OHM Skylab B missions 2 (SL7) and ATM B

[OrbitHangar]

Author: 4th rock

This add-on depicts the SL7 mission to the Skylab B space station.

The mission is composed of two parts:
 
• SL7A, a 7 day Apollo Telescope Mount activation and Apollo CSM change out flight;
• SL7B, an unmanned autonomous Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM B) flight that docks to Skylab B upper port (port 4).
 
The provided launch situations use the Saturn 1B rocket. Implementation is based on Velcro Saturns.

Venting was added to the “milkstand” pads to add atmosphere (SL5 and SL6 launch situations are updated to show this).

Pad positioning was also reviewed, and the “milkstand” flipped meshes (tower position was inverted) corrected. Recommended setup is using the default orbiter earth tiles.
 
The AMSO CSM has been configured as Apollo 9 (AS-504) in order to allow for EVA.

Required:

• Skylab B
• Skylab B missions (SL5 & SL6) and AMU v2
• AMSO
• Apollo Application Project: Alpha Rc #2
• 1B Milkstand for NASSP 6.4.2 is required for the Saturn 1B pad
• Spotl ight 2 is required for the pad night lights

DOWNLOAD

 

[Interceptor]

Thanks 4thRock,this looks great.

 

[4throck]

Hope it works OK.
It's growing in complexity and using multiple add-ons, so some things might have slipped.
There are a few more missions down the road that will be released as separate add-ons, after that I'll pack them into a single Skylab B add-on

 

[IronRain]

Looks great, I will check it out later this week

 

[orbitingpluto]

I've been enjoying these Skylab B addons, but I've ran into a problem with this one. I've found that one of the textures doesn't show up. It's atmb1.dds, and the screen shots attached below show how it looks in sim. It doesn't show up as a missing texture error in the Orbiter.log file, and I've checked and found atmb1.dds is where it should be. atmb1.dds is 2048x1008, and I've heard that textures that are non-square could cause problems on older graphics cards; I'm wondering if that's the case here.

**** Orbiter.log
Build Aug 30 2010 [v.100830]
Timer precision: 2.79365e-007 sec
Found 0 joystick(s)
Devices enumerated: 7
Devices accepted: 5
==> RGB Emulation
==> Direct3D HAL
==> Direct3D T&L HAL
==> Direct3D HAL (NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200)
==> Direct3D T&L HAL (NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200)
Module AtlantisConfig.dll .... [Build 100830, API 100830]
Module AtmConfig.dll ......... [Build 100830, API 100830]
Module DGConfigurator.dll .... [Build 100830, API 100830]
Module ScnEditor.dll ......... [Build 100830, API 100830]
Module Load.dll .............. [Build 110920, API 100830]
Module ScreenCapture.dll ..... [Build ******, API 060425]

