OHM Falcon9 for Orbiter2016

[francisdrake]

This may be a silly question:
Can I use the Falcon9 autopilot to launch southwards?

I would like to fly a south-easterly course from the Cape, along the coast of Cuba and then make a slight dogleg to the left.
This is to minimize the dV for the plane change maneuver required for a geostationary orbit.

 

[BrianJ]

This may be a silly question:
Can I use the Falcon9 autopilot to launch southwards?

Yes. Enter the required inclination as negative, it should use the southerly launch azimuth.
Brian

 

[ZacharyS41]

I did a fresh install of Orbiter 2016, and I'm attempting to run a scenario of Falcon 9 launching from SLC-40 with Zuma. It appears to be loading well, but then the program closes automatically with no error message. What is the problem?

BEGIN_DESC
Launch the Falcon 9 rocket and the Zuma mission into a low Earth orbit. The liftoff time is 01:00:00 UTC (8:00:00 PM EST on 7th).
END_DESC

BEGIN_ENVIRONMENT
System Sol
Date MJD 58126.03472222
CONTEXT SpaceX
END_ENVIRONMENT

BEGIN_FOCUS
Ship F9046
END_FOCUS

BEGIN_CAMERA
TARGET F9046
MODE Extern
POS 6.38 -0.80 -84.57
TRACKMODE TargetRelative
FOV 50.00
END_CAMERA

BEGIN_HUD
TYPE Surface
END_HUD

BEGIN_MFD Left
TYPE Surface
SPDMODE 1
END_MFD

BEGIN_MFD Right
TYPE Orbit
PROJ Ship
FRAME Ecliptic
REF Earth
END_MFD

BEGIN_SHIPS
Zuma:Falcon9R_V12/Payloads/Zuma
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.5771995 28.5619578
HEADING 23.64
ATTACHED 0:0,F9046
AFCMODE 7
NAVFREQ 0 0
XPDR 500
END
F9046:Falcon9R_V12/f9_v12
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.5771995 28.5619578
HEADING 10.00
ATTACHED 0:0,SLC40
AFCMODE 7
PRPLEVEL 0:1.000000 1:1.000000 2:1.000000
NAVFREQ 0 0
FAIRS 0
SOST 0 0 0 0 1
SOPR 0.8725774 200000.0 1000000.0 49285.0 125000.0 LZ1 1.5708
LOTM 01 00 00 1
END
SLC40:Falcon9R_V12/slc40r
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.5771995 28.5619578
HEADING 10.00
ALT -0.174
AROT 60.252 -5.396 8.311
AFCMODE 7
PRPLEVEL 0:1.000000
THLEVEL 0:1.000000
NAVFREQ 0 0
PST 0.0000 0.0000 0
TOWER 0 0.0000 1.0000
END
LZ1:Falcon9R_V12/landingpad
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.54302 28.485758
HEADING 180.00
AFCMODE 7
NAVFREQ 0 0
PADVIS 1
END
LZ2:Falcon9R_V12/landingpad
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.54502 28.487838
HEADING 180.00
AFCMODE 7
NAVFREQ 0 0
PADVIS 1
END
END_SHIPS

 

[ZacharyS41]

However, a different scenario of Falcon 9 launching Inmarsat-5 F4 from LC-39A works perfectly.

BEGIN_DESC
Launch the Falcon 9(ex) rocket and the Inmarsat-5 F4 (GX 4) satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. The liftoff time is 23:16:00 UTC (7:16:00 PM EDT).
END_DESC

BEGIN_ENVIRONMENT
System Sol
Date MJD 57873.9625
CONTEXT SpaceX
END_ENVIRONMENT

BEGIN_FOCUS
Ship F9035
END_FOCUS

BEGIN_CAMERA
TARGET F9035
MODE Extern
POS 6.38 -0.80 -84.57
TRACKMODE TargetRelative
FOV 50.00
END_CAMERA

BEGIN_HUD
TYPE Surface
END_HUD

BEGIN_MFD Left
TYPE Surface
SPDMODE 1
END_MFD

BEGIN_MFD Right
TYPE Orbit
PROJ Ship
FRAME Ecliptic
REF Earth
END_MFD

BEGIN_SHIPS
Inmarsat5F4:Falcon9R_V12/Payloads/Inmarsat5F4
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.6041192 28.608284
HEADING 23.64
ATTACHED 0:0,F9035
AFCMODE 7
PRPLEVEL 0:1.000000
NAVFREQ 0 0
SUNLOCK 0
AUTOATT 0
SPR 0 0.0000
SOLP 0 0.0000
END
F9035:Falcon9R_V12/f9_v12_expendable
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.6041192 28.608284
HEADING 0.00
ATTACHED 0:0,LC39A
AFCMODE 7
PRPLEVEL 0:1.000000 1:1.000000 2:1.000000
NAVFREQ 0 0
FAIRS 0
SOST 0 0 0 0 0
SOPR -0.0 200000.0 300000.0 0.0 125000.0 NULL 1.5708
LOTM 23 16 00 1
END
LC39A:Falcon9R_V12/lc39a_strongback_r
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.6041192 28.608284
HEADING 0.00
ALT 21.5
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
STTS 1 0
END
LZ1:Falcon9R_V12/landingpad
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.54302 28.485758
HEADING 180.00
AFCMODE 7
NAVFREQ 0 0
PADVIS 1
END
LZ2:Falcon9R_V12/landingpad
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.54502 28.487838
HEADING 180.00
AFCMODE 7
NAVFREQ 0 0
PADVIS 1
END
END_SHIPS

To be clear, all launch scenarios from 39A work while SLC-40 scenarios just close before the actual game begins.

