Project SpaceX SuperHeavy

Awesome work as always! I noticed in one of your latest updates (240801) you lowered the insertion perigee altitude from 160km to 150km... which made me think to ask if you could remove this limit for starship because it is a sub-orbital flight anyways. For example, IFT-4 had a -10km perigee and an apogee of 213km. I suppose you would have to work in an entry box for mean longitude/anomaly of perigee so that the vehicle doesn't have the -10km perigee right after launch. It would have to ascend and cut off the engines while still ascending at a set rate. This might be too complicated though.

Thanks!
 
Hi,
I did implement an orbit-insertion altitude option for the FalconHeavy as I thought it might actually use an eccentric parking orbit for future launches. Its a bit clunky, and you can't specify mean-longitude/anomaly, etc.
I can't see the SuperHeavy doing the same (I'm probably wrong!). So its not high on my "to do" list I'm afraid - you might have to do the suborbital test flights "Buck Rogers" style! (or some combination of autopilot, MFD, manual).
I dunno - you got me thinking about it anyway :)
Cheers,
Brian
 
luis fernando baylon said:
Hi @BrianJ how are you, I want you to see one of my videos that I made with your mods
Click to expand...
Hi Luis,
I'm doing OK, thanks :-) (but very busy with some home maintenance!)
Great video! (y) Those are some cool tracking shots - you must be using a powerful Orbiter-zoom-lens !?

luis fernando baylon said:
It fails me, I want to make a recreation of the ift-1 flight and it appears with the hot stage
Click to expand...
I think I misunderstood your request - if you do not want the Hot Stage Ring, only install version 220923 (link in previous post).

Cheers,
BrianJ
 
There is also the question of how to separate the starship and the tanker after docking
 
I found a bug in the 20240605 patch where the engine shifts after the overweight detaches the hot stage ring, there is no way to fix it, how can I fix it?
 

Attachments

  • one.png
    one.png
    448 KB · Views: 19
Last edited:
In the D3D9, the super heavy texture has also changed, I don't know if it is related to this bug.
 

Attachments

  • onm.png
    onm.png
    510.4 KB · Views: 23
To sum up, I think the problem is in the patch.zip /Modules/spacex_starship/xxx.dll file, hopefully it will be fixed soon, I will continue to look for the cause of the bug.
 
Patch 241217 (for version 240805)

Just a few tweaks after watching the test flight footage:

New .cfg file option for ascent autopilot orientation:
ORIENTATION = 0,1,2,3 (0 = Heads-up, 1 = Roll+90, 2 = Heads-Down, 3 = Roll-90)
So, for roll to Starboard, which is how it seems to go, use ORIENTATION = 1
(see example .cfg's in patch)

Ascent AP: Slight pitch straight off the pad, better boostback fuel reserve calculations, etc.
Booster: RCS moved aft, 3-way RCS configuration (just for fun! I have no idea really), improved landing algorithm.
Added "landing pegs" to booster mesh.
Probably some other stuff. Let me know if I broke anything, or the booster catch fails (I hope the Landing AP is more robust now).

Patch contains new .dll's, .cfg's and booster mesh.

Cheers,
BrianJ
 

Attachments

0998a.jpg

Thanks for the update! Looks and flies great!

Two minor issues:
- Tried the "15k RTLS test" and the booster catch failed. The Mechazilla arms did not close and the booster dropped to the ground after hovering. But maybe I should read the instruction first ... :unsure:

- clbkConsumeBufferedKey() intercepts the Shift-keys used for the MFDs.
 
francisdrake said:
Thanks for the update! Looks and flies great!
Click to expand...
Great! Thanks for testing (y)
francisdrake said:
Two minor issues:
- Tried the "15k RTLS test" and the booster catch failed. The Mechazilla arms did not close and the booster dropped to the ground after hovering. But maybe I should read the instruction first ...
Click to expand...
That one works OK for me. Did you remember to switch on the BC_TOWER catch function ?
If "Yes" - did you add any additional vessels to the scenario?
francisdrake said:
- clbkConsumeBufferedKey() intercepts the Shift-keys used for the MFDs.
Click to expand...
Mea Culpa! Again. I should put a note on my screen (Use Alt NOT Shift!) :rolleyes:
Noted.

Cheers,
Brian
 
It may well be that I'm having more fun with my virtual "Starship" than Elon is with the real one ;)

Update 250618

Mesh remodelling, upper stage extended to 52m, fins remodelled, etc.
Thrust and propellant mass specs changed to match SpaceX figures.
Stage separation cleaned up.

Completely new RCS configuration.
[ I moved the Starship RCS into the aft engine well, reduced ISP to 1000, optional RCS in the nose for translation and balanced rotation (for docking etc.). Booster RCS moved to the little vent type things half way up. Pretty ineffective but they don't have much work to do. ]

New and improved crazy algorithms for launch and landing.

Added Mars hyperbolic entry/landing autopilot.
[ Not sure how robust it is - only tried with entry from a fairly optimal transfer from Earth ]

Still to do:
Hyperbolic Earth reentry autopilot.
Possible transfer of all reentry autpilots to an MFD (HUD data and commands display getting horribly long and clogged).
Other stuff.

Cheers,
BrianJ
 
Hi!

I was testing the "Starship approaching mars" scenario, and for some reason the autopilot doesn't work properly, it bounces the ship in the atmosphere (even with Olympus target).
Configuring IMFD Base Approach in Alt. 90km, ReA. 9.8º and Ant. 40º (like the readme says) doesn't work either, the MFD doesn't give me any burn solution which leads me to not do that burn and at the time of reentry the autopilot takes me off course and I bounce into the atmosphere.

Everything else is excellent and works very well! I hope it's my mistake and I'm omitting something. Greetings!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

N_Molson
Project Ares V Launch Vehicle + Mars cruiser
Replies
4
Views
2K
N_Molson
N_Molson
barrygolden
Updates Artemis 4 and 5 SLS
Replies
5
Views
934
gattispilot
gattispilot
T
Hello community
Replies
9
Views
4K
DaveS
D
polaris149Tiberius
Tutorial Tutorial Development On Orbiter 2016 Stock Space Shuttle ISS to KSC Ballistic Re-entry Case Study Project -v1.0
Replies
0
Views
5K
polaris149Tiberius
polaris149Tiberius
TorchDesigner
Discussion Orbiter User Requirements and Post-2024 Development
2
Replies
21
Views
18K
Lucy
Lucy
Back
Top