OHM Skylon Spaceplane

[Urwumpe]

I have still to apologize (and that often) for the bad shape of the source code, I didn't find time making it really beginner friendly, and the aerodynamics had been troublesome³ (Since I tried getting the rather instable shape modeled by having 5 aerodynamic segments, which is still in a buggy and overly complex stage)

But making it a good example would be nearly as much work as writing a new add-on.

 

[Inzane]

@Moach

That would be awesome!:hmm:
I newer thought anyone would volunteer for this! I am glad that someone look past the cranky appearance and see the potential of this addon.
In fact I have studied c++ for hours and hours trying to learn it myself because I am determined to make this addon good. But if i get help with the code everything will be much easier, for me at least...
I made my first ship.dll yesterday so without help a dll version by me will be available in year 2030.


If its not too difficult to program it would be really cool with a airbreathing sabre engine.


@Axel
I was just wondering because normally a parent vessel doesn't care about the child vessel's weight or acceleration. But I'm probably doing it wrong. I connected a modified Skylon_Rocketmode to a modified Skylon_Sabre with attachment-manager, but I could not make skylon_sabre fly whith Rocketmodes engines...:blink:

There is a function in child attachment called "toparent" in API_reference.doc This should make the child act as a parent when attached to another child attachment, but i could not find any reference to it in spacecraft.pdf. I don't know if that would fix it either.

 

[Moach]

@Moach

That would be awesome!:hmm:
I newer thought anyone would volunteer for this! I am glad that someone look past the cranky appearance and see the potential of this addon.
In fact I have studied c++ for hours and hours trying to learn it myself because I am determined to make this addon good. But if i get help with the code everything will be much easier, for me at least...
I made my first ship.dll yesterday so without help a dll version by me will be available in year 2030.


If its not too difficult to program it would be really cool with a airbreathing sabre engine.

have you downloaded the latest G42 WIP release? - there are source codes in there - feel free to have a look around (that's what it's there for)...

a lot of it just might be very useful for the SKYLON :thumbup:


i was looking around the reactionengines site, it appears the models shown in the animations and pictures were made by one Adrian Mann -- his site has his email for contact, i was wondering if he would perhaps contribute with some high-res stuff if asked nicely :hmm: - i figure an Orbiter-based SKYLON simulator could possibly be a very appealing idea (pehaps even for it's creators)

 

[Izack]

Alright, it seems I offended some people... That's not what I intended. Perhaps I should have said 'unusual' instead of 'weird.' I haven't used Multistage2 for anything other than one or two simple vertical launches, so I was unaware of its limitations. Sorry.

 

[Axel]

@Inzane
Sorry, i forget to say that i used UniversalCargoDeck!!!
And for that you have to add a vessel-class-file.cfg put it in "config/vessels" and a spacecraft3.ini

Here an example for the Vessel.cfg found in:
Config/Vessels/Starclipper68-XDrive.cfg:
; === Configuration file for vessel class Starclipper68-XDrive ===
ClassName = Starclipper68-XDrive
Module = Spacecraft3

then the Ini in:
Config/Spacecraft/Starclipper68-XDrive.ini

You need the Vessel-File for the UniversalCargoDeck to conecting it with the parent ship. I forget it, it was to long in past. Open ingame the senario-editor, insert a new UCD. Then click on it, edit it ->set Skylon as mothership (Coreship)and the X-Drive as payload. If u want i send you my addon per email, you can study it then with Starclipper-example. It works very well, i have a Starclipper68 with Hover now for landing on Moon or Mars. But i used his payload bay for it and every rest place on the ship, so i calculated 84mT extra fuel. It has a second main engine too with parameters of the original main engine.

 

[hribek]

i was looking around the reactionengines site, it appears the models shown in the animations and pictures were made by one Adrian Mann -- his site has his email for contact, i was wondering if he would perhaps contribute with some high-res stuff if asked nicely :hmm: - i figure an Orbiter-based SKYLON simulator could possibly be a very appealing idea (pehaps even for it's creators)

That's one of the things what I was asking Mark Hempsell and Simon Feast at their IAC exhibition stand few weeks ago. Btw, check the "reaction engines news" topic for a route to papers on the D1 configuration, Fluyt stage, and space station building using Skylon.

