OHM Skylon C2 UCD 1.1

[OrbitHangar]

Author: axel

Skylon_C2 Spaceplane Update with Velcro-Rocketengine and UCargoDeck4

from Axel D. Thanks to Inzane for his permission to modify his Skylon Addon!
I made this to simulate the Skylon space vehicle using Sapacraft3.dll, Velcro-Rocket-Standard and UniversalCargoDeck4 to get the maximum simulation and fun stuff at this moment. This update represents the original Skylon-C2-config from Reaction Engines.
http://www.reaction engines.co.uk/

New in this version 1.1
-----------------------------------
Adds a docking port to Skylon_C2, especially for usage with the passenger module.

The features of the C2-update are:
-------------------------------------------------------
- only one vessel from ground to LEO and back
- seperate Sabremode and Rocketmode, rocketengine has a LH2/LOX Isp-curve
- Autopilot for rocketmode
- simple Payloadsystem by using UniversalCargoDeck4
- Payload capacity increased to 15 tonnes
- Sabre- and Rocket-thrust increased
- Personnel-Cabin has own RCS, is jettisonable (for emergency or replacement)

YOU NEED
Skylon Spaceplane
http: //www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4897
Spacecraft3 and multistage2 by Vinka
http://users.swing.be/vi nka/
UniversalcargoDeck4
http: //www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3262
Velcro-Rockets
http: //www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3388



DOWNLOAD

 

[Interceptor]

Thanks so much all involved on this,is there going to be any more future updates on this?

 

[Axel]

Yes i think so, Inzane has to check whether i did right with changing the aerodynamics, because C2 is bigger than older C1.
And maybe there comes a scaled up version of it, its still the old C1-mesh. And if Reaction Engines changes the Config again, i will do it again too. And there is a small bug, i cant open the air intakes from sabre. It would be nice when Inzane could impelement this as anim to the mesh.
But at moment it fulfills most of my aims. This is only an intermediate step until we get a right DLL version from somebody, hopefully with all the features implemented from me now and more :thumbup:.

But my version has ofcourse advantages too, everbody with some experience can simple edit the ship.
I try to learn more about UCGO and Ummu support, because i know nearly nothing about it, that would be nice to have too. But i guess you can add UCGO cargos by CargoDeck4.
If somebody is experienced with it, he can add this features please and write it here!

 

[Interceptor]

Sounds great ,looking foward to your progress.Thanks

 

[Inzane]

@Axel
This is very nice!:thumbup:

Thank you for making this awesome modification to my addon!
Now it is a true SSTO vehicle that I could only dream of without your help.
:tiphat:

I like that you made it into a Skylon C2
I wanted to make a C2 mesh, but i couldn't find good enough pictures of it.
The mesh I made is an accurate copy of a picture at the reaction engines site with show the C1 directly from the side and above, from the front and rear at the same scale, but I could not find such a picture of the C2.
I can try to scale the model up, but i don't like guessing. without a scaled picture like i the C1 i found, it will be hard to do an accurate remodeling. The scaling is not 1.08 in all directions like the length and wingspan.

The Spacecraft is very smooth to fly with more powerful Sabre engines, and it is very a stable vehicle. I noticed that you have scaled the aspect ratio of the horizontal and vertical airfoil, but this is dimensionless parameter's which describes the airfoil shape, not the size. The same can be said about wave drag and drag coefficient. But the changes you did in these parameters is not very high so it is not a problem. (You did in fact not change the drag coefficients, but i was just saying that they are dimensionless too)

I noticed a small error in the gear deployment\retraction code. The inner hatches opens at different times, but this is my mistake. The left inner hatch has the correct sequence.

By the way it is really good to use remote vessel control for the rocketstage.


I was without any changes able to open and close the air intakes on your Skylon.
Left shift and NUMPAD key 1 should do that.(Numlock must be deactivated)
You should try the airbrake too i you haven't. (Key 2)

If you edit the line:
SEQ 5 -2 0.000000 in your scenario to
SEQ 5 -2 1.000000 the air intake will be open at the beginning of the scanario

 

[Dambuster]

Just to say, I think it might be good if a link to Reaction Engines' website were put in the addon description.

Very nice work with the addon!

 

[Axel]

@Inzane
Im happy that you are happy . Thank you for your helpfull answers!
The C2-Mesh you asked, you can see it at REL webside as standard Skylon, with the shorter wings. The Skylon C1 had longer and thinner wings. Both Skylons you can see there, some pictures showing the one some the other.
So your mesh is the Skylon C2! You have only to change the logo on heck from C1 to C2 and check the length. I found my dates about C2 at the Skyon User's manual at this side. There you can read this:
"C2 has been mostly created by a direct scaling of C1, with the mass scaled by 1.25 and linear dimensions scaled by 1.08. One area in which the C2 is not a direct scaling of C1 is the payload bay interfaces."

I putted the both configurations in my addon Doc, so you can check your mesh. And i edited my spacecraft3 config; i changed back the aspect ratio of the horizontal and vertical airfoil and wave drag to your original values.

@Dambuster
Thanks too, i putted a link to REL in the addon description.

I updated the addon to orbithangar with new aerodynamic parameters and scenario-fix of the air intakes.

