TKS Spacecraft

[Scruce]

TKS (docked to Salyut 7):

Capsule stack:

TKS is split into 4 modules:

TKS FGB
The FGB module provided the TKS with living space, storage racks for equipment and supplies to be delivered to the Almaz station, propulsion, and electricity. Derivatives of the FGB were the add-on modules to the Mir station, as well as the first module of the International Space Station.

Characteristics:

Crew Size: 3. Habitable Volume: 37.00 m3. RCS Coarse No x Thrust: 20 x 390 N. Spacecraft delta v: 700 m/s (2,290 ft/sec). Electric System: 2.40 average kW.

AKA: FGB Functional / Cargo Block.
Gross mass: 13,260 kg (29,230 lb).
Unfuelled mass: 9,438 kg (20,807 lb).
Payload: 4,528 kg (9,982 lb).
Height: 13.87 m (45.50 ft).
Diameter: 2.90 m (9.50 ft).
Thrust: 7.84 kN (1,763 lbf).
Specific impulse: 291 s.


TKS BSO
The BSO was equipped with the retro-rocket for deorbit of the VA capsule following separation from the space station. Deorbit Block. It also provided the additional battery power, orientation rockets, and radio equipment that gave the VA a 31 hour autonomous flight duration after separation from the station.

Characteristics:

Spacecraft delta v: 100 m/s (320 ft/sec).

AKA: Bloka Skhoda s Orbiti.
Gross mass: 450 kg (990 lb).


TKS SAS
The SAS system abort system for the VA separated the capsule with 15 G's of acceleration from the booster in case of a malfunction and soft landed the capsule 1.0-1.5 km from the launch pad. When the 'Abort' command was sent, the 86 metric ton thrust motor of the ADU pulled the VA capsule away from the pad. 10 seconds from the abort command the ADU/TUD/NO separated and the landing systems went into operation. The braking parachute deployed for seven seconds, followed by the main chute with 1770 square meters of area. The capsule made a soft landing 2 km away. The SAS was jettisoned after the Proton booster had cleared the atmosphere.

Characteristics:

Spacecraft delta v: 140 m/s (450 ft/sec).

AKA: Sistem avariyovo spaceniya.
Gross mass: 2,950 kg (6,500 lb).
Thrust: 843.00 kN (189,513 lbf).


TKS VA
The VA was capable of 31 hours of autonomous flight after separation from the FGB. The crew of three were provided with seats with customized form-fitting liners facing a control panel similar to that used in Soyuz T. Access to the FGB on the pad was through a square hatch in the side of the capsule. This could also be used to conduct EVA's in orbit, with the VA acting as an air lock for the FGB. Access to the FGB was via a hatch in the heat shield below the middle seat. With the crew, 50 kg of payload could be returned. Without the crew 500 kg of payload could be returned. Total internal volume was 8.37 m3. Retrofire was initiated by the BSO block on the nose of the VA. The VA capsule had a hypersonic lift to drag ratio of 0.25. This allowed the BSU-V manned capsule guidance system to maneuver the spacecraft to its landing point using the optimum path for minimal heating and G-forces.

Characteristics:

Crew Size: 3. Habitable Volume: 4.56 m3. Crew: 255 kg (562 lb). Miscellaneous Contingency: 50 kg (110 lb).

AKA: Vozvrashchaemiy apparat.
Gross mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb).
Payload: 1,880 kg (4,140 lb).
Height: 3.64 m (11.94 ft).
Diameter: 2.79 m (9.15 ft).
First Launch: 1976.12.15.
Last Launch: 1979.05.22.
Number: 9 .

---------- Post added at 20:13 ---------- Previous post was at 19:16 ----------

Kvant Tug (FGB) on orbit:

 

[4throck]

As mentioned before on this thread, the generic Kvant Tug (FGB) is an approximation. Probably the capsule will not fit perfectly, but at least it's a starting point. I'd put the Merkur capsule mesh on top of the FGB and try to get something working. The hardest part is getting things like RCS orientation, separations, performance, etc right. The meshes can be replaced at any time

 

[Scruce]

As mentioned before on this thread, the generic Kvant Tug (FGB) is an approximation. Probably the capsule will not fit perfectly, but at least it's a starting point. I'd put the Merkur capsule mesh on top of the FGB and try to get something working. The hardest part is getting things like RCS orientation, separations, performance, etc right. The meshes can be replaced at any time

Will you embark on the project 4throck?

