Project Mars Landing Historical Sites - surface textures and static models

[4throck]

I'm working on Mars scenery improvements!
The idea is to add better surface textures and static lander models for historical sites.

Started with the Vikings ( NASA makes the lander models available):

Viking 1 site:


Viking 2 site:


Lander model:




Will add Pathfinder, Phoenix and Insight .

The landers are simple static VesselBuilder vessels. This way I can adjust mesh positioning, landing points and add a VC view.
And the user can simply edit the scenario to add or remove them as needed.

 

[Kyle]

Very nice to see Mars getting some love!

 

[N_Molson]

Good idea, don't forget a good layer of martian dust on those Viking landers, sitting there since the 70's

 

[Urwumpe]

Good idea, don't forget a good layer of martian dust on those Viking landers, sitting there since the 70's

Maybe dust devils blew it all away.

 

[MarkWatney2015]

Maybe dust devils blew it all away.

Just like Spirit and Opportunity

 

[4throck]

I'm converting straight from NASA so the models will look clean

3D Resources - NASA Science

The 3D Resources hub stores 3D models related to NASA's various missions. Some of these models are 3D printable! All of these assets are free to download and

nasa3d.arc.nasa.gov

For Spirit and Opportunity I'll place them at their final locations.

 

[Mojave]

I love this.

 

[MarkWatney2015]

The landers are simple static VesselBuilder vessels. This way I can adjust mesh positioning, landing points and add a VC view.
And the user can simply edit the scenario to add or remove them as needed.

At first I thought the landers will be coded as permanent base structures. Then I read this

 

[4throck]

It's best to have a single scenario with all the landers that the user can copy and edit, if needed.
This way it won't interfere with other addons.

If someone has or wants to contribute with meshes, be my guest!
Parachute and back shell locations are known and I can add them (the same for crashes)...
But I need meshes for these objects.

 

[gattispilot]

I will send you what I have for the rovers. Backshell, chute and skycranes

 

[barrygolden]

Super job my friend. Are the NASA 3D models able to be added to Orbiter easily and can they be made to deploy stuff

 

[4throck]

@gattispilot Thanks! I'll rename everything to avoid conflicts with other addons.
@barrygolden Static models only. But since they are based on VesselBuilder anyone can add features in the future.

 

[4throck]

Phoenix and Pathfinder landing sites. Quality is not as high as Viking. I can try to improve them later.
The first goal is to have the landers in the correct location and with correct scale. Refinements will come later





PS - For the sake of others with similar problems:

Orbiter always crashed to desktop on loading after I added bases and a scenario file.
The log showed nothing, and looking at the files didn't reveal any problems.

Eventually I traced the problem to large positive coordinates:
Instead of -125 68 (correct) I was using 234 68 (incorrect)