Project Crew Dragon Fram2 mission around Earth’s poles

[francisdrake]

As mentioned in the Crew Dragon thread, a private mission is planned to fly over the poles. The mission will be called Fram2, after the polar exploration ship Fram. The attached mission pack contains a launch and a polar fly-over scenario, showing southern polar lights.

Please let me know, if the aurora renders and what you think of the visuals.

This is a mission pack only. BrianJ's Crew Dragon 2022 and the Falcon9 are required.
Update-01: Added reddish Northern Lights over the North Pole.

 

[BrianJ]

Fabulous!
Looks really, really nice from orbit.
View out of the cupola......

Just great - thanks!

I had to make a couple of tweaks on the launch scenario( ASDS pos, booster EDL mode, strongback status).
(I know - I should document those scenario parameters - sorry!)

BEGIN_DESC
Launch "Endurance" on a Falcon9 into a polar orbit for the "Fram2" mission.
END_DESC

BEGIN_ENVIRONMENT
  System Sol
  Date MJD 60754.583681
  Context SpaceX
END_ENVIRONMENT

BEGIN_FOCUS
  Ship Falcon9
END_FOCUS

BEGIN_CAMERA
  TARGET Falcon9
  MODE Extern
  POS 3.970000 -164.338186 75.064897
  TRACKMODE Ground Earth
  GROUNDLOCATION -80.60364 28.60896 22.60
  FOV 60.00
END_CAMERA

BEGIN_HUD
  TYPE Surface
END_HUD

BEGIN_MFD Left
  TYPE Surface
  SPDMODE 1
END_MFD

BEGIN_MFD Right
  TYPE Map
  REF Earth
  POS 0.00 0.00
END_MFD

BEGIN_SHIPS
ISS:DM2/iss_dm2
  STATUS Orbiting Earth
  RPOS 105021.168 3204327.290 -5995765.448
  RVEL 4774.8096 5249.7774 2891.3925
  AROT -118.900 38.528 178.617
  VROT 0.0644 -0.0000 0.0000
  AFCMODE 7
  PRPLEVEL 0:1.000000
  IDS 0:588 100 1:586 100 2:584 100 3:582 100 4:580 100
  NAVFREQ 0 0
  XPDR 466
END
Endurance:DM2/dm2_capsule_cupola
  STATUS Landed Earth
  POS -80.5771995 28.5619578
  HEADING 23.64
  ALT 0.952
  AROT 57.776 -18.826 8.898
  ATTACHED 0:0,Falcon9
  AFCMODE 7
  PRPLEVEL 0:1.000000
  NAVFREQ 0 0
  HTCH 0 0.0000 0 0.0000 2 1.0000 0 0.0000
  PARA 2 1.0000 0.5000 0.0000 3 1.0000 0.0000 0
  TRGT 0 0 0
  PYLD 0 0 0.0000 0 0 0.0010 0 1000.0 0.0000 0.0000
  BEAC 0 0 0
  CVRS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
  CVRP 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
  RING 0.0000 -0.0000
  CABN 0
  MVRT 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
  MRVL 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
END
Falcon9:Falcon9R_V12\f9_v12_drg2
  STATUS Landed Earth
  POS -80.5771995 28.5619578
  HEADING 10.00
  ALT 41.199
  AROT 148.742 -8.484 -5.118
  ATTACHED 0:0,Strongback
  AFCMODE 7
  PRPLEVEL 0:1.000000 1:1.000000 2:1.000000
  NAVFREQ 0 0
  FAIRS 1
  SOST 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
  SOPR -1.55 200000.0 450000.0 23000.0 125000.0 OCISLY 1.5708
  LOTM 0 0 0 0 0.0000
  NOZL 0.0000 0
END
Strongback:Falcon9R_V12\lc39a_strongback_r
  STATUS Landed Earth
  POS -80.6041192 28.6082840
  HEADING 0.00
  ALT 21.500
  AROT 61.716 4.483 8.266
  AFCMODE 7
  PRPLEVEL 0:1.000000
  THLEVEL 0:1.000000
  NAVFREQ 0 0
  ANM 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
  STTS 3 0 2
  ARMVIS 0
END
OCISLY:Falcon9R_V12/barge
  STATUS Landed Earth
  POS -80.8340000 23.5160000
  HEADING 90.00
  ALT 0.335
  AROT 0.000 -80.834 66.484
  AFCMODE 7
  NAVFREQ 0 0
END
GoSearcher:GoSearcher\go_searcher
  STATUS Landed Earth
  POS -79.2500000 28.7000000
  HEADING 90.00
  ALT 0.018
  AROT 0.000 -79.250 61.300
  AFCMODE 7
  PRPLEVEL 0:1.000000
  NAVFREQ 0 0
  ANM 0.5000 0 0.0000
  PST 0.3914 0.1299 0 0
  FDK 0 0.000 8.488 -4.190 0.0000 0.0000 1.0000
END
END_SHIPS

