[Project] ISSU

[Orbinaut Pete]

Thanks to all for the nice comments!

I'm still working on textures!

[Turbinator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smasher77th

 Actually, they're blue (at least the sides with the actual solar arrays are (like other solar arrays) darkish blue, but the undersides are somewhat orrange. From what I've seen on images and videos. Take a look at this:

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/ISSRG/ (click the 'how it works' icon or watch the introduction)

The ISS Solar Array Wings (SAW's) (the big, main, most recognizable arrays) have only 2 colours, Orange and Black. This is why. They are Silicon flexible thin-film module photovoltaic cells; they are made using Amorphous Silicon and that means that the active surface side is black. Pitch black. Now the orange colour comes from the circuitry, because they use flexible circuits. With copper as the conductive metal, encased in a protective layer giving it the orange colour. The arrays are arranged in such a way and designed with flexible circuitry so they can be folded, because they cover a HUGE surface area.

Each of the Solar Array Wings are 34 m (112 ft) long by 12 m (39 ft) wide, and are capable of generating nearly 32.8 kW of DC power.[4] They are split into two photovoltaic blankets, with the deployment mast in between. Each blanket has 16,400 silicon photovoltaic cells, grouped into 82 active panels, each consisting of 200 cells, and each cell is 8 cm² with 4,100 diodes.

Here are some super high res pictures;

Under Side:


Top (active) Side:


Underside, and top side in one view:


Complete full super high rez view of top of starboard side:


Super close up, super high res view of bottom side, so close you could lick it:


Super close up, high res view of top side (makes awesome texture):




The Russian parts of the space station use a different kind of a solar array. They are a thick, solid rigid structure. Made of Gallium Arsenide and Crystalline Silicon multi-junction cells. This means that their surface can be anywhere from a deep dark purple (almost black) to a bright brilliant blue, depending on the angle you are looking from. This also gives them a very cool fractured crystalline look, having more than one colour, and having them change as your angle changes.

Here is a very high res example. All tough this one has some red paint in the middle for an unknown reason. Makes a great texture.




The four Photovoltaic Radiators (PVR) for the International Space Station are white in colour.





This is what you will need to model the ISS power system. For the rotation animation, electrics system, and computer control systems;

The solar arrays normally track the Sun, with the alpha gimbal used as the primary rotation to follow the Sun as the space station moves around the Earth, and the beta gimbal used to adjust for the angle of the space station's orbit to the ecliptic. Several different tracking modes are used in operations, ranging from full Sun-tracking, to the drag-reduction mode ("Night glider" and "Sun slicer" modes), to a drag-maximization mode used to lower the altitude

Far more detail here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Glider_mode

Here is a diagram you will need in order to properly model the rotation and electronics of the arrays.




Wow, thats a lot of info for one post. I think this is the longest one I have ever done. I learned all of this doing research for my Virtual ISS simulation program.


This is what the ISS looks like when viewed from the ground by a amature astronomer telescope:

[Orbinaut Pete]

Thanks to Turbinator for that great post!

ISSU is currently evaluating a few offers it has received, and a public announcement will be made in the next few days.

All I will say is that I think the work rate can really increase in 2010, with the resources we now have!

[SakyaIllidan]

wow, el proyecto luce muy bien

Y si está Mustard allí, no dudo de que sea un éxito

[statickid]

hey they just made those out of kapton tape! probably in some garage! I knew things were made by the lowest bidder but sheesh!

---------- Post added at 01:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:00 PM ----------

I read the night glider thingy. its sooooo cool that they fly the space station like that, its more like a weird space craft than a station. where are the space station thrusters?? never seen em, oh wait i could probably find out myself

[guitarist473]

ISSU is sounding great btw cant wait for it to be released

OFF TOPIC
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if the iss can be seen through an amature telescope, would it be visible with powerfull binoculars and when?

[hribek]

Hm, with 6 months of no activity, this topic almost seemed buried to me. That would be a shame. Perhaps, some people having holidays over summer, there could be some extra help to get it released.

Either way, a brief status briefing would be great...

[Orbinaut Pete]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hribek

 Hm, with 6 months of no activity, this topic almost seemed buried to me. That would be a shame. Perhaps, some people having holidays over summer, there could be some extra help to get it released.

Either way, a brief status briefing would be great...

Yes, I must apologise for the lack of updates everybody - it's mainly due to the fact that the status of the project hasn't changed in 6 months!

The reason for the apparent lack of progress is that I'm currently working on a pretty big real life project (my studies), which would mean that if I devoted all my free time to ISSU, then I wouldn't have any time left for myself. Although, my studies are due to temporarily pause for a short period, so I shall try to get at least one module released for ISSU during that time.

However, just because there hasn't been any visible progress, that's not to say that no progress has been made at all – I've silently been amassing a database of photo-realistic textures, and Donamy has been upgrading all of his fantastic exterior modules (that he has kindly given ISSU permission to use).
So, for the first release of ISSU, it should simply be a case of adding module interiors, re-texturing where appropriate, and adding a few animations (systems would come in a later release) - this can be easily achieved with the current team.

So, the project isn't dead - just stand-by for a Tuesday!

[startrekmaniac]

So whats the latest is the project still around or is it dead?

[Orbinaut Pete]

Quote:

Originally Posted by startrekmaniac

 So whats the latest is the project still around or is it dead?

For now, it's a dormant project. But not dead.

[fausto]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orbinaut Pete

 For now, it's a dormant project. But not dead.

I confirm that!