Launch clamps with built-in broad beam lights?

[LitaAlto]

Walt Kerman just stormed into Gene Kerman's office and threatened to take off his rubber hazmat suit, subjecting the entire facility to the smells it contains, if Gene kept insisting on night launches. "The photographs look lousy unless you're taking them from the water tank side of the launchpad--and for larger rockets you can only get a good view of the lower half. I can't work under these conditions! ...I need a breath of fresh air."

Gene was ready to give the order to evacuate the KSC until Walt had finished off-gassing. But then Werner spoke up:

"Why don't we have lights on the launch clamps, anyway? They have electrical power after all."

So now Walt is threatening R&D with his suit odors...

...And that is where YOU come in!

I'm not sure if this is something that can be welded--but for aesthetics, maybe properly integrated lights would be better.

tl;dr: Anyone want to make/modify some launch clamps so they illuminate the craft they're clamped to?

[Tex_NL]

You do know you can simply place lights on the launch clamps, don't you?

As far as I know launch clamps have a build-in power source, they'll never run out. And anything left on the launch pad gets recovered for a full 100%. You can add as many or as little lights as you want and it won't cost you a single cent.

[LitaAlto]

You do know you can simply place lights on the launch clamps, don't you?

As far as I know launch clamps have a build-in power source, they'll never run out. And anything left on the launch pad gets recovered for a full 100%. You can add as many or as little lights as you want and it won't cost you a single cent.

I mentioned the power source, in the OP. I also mentioned that for aesthetics, built-in lights might be better.

[Alshain]

I mentioned the power source, in the OP. I also mentioned that for aesthetics, built-in lights might be better.

Anything with built in lights limits your craft to be only the size that the light angle requires. With attached lights you can angle them in any direction you want, and you can clip them into the launch clamp if you want also. You can even save that as a subassembly.

[LitaAlto]

Would it make things more clear if I said I'd like it to be one part?

Or will this just devolve into "why make a parts mod when you can do it in stock?"

Really, I'm not asking how someone can do this in stock. This would've been posted elsewhere if it were.

Pardon my frustration.

[sumghai]

Anything with built in lights limits your craft to be only the size that the light angle requires. With attached lights you can angle them in any direction you want, and you can clip them into the launch clamp if you want also. You can even save that as a subassembly.

Would it make things more clear if I said I'd like it to be one part?

Or will this just devolve into "why make a parts mod when you can do it in stock?"

Really, I'm not asking how someone can do this in stock. This would've been posted elsewhere if it were.

Pardon my frustration.

If one must integrate it as one part, then one would need to make the lighting angle, range etc tweakable.

[LitaAlto]

If one must integrate it as one part, then one would need to make the lighting angle, range etc tweakable.

Agreed.

I did ask NecroBones about this since he has a set of heavy-duty launch clamps in his SpaceY parts mod. Apparently he's considered integrating lights into the clamps before--but he ran into an issue. Namely, if the tank you're clamping is upside down, the head of the clamp will also be upside-down. And that could result in all your tweakable settings being way off.

So in short, this isn't so simple after all, and I'm retracting my request. If someone wants to take this on, I still welcome it--but I'm not holding out hope.

Thanks for the feedback.

[Guest]

[something]

Edited April 5, 2015 by Jack Wolfe