Ariane 6 european rocket

[francisdrake]

I finally got the booster meshes right.

Question:
Is there a method to influence the autopilot in the guidance file, aside from the initial line
orbit(200,400,38) ?

Reason is, with 4 boosters the Ariane 6 is so powerful, that it overshoots the target orbit height by far.
It then starts wild pitchdown-pitchup maneuvers.
This can be avoided by switching to manual control after the initial roll-to-heading.
But it would be convenient to have an automated flight into orbit.
---
The mass and thrust values I left unchanged for now.
Will look up thrust and weight values next year.

Wish you a Happy New Year!

 

[jacquesmomo]

I finally got the booster meshes right.

Question:
Is there a method to influence the autopilot in the guidance file, aside from the initial line
orbit(200,400,38) ?

Yes, I understand what you mean.
But this "change" is calculated automatically by multistage, we can not modify it, or we have to make a guidance file "by hand" without the parameter "time=Orbit()"

I use "Orbit(PeA,ApA,Inc)"
and as you may have seen, the values entered in the guidance file are not the final values reached by the rocket... I had to test several values
But you have this (in the multistage doc):
Orbit(PeA,ApA,Inc,Mode,GravTurnPitch,Abside)
with :
GravTurnPitch is the initial gravity turn pitch in case automatic value is not satisfactory

It then starts wild pitchdown-pitchup maneuvers.
This can be avoided by switching to manual control after the initial roll-to-heading.
But it would be convenient to have an automated flight into orbit.

In the Multistage doc, we can read :
Therefore the computational calculated value usually works, but it is more a "suggested"
value, that can be later optimized by the user. In the orbit call of the guidance program users can set this
at their pleasure, in order to find the optimal value. I've made hundreds of tests about this, but since all
the rockets are different and the firing sequences are different it cannot be made completely closed to the
user inputs, and by specifying which is the "suggested" value the user can have an idea of which
value shall be used for that particular orbit. If the user does not input anything the guidance computer will
use the suggested value.

Please, read the Fred18's multistage doc, may be you can improve this step ?
I haven't tested this feature yet.

The mass and thrust values I left unchanged for now.
Will look up thrust and weight values next year.

I have the actual characteristics of the rocket, I will put the values here... when I get home

Wish you a Happy New Year!

Thank you, same for you... and every body !!!

 

[francisdrake]

Hi, I did some comparison on the Ariane 6 performance figures.
First column is the v262 from the addon. The right-hand column is what I ended up with.

- The boosters in Wikipedia have less dry mass, more fuel and more thrust.

- For the first and second stage to find empty masses is tricky.

- The second stage has a higher thrust and more fuel here Wikipedia.

With these figures I came reasonably close to the target launch mass of 860 ton for an A64.
The autopilot still pitches a bit hefty, but reaches a 200 x 400 km orbit with about 60% fuel left in the upper stage
for a 12.700 kg payload.

 

[francisdrake]

If you want to try out, here is a zip-file with the Ariane 64 configuration and scenarios I came up with.
The files are named "A64 ...". No original files are overwritten.
For the Tenacity scenario the Tenacity Dream Chaser is required.
____
Small edit:
Added the ISS to the scenario "A64 - Automatic - Tenacity". Set the date and time so the ISS is passing overhead at launch.
After automatic orbit insertion the upper stage can be used to align and fine-tune orbits, before the Tenacity is released with [J].

 

[jacquesmomo]

If you want to try out, here is a zip-file with the Ariane 64 configuration and scenarios I came up with.

Ah well thanks, I'll test it.

Concerning the characteristics of the rocket, I had to modify the values to have roughly the right chronology (for example, the separation altitude of the boosters) and especially because the loading of the rocket (with the satellite cubes) does not represent a big weight.
I also have a table with the characteristics, which I will compare to yours. I will add it to the documentation. (for the futur english version)

I think - as I said - to make a "modular" version of the rocket (6.2 and 6.4 versions) with this payload:



Could I use your configuration files?

For the Tenacity scenario the Tenacity Dream Chaser is required.

Ok ...

 

[francisdrake]

Yes, feel free to use my config files.

I also think the launcher shall have 2 basic configurations (6.2 and 6.4), each with a dummy payload.
That white oversized cubesat looks very good.

All flight-specific configurations and scenarios are then derived from these scenarios.
This will allow other users to easily create their own scenarios for future missions.

 

[jacquesmomo]

Hi

So I have a question about Orbiter 2024.

I will (it's in progress but still a lot of work) update my Ariane 6 rocket
1) for Orbiter 2016 in English version (no problem for that)
2) adapt this rocket for Orbiter 2024 (for the few functions of Multistage2015 that do not work well with Orbiter2024)

The "multistage2015" autopilot works fine with Orbiter 2024.

