Orbiter Spaceport

VS-40 SARA

2011-12-15T23:41:00.001Z

I'm working on a model of the "Foguete Suborbital VS-40", a Brazilian sounding rocket. I'm trying to simulate the SARA - Satélite de Reentrada Atmosférica suborbital mission. Don't know how much detail I'll go into, but it is looking great. It's a nice simple 2 stage rocket. but the payload must have RCS and parachutes. Also, the recovery operations might be nice to do, if I have enought time for it.
For now, I'll stick to the VS-40 and an updated Alcantara base.

Space Station Freedom interior resources

2011-07-26T23:46:00.005+01:00

Although the project was canceled and evolved into the ISS, at least some mock-ups and trainers were built. Being the late 1980's not much reference photos exist on the web.
I'm posting the all the images I could find for the convenience of having them together at a single place. This way the general layout of the station can be understood. Some of the solutions found their way into the ISS, others didn't. On general the station seems bigger and the concept would make a nice virtual cockpit for a "alternate history" simulation.

Mock-ups:

The four long modules running left to right contain the three laboratories and the habitability area. Between these are connecting capsules, and at far right can be seen the station commander's observation cupola. The colored spheres in the foreground assembly are gas containers, with oxygen, nitrogen and other gases for experimental use.

A variation of the above arrangement

1989 mock-up with American, European, and Japanese modules

Nodes:

A node viewed from the living quarters.

Connecting node airlocks.

Living quarters / Habitation module:

Living quarters showing the shower, washroom and toilet

Habitation module. The table can be folded away to save space.

Habitability module.

Habitability Module, portable workstation

Habitability module, dining area

Habitability Module, entrances to the individual crew compartments.

Individual crew compartment

Wardroom

Lavatory compartment

Health maintenance facility with pulse measurements and an X-ray displayed on the monitor screens

Health maintenance facility with pulse measurements displayed on a monitor screen.

Health maintenance facilty

This is a view of the exercise area showing a modified exercise bicycle and a treadmill

Docking port:

Near the docking port (grey door at left). On the wall are two portholes (with sun shades) and a large-screen video terminal.

Laboratory module:

Laboratory module, 1987.

Laboratory Module

Columbus module:

Columbus module

Alternate crew module proposals:

Power Tower Station: McDonnell-Douglas crew module mockup 1985.

Power Tower Station: Rockwell's crew module.

Simulators:

Space Station Simulator - 1986

Observation cupola.

Sources: http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and http://www.friends-partners.org/partners/mwade/index.htm

3D views of the LOK panels

2011-07-25T15:00:00.001+01:00

Here are some 3D renderings of the LOK panels. Hopefully, these will go into a L1-N3 addon for Orbiter Simulator :)

Soyuz 7K-LOK panel

2011-07-12T23:38:00.004+01:00

Here are some cleaned up versions of the LOK main panels. This spacecraft was planed as part of the Soviet moon landing program N1-L3.

Orbital module panel

Left part of reentry module panel

Right part of reentry module panel

Buran cockpit resources

2011-04-14T18:19:00.000+01:00

Some resources documenting the layout of Buran cockpit instruments and panels. All photos are from the indicated sites:

Cockpit mock-up, Central House of Aviation - http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/modl_buran.html

Cockpit instruments, Technik Museum Speyer - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BURAN_Cockpit-Instrumente_0,_Gesamtansicht.jpg

Vadim Lukashevich, http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/11/rare-photos-of-russian-buran-space.html

I'll add more images as I find them and hope to organize them by vehicle, mock-up or simulator.

Soyuz 7K in Orbiter SpaceFlight Simulator

2011-03-13T22:43:00.004Z

Some images from the almost complete Soyuz 7K add-on for Orbiter! In this flight the 7K-T-AF version was simulated.

Ultra probe cockpit

2010-11-08T23:43:00.002Z

I'm working on a virtual cockpit for the Space:1999 Ultra Probe.

Textures from my Eagle cockpit are being reused because screenshots from the series are not clear enough to detail all the panels.

Moonbase Alpha simulation

2010-10-30T17:53:00.001+01:00

A new Moonbase Alpha implementation for Orbiter Simulator has been released. It features my Eagle virtual cockpit and Main Mission interior mesh, reachable by travel car. I hadn't blogged about before, so here are two images of it, on it's original form. On the add-on, the desks were changed for a latter model.

