Project Mercury X

[Urwumpe]

Well, Gemini was actually flyable... Mercury was more "turnable" to the right orbital attitude ! The good thing is that I can reuse most of the knobs, screws and switches from Gemini.

I still print and read through the documentation about Mercury, but I am already sure that using any SSU code would be extremely stupid: The Mercury electronics work at much lower speeds, not even the discrete line model of SSU would be useful there. I started a libMercury for that one, that is designed for older analog tech as basic assumption.

The Earth 1962 scenarios would be incompatible in the X/2010 version - The Earth 1962 stuff was designed for Orbiter 2005, it didn't even get the various features of Orbiter 2006. If I already do a clean sheet, then also fix this one. Then I can also use attachments for stacking the capsules on the launcher and make the launchers completely independent of the capsule.

 

[IronRain]

just another tip: an idea to change the topic title? :thumbup:

 

[4throck]

...The Earth 1962 stuff was designed for Orbiter 2005, it didn't even get the various features of Orbiter 2006. ...

I was also thinking about that. How about using the date parameters on the planet definition (if I remember correctly) and simply define the necessary base version ?

Also, we can reuse the existing meshes for the pads, but this will force the user to download multiple add-ons on the right sequence in order to have all the files. Still, it's the correct way to handle authorship, in my opinion.

 

[Urwumpe]

I was also thinking about that. How about using the date parameters on the planet definition (if I remember correctly) and simply define the necessary base version ?

Exactly..context and MJD.

Also, we can reuse the existing meshes for the pads, but this will force the user to download multiple add-ons on the right sequence in order to have all the files. Still, it's the correct way to handle authorship, in my opinion.

No, all that is (L)GPL can be released again under the same license, if we don't use the same name.

 

[4throck]

Something like this ?

; === Surface Bases ===
; place additional bases or
; base directories in this list
BEGIN_SURFBASE
DIR Earth\NoBase PERIOD - 36204
DIR Earth\BaseMercury PERIOD 36204 38030
DIR Earth\Base PERIOD 38030 -
END_SURFBASE

 

[Urwumpe]

Yes - maybe with a "CONTEXT Mercury" line for additional buildings...

Too bad I can't find images of the old Mercury Control Center at KSC, i only have inside photographs and technical drawings of the consoles.

 

[4throck]

Here are just the main panel screws and some switches .

 

[Urwumpe]

Ok, update here: Meshes and the main masses can already be defined inside the configuration file, only need to get the positions of the Retropack straps right.

Next to be done are the animations of the vehicle, I also want to make it possible that the animation groups can be read from configuration file, so it is simpler to swap the meshes later.

 

[4throck]

I would be nice if the configuration files would allow to setup the capsule with just the escape tower (for beach abort) of with no retros (for Little Joe).

 

[statickid]

Perhaps you don't realize, but the original project Mercury actually was invisible, so really, the add-on is merely emulating the real project in the most complete sense.

 

[Urwumpe]

I would be nice if the configuration files would allow to setup the capsule with just the escape tower (for beach abort) of with no retros (for Little Joe).

Already done...almost. you would need to cut the retros, but that can be done. Currently the Mercury spacecraft (including LES) is one vehicle, that will get attached to what ever launcher you want to use. If the launcher supports the right generic messages, the instrument panel and abort system has an effect.

---------- Post added at 08:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:38 AM ----------

Perhaps you don't realize, but the original project Mercury actually was invisible, so really, the add-on is merely emulating the real project in the most complete sense.

Didn't see the problem being fixed.

 

[Urwumpe]

Update: Defining animations over entries in the configuration file works, the destabilizer flap groups and reference position can now be defined in the cfg, one step more towards making it possible to change the meshes easier.

 

[4throck]

Continuing to clean up and detail the main panel. I'll try to keep as much details from the base photo as possible, but I'm unsure about the hand made annotations. I'd like to keep the original lettering as that is really hard to simulate in a computer (the fonts never quite look the same).

 

[Urwumpe]

Looks nice that way - can you maybe increase the size a bit, so the bitmap is 1024 pixel high?

I still work on the escape rocket, after messing the afternoon with getting the basic electrical systems done.

Currently I have ESC for triggering a pilot abort, any objections to that? One experiment I want to do in the next work hours is if the "new" Menu feature can be used for implementing communication menus.

 

[Mantis]

Amazing! You guys are doing an heck of a good job with this. I can't wait to fly it! :tiphat:

 

[Albatros]

Mercury Control

Too bad I can't find images of the old Mercury Control Center at KSC, i only have inside photographs and technical drawings of the consoles.

I had looked around a bit. Not knowing how to insert a picture from my local system and also unable to insert it per http-ref using the build-in menu here is the link to them:
http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/search/s...t.y=13&submit=submit&keywords=Mercury+Control

All pictures are from the NASA: JSC Digital Image Collection.

View of the Mission Control Center at Cape Canaveral during the Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4) mission. Astronauts John Glenn (left) and L. Gordon Cooper (right) act as spacecraft communicators (CAPCOMS)

View of Mercury Control Center prior to the Mercury-Atlas 8 (MA-8) flight of the Sigma 7.

John A. Powers sits at the Public Affairs Officer console in Mercury Control Center, at Cape Canaveral, Florida during the 22-orbit mission of Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper Jr.

President John F. Kennedy being briefed on the operation of the Mercury Control Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida following the Mercury-Atlas 6 flight. MA-6 pilot John H. Glenn (partially obscured) conducts the tour. In the center to Glenn's left is Christopher C. Kraft, Jr., the MA-6 flight director and Chief of the Flight Operations Division at the Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston. Next to Kraft is Astronaut Alan R. Shepard Jr., pilot of the Mercury-Redstone 3 mission, the U.S. first manned space flight.

During the first orbit (see Friendship 7 spacecraft just leaving eastern Australia on World Map at front of room) Mercury control personnel were hard at work monitoring the spacecraft.

 

[Urwumpe]

Albatros: Yes, those images I already have, what I didn't yet have are images how it looked from outside, these was only a very short shot of it in the series "From the Earth to the Moon".

 

[4throck]

Urwumpe, how do you want the instrument needles ? A separate dds image with transparent background? Will the code handle rotations and such? Will you code it as vector shape? Another aproach would be to display a number on a small info window when the mouse is over a dial or readout. Flightsim used this system and it was very practical.

The same goes for the other switches, but for those I guess a graphic for each "on"/"off" position (or more if that's the case) will do.

 

[Urwumpe]

I would say, I draw the needles by Sketchpad, I don't know if I can also rotate the billboards for the same effect. Would maybe be a nice test to find out

 

[Albatros]

Albatros: Yes, those images I already have, what I didn't yet have are images how it looked from outside, these was only a very short shot of it in the series "From the Earth to the Moon".

OK, there is a whole picture-series. Most times only from the same view-angle, but nevertheless useful, i suppose:

http://mynasa.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/history/MCCgallery/gallery-index.html

If you are going to rebuild up the hole Mercury network, take a look at Nasa-Document 19660086649/Accsess-ID 66N86136, the Mecury final report:

http://naca.larc.nasa.gov/search.js...=all&Ntx=mode+matchall&Ns=HarvestDate%7c1&N=0

Maybe, that i can find something else...