t\Space add-on released

The t\Space CXV has been released, you can get it from orbithanger
t\Space CXV download

So.....
with the CXV released, a new orbiter project is in the works, I'm remaking my old Angara launch vehicle's, starting from scratch. But before that I'm making the Korean Space Launch Vehicle(KSLV) which is based on the Angara.

The KSLV is a bit of an odd launcher. The South Koreans have decided to leapfrog the competition, by using a Russian booster, and domestic upper stages. The KSLV will use a small solid rocket powered upperstage(~1200kg) on top of a Russian Angara booster to put 120kg into orbit. The Angara is overkill for this, it could launch 120kg to orbit on its own, but with the Angara, as the South Koreans improve their upper stages they will have the ability to put up to 6000kg into orbit with a LOX\LH2 upper stage. First flight is expected to be in 2007 with the launch of the 100kg STSAT-2

Flight of the CXV

Had the first all up flight of the CXV today, it went better than I had hoped, other than landing in the middle of Cuba. I still have some minor things to fix and finish before release, but it works pretty good as is. Tomorrow is a holiday(Victoria day for us Canuk's), so I may finish it tomorrow, or next weekend
Pictures of the Flight
CXV flight

One of my blog readers sent me this(thanks Stimfas) remember the CXV mockup for the water-drop, its now rotting outside on the outskirts of Crescent City

Blue skies for the VLA

I got the VLA flying nicely now, but it needs further tweaking, top speed is ~140m/s(~300mph). which seems about right in the ballpark of where I want it(simular to whiteknight), but takeoff is too fast 120m/s with the rocket, and it needs almost the whole runway(at KSC) to accelerate. I'm going to try and get it down to ~90m/s. But those numbers will come down if the rocket ends up lighter than I planned for(current guess ~150000kg, with a average ISP of 315)

It flew....

On the weekend I finished up the VLA model and textures, I think it looks sharp in red and white, Also had a quick test flight using the DG configs with the weight bumped up to 125000kg. Boy was it a pig, it needed a speed of 400m/s to takeoff, that's nuts, but it looked real good in orbiter.

some interesting news on the VLA, according to usspacenews.com both the CVX and Rutans spaceship2 may have the same mothership(VLA?). But speculation on google groups believes the only differences will be the release height, CVX 30000ft the spaceship2 is believed to be 50000-60000ft altitude.... Interesting

anyways SPACEHAB's Apex has been released and is at orbithanger

SPACEHAB Apex download

Flight of the Apex

I uploaded 21 pictures of the Apex flight to my flikr site
Apex launch, orbit, re-entry, landing pics

Today I made an honest effort to learn how the aerodynamics values work for spacecraft.dll, mostly because, as much as I liked my mystic add-on, it was crap when it came time to re-enter, forget half-assed, I didn't even bother trying, I just used the generic "CAPSULE" aerodynamic values. Apex on the other hand is way different, it works the way is should work, its not a bucking bronco like mystic, and the parachute works properly.

I still have to add the docking port, Canadarm grapple point, thruster and main engine locations to the Apex configs. But then it will be done

Spacehab Apex

Both the CXV and Apex add-ons are coming along pretty quickly, I'm useing parts from my other add-ons, which saves alot of time. but I am quite pleased with the results, considering they aren't made from scratch

anyways, Spacehab's Apex model/textures is complete, needs configs

T/Space CXV

The Models and textures are complete for the CXV add-on, I still have to write the config files to bring it to life, but they look good in orbiter

Speaking of COTS....

The T/space CXV and spacehab apex will be my next obiter projects

I started hammering out the polygons for these projects today, CXV and Quick Reach 2

Its happened....

Commercial orbital transport service (nasa's COTS) has down selected to six finalists
in no particular order

Spacehab - APEX
Kistler - Kistler LV with cargo pod
Andrews space - unknown
T/space - CXV
SpaceX - Dragon
spacedev - dreamchaser?

Congratulations to the companies that made it this far. its nice to see that there are no large aerospace companies in the list(cough boeing, lockmart), nasa should do well with these new aerospace blood lines

New add-ons released

Both lunar Penguin and the Wasp nanosat launcher have been released

March of the Lunar Penguin

Both Wasp/CanX and the Lunar penguin are almost ready to release, I just have the PDF's to make now. But I'm still waiting to see what conclusion is made on the spacecraft/multistage scenario editor capabillity is.

Stirred the Hornets nest

Some pictures of the Wasp launching CanX3

Orbiter 2006 is out

Martin and the Beta team have done an outstanding job. Its much more user friendly now thanks to the glass cockpit, no more key combinations to remember:). The Lv10 textures look outstanding, for a small performance hit. The scenario editor is amazing, you can add/delete ships and put them wherever you want.

With the release of orbiter 2006, I'm updating Walrus and Mystic. The issues with Mystic's re-entry problem has been fixed properly. I'd like both Walrus and Mystic to have compatibility with the new scenario editor, but unfortunately, I can't get it to work. I'll wait and see what Vinka or Martin says(or if someone figures out how to make spacecraft/multistage add-ons work with the new vessels folder) for now

I finished texturing the Wasp LV(no pics its on my other computer) it has the same color scheme as the Walrus LV, the weights and burn times, I have already figured out. Otherwise this add-on is complete, its just the issues with orbiter 2006 scenario editor compatibility holding it up

The lunar penguin, I haven't found a launch vehicle for it. I'd prefer a falcon 5, but I have no desire to make it since there are 3 others in development(a 4th one really isn't needed). So I'm just going to release it, with a lunar landing scenario

when all of the above is done I'll give details on my next orbiter project