Here's the description an link:

"A re-envisioned add-on for Orbiter 2010 that faithfully recreates the world of Space: 1999. Displacement booths, Transporter utility, UCGO, and UMmu allow a new level of immersion. In this iteration, previously static structures are modeled as vessels, allowing the Orbinaut to interact with the environment."

http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4916

Soyuz 7K panel

2010-10-30T17:08:00.007+01:00

Here's something I'm working on for a Soyuz 7K simulation:

It's a Sirius IDS panel texture for a virtual cockpit. It will not be functional but both the CRT display and the periscope will show standard Orbiter Simulator MFD displays.

Suisei & Sakigake for Orbiter 2010

2010-07-02T14:17:00.000+01:00

My Suisei and Sakigake probe models are released as part of an addon for Orbiter Space Flight Simulator.
Get it from Orbiter hangar using this link: http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4696

"Suisei & Sakigake - Halley Armada Pt.1

by Jupiter, 4thRock, BrianJ

Two Japanese spacecraft launched in 1985 as part of the international fleet of vessels sent to study Comet Halley during 1986. Launched in January and August from Kagoshima on the solid-fuel M-3IIS rocket, the extended missions for these probes included the possibility of flybys of two other comets via Earth gravity assists.

Add-on includes: Suisei & Sakigake spacecraft, M-3IIS launcher, Kagoshima launch pad, launch and rendezvous scenarios, flight notes, comets 1P_Halley, 21P_GiacobiniZinner, 26P_GriggSkjellerup, 45P_HMP (HondaMrkosPajdusakova)."

Vostok panels

2010-05-09T13:45:00.001+01:00

I've more or less completed the Vostok panels. The main panel is reasonably accurate, but the side panel is still very rough. Without better reference images it will be hard to do.

Columbus Manned-Tended Free Flyer (MTFF) - v1

2010-04-14T15:56:00.000+01:00

MTFF addon by 4throck for Orbiter Space Flight Simulator

This add-on is based on the final MTFF proposals and illustrations, and on the related hardware that was actually built and flown.

It features a single docking port at the front, a pressurized module (with a virtual cockpit based on Spacelab) and a power and propulsion module based on the Eureca platform. I’ve tried to approximate the Radio-frequency Ion Thruster Assembly (RITA) used for orbit raising and station keeping, so maneuvers will be very slow. Nevertheless I’ve added weak RCS jets to simplify docking procedures.

On general this add-on is designed to test the concept of a space station with a VC. It’s recommended to use CameraMDF and simulate external views on the module’s interior display screens. Also, there’s a small view port that can be visited using Firstperson module, for example.

Included scenarios feature the MTFF in orbit and docked to the Space Shuttle, Hermes and ISS.

Background on the Man-Tended Free Flying platform

The Man-Tended Free Flying platform (MTFF) is used for sensitive microgravity research while satisfying European needs for an autonomous manned space platform.

Unlike the European Columbus module for the US Space Station Freedom, the MTFF station would not be permanently occupied, but only visited by astronauts every six months. As such, MTFF would be well-suited for then commercially promising microgravity research, which requires an environment free of even slightest disturbances, which astronauts onboard certainly cause.

Launched into the same orbital inclination as ISS, it can be reached by the NASA Space Shuttles and dock with the ISS. The main servicing vehicle is the European Hermes shuttle.

Initially the ESA Columbus program included three flight configurations: a Man-tended Free-Flyer (MTFF) element serviced by the Hermes shuttle and flying periodically to the station for maintenance and reconfiguration, an Attached Pressurized Module (APM), and a Polar Platform (PPF). Equipment should be very similar between the three proposed configurations.

After several budget cuts (and cancellation of the Hermes shuttle), all that remained in the Columbus program was the APM, renamed to Columbus Orbital Facility (Columbus ISS module); the polar platform was contracted separately with commonality to the French satellite HELIOS.

Download from Orbiter Hangar

And here's Sakigake

2010-04-08T23:49:00.000+01:00

The Japanese Haley's Comet probe Sakigake model is almost done.

