Go Play in Space 2010 in work (and request)

[FlyingSinger]

Hello all,
I haven't been doing much with Orbiter because of the press of various life events this year, including my daughter's wedding in June and the acquisition of my company in October. The latter event has taken much more of my time! Crazy amount of work on top of an already busy job (but I'm thankful that I kept my job through an acquisition).

With limited spare time, I have only recently started to explore Orbiter 2010 and the P1 patch. Since my new company has a 2-week end of the year shutdown (in progress), I've decided to update "Go Play In Space" for Orbiter 2010. Mark Paton will be helping me update the Mars chapter and maybe some other stuff. Time is still limited, so I don't know how much new material will be added, but at least the instructions and screen shots will be accurate for Orbiter 2010.

I will also update the add-on chapter, and I found a helpful thread listing add-ons that work with the 2010 version (some as-is, some with updates). Not sure how much depth this chapter will have, but I do want to talk about AMSO which was not in the 2nd edition - among other things, including David413's great shuttle fleet and ISS fleet.

ONE REQUEST: For the cover of the third edition, I'd like to continue the theme of the first two covers (1st: EVA astronaut with shuttle, 2nd: EVA astronaut with ISS and CEV Orion). This time I'm hoping to have David's completed "fleet" ISS with the SpaceX Dragon (add-on by glider), maybe something like this: http://www.spacestation-alpha.com/pix/blog/100329_01.jpg (EVA astronaut would not be very realistic in this, but I'll probably do it anyway).

My request is for a scenario file that would set up this scene. It would involve adding the manned Dragon to an ISS fleet scenario with appropriate ISS version and docked Russian spacecraft, and positioning the SSRMS to grab (or appear to grab, not sure if Dragon model has a grappling point) the Dragon for berthing/docking. Plus a UMMU EVA astronaut.

If this works out for the cover, credit will of course be given for the scenario as well as for the add-ons used. I'm sure I could work this out myself, but it's a matter of time - lots of testing and editing needed to get GPIS updated (hoping for early 2011 release), and once work starts on Jan. 3 this will have to get less attention.

Thanks and happy holidays to all!

Bruce Irving

 

[Blacklight]

Request: A full tutorial for using the latest versions of IMFD or TransX to navigate from planet to planet. I'm having a lot of trouble with the tutorials that are out now because they're all outdated.

 

[FlyingSinger]

The plan is to use the latest IMFD version to plan a trip from Earth to Mars, updating or replacing the current Mars chapter which uses IMFD 4.2.1.

 

[JonnyBGoode]

Might be nice to add a chapter on re-entry?

 

[Fabri91]

Might be nice to add a chapter on re-entry?

That is what I think is most missed.
That chapter would not need to be done on a different ship that has a angle of attack autopilot, since using killrot it is possible to do a decent reentry also on spaceplanes that do not have one.

Thank you for this effort!

 

[n72.75]

Might be nice to add a chapter on re-entry?

Yes, reentry can be frustrating for new users.

 

[Rtyh-12]

Agreed. I still can't do a decent one-although I can't say I tried recently...

 

[JonnyBGoode]

Grover did a re-entry tutorial here. I haven't tried it yet, so I can't say how well it works, but it might help.

 

[FlyingSinger]

OK, I'll discuss this with Mark and consider doing something with re-entry. There may be no consensus, but I assume more would be interested in Earth re-entry (vs. say Mars which is also atmospheric entry). While there are common factors especially in setting up any re-entry, there are differences in the whole orbit-to-ground procedure for a maneuverable space plane (DG or DG IV) vs. a non-powered winged craft (shuttle) vs. a capsule (Apollo or similar). Space planes are cooler, but in the real world, we'll be seeing a lot of capsules the next few years. Any thoughts on this?

 

[dgatsoulis]

"Go and play in Space", was what really got me started on finding and reading as many books as i could find on orbital mechanics and the way the universe works.
Sure, i liked flight simulators, i was even good at them. But when it came to going into orbit, i didn't have a clue!
Your "manual" was a doorway to try and understand things that were just "too scientific" for me.
As a kid, i must confess that i liked explosions! I didn't know why i liked them, i just did! (Finding out later, that the whole universe was brought to being, by the BIGGEST explosion you could think of, was a relief! )
My VERY first PC game (when i was 11) was "FIGHTER BOMBER" by Activision. And before that, the first coin-up game that i really enjoyed and was "BomberJack"!
After discovering Orbiter and that it was based on "Neutonian Physics", i asked myself, "hey, if just the work of a brilliant man that lived 4 centuries ago, can get you to Uranus , what other "Physics" is out there?
In the journey ahead, i learned about Einstein's Gravitational Theory, and how Neuton's laws were just a sub-set of a "bigger" truth. I also found out that the elements in the periodic table (the same elements that make you - me - Earth - and almost everything else), were in fact, "cooked" in the hearts of stars, billions of years ago.
I also i learned a little bit of the mechanism that allows such interactions between the very small and the very big. (Quantum mechanics, can't say that i fully understand it, but i have to admit that i'm subjecting myself to as many videos and books i can get!)
So, to finish up my "thank you" note, THANK YOU! Thank you for opening up the door just a little bit, thank you for showing to many-many people how science can be fun, in an easy to comprehend way.
The title on the introduction section was right on! (the answer is: YES, i would like to fly in SPACE!)