 

[francisdrake]

What payload pack / mission package are you using?
I found the Zuma in "SpaceX Mission Package" but

- This is for the older Block4 -
Zuma:Falcon9_BLOCK4/Payloads/Zuma

- It is only the scenario file. A cfg file for the Zuma is also required.

 

[ZacharyS41]

What payload pack / mission package are you using?
I found the Zuma in "SpaceX Mission Package" but

- This is for the older Block4 -
Zuma:Falcon9_BLOCK4/Payloads/Zuma

- It is only the scenario file. A cfg file for the Zuma is also required.

I duplicated a TestSat config file (i.e. 6300_sat) in the vanilla Falcon 9 v1.2 addon pack, renamed it to Zuma (which is in the "Payloads" folder I created), and changed the mass to just over 1,100 kilograms.

 

[ZacharyS41]

I personally think it has to do with the SLC-40 config in the scenario file because if I changed the launch pad to 39A, the scenario runs great.

 

[francisdrake]

I made a Zuma sat, as you described, in a 'Payloads' folder.
Attached is the scenario. Runs without problems here.

 

[ZacharyS41]

The scenario you attached still isn't working.

However, I forgot to mention that I have the Falcon Heavy addon and I swapped the SLC-40 pad from the Falcon 9R V1.2 addon with the pad from the Falcon Heavy addon. It works great with the Falcon Heavy SLC-40 pad.

BEGIN_DESC
Launch the Falcon 9 rocket and the Zuma mission into a low Earth orbit. The liftoff time is 01:00:00 UTC (8:00:00 PM EST on 7th).
END_DESC

BEGIN_ENVIRONMENT
System Sol
Date MJD 58126.03472222
CONTEXT SpaceX
END_ENVIRONMENT

BEGIN_FOCUS
Ship F9046
END_FOCUS

BEGIN_CAMERA
TARGET F9046
MODE Extern
POS 6.38 -0.80 -84.57
TRACKMODE TargetRelative
FOV 50.00
END_CAMERA

BEGIN_HUD
TYPE Surface
END_HUD

BEGIN_MFD Left
TYPE Surface
SPDMODE 1
END_MFD

BEGIN_MFD Right
TYPE Orbit
PROJ Ship
FRAME Ecliptic
REF Earth
END_MFD

BEGIN_SHIPS
Zuma:Falcon9R_V12/Payloads/Zuma
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.5771995 28.5619578
HEADING 23.64
ATTACHED 0:0,F9046
AFCMODE 7
NAVFREQ 0 0
XPDR 500
END
F9046:Falcon9R_V12/f9_v12
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.5771995 28.5619578
HEADING 10.00
ATTACHED 0:0,SLC40
AFCMODE 7
PRPLEVEL 0:1.000000 1:1.000000 2:1.000000
NAVFREQ 0 0
FAIRS 0
SOST 0 0 0 0 1
SOPR 0.8725774 200000.0 1000000.0 49233.0 125000.0 LZ1 1.5708
LOTM 01 00 00 1
END
SLC40:FalconHeavy/slc40h
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.5771995 28.5619578
HEADING 10.00
ALT -0.174
AROT 60.252 -5.396 8.311
AFCMODE 7
PRPLEVEL 0:1.000000
THLEVEL 0:1.000000
NAVFREQ 0 0
PST 0.0000 0.0000 0
TOWER 0 0.0000 1.0000
END
LZ1:Falcon9R_V12/landingpad
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.54302 28.485758
HEADING 180.00
AFCMODE 7
NAVFREQ 0 0
PADVIS 1
END
LZ2:Falcon9R_V12/landingpad
STATUS Landed Earth
POS -80.54502 28.487838
HEADING 180.00
AFCMODE 7
NAVFREQ 0 0
PADVIS 1
END
END_SHIPS

To reiterate, I think something is wrong with the Falcon 9R V1.2 addon's SLC-40 pad. Can't tell if it's the new crew tower or some other miniscule detail. But the Falcon Heavy addon's SLC-40 pad works as a substitute.

 

[BrianJ]

Hi,

To reiterate, I think something is wrong with the Falcon 9R V1.2 addon's SLC-40 pad. Can't tell if it's the new crew tower or some other miniscule detail. But the Falcon Heavy addon's SLC-40 pad works as a substitute.

SLC40 is working as usual for me.

EDIT **************************************************************
Oh...wait a moment....there might be a mesh error on the new "crew tower" at SLC40.
"Isolated vertices" in the mesh can cause random problems.
It might be that. Back soon.

EDIT2
Had a check on the mesh - no isolated vertices but something is not quite right with one of the mesh groups, not sure what it is. In the meantime you might try my suggestions below.
**********************************************************************

I'd suggest:
1) Try one of the "Test" SLC40 scenarios that are included with the Falcon9 add-on.
2) Copy your "Zuma" scenario, remove the payload from the scenario, see if scenario works.

My first guess is its a payload attachment point definition problem.

If either test gives CTD, post scenario and orbiter.log

Cheers,
BrianJ