut]

I tend to have a problem piloting the shuttles in atmo. More accurately, turning is a beech. I haven't really messed around with the space planes, so I know it must be me. Got any tips for me?

I'm having this problem too. When I hold D it rolls the shuttle like I'm holding WDE

[Tiberion]

Can you be more specific about when this is occuring? Are you talking about just the shuttle (say on re-entry, or after a runway takeoff?)

If it is during re-entry, are you trying to fly it while its going more than 500m/s? (If so, you should probably wait until drag slows it down some more)

If you are up high out of the atmosphere, you need to turn on the RCS control system for flight assist.

[Pingonaut]

It's all the time, with or without RCS.

[Tiberion]

Well, from what I can tell you're talking about the shuttle + the solid boosters and the big tank during launch, because it flies just like a regular plane otherwise (better than the actual shuttle flew, probably)

So, when launching, you need ASAS on most of the time because otherwise you need to use the controls to counteract the vessels tendency to pitch over. Also the main engines must be at full throttle while the SRBs are burning, so make sure you arent launching with the throttle too low.

You can toggle ASAS off for a few seconds to roll the shuttle to "heads up" you just need hold the pitch controls slightly while also using the roll keys.

Its not easy to actually "fly" manually during launch by any means.

[EvilotionCR2]

Good job! First shuttle mod(not remake)!

[pwnedbyscope]

Is there a limit to the weight the cargo launcher an take? I have a cargo that weighs 33.1 tons and the entire thing has a weight of 87.7 tons, I would think it wouldnt have a problem but whenever I try and launch it it tips left or right about 200m-300m up and then goes straight into the ground

edit does it with a load of about 63 tons as well

Edited October 11, 2012 by pwnedbyscope

[Tiberion]

That seems like an fairly high amount of mass to be cramming into that cargo bay. I am sort of testing to see how much mass this configuation can take before the gimbal range goes too far and we lose all the "up thrust"

It might be a matter of making a heavy-lifter config with both the shuttle main engines and the tank main engines lifting, that would use a lot of fuel so I'd need to extend the tank by a large segment as well. This is all a theory at this point.

[EvilotionCR2]

What about cargobay(for shuttle launch rocket)?Is it normal rocket for taking thinks up?

[pwnedbyscope]

found the problem, had the CM upside down :facepalm: i fixed that but it is still really touchy, and its impossible to fly without mechjeb

[Tiberion]

So, October. That's cool.

I re-added the current download links to the first post and shoved the old post into a spoiler until i can go through it. I'll work on that and updating you on development of the next version later.

[ilikemoneygreen]

Sweet, right back to it. Tiberion your that cool.

[Used Car Salesman]

Couple of questions I have about this.

Is there a way to fix the RCS? Even when holding attitude it seems to be inducing translation movement on it's own, which makes docking with anything extremely difficult.

Also, I'm getting murdered trying to land this thing. It seems like it can't pull up hard enough to avoid wholesale slamming into the ground. Is there a reason it can't pull up enough to land back wheels first at a very low vertical speed?

[Tiberion]

I'm holding out hope for new 'smart' RCS in .20 - to make it work better in the current version I'd have to design the pieces of the shuttle with the RCS on them differently (which I might do if no relief comes in .20) Precision mode and ASAS usually keeps it steady enough to dock.

The gliding issue is usually an issue with fuel load. If there is much left on board it can be a little noseheavy. I have some possible tweaks planned for that, as its looking like we may not have 'new aerodynamics' anytime soon.

[Guest]

MechJeb 2.0 seems to have an RCS compensator, though I haven't actually tested it with TiberDyne shuttles.

[Tiberion]

ORLY now. Hmm.