Regardless, my original plan was to get the vehicle going with its own DLL and using some basic mesh. Once we're sure the project is actually going somewhere, then it would probably be worth getting a more detailed model.

I could ask Adrian Mann I guess - in due time. Mr. Hempsell said that all the Skylon development is done in 3D (CAD) but that it might be tricky not to give away some secret details, like the pre-cooler's anti-frost system, or who knows what else. Of course, we don't need the internals very detailed.

It's somewhat similar with the aerodynamics model and specs. Skylon does not have any final specifications yet, and the D1 configuration's viability depends on some (undisclosed) upgrades of the SABRE engine.

Izack, would you mind if I used your mesh for the time being? And I don't think you offended anyone. It's a fairly good addon, and it will be the best one around until there's a better one.

 

[Urwumpe]

I recommend looking at the XLS files with the example missions, the data there is pretty useful for reconstructions.

 

[hribek]

Yeah, thanks for the reminder. I have them in my work directory already. I wish I had the time to upgrade Glideslope MFD at the same time so that I could put the profile in, along with the CG shift feature. (I wonder how much you need to shift the CG for stock Atlantis to be able to maintain 40deg AoA)

 

[Urwumpe]

Yeah, thanks for the reminder. I have them in my work directory already. I wish I had the time to upgrade Glideslope MFD at the same time so that I could put the profile in, along with the CG shift feature. (I wonder how much you need to shift the CG for stock Atlantis to be able to maintain 40deg AoA)

A few feet, since it just does subsonic aerodynamics, not the supersonic ones. at supersonic flight, the 40° AOA are near a small moment-less plateau in the lift function.

 

[Interceptor]

Hi Inzane, I hope you didn"t take my comment as insult it was not,I just was showing Skylon space plane stuff,that would be cool to have with your addon.Again thank you,and keep up the great work.

 

[korolevspace]

Re: Reaction Engines Skylon problems

Hi everyone,

I would know that all of you would also be expecting the same remarks from me, because, when I pressed "J", for transitioning from air-breathing mode to rocket mode a second Skylon spaceplane suddenly popped right out of the original Skylon!!! I'm 100% sure that the Skylon featured on the website, http://www.reactionengines.co.uk would not have such kind of strange sight, and hopefully not on the real Skylon if it is built.

Check out the video of Skylon (http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/skylon_movie_16.9_qt.html) to really see how the air intakes on the SABRE engines close and how the Orbital Maneuvering System works.

I'm strongly recommending everyone to try to create their own version of Skylons by not using spacecraft3.dll. Having more than one Skylons fall out during flight really kills the purpose.

Thanks

korolevspace

P.S. I liked the passenger module inside the payload bay, but it could have been more realistic more like the one on the Reaction Engines website. Also, as the cabin interior has been fully revealed by the company, a virtual cockpit to a future version of Skylon would really benefit the simulation even more.

Also, I don't mind which spaceport I use, as long as full amenities are provided, such as SRC - Space Polygon; and SRC - Space Port - both by Yuri Kulchitsky.

 

[Axel]

@Inzane
Ok i tryed to make the Rocketengine myself, to conect it with Skylon permanent, but u r right, UCD works only with one Spacecraft3-Vessel, the other has to be in DLL, like in the case of Starclipper68. I wrote for both, Skylon_Sabre and Skylon_Rocketengine an extra Vessel-Class-File, so its easy to add them via scenario-editor. But when you delete the Attachment points from the Engine-Vessel, it works, but the engine Thrust vector goes 90° down, like a Hover engine :lol:. And as i restarted orbiter, the engine was gone to space alone, no longer conected. I keep working on this problem, i think we have to write new attachment points for the 2nd vessel.