Columbus MTFF

2010-04-01T13:43:00.002+01:00

lmost done with the ESA proposed Columbus MTFF spacestation. It will be a very simple Orbiter addon, with the station in orbit and one docking port. The idea is to provide an alternate destination besides the ISS.

Suisei, Spaceship Two

2010-03-22T23:10:00.003Z

Some stuff I'm having fun with latelly. A early model of the Japanese Suisei probe and instrument panel for Spaceship Two.

Space:1999 Eagle repaint

2010-02-02T11:20:00.005Z

Space:1999 Eagle repaint (10-02-06)

by 4throck

These are replacement high resolution textures for several Eagle transporter addons. As most versions use
the same meshes, this addon can be used with many versions of the Eagle.

It will give the most popular Eagle addons for Orbiter space simulator a consistent look. All textures were sourced from photos of the original studio models and feature fine detailing. Also, Moonbase Alpha's landing pads and walls were updated, again based on screenshots from the series and model photos

Please backup you original textures because they will be overwritten.

Download from Orbiter Hangar here.

Major progress on Zvezda module interior model

2010-01-04T23:47:00.004Z

Some major progress on my Zvezda module interior model. Only some detailing on the forward and backward hatches and texturing. I've settled for a clean look, free of any objects or hardware.

Space: 1999 simulation

2009-12-16T10:36:00.008Z

I'm really having fun with the Eagles and all the Space: 1999 stuff. While the repaints still have a long way to go for the command module, the body is almost complete. Following discussions on Orbit Hangar Forum, I'm also building a dedicates solar system configuration for the Space:1999 world. This way I can integrate better the available addons and create some interesting scenarios.

So far, I have:

- Two periods of Moon exploration.

A pre-1990's where I only have the Spacedock in Moon orbit and a single "first stone" pad of Moon Base Alpha. Following the series time-line and universe, the Moon is used for Nuclear waste storage. So missions of this early period will feature exploring the Moon surface to identify suitable sites for landing (flat, no high mountains, low altitude, etc.) and placing structures (waste storage).

The latter period has Alpha completely built and at least one Nuclear waste disposal area. I might add the Mars base and a few interplanetary vehicles seen on the series and already available.

The early period is fun because the surface exploration is being done in Orbiter. I'm creating the start situations and flying them, saving my progress along the way. I don't know exactly what will come out of this or what type of release I might do in the future, but its been very very fun do to.

In a moment of pure geek fan boy hapiness, here's the first mission report:

Date:
1-1-1990

Start location:
Space-dock (Moon Orbit)

End location:
Moonbase Alpha

Ship:
Eagle transporter

Objectives:
a) Low altitude close inspection of the lunar surface.
b) Identify a suitable location to place waste disposal areas.
c) Land on the chosen area and detach the passenger module (modified for unmanned autonomous survey) to perform long term dedicated studies of the selected location.
d) Liftoff and land on Moonbase Alpha.

Leaving spacedock.

This looks like a smooth place ahead, let's land there!

Descending to the surface for a manual landing.

Landed! It's a nice scenic view, but we are in a hurry, so let's leave the pod and head to Alpha.

It's night at Alpha's location, so we use LOLA to perform and automated liftoff and landing, due to lack of visual reference. As we are landed on a nice flat area, there's no problem of crashing into mountains at lift off.

Enroute we enjoy a nice view of Earth and the lunar surface near the terminator.

All went well and we landed on Alpha! Only the pad is built at this early stage, but the base will be built over the next few years.

This first mission took only about 2hours to complete, as the Eagle is a very very fast spacecraft! The landing took place in crater Compton at Lat 55.3º Lon 103.8º.

Space:1999 Eagles

2009-12-10T12:34:00.005Z

Been having fun repainting the Eagles from Space:1999 Orbiter meshes with textures from the original models used on the series. A great level of detail is possible but the spacecraft start to look as what they are in reality, just models!

I'm working on all Eagle variants and were are some images:

Earth with rings

2009-11-23T17:25:00.004Z

Roy has sent me a nice email sharing his latest animation for Youtube. It features some research into what would an Earth's ring system look like.

The surface views in the video look good and everything seem to be well researched.

Regarding simulation, imagine a space station located on the rings... perhaps to harvest some water! It would be a nice activity to try to simulate a space shuttle flight from the ISS to the ring station and back. Perhaps I'll do it for Orbiter some day!

