[WIP] Dreamer - SNC Dream Chaser - Download Available!

[mbvanities]

This would be a perfect crew transfer/rescue/emergency escape vehicle. My thought would be to move the docking port to the back where the cargo bay is and make it suitable for 3-4 Kurbs. The bay as is would be too small for anything but a small Sat that could be pushed into orbit with a basic rocket.

My 2c’s

[artwhaley]

My plan for the small bay is to create several custom designed payload options - For example -

A shuttle style retractable docking port

A KAS winch and parts-storage toolbox for repair missions

Life Support supply containers compatible with the most popular mods

And a little decoupling node for launching micro-sats. I haven't looked into whether small remote-tech or scansat capable satellites will fit into it, as I haven't completely nailed down the scale of the model, but if it turns out that they won't, then I'll create some micro-sat options specifically for the ship.

All of that said - I DO think it's always going to be more of a crew transport vessel than a cargo hauler, but I think the cargo bay adds options for how end users want to play with it!

[mbvanities]

cant wait to try it.

[montyben101]

Can you release a dev download?

[artwhaley]

A Dev Download will come as soon as the next version of the texture is done.

In the meantime, I've been working on the payload modules. They're not textured yet, either... but you can see a still image of the KAS cargo bay insert. It's got a working winch, hose attachment point, and part storage container... which will make the Dreamer a really full featured orbital repair,refuel and upgrade ship!

There's also a 5 second youtube video of the cargobay docking module extending.

I did a bit of looking and the cargo bay IS adequately large for size 0 satellites, so I'm not going to custom design anything on that front.

If I were going to build an arm for the payload bay to assist with recovery and launch of satellites... do people prefer Infernal Robotics or Lazor Systems as the engine behind it? I haven't looked into either, really, so I may find out that one is way easier to work with than the other... but it would be good to know what people are already using so if I can avoid making users download another plugin, I'd like to!

[Gristle]

....If I were going to build an arm for the payload bay to assist with recovery and launch of satellites... do people prefer Infernal Robotics or Lazor Systems as the engine behind it? I haven't looked into either, really, so I may find out that one is way easier to work with than the other... but it would be good to know what people are already using so if I can avoid making users download another plugin, I'd like to!

I'd vote for Infernal Robotics for a couple of reasons:

1.) Sirkut actively maints IR

2.) I have IR installed but do not have Lazer .

[montyben101]

News???????

[Ikaneko]

Oh man this looks good!

GIMME UPDATE!!

[artwhaley]

I waited a couple of weeks because I had someone volunteer to work on textures, then found out they were too busy to work on it, so I'm picking it back up myself. I've got to unwrap it to the final texture size, split it up into all of the parts, and then run them all through Unity, then I'll get a dev version posted. It should be in the next week. I'm not going to spend time right now doing another pass at texturing myself, but I DO need to get the final UV Unwrap done, because it's a huge pain to go back and try to map matching coordinates onto all of the parts after it's split up. I'll keep everyone posted!

[Ikaneko]

Get IN!!! SO happy you're going through with this!

The launch vehicles? Hmmm..

I think all that's needed is the Atlas V, the stratolaunch looks like we could make it in stock.

[Ikaneko]

Any news??

[Ikaneko]

Is... is this thread dead?

[sp1989]

Is... is this thread dead?

Dude somone posted yesterday?! Unless you are being sarcastic.

[Ikaneko]

I mean the dev of the thread.

[sp1989]

I mean the dev of the thread.

artwhaley posted a little less than a week ago! If he hasn't posted in a month or two then ask if the thread is dead. But come on it almost a week since he updated.

[artwhaley]

Yes. Still working. If I stop and post on the forum every day, that's time I'm not spending on the model.

But I AM glad that people are interested in it! It does provide motivation to keep doing a little bit more on it each day.

I'm at the point that I really COULD post a development version here... but I want to test it a little more myself.

