Editing AMSO

{{Addon

|1=[http://www.acsoft.ch/AMSO/amso.html AMSO homepage]

|2=Alain Capt

'''AMSO''' ('''Apollo Mission Simulator for Orbiter''') is an [[Add-on|add-on]] for [[Orbiter|Orbiter Space Flight Simulator]] 2016, created to reproduce the flights of the [[Apollo|American Apollo Program]], exploring the [[Moon]] from 1968 to 1972. The add-on currently simulates missions from Apollo 8 to Apollo 17.

The main purpose of AMSO is to give users the possibility to live in first person this great challenge of our century, letting them, at the same time, choose the way they prefer to succeed.

The user will be able to accomplish his mission flying the vessels completely manually (and this is a big challenge), or with the aid of some clever autopilot programs, that reproduce some features of real Apollo guidance system, created by LazyD; those will assist the Commander in some crucial phases of the flight, without depriving Orbinauts of their fun.

One of its greater qualities is the astonishing graphic made by Luis Teixeira, which allows the user to enjoy a complex meshing and texturing work without losing notably [[Frame rate|Frames Per Second]];

an example is the accurate [[Virtual cockpit]] for both CSM and LM, for the moment unusable, but so accurate that gives a great immersion in phases of flight like [[Docking|docking]] and [[landing]].

For Docking manoeuvre, a full-working and realistic Crewman Optical Alignment Sight (COAS) is provided on both CSM and LM.

Complex moon scenarios will allow pioneers to explore the surface of historical landing locations, with craters, mountains, rilles and particular soil characteristics; astronauts, with completely new meshes and fully movable visors, will have the possibility to plant a flag, deploy SWC and ALSEP experiments, drill the soil and collect rock samples dynamically generated, and on the way back to Earth, during J-type missions, to retrieve useful materials from the fully simulated CSM Sim-bay.

Will you be able to use the DPS engine of the LM to get back to Earth?

 

 

'''New feature(s)'''

* LM:P66 manual flight mode. The "End" key allows resetting the vertical speed to zero.

* Full simulation of the Astronaut recovery with a helicopter, after normal splashdown.

* Apollo 11 step 31, 32 and 33, demonstrate the basic of Astronauts recovery feature, with the helicopter.

'''Corrections'''

* All aborts configurations, with or without abort tower and for all direct abortS (aborts requiring direct reentry, because CSM is unable to build a safe orbit) has been deeply tested and the code was revised accordingly. This revision resulted in a slight increase to 250 kPa, of the maximum admissible dynamic pressure and a full revision of the CM attitude thrust characteristics, in order the CM can apply maximum aerodynamic lift properly, for all direct reentry mentioned before.

* Added the two chapters "THE FOUR LAUNCH PHASE ABORT MODES" and "AERODYNAMIC LIFT", so the user will know all the necessary to perform successfully direct reentry aborts.

This version of '''AMSO''' saw dramatic changes in its visual appearance, showing new photo-realistic meshes. The most dramatic change happened for the landing sites, now showing nearly realistic 3D terrains. Also, the initially simple launch sequences saw great upgrades. Also, the J-missions (Apollo 15 and following) now have a SIM bay which will be deployed. It was released on Monday, July 16, 2007.  

 

'''Improvements'''

* AMSO feature now a completely new launch scenery, with new meshes made by Luis Teixeira, accurate animations of all tower mobile parts, including the "Tail service masts" on the platform. Lateral flams exhausted from the two sides of the launch pad are also simulated. Apollo 17 night launch has an illuminated tower and projector beams enlight the Saturn V. Code use dynamic mesh management to enlight Saturn V stack and fade out this enlightenment during the launch.

* Thanks to Luis Teixeira collaboration, AMSO include now a true 3d scenery for all landing sites. These sceneries aren't conventional at all. They are dynamically generated by AMSO and don't just use the classical base config file. They have several levels of details which guarantee a nice look, from the ground, to very far over the Moon surface. All object shadows are preserved and textures do not suffer from the well know texture pixelisation problem affecting many standard Orbiter sceneries. Finally, they are designed in a way to not necessitate Meshland addon, unless you want to be able to climb on surrounding relief.

* For type "J" missions (since Apollo 15) AMSO include now a true 3d SIM bay. You can jettison the SIM bay panel and see a detailed representation of all instruments. You can deploy the sub-satellite, you can deploy the magnetometers antennas or stow them.

* AMSO now supports custom sound pack for any missions.

* Added space EVA with 2 film cassettes retrieval, full RCS control and custom KILL-LINEAR function.

* Added a Surveyor III static mesh for Apollo 12 mission, plus Moon EVA task to grab the camera of this probe, like it was done in the reality.

* Addition of a new document "EVA.doc" which contain landing site EVA maps and instructions on how to complete each mission during the Moon stay.

'''Improvements'''

* Pressurization vapour before liftoff and ice + condensation effects added on launch.

* LM landing probe poles added.