Project Gemini updated realistic textures

2009-11-23T17:16:00.004Z

Finally released the Project Gemini updated realistic textures add-on for Orbiter Space Simulator!

Add-on Description:
Photo-real texture repaint for the magnificent Project Gemini add-on based on actual photos.
Texture files only, no meshes or other new files are included.

Update includes:

High resolution (2048x2048) Titan rocket
Better Agena docking target texture
Improved virtual cockpit detailed control panels

Enjoy!

Get it here.

(This repaint doesn't include the work in progress capsule repaint you see in previous posts, as they are very rough and only look good from some angles)

Venera 9 mission simulation released!

2009-10-12T14:32:00.007+01:00

(nice video preview by rseferino)

My Venera 9 add-on for Orbiter Space Simulator is available at Orbiter Hangar:

http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4234

Here's the documentation:

«
Venera 9 (Венера-9, 4V-1 No. 660) USSR unmanned orbiter and a lander mission to Venus.

by 4throck – 4throckrn@gmail.com

Spacecraft description and implementation in Orbiter space sim.

The Venera 9 is implemented as two spacecraft (Orbiter+Lander). The meshes are as accurate as I was able to model them. I tried to follow authentic flight hardware photos as much as possible. Please take into account the fact that Russian hardware on display doesn’t have the thermal covers that were actually used for spaceflight and is sometimes painted with different colors for aesthetic purposes. Therefore, my models will look different from some of the Venera 9 replica photos you might see. Texturing could be improved to give a more uniform thermal cloth cover to the orbiter bus, and other small mesh bugs are present. Nevertheless I think that those small issues don’t detract from the addon usability and can always be corrected at a latter stage.

The general addon organization and vessel parameters come straight from the Venera-D addon by kodiak. Masses and fuel were changed to reflect the Venera 9 values but the lander’s aerodynamic parameters are unchanged. The generic Venera orbiter mesh came from the model available for Celestia by Jack Higgins, in turn based on a VRML by Alexander Chernov. All credit goes to them for the base model used. I did a lot of adaptations so that it would represent the Venera 9 configuration. I added new solar panels with the right dimensions and shape and removed some non-existing instruments. Also, the engine bell and RCS jet hardware was added and the dimensions were scaled to match the entry sphere.

Scenarios for Venus transfer and orbiter insertion were provided by rseferino :

”Launches from the earth with great accuracy because the fuel probe is very limited, only allows mid-course corrections of 30 m/s in total, and after separation of the lander is 250 m/s and 940 m/s for orbital insertion Venus. Arriving at 3% fuel.”

Launch scenarios require the Proton Launch Vehicle v.1.0 by thorton.

Hardware configuration

Orbiter

The orbiter consisted of a cylinder with two solar panel wings and a high gain parabolic antenna attached to the curved surface. A bell-shaped unit holding propulsion systems was attached to the bottom of the cylinder, and mounted on top was a 2.4 meter sphere which held the lander.

It’s implemented in Orbiter as a spacecraft3 vessel with the lander’s entry sphere as a payload and RCS thruster exhaust visible.

The “J” key will jettison the lander’s sphere if still attached.

Lander

The lander spacecraft separates from the orbiter. A system of circulating fluid was used to distribute the heat load. This system, plus pre-cooling prior to entry, permitted operation of the spacecraft for 53 minutes after landing. During descent, heat dissipation and deceleration were accomplished sequentially by protective hemispheric shells, three parachutes, a disc-shaped drag brake, and a compressible, metal, doughnut-shaped landing cushion.

It’s implemented in Orbiter as a series of spacecraft3 vessels and payloads, starting with the entry sphere that is released from the orbiter and ending with the lander itself. As in reality, no fuel or any kind of control is possible. The entry sphere simply follows the path it was released on.
Use the “j” key to control the deployment of parachutes and release of the protective sphere.

Mission sequence:

I’m providing 5 scenarios that cover all of the mission stages. Descriptions folow the actual mission events and not necessarilly the values you will see in Orbiter. Nevertheless, you can try to follow them as guidelines.

