Project G42-200 StarLiner

[Richy]

Of course would such a ship have a complete fully automated auto-pilot, capable in all sort of maneuvers. Like today spacecraft, and not only ascend and descend, also on orbit navigation and docking, I can imagine.

But would it be the same fun, to launch such a complex beauty to space and back, if your just sitting there and watch, and not mastering her by hand?

 

[SpongeBob]

I am surprised with the great progress you are doing here, Moach!Keep going :thumbup:
But i have 2 suggestions that you should consider...
Flaps/Slats:For lowering rotating take-off speed and lowering the stall speed.It takes long time to reach the rotate speed(roughly at the very end of runway).Also when gliding back to KSC, i almost stalled when i pitched my nose up for touchdown.
Drag chute:When you land with high speed or in the mid of runway, sometimes the wheel brakes aren't enough,so there should be a cockpit button to deploy the drag chute or automatically after you hold it for 10 seconds,its deployed,this should be a alternative to the retro thrust.So moach can use it for something else.

 

[squeaky024]

Drag chute:When you land with high speed or in the mid of runway

Landing mid runway would be your problem, you should land on the front end of the runway or try again. Also you have been using the canards right?

 

[Cras]

I used Universal Parachute to add a drag chute myself. Works nicely.

 

[n72.75]

I like it.

 

[Interceptor]

Hey Cras,can you please post your config for the G4,for the universal parachute addon.Thanks

 

[Cras]

Hey Cras,can you please post your config for the G4,for the universal parachute addon.Thanks

Here it is. Goes in Config/UNVParachute. Call the file G42-200 Starliner.cfg

The name is VERY important.

ChuteCount=1
Chute_1_OFS=0 5 -50
Chute_1_Mesh=ParachuteBack
Chute_1_DragCoef=30.5
Chute_1_Area=15
Chute_1_Type=drag
Chute_1_dir=0 0 -1

---------- Post added at 07:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:53 PM ----------

RCS autopilots, I totally agree with you . None are needed. In any ship, the most important is attitude control. Keep the ship under constant and steady attitude control. There is no need to code a new autopilot for that, we already have Attitude MFD.

I think an AutoFCS would always come in handy. Input something you want done, raise the orbit, lower the orbit, de-orbit, plane change, then the autopilot can develop a solution, and then you press EXEC and watch the burns. I say this because that is how space ships work. The commander does not sit in the left seat and uses a jetliner throttle to control the burns. You input the parameters into a computer, then monitor the computer while it does its thing.

I like to fly in orbiter as if I am in a space ship, not a B737. I like to use autopilots, use set burn times at set throttles, not feather the throttles to get the burn close, things like that.

 

[Moach]

for more advanced autopilot options, i figured i could use the console mounted FMC as a LUA terminal.... so you could load more intricate programs and sit back while the craft flies itself :hmm:

i'd probably go a little further than just have it as an MFD locked to the terminal screen.... i'd like to have something a little more involved - but not by much, really


but anyways, that's really not the kind of thing i'd wanna have hard-coded into the module... instead, i'll leave more complex automation features up to script - so you can even create your OWN programs and procedures if you want :thumbup:


addons for addons! - oh yes! now, THAT's the future :lol:

 

[jangofett287]

Actually, we have this already, Every UCGO cargo ever made is essentially an addon for an addon.

 

[Cras]

so are MFDs, right?

 

[Izack]

so are MFDs, right?

Not really, no. Only one degree of separation between the core and the MFD interface.

 

[ken1029]

bug with g42-200 wip 3: the starliner isnt going very fast, its maximum speed seems to be circling aroung 1.000k even at full throttle and ramcaster...whats wrong? even take off is slow..

 

[Grover]

theres a trick to flying this thing. 1k works out at mach 3 near the surface, so theres a good chance youre not high enough. trip up a little and make sure that you keep climbing:

on the central console, the right hand MFD (not an orbiter MFD, a G42 MFD) shows an ascent profile envelope graph, where your speed is on the X axis (how var right the vertical line is) and your altitude is on the y axis (how far up the horizontal line is). aim to keep the cross inside the envelope, and engage ramcasters at appropriate times (when the cross is in the circle, or possibly a LITTLE later if youre still getting good thrust)

the G-42 is a heavy bird, and flies like an airliner, so your speed is limited at low altitudes (the XR2 is limited very low below 3k ALT)

 

[Cras]

Grover has got it. Keep it in the envelope, and you will get into orbit no problem. Have done it many times with WIP 3. Not as efficent as I would like. Practice does make perfect, but you need to follow that graph for the best chance of success.

 

[EnDSchultz]

And don't time accelerate. I know it's tempting because the ascent in such a bird is a long process, but if you time accelerate your ascent profile is going to end up very sloppy and inefficient.

 

[Moach]

random screenshot time!

just to show that i've been up to a little more than sitting around these last few weeks


you can see the newly textured cargo bay - but i think what's really stealing the shot is the somewhat tampered 3d39 cloud shaders i've been experimenting with.... makes for an interesting LEO'scape, does it not?

 

[PrestonJames]

The cargo bay looks awesome. This is already my favorite ship in Orbiter, even in its present developmental state. Thank you for the G42.

An unrelated question, how did you get clouds with no seams?

 

[orb]

An unrelated question, how did you get clouds with no seams?

[BETA Release] for less 'pixely' clouds

 

[Luke Skywalker]

Okay, i want to read the documentation due to the insane number of buttons on the VC but when i open the doc, click on Flight Operations, it doesn't seem to load.

 

[Grover]

easy way to navigate the VC: Read the labels

have a quick sit-down with the VC and work out which switches to flip at each stage. and FYI, the flight op manual is on the first page of this thread if you need it

good luck!