* SM light mast work. It erects when beacons lights are lit and glowing light.

* All thrusters flames customized.

* Saturn V autopilot can now intercept LOI Moon plane if LOI MJD is specified into launch scenario with "MJDLOI".

'''Improvements'''

* Added the GET (Ground Elapsed Time) in the top-right corner of the screen.

* Some corrections and updates.

'''Improvements'''

* All scenarios are redone to be compatible with new IMFD5.

'''Improvements'''

[[Image:csmvc.jpg|200 px|right|thumb|The new CSM Virtual Cockpit]]

* First version of Virtual cockpit in CM and LM. Only decorative for now. Don't ask which buttons or gauges are working. The answer is none of them! However, both cockpits have operational COAS (optical alignment) for docking, including the CSM docking target behind the right CM docking window, installed automatically when beacons lights are activated and the LM is in ascent stage configuration. LM designation of landing target feature has been also adapted to the virtual cockpit.

* VC Crew presence, managed dynamically, dressed with or without space suits, according to the situation, with beautiful completely new astronauts meshes.

* Full rework of the LM mesh, in particular, the shape of the ascent stage and the addition of many new details.

* New dust effect feature on Lunar landing. This graphic feature cost graphics power (frame rate), so it can be disabled with "NODUST 1" in LM scenario parameters.

* Improved Saturn V pressurization condensation vapours effect.

* New set of space EVA astronauts meshes (Apollo 9 and the other one for missions with SIM bay), with all visors animated.

* New mission "Tribute to LazyD", with fully animated scenery. Something YOU MUST NO MISS AT ALL (the start scenario is in the directory "AMSO\Miscellanenous").

 

 

 

* New ATC sounds customization model. Now any number of ATC can be played at any times (also at any altitude for LM landing), determined by ATC file names themselves. There is ATC synchronized on specific events like for example, LM PDI and landing and ATC synchronized on the GET. ATC synchronized on GET can be disabled with "Ctrl-K".

* New pre-launch sound capability: now it is possible to play a pre-countdown sound, starting exactly at minus 5 minutes and in this case, the last 10 seconds countdown and liftoff will be automatically triggered.

* Added a camera shaker on Apollo and LM vessels. Different vibration ratios in function of the configuration. Staging simulation, active during all main engine thrust and during atmospheric entry.

====Version 1.18 ====

 

 

 

 

 

 

[[Image:saturn_pad.jpg|thumb|Saturn V sitting on Pad]]

The “little child” of Wernher von Braun, a three-staged, liquid propelled, 111 meters tall rocket will send you in a parking orbit around Earth at first, expending the first two stages, and will then use the remaining fuel of the third stage to shoot you toward the Moon. Lots of small and big details make this rocket a real piece of art, starting from explosive devices to the interstage rotation when hit by flames.

* '''SM''' contains life support systems, environmental control, main engine for correction and orbit insertion, RCS, docking mechanism, communication systems, experiment-bay in J-type missions (and mass dummies for normal missions);

[[Image:rover.jpg|200 px|right|thumb|Lunar Rover and it's features]]

It is powered by batteries and has four steerable wheels

McDivitt, Scott and Schweickart orbited 10 days around the Earth testing the new Lunar Module, named Spider; an EVA was also performed by Schweickart, with the characteristic “red-helmet” space-suit.

Armstrong and Aldrin landed with Eagle in Mare Tranquillitatis, while Mike Collins was orbiting above them in CSM Columbia. The first foot was set on the lunar surface by Neil Armstrong, pronouncing in the meantime the words:<<That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind.>>

“The successful failure”; Lovell, Haise and Swigert used the LM Aquarius as a life-boat, when CSM Odyssey was shut down to prevent total loss of oxygen and electricity, on the way to the moon, due to an explosion in the SM. LM’s DPS engine was used to achieve a satisfactory free-return trajectory.

With Worden orbiting over them, Scott and Irwin landed in the zone of the Hadley Apennine, a mountainous region near the Hadley Rille. During 3 LEVA they travelled from one side to the other of the valley using the first Lunar Rover (LRV), an electric car stowed into LM during flight. It was the first of J-Type mission, long duration moon exploration, with extensive experiments in both LM and CSM, with a deployable sub-satellite and a Space-Walk scheduled during return coast.

This 3rd J-type mission concluded the manned exploration of the Moon; after a night launch, Eugene Cernan and the geologist Harrison Schmitt (the first scientist to go to the Moon) explored the valley of Taurus-Littrow, remaining on the surface for 75 hours; using the last LRV, they conducted deep geological studies, discovering a particular orange soil made of melted silicates.

Image:apo8dum.jpg|S-IVB stage of Apollo 8, showing the mass dummy for the LM

[[Category:Articles]]

[[Category:Vessel add-ons]]

[[Category:Spacecraft add-ons]]

[[Category:Orbiter 2016 add-ons]]

[[Category:Realistic add-ons]]