Project TKS for Salyut Missions

[andqui]

I am putting together a bunch of historical spaceflight scenarios for orbiter, and I need to recreate the TKS to be docked with Salyut 6 and 7. My experience is limited to editing cfg and scenario files, I have not created a new vessel yet. I am only just starting to learn CAD and am nowhere near good at it yet, so I figured a good first project would be to take a old very old TKS addon on AVSIM from way back in 2002(!), and reuse the meshes to create an updated vessel with Spacecraft/Multistage. I need some help with understanding some of the configuration options, and also to find technical data for the craft performance. Part 1 of the project is to get the 3D meshes working as a static prop docked to stations. Part 2 is seeing if I can turn them into working spacecraft.

The TKS consists of two parts, the FGB (cargo/propulsion block) and the VA (crew return capsule)

Technical data: I don't speak or read Russian, so I've been having trouble. Here's what I have so far:

TKS Spacecraft (FGB + VA):
21620 kg at launch
17570 kg in orbit

FGB:
3822 kg fuel
2 x main engines providing 7840 N thrust
Isp 291

VA:
~7300 kg at launch including LES
4800 kg in orbit (as far as I can gather the only thing missing in orbit was LES, and I doubt that the LES was 2500 kg)
3800 kg on landing
Unknown thrust/firing time of de-orbit retro rockets

I made a new Spacecraft4 config for the FGB stage, set up a docking port for it, and here it is in orbit docked to MajorTom's Salyut 6:

The model is a bit simple by today's standards but is way way better than anything I could do.

1) If anyone has better technical info, especially the weights of the different components/stages, please do let me know

2) In the spacecraft configuration file, how do I go about calculating an approximate value for the PMI/COG/cross-sectional areas, and other such technical details?

3) How would this have been packed into a proton rocket? Any diagrams/pictures for creating a launch-able payload?

 

[Urwumpe]

I think the most important feature to know about how it was packed on a Proton is "Upside down". All TKS family spacecraft are launched inverted and rotated by 180°. That ruined the first Energia mission back then, when the huge payload based on a TKS spacecraft failed to stop rotating.

 

[4throck]

Looks nice, the basic mesh is not a problem. You can always swap it latter for something better.
What matters the most is correct configuration and realistic scenarios

I suggest you implement your vessel using VesselBuilder:
https://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=40517&highlight=vessel+builder

It does more than SC4 (lights, cameras, reconfiguration, etc, etc) and is Orbiter 2016 compatible.


Shipedit (on Orbiter's SDK) calculates Volume, Center of mass, Cross sections and Inertia tensor from a mesh.

 

[andqui]

Looks nice, the basic mesh is not a problem. You
I suggest you implement your vessel using VesselBuilder:
https://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=40517&highlight=vessel+builder

It does more than SC4 (lights, cameras, reconfiguration, etc, etc) and is Orbiter 2016 compatible.

But will the resulting ships work in Orbiter 2010 as well? Because that is where all my scenarios are made for now, because that's what all the vast majority of historical addons are made for. Will a vessel made with SC4 in orbiter 2010 work in 2016 as well?

Shipedit (on Orbiter's SDK) calculates Volume, Center of mass, Cross sections and Inertia tensor from a mesh.

Thank you, I will try it.

Again, if anyone can help clarify weights and performance I'd be very grateful.

 

[4throck]

I thought you were using 2016.

SC4 works in 2016 with some problems on jettison and major problems if landed.
But for orbital stuff it mostly works. That's why I tought you were using it in 2016.

VesselBuilder is 2016 only.


I don't have any numbers for performance. Just try the numbers you have and see it they work

 

[Gargantua2024]

I made a new Spacecraft4 config for the FGB stage, set up a docking port for it, and here it is in orbit docked to MajorTom's Salyut 6:

I remember one time there's a separate Salyut 7 addon on OHM, but it has since been deleted for some reason

Salyut 6 and Salyut 7 had different color schemes (and different solar array configurations as well)

---------- Post added at 12:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:30 AM ----------

3) How would this have been packed into a proton rocket? Any diagrams/pictures for creating a launch-able payload?

Since the Mir's expansion modules and the ISS's Zarya and Nauka modules are TKS-derived, you can use their launch configurations as your basis to launch a TKS spacecraft onto a Proton rocket

 

[Gargantua2024]

Found an image of a Proton-TKS on Encyclopedia Astronautica:
http://www.astronautix.com/t/tksva.html

 

[Jeremyxxx]

It would be awesome to simulate the TKS spacecraft on Orbiter!