**** Creating simulation session
DirectDraw interface OK
Direct3D interface OK
Graphics: Viewport: Fullscreen 1024 x 768 x 16
Graphics: Hardware T&L capability: Yes
Graphics: Z-buffer depth: 16 bit
Graphics: Active lights supported: 8
Loading 15382 records from star database
Module Sun.dll ............... [Build 100830, API 100830]
VSOP87(E) Sun: Precision 1e-006, Terms 554/6634
Module Mercury.dll ........... [Build 100830, API 100830]
VSOP87(B) Mercury: Precision 1e-005, Terms 167/7123
Module Venus.dll ............. [Build 100830, API 100830]
Module VenusAtm2006.dll ...... [Build 100830, API 100830]
VSOP87(B) Venus: Precision 1e-005, Terms 79/1710
Module Earth.dll ............. [Build 100830, API 100830]
Module EarthAtmJ71G.dll ...... [Build 100830, API 100830]
VSOP87(B) Earth: Precision 1e-008, Terms 2564/2564
Module Moon.dll .............. [Build 100830, API 100830]
ELP82: Precision 1e-005, Terms 116/829
Module Mars.dll .............. [Build 100830, API 100830]
Module MarsAtm2006.dll ....... [Build 100830, API 100830]
VSOP87(B) Mars: Precision 1e-005, Terms 405/6400
Module Phobos.dll ............ [Build ******, API 060425]
Module Deimos.dll ............ [Build ******, API 060425]
Module Galsat.dll ............ [Build 100217, API 100215]
Module Jupiter.dll ........... [Build 100830, API 100830]
VSOP87(B) Jupiter: Precision 1e-006, Terms 1624/3625
Module Io.dll ................ [Build 100217, API 100215]
Module Europa.dll ............ [Build 100217, API 100215]
Module Ganymede.dll .......... [Build 100217, API 100215]
Module Callisto.dll .......... [Build 100217, API 100215]
Module Satsat.dll ............ [Build 100215, API 100212]
Module Saturn.dll ............ [Build 100830, API 100830]
VSOP87(B) Saturn: Precision 1e-006, Terms 2904/6365
Module Mimas.dll ............. [Build 100215, API 100212]
SATSAT Mimas: Terms 113
Module Enceladus.dll ......... [Build 100215, API 100212]
SATSAT Enceladus: Terms 33
Module Tethys.dll ............ [Build 100215, API 100212]
SATSAT Tethys: Terms 101
Module Dione.dll ............. [Build 100215, API 100212]
SATSAT Dione: Terms 59
Module Rhea.dll .............. [Build 100215, API 100212]
SATSAT Rhea: Terms 68
Module Titan.dll ............. [Build 100215, API 100212]
SATSAT Titan: Terms 100
Module Iapetus.dll ........... [Build 100215, API 100212]
SATSAT Iapetus: Terms 605
Module Uranus.dll ............ [Build 100830, API 100830]
VSOP87(B) Uranus: Precision 1e-006, Terms 1827/5269
Module Miranda.dll ........... [Build ******, API 060425]
Module Ariel.dll ............. [Build ******, API 060425]
Module Umbriel.dll ........... [Build ******, API 060425]
Module Titania.dll ........... [Build ******, API 060425]
Module Oberon.dll ............ [Build ******, API 060425]
Module Neptune.dll ........... [Build 100830, API 100830]
VSOP87(B) Neptune: Precision 1e-006, Terms 391/2024
Finished initialising world
Module Spacecraft3.dll ....... [Build ******, API 060425]
---------------------------------------------------------------
>>> WARNING: Obsolete API function used: VESSEL::SetBankMomentScale
At least one active module is accessing an obsolete interface function.
Addons which rely on obsolete functions may not be compatible with
future versions of Orbiter.
---------------------------------------------------------------
**** WARNING: Mesh file name not provided
**** WARNING: Mesh file name not provided
Module CSM.dll ............... [Build 130612, API 100830]
---------------------------------------------------------------
>>> ERROR: Missing texture: AAPO\silvergray.dds
>>> [TextureManager::AcquireTexture | .\Texture.cpp | 750]
---------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------
>>> ERROR: Missing texture: CMtex\silvergray.dds
>>> [TextureManager::AcquireTexture | .\Texture.cpp | 750]
---------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------
>>> ERROR: Missing texture: DockingProbetex\silvergray.dds
>>> [TextureManager::AcquireTexture | .\Texture.cpp | 750]
---------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------
>>> ERROR: Missing texture: AAPO\white.dds
>>> [TextureManager::AcquireTexture | .\Texture.cpp | 750]
---------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------
>>> ERROR: Missing texture: AAPO\silvergray.dds
>>> [TextureManager::AcquireTexture | .\Texture.cpp | 750]
---------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------
>>> ERROR: Missing texture: AbortTowertex\silvergray.dds
>>> [TextureManager::AcquireTexture | .\Texture.cpp | 750]
---------------------------------------------------------------
Finished initialising status
Finished initialising camera
Finished initialising panels
Finished setting up render state
**** Fast process shutdown

 

[4throck]

Thanks, will look into that.