Situation 1 –Venera 9 Launch (requires Proton K)

1975 June 8 -The Proton booster (8K82K) with Block D upper stage blasted off from the "right-hand" launch pad at Site 81 in Baikonur Cosmodrome at 0237 UTC. (press “o” to launch)

After the vehicle reached a low circular orbit around the Earth and Block D engine fired for the second time sending the probe toward Venus. (use whatever instrument you prefer to perform the escape burn)

Situation 1b – Venera 9 on transfer orbit to Venus (requires Proton K )

During July to September there were two course corrections. The first (11.93 m/s dv) placed the trajectory of the probe within 1,600 kilometres from the surface of Venus, and the second (13.44 m/s dv) refined the landing region and time of the entry for the lander.

(use whatever instrument you prefer to refine your Venus entry)

Situation 2 – Entry capsule separation

October 20: The Venera-9 lander separated from the orbiter. Immediately, after the separation, the orbital module conducted a manoeuvre (247.3 m/s dv) which sent the spacecraft on a swing around the opposite side of the planet. (press “j” to release the entry sphere containing the lander. Manouver the orbiter using whatever instrument you prefer and prepare for the orbital insertion burn)

Situation 3 – Orbital insertion

October 22: Immediately after the Orbiter’s closest approach to Venus, the main propulsion unit fired (922.7 m/s dv) injecting the spacecraft into a 1,510 by 112,200 kilometer orbit around Venus, with the inclination 34.10 degrees and the rotation period of 48 hours 18 minutes. The selected orbit around Venus was designed to provide at least 115 minutes of communications between the lander and the orbiter, during the latter's descent and landing. (perform the orbital insertion burn trying to achieve the indicated orbit)

The Venera-9 lander plunged into the atmosphere of Venus an entry angle of 20.5 degrees and a speed of 10.7 km/s. (switch to the lander using “F3”)

After initial aerodynamic braking, covers of the parachute compartments were jettisoned at the altitude of 65 kilometers, the speed of 250 meters per second and acceleration of 2G. It was followed by the deployment of a small "pullout" parachute and jettisoning of the top hemisphere of the protective reentry shell of the lander. The descent velocity then decreased to around 150 meters per second. (press “j” to deploy the droge chute at 65Km)

At the altitude of 62 kilometers above the surface, three main parachutes with the total area of 180 square meters open. After working for 15 seconds, they reduced the descent speed of the lander to 50 meters per second. (press “j” to deploy the main parachute at 62Km)

Four seconds later, the lower half of the protective sphere separated from the lander and fell off under its own weight, while the lander continued slow descent through the layers of clouds under main parachutes for some 20 minutes, providing wealth of atmospheric data. (press “j” to release the protective sphere)

Main parachutes were jettisoned at the altitude of 50 kilometers above the surface and the lander was then in a free fall, slowing down only with the help of a disk-shaped aerodynamic break. (press “j” to release the lander at 50km)

Situation 4 – Landed on Venus

The Venera-9 lander hit the surface of the planet with the speed of around seven meters per second at 0513 UT on October 22, 1975. It was the daylight local time on the side of the planet not visible from Earth. The landing site was determined to be 32 degrees north latitude and 291 degrees longitude in Beta Regio.

During next 53 minutes, the lander streamed data to the orbiter, which in turn relayed it back to Earth. The transmission of priceless imagery started some two minutes after the landing and continued until the end of communications.

The lander ended up under a 30-degree angle and its cameras could only see as far as few dozen meters. Soviet scientists suggested that the material at the site represented remnants of rocks fractured as a result of the internal shifts and faults in the planet's crust. The tectonic process possibly caused a mass of debris to slide along the slope.

Another surprise was a relatively good visibility -landscape features could be discerned as far as 100 meters from the lander --despite enormous density of the surrounding haze. One Soviet scientist apparently went far enough to compare lighting conditions on Venus with a "cloudy day in Moscow."

October 26 / December 25 -The orbiter gathered further data.
»

Zvezda interior update

2009-10-06T23:53:00.009+01:00

Some updated images. Texturing is moving along fine, with the basic walls covered and detailed main panels.

Earlier images of Zvezda interior and panels.:

Venera 9 update

2009-09-30T00:13:00.007+01:00

Updated images from the Venera 9 add-on. It took a lot of time to export the models accurately to Orbiter's mesh format, but now I'm happy with the final results. I need to fix one parachute and to add the engine to the orbiter mesh, after which I'll be ready to make a first release.

