Scenario Solar Sail payload launches Are there any?

[richfororbit]

Ah... and so, because nobody else has ever asked the same question that you did (BTW: Your initial thread subject was very poor for finding it again, luckily it had been fixed), future users should also not find the answer already in the forum for that question?

If anything, all I see is scifi this and that. Okay, nobody really cares.

They can always post a topic if they do.

All I need is a few pointers on trying to take off, I won't need to bother with this topic again.

If somebody eventually creates a little sail for a shuttle launch, I guess replacement for the carina satellite, then great. If not, oh well.

 

[Urwumpe]

All I need is a few pointers on trying to take off, I won't need to bother with this topic again.

Sure - but what kind of "pointers" do you expect without describing your problem?

Separate from the descent stage, lift-off, use full thrust, pitch down fast?

The DV of 2,220 m/s should be comfortably enough, you need just 1,600 m/s for entering low lunar orbit.

 

[statickid]

Like many even care whether there is a damn sail or not.

Generally speaking, thread titles represent the topic of discussion.

 

[richfororbit]

Sure - but what kind of "pointers" do you expect without describing your problem?

Separate from the descent stage, lift-off, use full thrust, pitch down fast?

The DV of 2,220 m/s should be comfortably enough, you need just 1,600 m/s for entering low lunar orbit.

I know all about that, the problem is at what altitude to pitch down, and when you refer to down don't you mean up so the module's hatch is facing the vaccuum of space, going to ninety degrees. In the direction of the moon moving ahead.

Which I clearly have done so, otherwise my broken orbit would never of worked to at least get half an orbit, while crashing into the night side of the moon.

 

[Urwumpe]

I know all about that, the problem is at what altitude to pitch down, and when you refer to down don't you mean up so the module's hatch is facing the vaccuum of space, going to ninety degrees. In the direction of the moon moving ahead.

You have no (notable) atmosphere on the moon, so you can pitch down as soon and as fast as you like. You only need to clear terrain - if there would be one.

And pitching down means lowering your flight axis towards the surface and in direction of flight - for example into the orbit plane of the Apollo CSM. (Which means, since you land with the windows forward, that pitching down means your windows look towards the moon)

If you need reference data:

https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/nasa58040.pdf

On page 15 is a reference at which altitude you pitch down to which angle initially for ground clearance and how you then get into the target orbit of 9 x 45 NM.

 

[statickid]

People are giving you vague answers because you've actually stated that you don't want to learn the basics.

Call direction by degrees in the reference sphere of your orbital HUD for example. The "front" of the ship, any ship, is whatever direction the view faces when you go into cockpit view and press the home key.

Meaningful advice cant be given if no one knows what you are trying to achieve, specifically.

 

[richfororbit]

You have no (notable) atmosphere on the moon, so you can pitch down as soon and as fast as you like. You only need to clear terrain - if there would be one.

And pitching down means lowering your flight axis towards the surface and in direction of flight - for example into the orbit plane of the Apollo CSM.

If you need reference data:

https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/nasa58040.pdf

I haven't actually tried to do any kind of catch up/ docking, my objective is just to get into the orbit. I may eventually try that.

I imagined I went about it the correct way, it's just maintaining speed to create the orbit and a altitude so it doesn't end in a bang into the surface every time I've tried.

 

[Urwumpe]

I haven't actually tried to do any kind of catch up/ docking, my objective is just to get into the orbit. I may eventually try that.

I imagined I went about it the correct way, it's just maintaining speed to create the orbit and a altitude so it doesn't end in a bang into the surface every time I've tried.

You can just use Orbit MFD for that targeting. Just try to get into a orbit with the following properties:

PeA = 16.7 k
ApA = 83.3 k

Remember that you have to be at PeA or slightly above it for reaching such an orbit.

 

[richfororbit]

People are giving you vague answers because you've actually stated that you don't want to learn the basics.

Call direction by degrees in the reference sphere of your orbital HUD for example. The "front" of the ship, any ship, is whatever direction the view faces when you go into cockpit view and press the home key.

Meaningful advice cant be given if no one knows what you are trying to achieve, specifically.

I've tried getting to grips with it, I may not know the keywords to various parts of landing or launching or orbiting.

I'm not a frequent user of this software. I used it for the most part to orbit the Earth, dock and undock. up until last year when I tried launching the shuttle.

I never tried anything with exception of the first week of using it to the point where I thought I'm not learning this any time soon. Perhaps never.

But I struggle on a little with it.

The few posters here are few, understanding in depth the simulator. I guess more fail at this than succeed.

 

[Urwumpe]

The few posters here are few, understanding in depth the simulator. I guess more fail at this than succeed.

You just have to know the lingo ... that's all.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

Is it my belated understanding that the original point of the thread was if there were any scenarios where a solar sail was deployed from a spacecraft?

I'd be willing to maybe write one up; question, what spacecraft to use for the launch? Ariane5? SpaceX Falcon 9? Shuttle? (and if so, stock Shuttle or Shuttle Fleet?). SLS isn't a requirement for a few reasons, 1) the addon in still in beta and 2) the real thing doesn't exist yet.

OK, well maybe I can't. The solar sail that comes with Orbiter doesn't deploy/retract. And the 'Hangar has one for Orbiter '06 that is problematic (invisible, no control, etc). BrianJ's mod to the stock sail doesn't go as far as deploy (it's a rework of the stock sail, not an all new addon).

Maybe that's something you could submit to the "Addon Request" sub forum?

 

[statickid]

two ways:

use the orbit MFD to monitor your Apoapsis. if your apoapsis keeps going higher than your target orbit altitude, then you are wasting fuel on vertical momentum.

use the surface MFD to monitor your vertical speed. don't let the vertical speed go below zero while gradually increasing horizontal thrust (by tilting the engine toward the horizon). When your Ap gets to about (random reasonable altitude) 60-100km, do horizontal thrust only

 

[richfororbit]

Is it my belated understanding that the original point of the thread was if there were any scenarios where a solar sail was deployed from a spacecraft?

I'd be willing to maybe write one up; question, what spacecraft to use for the launch? Ariane5? SpaceX Falcon 9? Shuttle? (and if so, stock Shuttle or Shuttle Fleet?). SLS isn't a requirement for a few reasons, 1) the addon in still in beta and 2) the real thing doesn't exist yet.

OK, well maybe I can't. The solar sail that comes with Orbiter doesn't deploy/retract. And the 'Hangar has one for Orbiter '06 that is problematic (invisible, no control, etc). BrianJ's mod to the stock sail doesn't go as far as deploy (it's a rework of the stock sail, not an all new addon).

Maybe that's something you could submit to the "Addon Request" sub forum?

Yes that would be the basic STS. I guess it would just be a very small one stuck in the payload bay to jettison.

I wouldn't know how it would work, other than perhaps an animated piece of it moving once deployed from the cargo section.

Also I'll try a few pointers with the module flight.

A success at my first orbit.

I pretty much kept at an on Pea, but at the same time, I went 40 degree pitch, and then went ninety. Not bad for a first time.