An idea to enhancing the antenna

[LostOblivion]

How about Dan getting permission to use the remote control interface and merge it in the panel. That way, one could control
another ship with the antenna...

[sirbruce]

Well with IDS distance broken in Orbiter there's not much to be done at the moment, but it might be cool if the DGIV
autopilot could be extended to use the XPDR at longer distances.

[sunshine135]

If you don't have the time to dock the DGIV to the ???????? why not just attach it to the scenario editor? Perhaps the week
as been too long, I am just getting stupider, or I am missing the whole point of the complaint entirely.

Cheers,

[sirbruce]

Because the that's not part of the game. :P

[C3PO]

sunshine135 wrote:
Perhaps the week as been too long, I am just getting stupider, or I am missing the whole point of the complaint
entirely.

It took me a while to figure it out myself.

He wants to use the DGIV's AutoDock for the rendezvous maneuvers.

[sirbruce]

C3PO wrote:
He wants to use the DGIV's AutoDock for the rendezvous maneuvers.

Sorry, you're still missing it.  I just want the DGIVs AutoDock to work at longer distances; i.e. 200km instead of just
100km.  Increasing the IDS range should accomplish this.  While you may think 100km is a magic dividing line between
rendezvous and docking, the truth is the AutoDock still does quote a bit of 'rendezvous maneuvers' from 100km down
to a few meters in.

[C3PO]

So you don't see any problem in starting docking procedures at a distance of 200 km? DGIV might have enough
power to do this, but I'd guess that it would be close to the limit.

While you may think 100km is a magic dividing line between rendezvous and docking, the truth is the
AutoDock still does quote a bit of 'rendezvous maneuvers' from 100km down to a few meters in.

I would say that "magic line" would be closer to 1 km. And I would also call a rendezvous that ends more then 5 km
from the target a failure.

I don't think you really have looked at how Autodock works. It just burns directly towards a waypoint, and it does not
compensate for orbital mechanics. Try starting from 1000 km and burn directly towards the target, and see how close
you can get. I think you'll be surprised.

[sirbruce]

C3PO wrote:
So you don't see any problem in starting docking procedures at a distance of 200 km? DGIV might have enough
power to do this, but I'd guess that it would be close to the limit.

Well, it'll probably be more costly in terms of fuel.

I don't think you really have looked at how Autodock works. It just burns directly towards a waypoint, and it does not
compensate for orbital mechanics. Try starting from 1000 km and burn directly towards the target, and see how close
you can get. I think you'll be surprised.

Well, it compensates for them to the extent that it nulls relative velocity first.  After closing it will also do a secondary
burn to re-null if necessary.  I've autodocked from 100km before; 200km should be no problem.   1000km, sure, that
might be very costly... I've not tried it manually before beccause I didn't know the docking HUD would work with the
XPDR.

[C3PO]

sirbruce wrote:
Well, it compensates for them to the extent that it nulls relative velocity first.  After closing it will also do a secondary
burn to re-null if necessary.  I've autodocked from 100km before; 200km should be no problem.   1000km, sure, that
might be very costly... I've not tried it manually before beccause I didn't know the docking HUD would work with the
XPDR.

Try it. Use the target button on DockMFD, select the target port and press the HUD button.

Then try thrusting directly towards the target. Uberpowered craft like the DG might be able to make it, but just barely.
If the thrust isn't large enough you end up flying around the target in larger and larger circles.

PS: I only use main engines for large DV's.(Ascent, TLI, interplanetary etc) Linear RCS is more then enough for most
LEO ops. Even plane changes.

[sirbruce]

That's great that you do that.  I'd still like to increase IDS to longer ranges so DGIV AutoDock works at longer ranges.  
Again, this appears to be an Orbiter bug.

[DanSteph]

sirbruce a écrit:
Again, this appears to be an Orbiter bug.

"Orbiter bug" ???  

Dan

[sirbruce]

We've gotten off-topic, but just to recap: if you change the IDS distance number in a config file from 100 to, say, 200,
it doesn't work.  IDS still only comes on at 100km (and, thus, autodock only works out to 100km).

[sunshine135]

Okay...Bad week last week, but this week smooth as silk so far. It was a three day weekend in the good old US of A for a lot
of us.

SirBruce- 100km should be more than enough distance to perform the docking maneuver. Rendezvous is an integral part of flight
planning. You should always launch within the path of the the spacecraft you are aiming for. NASA does the same for the space
shuttle. Your timing can place you within the 100km you are looking for.

Regards,

[sirbruce]

By the same token, SunDog, proper timing can put you within 10km of your target.  I see nothing magical that makes
100km the "right" number and everything else "wrong".  The number is supposed to be configurable in orbiter
anyway, so this is a non-issue as far as DGIV is concerned.

[sunshine135]

sirbruce wrote:
By the same token, SunDog, proper timing can put you within 10km of your target.  I see nothing magical that makes
100km the "right" number and everything else "wrong".  The number is supposed to be configurable in orbiter
anyway, so this is a non-issue as far as DGIV is concerned.

I'm lost!!!! Like so many things in Orbiter it is likely a solid limit to the program, but if you can change the
arbitrary figure to be 17.65438km, I again do not understand the problem. Change it to be 17.65438km and be done with it.

Otherwise, talk to Martin...Maybe a randomizer coming for Orbiter 2009


Cheers,

[sirbruce]

The PROBLEM is I CAN'T change it to 200KM which would allow me to AUTODOCK from FURTHER AWAY.  I don't see
why this is so difficult for some people to understand...

[C3PO]

sirbruce wrote:
The PROBLEM is I CAN'T change it to 200KM which would allow me to AUTODOCK from FURTHER AWAY.  I don't see
why this is so difficult for some people to understand...

Sooo...... If autodock range was 500 km you would start it while on the ground?

[James.Denholm]

At 100 km orbital physics doesn`t matter that much. At 200 km, they probably begin to matter. If it matters so much,
just point the DGIV at the ISS or whatever you are docking with and apply full thrust. If, by an absolute fluke, you
manage to get within 100km of your target during this manouver, start the auto-pilot and pray that you aren`t going
so fast that the auto-pilot can slow you down and dock normaly.

That, or you could just take more care as you align your orbit, time the interception of the two craft to within 10
seconds, etc etc.

Any way...