Lander on surface:

Lander descending with main parachutes:

Part of the entry sphere still atached to the lander:

Venera 9 orbiter after lander release:

Venera 9 orbiter + lander:

save

ISS Zvezda interior model

2009-09-30T00:02:00.006+01:00

I'm working on a 3D model of ISS Zvezda module's interior. It will eventually make it's way into Orbiter, but for now, here are some images.

Forward section with main panels:

TORU docking system control panel:

General layout of Zvezda's interior:

Venera 9 Orbiter add-on progress

2009-08-19T16:10:00.008+01:00

Venera 9 for Orbiter screenshots. It will take some time to get the configuration right, but I'm making progress. I'm following the Venera-D add-on by kodiak as a guideline and because the landing sequence is similar.

Proton launch

Entry sphere separation

Lander

save

Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace

2009-08-15T20:15:00.006+01:00

Some photos I took at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace in Paris. It's well worth the visit for any space enthusiast, specially for the 1:1 models and real artifacts of ESA and Russian/Soviet space probes and rockets.

Venera 3 orbiter 1:1 model

Venera 7 lander

Lunakhod 1 model

Luna 10 orbiter 1:1 model

Soyus T6 reentry capsule (real object)

Venera model

2009-07-31T00:44:00.005+01:00

I'm working on a Venera Venus lander model for Orbiter. It's based on Venera 9 with the surface lights, although not 100% accurate.

Also, here's the landing sphere (bottom portion). The lander enters the Venusian atmosphere inside it.

Mercury Little Joe add-on released

2009-07-16T00:16:00.004+01:00

Mercury Little Joe (07-2009 beta ) by 4throck
(download from Orbiter Hangar - http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4112 )

I made this add-on to learn about setting up 3D models inside Orbiter. I got it working and was lot’s of fun to develop.

This add-on recreates the Little Joe rocket and associated Mercury boilerplate capsule. The launch pad at Wallops Island is also present.

As it is my first work of this kind, involving multistage rocket setup, it’s somewhat rough. I consider myself more of a 3d guy, nevertheless I hope you will enjoy flying it.

Currently, the rocket starts on the pad at a 90º vertical angle and not at the real 70º~80º inclination. The guidance file then sets the rocket on the actual heading and inclination.

The performance parameters are based on reality but tweaked so that a ~88km apogee is achieved for the Little Joe 2 flight. Flight sequence follows real events, with a 40 second burn of the Little Joe rocket, followed by separation of the capsule with escape rocket attached After 2.5 second the escape rocket fires.

Separations and capsule parameters are very rough, and the water landing bag is missing. Also, there’s no recovery after splashdown.

Feel free to improve on this add-on if you wish.

Installation and usage:

Extract all the files to your Orbiter folder.

The Earth1962 (required) Wallops base will be changed, with the addition of the Little Joe pad structure. Other than that, no other files are changed.

Select the Little Joe situation folder and them open the desired flight (for now just Little Joe 2).

Press P to launch.

Press J to jettison tower at the end of the launch sequence.

Press K for capsule parachute.

Credits and usage conditions:

Free for non commercial use with Orbiter Space Sim.

You can use this add-on as a base for your own Orbiter add-ons and improvements, giving proper credit.

Little Joe rocket and Mercury boilerplate capsule meshes and textures created by 4throck – 4throckrn@gmail.com

Mercury boilerplate capsule parachute mesh and animation by Libber.

The Mercury escape tower mesh is duplicated from Estar's project Mercury.

Progress on the Little Joe pad and Mercury boilerplate

2009-07-08T10:57:00.003+01:00

Progress on the Little Joe pad and Mercury boilerplate parachute. Rocket performance is close to real (got to 77km instead of ~88km).

Mercury Little Joe

2009-06-22T01:06:00.002+01:00

PREVIEW !

Photo-real textures for Project Mercury released

2009-06-15T11:29:00.006+01:00

Photo-real textures for Project Mercury released

After months of work, all texturing (Mercury capsules, Redstone and Atlas rockets) is finished. Follow the link bellow and get it from Orbiter Hangar.

