Orbiter 2010 - [Part 3] Venus Slingshot - Ready to launch [FAIL]
6This video was recorded Sunday, April 28, 2013
Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?feature=edit_ok&list=PLPu_SHPaJzs49WZ9RmRvL-Vl03liE0Mcx
This is not a tutorial. This is just me doing things and thinking out loud while doing it. If you're watching with the intent of learning something, then hopefully you can pick up some tips by watching me.
If you want to try this mission for yourself, you can download my scenario pack at the dropbox link below. The zip file includes all my save points during this flight as well as the associated XR2 Expert configuration file.
http://db.tt/Z6fwytEr
Required add-ons:
XR2 Ravenstar: http://www.alteaaerospace.com/index-3.html
SpaceX: http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=5442
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NOTE: TransX has an option where you can inherit a plan from another vessel. It's very easy to use the function IF you have the right version of TransX. Unfortunately the version of TransX I am using is missing the EXE button so I am not able to inherit a plan from another vessel. The reason I am using a non-stock version of TransX is because TransX has a known bug in the stock version that causes it to draw graphics improperly. But apparently, for some strange reason, the version of TransX that fixes the graphics bug is missing the EXE button.
After recording this video, I talked to Dimitris and he pointed me to a version of TransX that has the graphics bug fixed, and has the EXE button. So I am now using this as my main version of TransX.
http://orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?p=237068&postcount=1
Page 5 of the SpaceX launch vehicles.pdf explains that there are 8 types of launch failures that can happen. I assume these launch failures are based on the realistic probability of such failures in the real launcher. However, when you launch manually (as opposed to using the autopilot) there is one launch failure that will occur almost 100% of the time unless you are extremely careful.
The manual says that a failure will occur in these situations:
* Unsuccessful separation of stages. Separation goes wrong and second stage receives wrong separation speed with some amount of rotation.
* Second stage engine explodes during the ignition of second stage. The second stage receives a rotation.
When you launch manually, there is an extremely high probability that you will have some amount of rotation in the vessel when the stages separate. And if you do, stage 2 will explode.
Since this is so likely to occur, it takes the fun out of the randomness in my opinion. A failure 1 out of every 400 launches might be a fun surprise, but a failure 99 out of 100 times is not fun.
Fortunately there is a way to disable the failures. In your scenario there is a line that says FMULT 1.0000
I assume FMULT stands for Fault Multiplier. If you change FMULT to 0.0000, then you have a 0% chance of experiencing a failure. For manual launches, it's more practical to to set the failure multiplier to 0 due to the fact that you will always have some amount of rotation in the stages upon separation.
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Like my Orbiter 2010 Facebook Page so you can follow my Orbier activity on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/OrbiterSpaceFlightSimulator
Common questions I get: What screen recording software do you use? What joystick do you use? What add-ons do you use? Where can I find the XR2 Ravenstar? Where do I download Orbiter? And much, much more. It's all answered in the FAQ I set up at this link (the link is a google document):
http://goo.gl/BDoub
If you prefer the longer link:
http://docs.google.com/document/d/1HCX5lv1lxcxvS6xQBQ_V2h0Iff00nu5h7CITciYFs94/edit