Orion & Altair docking update

[Phoenix PK]

Hey, I was wondering if anyone at Camp knows about the progress with
the docking software for docking Orion and Altair. Last October we were
having problems during our Camp session. Any news?

[p51]

I still wonder about those sims in general. I've never gotten to use them in the Adult program at all. Heck, last year we never even got to poke our heads inside the capsule just to look around!
Not that I can blame them, there's only the one capsule, and it's easier to put a full crew into one of the orbiters for missions at this point, so more people get to do the flight crew aspect of the mission. But still, Orion is where we're going, there should be a greater push for the use of these in SC sims...
I wonder if Orion capsule missions will become more common for adult SC programs in the future.

[SpaceCanada]

They docked instantly because Tink was sprinkling pixie dust on them. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

On the other hand, I thought all my practice on the lunar docking sim at Davidson would finally come in handy during docking. Alas, excessive pixie dust sped up the process before it could begin. Or, maybe it was one of those random time jumps? Or too many chicken dances in the Orion module?

The Orion software certainly has some big kinks that need to be ironed out. I think the mysterious time jumps and mismatched checklists-to-timeline gaps have to be corrected first. Trying to enter a checklist only for the computer to time warp and not accept the checklist or future checklists annoyed me more than not being able to manually dock. i.e. a checklist was supposed to be done at +4:50:32 but the clock jumped from 4:43:00 to 5:46:00 and there was another checklist at 5:47:21 that required the first checklist to be entered in the computer for it to work. (Those times are completely random, btw.)

Once we were aware of the bugs and how to work around them (i.e. do checklists early or skip them altogether), we were able to enjoy the Orion missions more, but they really need to get that system up and running. It has great potential.

[Hotdog]

Any word on a DREAMCHASER type of sim? The ol' Hotdog might come out of retirement to fly a new type of winged spacecraft.

[Phoenix PK]

Interesting question, Hotdog. You didn't get your fill S-Turning the Shuttle down
to a touchdown? C'mon out of "retirement" and get some stick time! I'm with you,
I'd much rather have control on re-entry rather than plopping down in the ocean,
but hey, we're just rocket jockeys, we don't get to pick the modes...

We're living in exciting times, as your question points out. Things are
buzzing down in Huntsville and I can't wait to see how it all pans out,
as we say in the Gold Country. One way or the other, coming home is
gonna be a sweet ride!

--PK

[Hotdog]

I suppose I'm just ready for a new type of challenge! Although I'm sure piloting a capsule to the moon (spam in a can) is not as easy as it looks. But as you were saying, plopping down in the ocean just isn't as thrilling for us space pilots. And yes, we do still have the shuttle! I hope the powers-that-be keep at least one good shuttle sim in the program after the "commercial space race" is all said and done.

[p51]

I hope the powers-that-be keep at least one good shuttle sim in the program after the "commercial space race" is all said and done.

God, I sure hope so. I can't imagine SC without an orbiter.
Frankly, I was shocked in September to find that there wewre three complete orbiter simulators, the Atlantis one is so well tucked behind everything, I didn't even see it the previous year. Our Adult AC session was packed (4 teams, 15 people each), so we used the Atlantis orbiter and control room.
In the future, I could see that sim being removed as it was so small. But the Endeavour one is massive, a full replica of the nose. And the Enterprise is of course the most complete of the three. I'd think in the future, the 'Big E' would still be around, Atlantis will be removed and the Endeavour nose might be moved somewhere within the center, as a display.

[Dyna-Soar]

I'd think in the future, the 'Big E' would still be around, Atlantis will be removed and the Endeavour nose might be moved somewhere within the center, as a display.

Combining the Endeavour nose and the MPTA to make a full orbiter display would be pretty cool.

[Hotdog]

Combining the Endeavour nose and the MPTA to make a full orbiter display would be pretty cool.

Imagine the possibilities...an EVA to repair a damaged OMS engine!

[p51]

Combining the Endeavour nose and the MPTA to make a full orbiter display would be pretty cool.

Maybe the outside of that nose, but the interior of the Enterprise is far more high fidelity to the real orbiters than either of the other two.