[NASSP 8] Abort light

STS

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Messages
531
Reaction score
273
Points
78
Location
Vigo
Website
orbisondas.es
Hello all,

Is the Abort Light not working as of the latest release of NASSP 8? I can´t press it neither on the 2D panel or the VC to perform the Abort Light test at T - 2:40 (EDS Checkout & Countdown Test)

Best regards.
 

n72.75

Move slow and try not to break too much.
Orbiter Contributor
Addon Developer
Tutorial Publisher
Donator
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
2,687
Reaction score
1,337
Points
128
Location
Saco, ME
Website
mwhume.space
Preferred Pronouns
he/him
If I recall correctly, the abort "button", was discovered to be just a light, and not a button, so it was changed for accuracy.

Aborts are performed either automatically, or by means of rotating the THC.
 
  • Like
Reactions: STS

rcflyinghokie

LM Junky
Addon Developer
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
608
Reaction score
327
Points
78
Location
Colorado
The ABORT light is not a button actually, just a light. It is activated by the ground for crew verification that it lights with an abort command.
 
  • Like
Reactions: STS

STS

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Messages
531
Reaction score
273
Points
78
Location
Vigo
Website
orbisondas.es
Aha, just a light... Good to know!

I guess that in the future it could turn on at that particular time on the checklist?
 

rcflyinghokie

LM Junky
Addon Developer
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
608
Reaction score
327
Points
78
Location
Colorado
Aha, just a light... Good to know!

I guess that in the future it could turn on at that particular time on the checklist?
Yeah more interaction with GSE and other things on the launchpad are planned. It wouldn't be hard to implement but would be nicer instead of just flipping it on in code, it would be better to have it actually use abort logic.
 
  • Hailprobe
Reactions: STS

indy91

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
1,224
Reaction score
582
Points
128
There is a full EDS test that the astronauts go through with launch control, which happens between T-2h and T-1:30h. All the EDS lights and circuitry are tested in that time. Sadly we don't really have the procedures for the test, the AOH Volume 2 doesn't cover it and there seems to be no checklists for the astronauts for it. The best thing we have is some audio of it which can be heard in the background of one of the MOCR audio loops from Apollo 11.

There actually is already some code running that switches on some of the EDS lights, but it's only a very reduced version of the test:

T-1:55h: Abort light on for one minute.
T-1:53h: LV engine lights on for one minute.
T-1:52h: LV rate light on for one minute.

The LV rate light test doesn't seem to work though, I have to figure out why. One small project I will do in the future is figure out a good procedure for a full EDS test, implement it in the Checklist MFD and then run the code for doing the light show with all the EDS lights in the CSM. I don't really want to run the EDS test without having the full procedure in the Checklist MFD as the test resets and starts event and mission timers. Even the abort circuits are tested, although I think even if you do everything wrong in the CSM, an accidental pad abort would be inhibited.

The abort light can also be switched on with the telemetry client: https://github.com/orbiternassp/telemetryClient
 

GLS

Well-known member
Orbiter Contributor
Addon Developer
Joined
Mar 22, 2008
Messages
5,878
Reaction score
2,870
Points
188
Website
github.com
Some info about the Abort light in the Space Shuttle might be of value: the light was controlled from the onboard computers, under a signal from the Flight Director's console. On an abort situation, in addition to the CapCom call, the Flight Director would hit a button (or whatever it was) and command the light on, as a confirmation of the abort.
Interestingly, on the only (in-flight) abort, ATO on STS-51F, the "excitement" was so high that the Flight Director forgot to command the light on... :rolleyes:

A quick search indicates this was also the case with Apollo: https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/12/apollo-flight-controller-101-every-console-explained/4/
(see Flight console section)

With the Saturns having the EDS, it's possible that the light had 2 triggers (EDS or MCC), or maybe it was just for the EDS and there was another light for the MCC?
 

indy91

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
1,224
Reaction score
582
Points
128
Oh I think we understand the behavior of the light pretty well, it's well documented in the AOH and Systems Handbook. There is two sources for the light: up-data link (UDL) abort request and pad abort request/range safety S-IVB destruction arming. Each of these having redundant signals, power and light bulbs.

The UDL abort request is powered by the EDS, but doesn't otherwise use any EDS circuits or logic. I believe there are three sources that would send this abort request. Switches on the consoles of the launch director, the flight director and the FIDO. I've heard all of them being tested in the Apollo 11 MOCR audio during the EDS test.

The second signal comes from the IU, either from a "GSE pad abort request" signal, which is what also would have been tested during the EDS test, or it comes from a signal from the S-IVB, caused by the range safety officer arming the flight termination system.

In NASSP most of the relay logic for all this is implemented, but there is no flight termination system yet. The UDL abort request can be set with the telemetry client and the GSE abort request can be set in the mobile launcher code.
 

STS

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Messages
531
Reaction score
273
Points
78
Location
Vigo
Website
orbisondas.es
I also remember reading that for the Shuttle, FDO (and I think some other "important" controllers, maybe Booster?) could send an "Abort Request" signal to the FD console, so that he could confirm the abort and give the call via Capcom to the crew, and then confirm the abort. Then, once confirmed, as you said, the "Abort light" on the cabin would turn on.

If you remember SSM2007, they did an implementation of the abort light test during the prelaunch, but it was just a "lightshow".
 

Miriam

Active member
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
83
Reaction score
35
Points
33
When I remember right, the abort light gets tested during prelaunch already. Don't remember the exact time, but it gets turned on and off twice.
There were 3 MOCR positions which could send an abort request to the spacecraft directly: BOOSTER, FIDO, FLIGHT. All other flight controllers had to cue FLIGHT first, who'd then decide what to do.
KSC positions with abort request capability were the launch operations manager and the range safety officer. The LOM could do so only until the stack cleared the tower (hence the 'Tower clear!' call), the RSO did that indirectly: sending the MFCO (manual fuel cutoff) command to the booster resulted in an abort request when the EDS was armed.
 
Top