But I also added in the scenario files (scn) some commands:

• text that is displayed on the screen
• ignitions (or shutdowns) of Ariane 6 upper stage engine and RCS

These commands can be easily executed by OrbiterSound... but not by XRSound.

My question:
how can we simply do this kind of commands for Orbiter 2024 without using Orbitersound ?
Lua?

Thanks for your answers

PS : my "generic payload" is done :

 

[jacquesmomo]

I just uploaded my latest add-on: the European Ariane 6 rocket.

This is an English version (the French version is on Papy's Hangar).

https://www.orbiter-forum.com/resources/ariane-6.5655/







Please feel free to send me your comments.

This release is for Orbiter 2016 only.
I will later make a version for Orbiter 2024.

 

[jacquesmomo]

I'm working on adapting the Ariane 6 rocket for Orbiter 2024.
I'm taking the opportunity to improve the ELA4 launch area.
Work in progress....

 

[jacquesmomo]

Hi

Just a personal message to BrianJ, but I'm making it public to thank him:

I added an additional umbilicus to my launch mast on the ELA-4 site. (for my Ariane 6)

Since the animation (automatic during rocket lift off) is controlled by a DLL (that BrianJ made for me), adding this third umbilicus required me to modify the DLL.

Thanks to his help and advice, I succeeded !!!

This is the first time I've made a DLL.

BrianJ, thank you!!!

 

[BrianJ]

You are very welcome, my friend
I am very happy you have succeeded!

P.S. I will need your Kourou CSG + Ariane5 soon. Merci!

 

[jacquesmomo]

You are very welcome, my friend
I am very happy you have succeeded!

P.S. I will need your Kourou CSG + Ariane5 soon. Merci!

You mean... for Orbiter 2024???

Because currently, Multistage2015 doesn't work well with OpenOrbiter.
(Matias is working on it)

So I need to:

• modify the rockets' "ini" file (to work with actual multistage2015 and its bugs)
• change the animated buildings from Spacecraft3 or 4 to VesselBuilder
• etc....

So, a lot of work...
I plan to do it, but... it's going to take time...

 

[BrianJ]

You mean... for Orbiter 2024???

Because currently, Multistage2015 doesn't work well with OpenOrbiter.
(Matias is working on it)

No! Do not worry! I am still using Orbiter2016 for MS2015 launches.
I am going to try the JUICE mission launch (thanks to @gattispilot ).
Cheers,
Brian

 

[jacquesmomo]

No! Do not worry! I am still using Orbiter2016 for MS2015 launches.
Brian

OUF !!!

Hi

So I decided to redo the Ariane 6 rocket launch mast
( this mast wasn't mine, but Eddy's).

For the moment, it's a bit bare:

• no texture
• no details.

And thanks to BrianJ who is helping me with the DLL allowing the arms to open and the umbilicus to be disconnected, I have:

• added two additional umbilicus
• started modifying the two arms that were too simplified.

For the moment, it's only a very simple shape: modeling the arms is not easy.
And I hope (with BrianJ's help) to be able to make the two jaws at the end of each arm close.

Obviously, this will delay the release of my 3 new add-ons (ELA-4, Ariane 6, and "Guiana tiles" new version for OpenOrbiter 2024 ).

 

[jacquesmomo]

Here's where I am with the modeling of the new mast:

Beginning of the mast texture (no details yet)
The shape of the arm becomes clearer, but remains a "simple" volume.
The jaws are not yet animated, and there is no texture

@BrianJ :
I tried adding animations for the jaws at the ends of both arms (Parent/Child)
It works!!!

 

[jacquesmomo]

Hi

I'm still working on the Ariane6's umbilical mast : there are still a few details missing.







Of course, thanks to BrianJ who explained how to do the dll : the arms and umbilicals fold automatically during takeoff...

 

[jacquesmomo]

I'm redoing that thing that was ugly...



making good progress.

 

[jacquesmomo]

Here's some news from the ELA4 site (for Ariane 6)

I've finished the two "blocks" (or mini-masts) located on the launch pad.





As you can see, the hatch closes and the connections retract into the block.
This happens automatically at liftoff
(thanks again to BrianJ who made it almost completely autonomous for me to integrate these animations into the DLL).

Here's a general view:



I'm adding the flood nozzles (currently in red).

I think this is the last detail I'll do.

After that, I'll need some time to finish the docs and check the files, the installation, and make sure everything is working properly.

This version is designed for Orbiter 2024, but should work on Orbiter 2016.

 

[jacquesmomo]

My new Ariane 6 is now adapted for OpenOrbiter 2024.
And the new ELA-4 launch complex (mandatory add-on if you install the new Ariane 6 rocket)

Have fun !!!

 

[jacquesmomo]

I began an update for Ariane 6.

It will include all the fairings from the first flight of this rocket...



In addition to the short version, there will also be the 20-meter "long" version !