 

[Tex]

{...}but I assume more would be interested in Earth re-entry (vs. say Mars which is also atmospheric entry).

Definitely Earth reentry, that is what the majority ask for help with here and once you can reenter on Earth one can try it on Mars with relatively easy success.

 

[FlyingSinger]

"Go and play in Space", was what really got me started on finding and reading as many books as i could find on orbital mechanics and the way the universe works.
[snip]
So, to finish up my "thank you" note, THANK YOU! Thank you for opening up the door just a little bit, thank you for showing to many-many people how science can be fun, in an easy to comprehend way.
The title on the introduction section was right on! (the answer is: YES, i would like to fly in SPACE!)

Well thank YOU for your 'thank you' - it's nice to hear. This was exactly why I wrote "Go Play In Space" in the first place - in the hopes that it might not only help people to learn and enjoy Martin's fantastic virtual space world, but that it might also open a new door for even a handful of people somewhere on our planet. Whether that new door inspires someone to study and work in physics, engineering, environmental studies (because Orbiter gave them a new view of Earth?), or something else, they (you!) might be the person who helps to solve some critical problem in the future. You never know! My study of physics and optics (with side trips to astronomy, aviation, Japanese, and a few other things) has helped me to have a good and interesting career and life. But as a technical professional concerned about the future, I think it's important to "give back" in some way - to try to teach and inspire the next generation, even in a small way.

OK, I'll get off the soapbox and just say "you're welcome."

-Bruce

 

[Ripley]

Grover did a re-entry tutorial here. I haven't tried it yet, so I can't say how well it works, but it might help.

It works WONDERS!!
:thumbup:

 

[Eihort]

No more comic sans.

And ditto earth re-entry.

 

[FlyingSinger]

No more COMIC SANS? That's my favorite font! I can't promise that, sorry. Maybe by the fourth edition.

Mark is indeed working on several re-entry cases that we will include, one for Mars to be used at the end of the updated "Mars Awaits" (IMFD 5.5) chapter, and a couple of Earth cases for a new chapter, including a winged vehicle and a capsule (specifics TBD, he's still testing different possibilities).

 

[Izack]

No more COMIC SANS? That's my favorite font! I can't promise that, sorry. Maybe by the fourth edition.

Isn't that everyone's favourite font? Especially for technical manuals and corporate presentations. :lol:

Mark is indeed working on several re-entry cases that we will include, one for Mars to be used at the end of the updated "Mars Awaits" (IMFD 5.5) chapter, and a couple of Earth cases for a new chapter, including a winged vehicle and a capsule (specifics TBD, he's still testing different possibilities).

That's great to hear! Thanks to both of you for putting such effort into this. GPIS is already a good painless entrance into Orbiter and outer space.

 

[bujin]

Grover did a re-entry tutorial here. I haven't tried it yet, so I can't say how well it works, but it might help.

Tried that last night. I've used the DGIV for re-entry a few times, but have always been hundreds of miles off target. Following that tutorial, I arrived exactly where I wanted to be at Cape Canaveral. Excellent tutorial!

Of course, I then crashed the DGIV on landing because my joystick doesn't work, so I was trying to land using the keyboard... :lol:

Looking forward to the next version of GPIS. I was clearing out my spare room yesterday and found the current version that I must have printed out two or three years ago. That'll come in handy as I'm just getting back into Orbiter.

 

[Carmen A]

Reading the re-entry guide makes me wonder - how did everyone master re-entry techniques before the advent of the de-orbiting and base alignment MFDs?

 

[Adelanthal]

Lots of experimentation and setting up as precise an orbit as possible. Worked out that if I'm flying at THIS altitude an orbit in a given craft, I need to burn when I'm THIS far from my target. And then pray.

 

[n122vu]

I for one will welcome any amount of tutorial covering capsule reentry. One aspect of Orbiter I have avoided simply because I don't understand how to do it "right." May sound silly to some, but that's why. I like to try to get an understanding of how it works before I go just trying it and seeing what happens.

Thanks again for your work on this, including the previous version. Was very instrumental in getting me interested in Orbiter!