Jump to content

[1.0.4] Oblivion Aerospace Pack: Now supports stock heating! (v0.1.5, 2015-06-24)

LostOblivion

By LostOblivion
in KSP1 Mod Releases

 Share

Recommended Posts

LostOblivion

LostOblivion

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I found there is a bug in KSP that causes flags painted on auto-shrouds not to render. It works in the editor, but once you press launch flags are not shown and the debug log gives a warning from the FlagDecal module. Sorry, I have to remove the flag on the shroud for this heat shield! :-/

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LostOblivion

LostOblivion

Posted
  • Author
Posted
These are way better looking then the normal ones, does anyone have RSS configs for them?

Thanks! And no, but maybe NathanKell has some advice for RSS? Anyway, if you made some yourself, I'll be happy to include them as a MM config in the mod itself.

I've been busy lately with work and haven't had the proper time to finish the shrouds, however, weekend is approaching. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LostOblivion

LostOblivion

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Work on the shrouds are coming along, albeit slowly. I haven't forgotten you guys! I'm using what spare time I have for this, and now I seem to be catching a cold, oh dear...

Posted a new screenie of WIP on the textures. Pretty much done with the modeling now.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

@ColdWarrior000: Look at the example craft included in the Ships folder of the mod for how to make it. Note: There is no integration with e-dog's PF mod on this heat shield, it's just an upside-down interstage decoupler. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
erbmur

erbmur

Posted
Posted

Is there something I have to do to get the auto-shrouds to function?

I see a 2.5 meter adaptor in the parts file but no .CFG file. Would it have something to do with this?

Love the mod though, allows for some really sleek designs!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LostOblivion

LostOblivion

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Is there something I have to do to get the auto-shrouds to function?

I see a 2.5 meter adaptor in the parts file but no .CFG file. Would it have something to do with this?

Love the mod though, allows for some really sleek designs!

The heat shield works like an engine with automatic shrouds. Just add something to its bottom node (like a decoupler) and the shroud/adapter will appear. :)

And thanks. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hattivat

Hattivat

Posted
Posted

Ok, I tested it on two separate installations of KSP, so time for a review:

Overall, the aesthetics are very good and the autoshrouds are working well. I love the way the shrouds look inside.

On a fresh 0.24.2 install with just a bare minimum of mods (KER, FAR, DRE) I put the 2.5 heatshield from this pack on the mk 1-2 pod and launch to low orbit. Standard reentry profile (initial peri around 40 km), the heatshield works as advertised and the crew lands safely. One worrying thing: FAR displays excessively high ballistic coefficients (over 2000 kg/m2; the pod bottom alone would have sligthly more than 700 IIRC).

On an old but trusty 0.23.5 RSS + full Realism Overhaul install I put the 3.75 heatshield on the resized mk 1-2 pod and launch to low Earth orbit. Obviously I realize this was not designed to work under RSS conditions, but I decided to test it anyway. Standard reentry profile (initial peri around 70 km), the heatshield works, but it provides pretty much zero drag and flies through the upper atmosphere like a javelin. Ballistic coefficients reach ridiculous heights (over 4000 kg/m2; the pod bottom alone would have about 500 IIRC). At about 45 km of altitude, the heatshield overheats and the crew dies.

On closer inspection in the VAB, I think I've discovered the source of the excessively high ballistic coefficients. You see, FAR bases its drag calculations in this case on node sizes, and the bottom nodes on your heatshields are tiny. Consequently, FAR thinks your heatshields are much smaller / more aerodynamic than they actually are, and thus calculates ridiculous ballistic coefficients for the craft. Unless this is an intentional feature, you would probably want your nodes to be like those on default DRE heatshields - bottom nodes in the same size as the top ones. Even if this is an intentional feature, you'd probably want to increase the size of the bottom node on the 3.75 heatshield sligthly, since it's the same size as on the 2.5 heatshield.

Hope this helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LostOblivion

LostOblivion

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Wow, I never would have expected such an insightful review of this. To tell the truth, you have probably tested it more than I have. Combined with your knowledge of FAR, this gives me very useful feedback to say the least.

I did not know about the relation between node sizes and FAR, so I'll defenately change the node sizes. They were left over from before the shrouds when I had to eyeball where decouplers would fit, but no need for that now.

Having said that, I'm already working on making more heat shields, and the intention of this one is actually to be a relatively lightweight shield designed for small payloads and little weight.

I'm at work now, but perhaps I'll have time to release something tonight. :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LostOblivion

LostOblivion

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Thanks for the kind words. It takes much time making these and comments like that gives me motivation. :)

I've pretty much outlined where I want to go with this mod:

  • Conical Heat Shield:
    • Lightweight heat shield for small to medium sized probes and rovers.
    • Also makes for a decent tiny, one-kerbal interplanetary vessel with the Mk1 Lander Can, mostly for aerobraking, possibly landing, but probably without (manned) re-orbit capabilities on atmospheric bodies because of its relatively small payload weight.
    • I will likely nerf this in the future to make it significantly lighter, but at the cost of payload weight. The Blunt Heat Shield will make up for this however...