Photo-real texture repaint for the magnificent Project Mercury add-on for Orbiter Spaceflight Simulator, based on actual photos.
Texture files only, no meshes or other new files required.

Update includes:

Mercury capsule
Bolts and ridges were counted for an actual match as good as the mesh allows. The MA-9 capsule (Freedom 7 II) texture (merc_Freedom7II.dds) is now unmarked, so that it can be used to simulate hypothetical further Mercury flights.

Redstone rocket
The resolution is now 512x2048 and the rocket is detailed with bolts, metal plaques, etc.

Atlas rocket
512x2048 texture with fine details.

Download it from Orbiter Hangar (http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4000)

Mercury Atlas updates

2009-05-19T11:19:00.003+01:00

I've been updating the Mercury Atlas rocket textures. It hard to get the right look, as the rocket is basically a made of shiny metal. For now I like the general look, but the horizontal structure lines are to visible. Also, one screen shot of the Aurora 7 capsule.

Mercury capsule final touches

2009-05-11T15:23:00.004+01:00

Some screenshots of the almost complete Mercury capsule repaint. Just a few details to go!

Mercury Capsule

2009-04-28T23:59:00.007+01:00

Here are the latest improvements to the Mercury Liberty Bell 7 capsule. Still figuring out which bolt goes into which texture, but moving along nicely.

An earlier version were the window is... transparent :-)

Gemini capsule

2009-04-22T01:08:00.005+01:00

Test of my Gemini capsule textures. As the available good resolution photos are mostly of flown capsules now in museums, the current version of my photo real textures has an old and battered look. further work will correct this.

Mercury Atlas screenshots

2009-04-22T01:04:00.003+01:00

Some screen shots using my the current Atlas and Mercury capsule textures.

Mercury Redstone (WIP)

2009-04-22T00:54:00.004+01:00

Some screen shots of further enhancements to the Redstone textures. The resolution is now 512x2048 and the basic details are ready (bolts, metal plaques, etc). The launch pads were also updated to match the red of the photos. I'm using a version of Earth1962 edited to show all the detailed Canaveral pads at the same time (as you can see on the last image).

ISRO Sriharikota base

2009-04-21T11:01:00.006+01:00

ISRO Sriharikota base

Larger

This base is also know as Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) and is in use since 1971.

Launch Pads and facilities

Pad 1 :PSLV-1 for GSLV and PSLV rockets.
Pad 2 :PSLV-2 for GSLV and PSLV rockets.
Pad 3: SLV for ASLV and SLV rockets.

Mobile Service Tower, Umbilical Tower and Launch Pedestal
Solid Motor Preparation Facility
Subsystem Preparation Facility
Hardware Storage Facility
Liquid/Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Transfer Facility
Stage Preparation Facility for Cryogenic Stage
Satellite Preparation Facility
Launch Control Centre and Mission Control Centre

Naro space center

2009-04-21T11:01:00.004+01:00

Naro space center

Ver mapa maior

Esrange Rocket Centre

2009-04-21T11:00:00.001+01:00

Esrange Rocket Centre

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FAB, AEB Alcântara Launch Center

2009-04-21T10:59:00.002+01:00

FAB, AEB Alcântara Launch Center

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Salyut 6 & 7 (WIP)

2009-04-21T10:49:00.004+01:00

High resolution accurate detailed texture for the Salyut 7 space station, including control panels, with the intent of creating a VC.

Salyut 6 core basic layout:

Salyut 7 core basic layout (showing the limited coverage of available pictures):

Buran - MIR mission pack (WIP):

2009-04-21T10:47:00.001+01:00

Preliminary work, based on the existing add-ons.

Buran possible mission list (based on actual planing):

November 1988 - Shuttle Buran 1.01 unmanned first flight, duration 2 orbits.
Oct 1991 - Shuttle "Ptichka" 1.02 - unmanned first flight, duration 1-2 days, 37KB module payload.
Apr 1992 -Shuttle "Ptichka" 1.02 - unmanned second flight, with a duration of 7-8 days, 37KB module payload. Orbital maneuvers and space station approach test:
- automatic docking with Mir's Kristall module
- crew transfer from Mir to the shuttle, with testing of some of its systems in the course of twenty-four hours, including the remote manipulator
- undocking and autonomous flight in orbit
- docking of the manned Soyuz-TM 101 with the shuttle
- crew transfer from the Soyuz to the shuttle and onboard work in the course of twenty-four hours
- automatic undocking and landing
1993 - Shuttle Buran 1.01 unmanned second flight, duration 15-20 days, 37KB module payload.
1994 - Shuttle 2.01 first manned space test flight, duration of 24 hours, crew of two cosmonauts, deliver the 37KBI module payload to Mir, using the manipulator arm to dock it to the station's Kristal module.