Cheers,
Brian

 

[francisdrake]

Thanks for your input! I updated the mission pack to version 00a with your launch scenario.
I see, the barge is now a bit further away from the Cuban coast. That may improve international relations ...

 

[francisdrake]

Updated the download pack to version 01. Added a reddish Northern Light over the North Pole.

On the launch date: SpaceX says it will not before end of this year. But in winter the North Pole would be in permanent darkness.
So I chose the spring equinox on 20. March 2025 as launch date, which gives an even lighting of both poles.

 

[misha.physics]

How this northern lights are implemented in Orbiter?

 

[francisdrake]

They are a static textures on a very big, thin-walled cylinder. The texture was made quite transparent, to resemble the faint glow of the aurora.
Each cylinder is then the only object of a base, located at the pole, at 90° North or South. You can see them as Aurora_north or south at the upper and lower center of the map MFD.

 

[gamer19]

hi
I got this error

============================ ERROR: ===========================
Parse error from base definition file for Cape Canaveral: Block: TEXn: expected 3 values (*char, scalar, scalar)
[BaseObject:: ParseError | .\Baseobj.cpp | 184]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Parse error from base definition file for Cape Canaveral: Block: TEXn: expected 3 values (*char, scalar, scalar)
[BaseObject:: ParseError | .\Baseobj.cpp | 184]
===============================================================
000000.000: BaseObject: Parse error 2
000000.000: Module Moon.dll .............. [Build 160828, API 160828]
ELP82: Precision 1e-005, Terms 116/829

while loading "Fram2 approaching South Pole" mission
when I load "Fram2 launch to South Pole" everything seems fine
any idea ?

btw
got the same error while trying to load mission "Polaris Dawn launch 10 Sept 2024", from: https://www.orbiter-forum.com/threads/crew-dragon-2022.38043/page-12

 

[BrianJ]

hi
I got this error


while loading "Fram2 approaching South Pole" mission
when I load "Fram2 launch to South Pole" everything seems fine
any idea ?

btw
got the same error while trying to load mission "Polaris Dawn launch 10 Sept 2024", from: https://www.orbiter-forum.com/threads/crew-dragon-2022.38043/page-12

Hi,
looks like a bad object parameter in your Canaveral.cfg
Does it cause a CTD?
Note: If using "SpaceX LC-39A" add-on, there is also a Canaveral.cfg in Config/Earth/BaseSpaceX, also check if its installed correctly.
Cheers,
Brian

 

[gamer19]

Hi,
looks like a bad object parameter in your Canaveral.cfg
Does it cause a CTD?
Note: If using "SpaceX LC-39A" add-on, there is also a Canaveral.cfg in Config/Earth/BaseSpaceX, also check if its installed correctly.
Cheers,
Brian

thank you for your answer

yes, it cause a CTD every time. like I said, that first (launch) scenario loads fine so... not sure what's going on here. why is that one different ?

and btw, I've checked my Orbiter2016\Config folder - there's 19 different Canaveral.cfg files in that and other child folders !?!
not sure which one could be responsible for this problem

I do have SpaceX LC-39A and I believe that works fine. like I said LAUNCH scenario loads fine. the one which doesn't have launch does not

 

[Marg]

I just think, maybe don't get something - what about azimuth constraints, when launching from KSC? Wasn't it the case?

 

[GLS]

I just think, maybe don't get something - what about azimuth constraints, when launching from KSC? Wasn't it the case?

This is not in "polar orbit", but is instead at the same inclination as the ISS. In general, northbound from KSC you could get ~60º... it depends on what falls where, and if the rocket does a "dogleg" during ascent.