---------- Post added at 07:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:08 PM ----------

Ok i gave both vessels new/extra attachment ponts, they keep attachet after restart of orbiter too, but orbiter forget the mass of rocket engine then!
I had to re-attach the both vessels then again. I can use sabre engine to mach 5,5 now, then activated rocket engine, but i got only 4,6km/s at main engine cut off. I checked mass of Skylon_Sabre with Burntime-MFD, it was 239mt again!!! Normally it had to be near the empty mass, its because spacecraft3 simulates no mass loss at burning of other attached vessels. Thats a big mess. The Result keeps the same, one vessel has to be a right DLL or another kind of data.

Next time i checked a conection with a spacecraft3 Skylon_Sabre and a multistage2-Vessel with UniversalCargoDeck, and BINGO it works!!! All keeps when we restart orbiter, correct masses, tank fill levels an connection. We have to transform the pure rocketengine to multistage2 now, without aerodynamics and animations, extra boosters ect, because we dont need them. The conection to a Velcro-Rocket-Vessel works too. It seems to be that we need only one non-spacecraft3-vessel for conection. On the other hand, its possible to write a autopilot now for the rocketengine, because multistage2 support this without extra software!!!

By using UniversalCargoDeck4, i would make the passenger cabin as cargo too like the rocket engine, so its better to visit/enter and easier to replace. So we would have a working and easy payload-system too!!
Its at this time the best way for all, before we have DLL.

 

[Inzane]

Sorry i coldn't reply earlier. I have not been online since my last comment.

@Interceptor
I was not offended by anything i your comments
I agree that it would be nice with the Skylon stuff that you mentioned.


@Moach
I just tried out the G42
It is a very cool spacecraft :thumbup:
The airbreathing engines should be easy to adapt to the Sabre engines
I haven't tried out all of its features yet, just took it for a short ride...


@Axel
Thank you for your research on this issue. :tiphat:
I will try it out as soon as possible

 

[Axel]

Damn, it works with multistage2 only in space, at surface we have same problems like spacecraft3. But Velcro works! But we must deaktivate Thrusterlights for it, else the complet Skylon is white and we must use th rocketengine too, Skylon gets not from ground with Sabre_Engine. And i have only to evaluate how i get more than 1 exhaust.

 

[Inzane]

@Axel

I see...
Haven't played too much with velcro myself
I definitely gonna check it out

 

[Aurorus]

IT'S HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally, someone took tohe time to finish a skylon addon (after around 2 nearly complete attempts?). This revolutionary spaceplane concept deserves its own orbiter addon. Great work. It's about bloody time!:thumbup:

 

[Interceptor]

Thanks Inzane,looking foward to this project.

 

[hribek]

Here's how to do some funny stuff with the Skylon: after you run out of fuel on the "airbreathing" stage, press J four times and switch to Skylon_rocketmode. It has no dry mass (just like the other stages I reckon). So if you don't mind becoming a pancake because of the high acceleration, you can enjoy some superluminar interstellar journeys. Don't forget to cut the engines -before- you run out of fuel, otherwise you're on track for leaving the known universe. (you're on course for the realm of NaN, to be specific)

Extra points will be awarded to whoever manages to impact Neptune first. (playback/video required)

 

[n72.75]

Do you mind if I take a stab at creating a DLL for it?

I wouldn't publish it without your permission of course and I probably won't produce anything useful due to a busy life.

 

[Axel]

@all C+++ writers
Did anybody start to writing a DLL?

@Inzane
Did u start to write a Velcro-vessel as rocketengine?

Hurry up all, then there are no really other near tech shuttles we could use, for a replacement of the space shuttle, when its age ends next time. All DG's are minimum 20 or 30 years away, when his engines will work ever and XR1 and XR2 have to small payload bay, XR5 no VC and hopeless overpowered. TX5 has only a outside payload capability, more a carrier. At the G42 i cant activate the next engine "+" doesnt work ?!!!
Skylon is mutch more easier to steer, has a less complex engine and has a shuttle sized payload bay. With him to fly cargo or inside his passenger module would be awesome cool .