Mir 1.5 possible mission list (based on actual planing)::

First plan

1992 - Launch of the DOS-8 by a Proton booster; launch of Buran to grapple the module, rendezvous with Mir, and attach it to the old DOS-7 base block.

Second plan

1992 - Launch of the DOS-8 by a Proton booster; DOS-8 maneuvers and dock itself to Mir.
1993 - Buran delivers a prototype 37KBT (similar to MIR's Kvant module) biotechnology module
1994 - DOS-7 de orbited
1995 - Buran delivers 37KBE power modules
1996 - Buran two operational 37KBT biotechnology modules
1997 - Buran could swaps the 37KBT modules and returns them to Earth.
1998 - Buran delivers a long power truss.

Mercury-Atlas / Redstone (WIP)

2009-04-21T10:46:00.003+01:00

Photo-real textures for the Mercury capsule and associated Redstone and Atlas rockets.

Gemini-Titan photo-realistic textures (WIP)

2009-04-21T10:45:00.002+01:00

Detailed textures for the Titan rocket and Gemini capsule. Panel is WIP.

Panel texture (WIP)

2009-04-21T10:43:00.003+01:00

Vostok:

Gemini:

MIR space station photo-realistic textures 1.0

2009-04-21T10:40:00.005+01:00

Texture repaint Orbiter add-on. High resolution photo-real accurate detailed textures for the MIR space station complex. Shows the station with the effects of exposure to space environment, with consistent discoloration based on photos. Solar panels, base module and radiators are very detailed (>1024 pixels). Thermal blankets are 2048 pixel to show small scale fabric texture.

High resolution accurate detailed textures for the MIR space station base module. Shows the station base module after launch, before the effects of exposure to space environment. Solar panels and base module are very detailed (>1024 pixels). Thermal blankets are 2048 pixel to show small scale fabric texture.

This repaint is available for the "Mir Space Station v.1.3" and "Proton Launch Vehicle v.1.0" add-ons by "thorton".

Download from Orbiter Hangar

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Skylab photo-realistic textures

2009-04-21T10:39:00.005+01:00

Updated photo-realistic textures for Skylab, created from the best available photos. Focus was on solar panel textures, that are now of higher resolution and with better detail on the back side. Texture repaint only, the "Skylab1973v2.1" or "Skylab1980" add-ons by "usonian" are required.

Download from Orbiter Hangar

Sriharikota base and updated PSLV & GSLV textures

2009-04-21T10:36:00.003+01:00

My first Orbiter project was the Indian Sriharikota spaceport. Both pads are included, and the main buildings were recreated using Orbiter's standard base blocks. Surface tiles cover a large area around the base with higher resolution near the pads.

Also, I've updated the textures for the Indian PSLV & GSLV launcher and situations to recreate some historical launches from both pads. Therefore the following add-ons are required:

India Space Research Organization's GSLV Mk I/II and Indian Space Research Organization's PSLV by prakshepak add-ons available at www.orbithangar.com.

» Download from Orbiter Hangar «

Welcome

2009-04-17T15:14:00.002+01:00

This is my blog dedicated to my work regarding add-ons for Orbiter Space Flight Simulator. There are a lot of add-ons available for it, and I intend to enhance some of them with textures created from geometrically rectified high resolution photos through re-projection and general cleanup. Images were color, contrast and gamma corrected for consistency and realistic results.

List of texture repaints (available on Orbiter Hangar):

* MIR space station (09/04/01)
* Skylab space station (08/12/28)
* Sriharikota base, PSLV & GSLV (08/03/26)

As any amateur effort, there's no time-line for the completion of any project, and all add-ons must be regarded as a continuing effort. Any feedback is welcome.