Indeed, all textures should standard size (128,256,512,1024,2048). No problem with 2048x1024 for example.
Strange that it actually works as it is on some configs.

 

[Loru]

Strange that it actually works as it is on some configs.

That depends on actual GPU/display drivers. Some of GPUs has capability of internally rescaling textures in realtime but that usually results in performance & resource loss (texture has to be uncompressed to perform scaling).

 

[4throck]

I've updated the add-on in OH. Download it again and it should work fine now.
Thanks again for noticing it!

 

[orbitingpluto]

The texture shows up now, thanks for the fix.

 

[orbitingpluto]

I've noticed two things that are odd about the ATM B cabin. The docking ports seem shifted a bit to one side, though looking at the configs it must be something else. You should be able to see it in the provided scenario "SL7B c - ATM B docked.scn", and in "SL7B b - ATM B station keeping.scn" after pressing J the the cabin will float away a bit, before docking and then moving sideways. Also, the VC by default looks upward, making it awkward to admire the view out the window.

I'm sure that whatever is putting the cabin off center, it could be fixed by simple adjusting the position of the docking ports to compensate. I would have gave it a shot fixing it that way myself, but other things came up and I lost the opportunity to do that tonight. Good luck with the VC, as I haven't a clue about tinkering with those.

 

[4throck]

Indeed. Thanks for your report.

The docking port on Skylab B is off.

As for the ATM B VC, the orientation is consistent with the windows.
If it was a manned spacecraft, you should have small docking window on the forward view. But since it is an unmanned craft, and only accessible to crew once docked to Skylab B, I considered that NASA didn't put it there. So for docking use the normal forward view.
Once docked, imagine that the astronauts go in for maintenance and to do earth observations. The window is nicely placed for that.

Yes, not that great in having to turn your head to look out, but SC3 and Orbiter have the view facing forward by default.
So it's not something that can be changed.

 

[orbitingpluto]

I didn't think to check if Skylab was the culprit with the top docking port, good catch on your part. I'll have to figure out apparent jump after jettison and docking on my machine, since I can't think of anything definite of the top of my head.

Anyway, I can live with the VC being a bit awkward. Since we're stuck looking that way though, I wonder if you do a version 2 you might mesh a docking window? Seems realistic enough to expect that the astronaut corps would raise a clamor to have one, even if higher-ups diligently clamped down on any suggestion of ATM B having a manned free-flight. Plus if the ATM B was originally spec'd out as for a lunar flight the window might easier to keep in than remove and blank over during it's change over to a telescope mount; even if it was cheap and easy to blank out, who is to say a few Grumman engineers and company VPs wouldn't go to bat for a free-flight just like the astronauts are? Some scientists might argue for it, but that depends on what the ATM B could see if it left Skylab B, which would take some figuring to do, way more than I want to do. Still the option is there for some support.

That all said, putting it in Orbiter is a different thing. I know I use the glass cockpit for docking duties, and aside from fun stuff like photo ops or sight seeing I wouldn't make use of a docking window much. You aren't getting paid for this, nor garnering as much worldwide acclaim as Grumman would have got, and it isn't like you have a meshed up version of the LM's ascent stage stashed somewhere, complete with a docking window to borrow. It's a fun hypothetical, but I don't expect you to make it.

 

[4throck]

I agree with you comments, but look at it this way:

Why make the ATM exactly like the LEM?
You can fly the LEM (you have AAPO and AMSO to choose from) and dock it to Skylab B (OK, pretend you have the right docking system).
That will give you a realistic LEM experience, complete with docking window and much more!

So I tried to make ATM B as different as possible. Therefore an unmanned vessel, but with a pressurized cabin that could be entered once docked (think of the Progress cargo ship).
Basicly I used my artistic licence and made the best of the assets I already had.

 

[4throck]

The docking port alignment is correct here: [ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=6433"]http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=6433[/ame]