 

[Marg]

This is not in "polar orbit", but is instead at the same inclination as the ISS. In general, northbound from KSC you could get ~60º... it depends on what falls where, and if the rocket does a "dogleg" during ascent.

Hm, I know STS-36 made "dogleg" to reach 62 degrees... but here I just thought they are going for almost 90 degrees, but if it's less it is more understandable.

 

[DaveS]

This is not in "polar orbit", but is instead at the same inclination as the ISS. In general, northbound from KSC you could get ~60º... it depends on what falls where, and if the rocket does a "dogleg" during ascent.

Going north, maximum inclination from the Cape is 57°, STS-36 did a dog-leg after staging to head into a 62° inclination. Although, the Space Force have granted SpaceX a special permission to launch into south-bound trajectories from the Cape since 2020: https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/08/...-polar-orbit-mission-from-florida-in-decades/

 

[francisdrake]

I've checked my Orbiter2016\Config folder - there's 19 different Canaveral.cfg files in that ...

That does not sound right. There should only be one Config/Earth/Base/Canaveral.cfg
And - if the lc39a_spacex is installed - one in Config/Earth/BaseSpaceX/Canaveral.cfg
You might consider a clean re-install of Orbiter and then use a Mod-manager to activate and deactivate addons.
___
Launching into a polar orbit from the Cape is pretty sure going southwards.
Otherwise it would fly over dry land and populated areas.

A dogleg might be possible, to avoid Cubas airspace. This launch scenario - for simplicty - points directly South, crossing over Cuba.

 

[BrianJ]

Launching into a polar orbit from the Cape is pretty sure going southwards.
Otherwise it would fly over dry land and populated areas.

A dogleg might be possible, to avoid Cubas airspace. This launch scenario - for simplicty - points directly South, crossing over Cuba

I guess they'll do something similar to the previous polar launches...


But IIRC the booster returned to LZ-1 on those launches, and I don't think there is enough dV to do that with Dragon.
You can do a Flyback-EDL (rather just EDL) to ASDS somewhere between Bahamas and Cape Canaveral.
Start the launch targeting -70deg Inc. (place ASDS as recommended) and switch over to -88deg when the launcher crosses the coast. There's just enough fuel to go to 200km orbit.
Cheers,
Brian

 

[gamer19]

That does not sound right. There should only be one Config/Earth/Base/Canaveral.cfg
And - if the lc39a_spacex is installed - one in Config/Earth/BaseSpaceX/Canaveral.cfg
You might consider a clean re-install of Orbiter and then use a Mod-manager to activate and deactivate addons.

like I said, the other "Canaveral's" are in SUB (child) folders. for example in AMSO, 1962 folder (Canaveral_1962), SSU folder, SSV folder,...
but ok, they got nothing to do with this. I was just mention that there's not only one in my config folder. sorry for confusion.
my question was - why ONE scenario is working (launch) and the other (when ship is already in orbit) doesn't ?
why are those two scenarios different ? what one requires that other don't !?

 

[francisdrake]

Actually the launch scenario is more complex, requires more objects than the orbital scenarios.
Only other difference is the Helpscreen in the Orbiter launchpad. Maybe try the attached scenario.
It is the same as "Fram2 at South Pole", but with the Helpscreen commented out.

 

[gattispilot]

thank you for your answer

yes, it cause a CTD every time. like I said, that first (launch) scenario loads fine so... not sure what's going on here. why is that one different ?

and btw, I've checked my Orbiter2016\Config folder - there's 19 different Canaveral.cfg files in that and other child folders !?!
not sure which one could be responsible for this problem

I do have SpaceX LC-39A and I believe that works fine. like I said LAUNCH scenario loads fine. the one which doesn't have launch does not

CAn youpost the log when it CTDs

 

[gamer19]

I thought I did

but ok... I'll post another, complete one, as soon as I catch some time to play

 

[francisdrake]

Cheers to all polar bears in space and on the ground: Fram2 mission is live!

If you want to fly the polar mission yourself in Orbiter 2024, and enjoy the polar lights,
please set your graphics client to D3D7. Don't know why, but with D3D9 the Aurora textures
would be black and white only.