[montyben101]

Yes. Still working. If I stop and post on the forum every day, that's time I'm not spending on the model.

But I AM glad that people are interested in it! It does provide motivation to keep doing a little bit more on it each day.

I'm at the point that I really COULD post a development version here... but I want to test it a little more myself.

Yeah definitely interested. I would be happy to test a dev build too

[Crater]

Oh we are definitely interested in it, we just don't want to pressure you over it too much.

But a dev version would definitely be appreciated

[Ikaneko]

Whoo Hooo!!!! YAY!

[artwhaley]

I updated the image gallery on the first post with the current status of the ship! Apparently, when I said a couple of weeks ago that I'd clean up the mesh and ignore the texture, what I MEANT is that I'd throw the mesh out and completely redo it, then force myself to sit down and learn to texture.

And I'm pretty happy with where it's going. I'll get a development version up tomorrow when I have time to put together all of my notes on it. But the short version is that this version is MUCH more true to the real ship, has the correct landing gear, and has a halfway decent start on a texture.

Art

[montyben101]

Woah!! Looks great, can you make one with a cargo bay and one without two?

[artwhaley]

Yes, MontyBen101, I'll eventually put one together without the cargo bay.

And for everyone - Development Release is added to the first post. Keep in mind that this is really pre-alpha- I've flown it a couple of times in this state, but it's not tested. If you're downloading it, don't get mad at me if it blows up randomly, but please DO let me know what you were doing when that happened!

This is a very early development release of my new mod.

The airlock and ladder aren't implemented yet.

There is no IVA. (well, I attached a stock IVA to it, but that's just a placeholder)

The craft generates lift, which means that on the front of a launch vehicle it puts the CL in front of the CG. So you'll probably want some fins at the base of the first stage launcher. SAS is also very helpful at keeping the thing pointed towards space during the first few thousand feet.

To solve this problem without OODLES of large delta wings on the bottom of the launch vehicle, I had to tune the mass and lift numbers of the ship WAY down, almost to hacky levels. I'd LOVE for someone to send me ideas or config files that get the mass up without making it impossible to launch on top of a rocket that isn't made entirely of control surfaces.

The 2.5m adapter/decoupler unit attaches to the base of the docking port... which makes it VERY wiggly when under load during launch. I'll probably create a separate attachment node so the adapter/decoupler attaches directly to the fuselage.

Both docking ports work... but they're VERY hard to use... you get within a meter and the magnets go wild, throwing the ship all over the place. I think this is related to the ridiculously low mass of the ship, so solving the lift/mass numbers should make this better.

I haven't done anything with the cargo bay yet... but my plan is to develop 3 payload units for it - a simple slide-out microsat deploying arm, a combination KAS storage unit, pipe attachment, and radial winch unit, and a generic resource container that can be used with various life-support or resource mods to ferry stuff where you need it. I'll also probably patch the hole in the hull and give people the option for a fuselage without cargo bay, since the real one doesn't have it.

Same note on the forward docking port - it's really cool, but not true to the prototype, so I may make an optional nose that includes resource storage or science experiments or something else?

At the moment the built-in fuel tanks are ridiculously large. I really want feedback on how much delta-v this craft should have, fully loaded. At the moment, fully loaded, it can make it to mun orbit and back. This isn't realistic at all... but fun IS more important to me than realistic... so let me know what sorts of missions you'd like this to be able to accomplish and I'll work on it!

[Ikaneko]

Awesome!!! I can't wait to see where this goes!

[Ikaneko]

Umm... I don't want to poop on the party, but the parts don't show up in the VAB :(.

Do you know how to fix it???

[bazz]

Umm... I don't want to poop on the party, but the parts don't show up in the VAB :(.

Do you know how to fix it???

GameData\AxialAerospace\Parts\dreamer

Folder structure should look like this stick the files in the dreamer folder.

Edited October 16, 2014 by bazz