 

[Scruce]

Big find with more TKS Spacecraft photos:

TKS Capsule hatch:

---------- Post added at 16:31 ---------- Previous post was at 16:30 ----------

TKS in Cosmos 1663 config:

---------- Post added at 16:34 ---------- Previous post was at 16:31 ----------

TKS with Cosmos 1686 config (at Salyut-7):

 

[Urwumpe]

Scruce: It is nice that you hotlink the astronautix photographs, but in my opinion, you could just be honest enough to say that you just found the TKS entry in the Encyclopedia Astronautica and post the URL to the full article with all information.

For most add-on making veterans, this homepage is the first reference and very popular - and your photographs for many the first TKS images that they will find when searching the web.

Disclaimer: Yes, I find hotlinking from Encyclopedia Astronautica a bit disrespectful. Also I am not sure how the license of the website stands to it.

 

[Scruce]

On the contary, i've added these photos because I just made a simple mesh for the TKS in manned control configuration, I'll just post a picture.

EDIT: Yes, it's very basic but describes the core sizes:

---------- Post added at 18:22 ---------- Previous post was at 17:31 ----------

Detail on the front, added solar panels:

---------- Post added at 19:12 ---------- Previous post was at 18:22 ----------

Quick texturing example, these are not the final textures:

 

[4throck]

Cool :tiphat: !

Watch your face orientation in Sketshup, the right parts should be white not bluish.
Also, split the mesh ASAP, because I think you have all the TKS components merged, including the escape tower. Of course, I might be mistaken :thumbup:!

As for reference material, I'd check your mesh against this image:

.
I still think the this is a very good approximation:

Perhaps you could add the solar panels and antennae to it, and concentrate on modeling the capsule itself.

 

[Scruce]

you have all the TKS components merged, including the escape tower. Of course, I might be mistaken :thumbup:!

Yes, you are mistaken , the meshes are split on the inside. As you can see on this photo with the FGB set to transparent wireframe, the TKS VA reentry dome can be seen, splitting of the meshes is easy and I do it in all my meshes.

---------- Post added at 19:18 ---------- Previous post was at 19:16 ----------

the right parts should be white not bluish.

These are just simple quick materials to distinguish parts of the meshes, they won't show up on final.

 

[4throck]

Sorry I edited my post as you were replying. I was mentioning the mesh normals / orientation. If you don't fix it early on, it will be harder to change it latter. And it will mess up conversions to the Orbiter mesh format. As you have it, the reentry capsule would be invisible in Orbiter ;-)

 

[Scruce]

I was mentioning the mesh normals / orientation. If you don't fix it early on, it will be harder to change it latter.

No really, that is what I was refering to aswell, the mesh normals are fine and I added dark blue to distinguish it from the other parts.

---------- Post added at 19:28 ---------- Previous post was at 19:24 ----------

As for reference material, I'd check your mesh against this image:

.

I use te below image as a cross sectional reference, IIRC the one above is from the Almaz program.

I still think the this is a very good approximation:

Perhaps you could add the solar panels and antennae to it, and concentrate on modeling the capsule itself.

The question is, will Thorton allow use of his meshes, IIRC from an earlier time, Thorton disallowed use from another thread to do with a different spacecraft.

 

[4throck]

...Thorton disallowed use from another thread to do with a different spacecraft....

Yes, had a similar problem with that author (a simple request for the first version of the Proton rocket to remain avaliable on OH), so I'd recommend to stay well way from it, not only for meshes as also for the launcher.

No really, that is what I was refering to aswell, the mesh normals are fine and I added dark blue to distinguish it from the other parts.

Regarding Sketchup and faces: If you say so !
But your blue color does look like the default interior face color:

Keep up the good work!

 

[Scruce]

Are there any engines on this thing, because it looks like the rear is taken up by the P-C docking port?

---------- Post added at 20:29 ---------- Previous post was at 20:15 ----------

In the meantime, I've started to model the TKS SAS.

