Project Athena family

[PhantomCruiser]

After many false-starts I’ve decided to try a serious attempt to “build” my own add-on and have chosen the Athena family of rockets (I, II and the never built III), I may also try the COTS variant that was briefly considered, but that’d be after I’ve got the others figured out.

The problem I’m having is finding some good pictures of the individual sections of the rocket; I’ve sorted through countless pictures (usually the same ones) of the rocket sitting on the pad, and launches. But I need a view of the Orbit Adjust Module and the Second Stage Orbus.

I’ve got a pen and ink drawing that is pretty rudimentary. Based on what I’ve got the second stage doesn’t look difficult at all to model, but the OAM looks like an interstage from the picture.

I’ve seen the Athena II hosted on the ‘Hanger, but I’m really wanting to make this from scratch. My question is basically; Does anyone know of some “secret squirrel” location of archived pictures of this, or do I just need to use some creative license and try to make something pretty close (or best guess in my case).

Thanks in advance for ANY help you guys can give me.
And as always; hail

 

[PhantomCruiser]

Well, I was hopeing that someone had some pictures of some kind hidden away, but I'll just go with what I've found out so far...

While I was searching for info on the Orbit Adjust Module, I tinkered around with the COTS submission, so I'd thought I'd post what I made up. It's pretty much "just for looks" no textures yet, it's only a mesh. When it (they) finally does get textured, it'll be fictional, representing Phantom Astrogation Corp/Spectre Mining Company, rather than Lockheed/Martin, et al.

 

[aries197012]

There is also an older Athena 2 with Lunar Prospector on AVSIM.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

Groovy! I'll be off to AVSIM, any reference is good reference.
The first stage (and second) of the Athena I and II were really easy to model. But I'm more worried about textures. It's still some kind of voodoo for me right now.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

I got a break from the "honey-do" list today so I was able to work on this a bit. Still no textures, and I've got some details to add, but the Athena I is moving along, any progress is progress, right?



Also I've got the only picture of the Payload Adjust Module that I could locate, I belive this is the end that would attach to the second stage (Orbus).

http://www.orbiter-forum.com/gallery/data/568/Athena_I.jpg http://www.orbiter-forum.com/gallery/data/568/Athena_I.jpg

 

[Shadow Addict]

It's looking good! :thumbup:

 

[4throck]

Perhaps some of the pictures here might help:

http://www.capcomespace.net/dossiers/espace_privee/athena/athena.htm

 

[PhantomCruiser]

Thanks guys!

 

[Pablo49]

Looking good, man!

 

[PhantomCruiser]

After some creative cussing, I've managed to get pretty close to what I'm aiming for. I've still got to work on the engine bell, but here is a quick peek at the Athena stage 1.
I know, it's on it's side, I was just really happy to get it into Orbiter with the textures oriented and located where I wanted them.
I'll work on the engine bell tomorrow.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

It's tomorrow...
Didn't have enought time to import the fairing and next stage, but here is the first stage sitting on the pad at Wideawake (I'm calling it a fit-test). I managed to get the rocket flipped up to stand on it's tail.
I've started working on the config for it, and until I can figure out the C++ for a DLL, I'm going to write it as a multistage. Until next time.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

Here's an anim8tor view of what I've got so far... Still some work to do on the OAM. If the wifey will let me stay up late tonight I'll try a flight test via multistage.



After a bit of 3dstoMSH and some shipedit, I got things very close to where I want. I've still got some offsets to tweak, and write the guidance file. I still need to work on the mesh for the OAM (those tanks and whatever those ductwork looking things are).
Using the OAP for test launches got me to orbit in a hurry, but ballistic, rather than something the OAM could circularize. Still work to do, but too tired to work any more tonight.

 

[lennartsmit]

It looks really cool! Have you got any payloads for it?

 

[PhantomCruiser]

No payloads yet. I was thinking of adding the (of course). And I know there is a lunar prospecter available at the 'hanger. The Starshine should be pretty easy to model, but I'll add stuff as the wife will give me time.

I've got to get some sort of launch stand made too, but the 'honey-do' list usually comes first.

 

[padrat42]

I have some pics of Athena 1 and 2. Free patents are available for athena family oam and launch mount at http://www.freepatentsonline.com/

 

[PhantomCruiser]

Nice! And pretty much exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a bunch! I'll modify the ESBM, and work more on the OAM. First stage I was pretty close on, and with that pen and ink drawing I've got a pretty good idea for the launch mount and flame tunnel.
Now I just need the wife and kid to leave me alone...:rofl:

 

[PhantomCruiser]

Still tweaking the meshes, and I may want to do something different with the textures, but I'm getting closer to my goal. Every time I see it I want to change just a little here and there and I wind up spending hours at the computer...

Here's two of the latest pics...

 

[PhantomCruiser]

Once again late getting to bed. But here is the latest.
Athena II guidance file almost worked out.
Still need to tweak the offsets in the .ini file
More work on the meshes
Get the fairing to split in the right place
etc...



Before anyone mentions it... I know an Athena didn't launch the
I just figured I could use all the good karma that I can get.

FYI, this is the probe that can be found at the 'Hanger by C3PO. I started using it because the default blue box that comes with multistage just totally killed my vibe.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

There are times when I wish I was a kid again with no responsibilities, this 'honey-do' list is really cramping the development here....

Anyway, the story thus far...

Athena I - pretty much ready, having trouble getting her to make orbit. She leave the pad like a bat outta hell, but transistion over to a sustained orbit is eluding me. Tweaks to the guidance file giving me slow progress. I'll get it eventually (Athena I was only designed to lift 2200 lbs to LEO)

Athena II - As far as the rocket goes, she's just a -I with the second stage being another SR118 (same as the first stage). The added weight means she doesn't leave the pad nearly as fast as her smaller sister. Getting to LEO is pretty much a breeze but the guidance needs to be adjusted to leave her in a circular orbit (550 Km x 210 Km isn't what I wanted).

Athena III (never launched) - A -II with 2, 4 or 6 boosters. Got the boosters modeled, but as in real life, not flight tested yet.

Athena III (COTS version) As far as I've found, she was to be (essentially) an Athena I sitting atop a 2.5 segment Shuttle solid rocket motor. Planned to lift 6.5 tons (ish) to the ISS. Will probably NEVER be built, but this being Orbiter, here she is....



Not yet imported into Orbiter, but with the exception of some mesh-work still to be done, she's pretty much complete.
Any buyers?

 

[PhantomCruiser]

Real life gets in the way sometime, so developments have been slow going. But here is the only-exists-on-paper (and Orbiter) version of the Athena COTS.

The textures are nothing special, and the meshes are still pretty simple (cut me some slack please I'm a slow learner), but here she sits on the pad at AIA.



Essentially she's a conventional Athena I, but with a 2.5 segment version of the shuttle's SRB. She gets to 6 1/2 tons into orbit with no problem.

Still to do...
Textures, nothing complicated, just some graphics, maybe some stripes, a checkerboard or something on the interstages perhaps.
Tweak the guidance file to circularize close to the 300Km (or so), it may depend on what I'll be lifting.

I need to develop a few payloads, a supply module of some kind like the JAXA, a comsat maybe, perhaps a simple unmanned spaceplane? so long as it fits in the fairing.