 

[korolevspace]

Re: Skylon c2 scenario problems

Hi. I downloaded the addon for Orbiter 100830 and I already have the required addons in already. I don't see the listed Skylon C2 Velcro addons, but the addon folders, Config, Doc, Meshes, and Scenarios, are contained in the "Skylon C2 Velcro" folder and unlike other addons where those four folders are already listed out on the .zip file. I then tried to move the scenarios to the scenario folder: It displayed an error message ("Terminating after critical error. See Orbiter.log for details") immediately after where I launched the scenario. I then tried to manually drag the four folders (after I extracted into Orbiter 100830) into the correct Config, Doc, Meshes, and Scenarios folders respectively in the Orbiter 100830 package. I haven't tried it yet, maybe it works... we'll see.

Reply to this thread as soon as possible.

Thanks

korolevspace

P.S. I already began to fly an ISS mission on the original Skylon C1 configuration before this addon was released but after the Skylon spaceplane was released.

 

[Axel]

@Korolevspace
"I haven't tried it yet, maybe it works... we'll see. "

:lol: what should i answer to this? Try it and it will work like at the 186 other orbinauts whose downloaded it until now.
But you are right, i should reconfig the file structure, but i know alot other addons which are same structured.

 

[Interceptor]

Hey,Axel I tried this with all the needed addons but,when I try to takeoff down the runway the skylonC2 velcro bogs down,and wobbles,and acts if it has it's brakes are on,so basically it won't get out of it's own way.Help please.Thanks:shrug:

 

[korolevspace]

Re: Skylon velcro cannot takeoff

Hi everyone!

I haven't been posting for months but the new Skylon Velcro cannot take off on its own (on Orbiter 100830). The textures are all fine, the aerosurfaces working and RCS working, but when I increased the engine power on the ground, the craft starts to move but it then decelerates to zero speed and shakes violently, even with full throttle. I believe I downloaded it correctly, but I don't know if other users of this addon have such problems. The scenario error I posted previously does not occur anymore however.

korolevspace

P.S. I will be looking forward to other great new addons!

 

[Axel]

@Interceptor and korolevspace
Sorry for my late answer. You have problems to get the Skylon air burn right?
Simply deploy and retract the landing gear by pressing "G" two times.
Thats a small bug/limitation of Orbiter and no error of my addon or Inzanes original Skylon version 1.0. Its a simulation problem in relation to the used gfx setting of orbiter and the system. Its well known, that orbiter simulation runs better and more accurate WITHOUT option "Vsync".

In my manual file you can read about this error too, Orbinauts alltimes should read a manual before they test a new addon at first time:thumbup: !!!
I repeat it here :

"Skylon_C2 accelerates with sabre-engines at my system only in windowed orbiter mode. You can solve this problem in fullscreenmode when you open the orbiter menu in the scenario by pressing "F4". You can close it when Skylon is in the air. "

This should help, this error i had only under the older windows xp 32. Since i use windows 7 all runs fine, Skylon starts in windowed mode, normal screen mode with and without orbiter menu activated.

 

[korolevspace]

Thanks!

Thanks so much, axel! It really helped.

 

[romanasul]

For me it just doesn't want to take off. It's as if the brakes are applied. It will only move if i fire both the rocket mode and sabre modes at the same time.

 

[Interceptor]

Nice job Axel,this version far surpasses the last one,thanks for making this.

 

[Frost]

ISP Suggestion

I thought would would want a more accurate ISP if the two vessels can be different. Remember the LOX tanks are not for jet mode, however a later version could do with a scramjet instead of rockets.

Skylon Specs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylon_(spacecraft)#Specifications_.28Skylon_C2.29

Data from the Skylon User Manual[35]

General characteristics

Crew: None, remote controlled from ground
Capacity: Potential for up to 30 passengers (in a special passenger module)
Payload: 15,000 kg (33,000 lb)
Length: 83.3 m (273 ft)
Wingspan: 25.4 m (82 ft)
Height: ()
Empty weight: 53,000 kg (120,000 lb)
Loaded weight: 345,000 kg (760,000 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × SABRE synergistic combined cycle jet engine, 1,350 kN (300,000 lbf) each

Performance

Maximum speed: Orbital (airbreathing Mach 5.5)
Service ceiling: 26,000 m air breathing, >200 km exoatmospheric (85,000 ft air breathing, >124 mi exoatmospheric)
Thrust/weight: ~1.2 – 3 at burnout (~0.768 atmospheric)
Fuselage diameter: 6.75 m (22.15 ft)
Specific impulse: 3500 s (35 kN·s/kg) atmospheric, 450 s (4.5 kN·s/kg) exoatmospheric[35]
SABRE engine thrust/weight ratio: up to 14 atmospheric

 

[Ares]

a later version could do with a scramjet instead of rockets

Nice idea but the problem with a scramjet is that they cannot start from rest whereas Skylon can.

 

[Frost]

Nice idea but the problem with a scramjet is that they cannot start from rest whereas Skylon can.

It seems I'm the only one who's really figured it out. The SABRE engine is great for getting up to Mach 5, and a the X-43 can hit Mach 10 without LOX and without cooling. Combined the two systems and the only rocket you will need is the OMS. The two systems are perfect together. Heck! J-58 rams can get up to Mach 3 and that's all you need for sc-ram.

 

[Interceptor]

Hey Axel,are the landing gear covers,and wells suppose to be green?,or,am I missing something,BTW this is a great addon,I use it all the time Thanks

 

[Michkov]

Help, I cant get Skylon to move. I'm standing on the runway engines on full thrust but no movement.

I played around with every graphic setting after reading the manual and this thread nothing changes the behaviour. I had the addon working previously, the only thing different now is the graphic client I use. D3D9R7 instead of R4 I think. Any ideas how to get the bird off the ground?