---------- Post added at 20:45 ---------- Previous post was at 20:29 ----------

Dark Blue: TKS FGB
Light Blue: Solar Panels
Green: TKS BSO
Yellow: TKS VA
Red: TKS SAS

---------- Post added at 21:13 ---------- Previous post was at 20:45 ----------

What are the flight stages of this spacecraft?

Which module is responsible for RTE Retrofire?

If the above answer is the BSO or FGB, where are the engines?

How many TKS variations are there, at the moment I count 3 (Kosmos 1663, Kosmos 1686, TKS Normal VA)?

---------- Post added at 21:38 ---------- Previous post was at 21:13 ----------

In any new picture I post, objects in the colour red are new:

Added the cylinder thingies.

 

[Grover]

not abd sketching up there, but how many segments did you use for those cylinders (as in for the circles you made them from) i find that the default of 24 is just a bit too little for a main body shape

 

[Scruce]

those cylinders

Which ones, the main body cylinder or the 8 FGB cylinders?

 

[Tacolev]

The RCS engines on the FGB are the only engines used on-orbit. Thorton's tug you have been modelling did not deviate from the "standard" TKS. Whether you choose to key some of these to RCS fore and aft or to the main and retro engines could be conceivably informed by technical literature but is ultimately up to you.

The green section you have labelled as the BSO is not, in fact, the BSO, but another part of the FGB. The BSO would be the cone section ahead of the VA capsule and behind the SAS which includes the retros, battery and life support.

 

[Scruce]

The RCS engines on the FGB are the only engines used on-orbit.

:thankyou:

Thorton's tug you have been modelling

Eh? I'm modelling the TKS Spacecraft, not the Kvant Tug.

Whether you choose to key some of these to RCS fore and aft or to the main and retro engines could be conceivably informed by technical literature but is ultimately up to you.

Nope, I'm not going any further than a mesh and texture. This will have to be done by someone else.

The green section you have labelled as the BSO is not, in fact, the BSO, but another part of the FGB. The BSO would be the cone section ahead of the VA capsule and behind the SAS which includes the retros, battery and life support.

Thanks, I got confused because Astronautix does not have a label for the sections, I will change it.

 

[Tacolev]

Here is a blog post I found about Excalibur Almaz's VA-derived capsules.

My apologies for my own confusion about the scope of your work. I had meant that you've been using the Kvant tug as a template for your add-on, not that your add-on was meant to model of the kvant. Regardless, the thrusters depicted on the Kvant tug should be a good example for a TKS add-on.

 

[Scruce]

Module parts now properly named;

Dark Blue: TKS FGB Core
Green: TKS FGB Detail
Light Blue: Solar Panels
Black: P-C Docking
Yellow: TKS VA Capsule
Orange: TKS BSO
Purple: TKS SAS

---------- Post added at 22:59 ---------- Previous post was at 22:25 ----------

The green box above is the Rendevouz and Correction Engines (RCE), and the green cylinders are actually the fuel tanks.

Now I need to model the radiator panels that sit on top of the fuel tanks.

As seen in this flash graphic.

---------- Post added at 23:35 ---------- Previous post was at 22:59 ----------

Another texturing example:

 

[4throck]

Looks very nice! I'd apply some thermal blanket textures to it. Look at the Soyuz 7K add-on for textures, as they should look the same.
I'd add the "visual target" from the flash you linked as it might be useful for docking.

 

[Scruce]

Is the thermal blanket colours: BlankCovr.dds?

And I'm probably right in thinking I cannot use them.

---------- Post added 5th Nov 2011 at 00:00 ---------- Previous post was 4th Nov 2011 at 23:47 ----------

I'd add the "visual target" from the flash you linked as it might be useful for docking.

Yes, further details need to be added, the mesh is not complete yet.

In the meantine, all the orbital configurations of the TKS:

---------- Post added at 12:04 ---------- Previous post was at 00:00 ----------

Made huge progress in terms of Guidance and Control, as usual, changes are in red:

- Added Visual Target
- Added BSO Engines
- Added FGB RCS
- Added Docking Guidance Antennae
- Added FGB OC Engines

---------- Post added at 13:32 ---------- Previous post was at 12:04 ----------

Next question, did Kosmos 1686 have a BSO or a SAS?