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