    [*]Blunt Heat Shield (name TBC):

    • Rugged heat shield for custom command pods and heavier probes and rovers. With custom, I mean self-built ones from several parts since this probably won't fit flush with the bottom of any of the current pods, but is more like the top of the Conical Heat Shield. (I will make a separate one for the Mk 1-2 Command Pod, see below. :))
    • Like the Conical Heat Shield, this will have a diameter slightly larger than its node (such as 2.65 m for 2.5 m nodes) to fully protect whatever is behind it (not that this actually matters right now with the current way KSP/DRE works [RealHeat, Nathan? :)]).
    • Should be able to use this on medium sized, multi-kerbal interplanetary vessels.
    • Should be around 1.5 to 2 times hardier than what the Conical Heat Shield is now, and will be heavy.

    [*]Command Pod Heat Shield (name TBC):

    • Rugged heat shield for the Mk 1-2 Command Pod.
    • Will fit nicely with the bottom of the pod. I haven't decided yet exactly how it should fit though. Either partly covered, like the one in stock DRE, or fully covered around the edges of what seems to be the start of a heat shield on the Mk 1-2.
    • Not as hardy as the Blunt Heat Shield, but should survive an interplanetary reentry for the pod itself with some gear.
    • I'm also playing with the idea of adding extendable landing legs hidden inside the bottom side of this shield (like the SpaceX Dragon concept), but not sure how engines would fit into this concept of landing. Ideas?

    [*]Utility Heat Shield (name TBC):

    • Relatively lightweight heat shield, slightly hardier than the Conical Heat Shield, but not as hardy as the Command Pod Heat Shield.
    • It should fit perfectly with its respective node diameter (no outside edge).
    • Could be used on reusable upper stages. The adapter shroud would typically be fitted the "wrong" way on top of the stage to reveal the heat shield upon staging.

    [*]Reflective Heat Shield (name TBC):

    • Some heat shields rely less on ablation than others. The Galileo probe for example used ablation in the same way as conventional heat shields, but also had a very reflective coating dissipating some of the heat.
    • This heat shield will therefore rely more on reflective materials than the others, the others being mainly ablative heat shields.
    • This results in less loss of mass due to ablation, which means it can be used several times, unlike most of the above, but at the expense of weight. It will weigh more than what you'd expect.
    • I will probably exaggerate this effect a bit to make the difference more noticeable. (It's a game after all. :))
    • It will probably be a small heat shield for 0.625 m and 1.25 m sizes.

All heat shields will come with an adapter auto-shroud. I might add additional adapter parts that look the same if many prefer this over auto-shrouds, but I prefer not to spam your parts selector. :)

I'm also playing with the idea of a proper heat shield for large interplanetary vessels with a "hatch" at the center, allowing for engines to fire through it once the hatch is open, allowing for a more realistic spaceship design with g-forces pointing the same direction during both burns and aerobreaking (like the one in BBC's documentary Space Odyssey: Voyage to the Planets). However, this is just a cool idea that would be fun to attempt one day. Also, how would one get such a large heat shield into orbit in the first place, perhaps breaking it apart into modules and piecing it together in space? :)

Very important notice: These are my thoughts as they are right now, and nothing more . Things will most likely change. Some of the items on this list might be removed, and some might be added. Also, to make even one of the items on this list will take time, much time. I'm not a professional 3D modeler. But! They are my goals, and I want these in my game as much as you do, so stay tuned. :)

Edited by LostOblivion
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Noio

Noio

Posted
Posted

Sounds freakin' awesome. I can't wait.

I'm also playing with the idea of adding extendable landing legs hidden inside the bottom side of this shield (like the SpaceX Dragon concept), but not sure how engines would fit into this concept of landing. Ideas?

What about adding radial attachment nodes or the same 'hatch' idea from engines so stock landing legs could be attached or used from the object behind the shield? Now that I've typed that out I see all kinds of problems with it but in the interest of 'good' brainstorming I won't push delete.

I prefer not to spam your parts selector

Thank you. I already am plagued with memory (mine and the PC's) problems due to rampant part-proliferation, and if one part can use tweakables to fill many roles I certainly feel that's a better method.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LostOblivion

LostOblivion

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks, guys. Glad you like it.

I'm on vacation right now actually, spending some time up with the rest of my family across Norway.

I'll probably have some time in the coming week to work on the shroud model for the CPHS. I figured I should probably finish the modeling for the shroud and the shield itself before moving on to texturing.

I've also looked at the brilliant SDHI mod by sumghai where he has made a really good looking heat shield adapter with a working umbilical using Starwaster's nice AnimatedDecouplers mod, so if you're looking for something that works well with the Mk 1-2 Command Pod right now, I'll recommend you take a look. :)

I'm considering doing something similar with this heat shield, but that would also mean the CPHS would require a tailored decoupler/adapter instead of an auto-shroud that would work with any decoupler. Also the mod would then require a dependency to the AnimatedDecouplers mod, which, although it's really nice, is something I want to try and avoid. So for now, I'll recommend sumghai's mod to those of you who want this pretty cool feature, but let the command pod heat shield in this mod be a bit simpler. Let me know what you think. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...