DarkEnergy Spaceplane

Project home: DarkEnergy Spaceplane at Orbiter-forum/resources Author: Max-Q Current version: 3.0b Compatibility: Orbiter 2016

DarkEnergy Spaceplane is a spacecraft add-on designed and built by Max-Q, version 3.0b was released 11 August 2022.

Details from the download page include:

Dependencies

Add-ons required

NOTE: In the forum thread Max-Q recommends that the required dependencies should be installed before installing DarkEnergy

• D3D9 client
• Ion-4 Launch Vehicle
• Ion-6 Launch Vehicle
• Better ISS
• OrbiterSound
• LC39A SpaceX

Add-ons recommended

• BurnTimeCalcMFD
• BaseSyncMFD
• Vessel Load MFD
• IMFD or LTMFD

Features

• Virtual cockpit with 6 MFDs, every visible control has a function and works
• Realistically modeled systems
• Complete flight manual (>100 pages), located at Doc/DarkEnergy/DarkEnergyMFD/DarkEnergyMFD.pdf
• Launch escape capability at all times during flight
• Event and mission timers
• Flight manual accessible in-flight in the pilot's or copilot's armrest
• G's are limited during second stage burn
• Master Caution and Warning system
• Includes in-flight failures
• Glowing heat shield during reentry
• Spacecraft include manned, cargo, and deep space versions
• Expansion includes a solar panel that moves in accordance with solar flux, sun angle, etc., and high gain antenna

Keyboard commands

• = Open or close the Tunnel hatch
• + = Open or close the Docking hatch
• + = Open or close the Crew access hatch
• + = Dump tunnel air pressure to outside
• + = Repressurize tunnel
• = Set flight crew wearing pressure suits
• = Set number of crew on board
• = Set target orbit

Documented keyboard commands available in DarkEnergy Expansion

• = Open or close Tunnel hatch
• + = Open or close Docking hatch
• + = Open or close Crew access hatch
• + = Dump tunnel air pressure to outside
• + = Repressurize tunnel
• = Set flight crew wearing pressure suits
• = Partition walls stowed or deployed (only if the crew is not wearing pressure suits
• + = Install or remove lower panel cover
• = Set number of crew on board
• = Set target orbit

Documented keyboard commands available in DarkEnergy Cargo

• = Set Cargo mass
• + = Open or close the Docking hatch
• + = Open or close Crew access hatch
• = Set target orbit

DarkEnergy spacecraft comes equipped with a reentry autopilot, created by BrianJ

Max-Q adds the following credits for others who helped in designing this add-on:

• Code to calculate touchdown point stiffness & damping shared on OF by fred18
• The main wing callbacks are modified from the Deltaglider
• The parafoil callbacks are from the Falcon9 addon by BrianJ
• Code to draw text on the MFD buttons is from the DM2 Crew Dragon addon by BrianJ
• The code to run the G-meter is from the dragon2 addon by BrianJ
• I found code to get the current system time on StackOverflow
• The code to compress the nosewheel strut was adapted from some code shared by Dansteph
• Code to move the docking ring is adapted from the DM2 Crew Dragon addon by BrianJ
• The code to open the flight manual in-sim is from StackOverflow & OF
• The code to calculate the heatshield glow & VC shake level for reentry level is from Orbiter core source code.
• VC Viewpoint shake code is from NASSP
• Custom cameras stuff in the cargo VC is based on GenericCamera from D3D9.
• The meshes for the crew wearing pressure suits are from the Deltaglider. (CDR.msh, PLT.msh, MS1.msh, MS2.msh)
• I found the carbon fiber texture on the internet (carbon_fiber.dds) from here: “https://blog.spoongraphics.co.uk/freebies/5-genuine-carbon-fiber-textures-for-photoshop”
• The texture DarkEnergy_1.dds has components from two addons; SSU & SpaceX SuperHeavy by BrianJ
• The texture DarkEnergy_2.dds also has components from two addons; Skylab B by 4throck & SpaceX SuperHeavy by BrianJ
• Exhaust.dds is slightly adapted from NASSP
• Four textures, MPS_Bell.dds, MPS_Bell_in.dds, SM_Base.dds, and SM_Enginemount.dds are adapted from the Jarvis HLV addon by FOI
• MPS_Cover is from the Jarvis HLV addon by FOI
• SM_Solar.dds is from Starlab in the Antares 3.0 addon by FOI
• Three textures, SM_Connections.dds, SM_RCS_Nozzle.dds, and SM_RCS_Quad.dds are adapted from NASSP
• SM_Hull.dds has components from NASSP
• The textures CDR.dds, PLT.dds, MS1.dds, and MS2.dds are from the Deltaglider
• The text on the instrument panel is from NASSP
• Wheel.dds is from SSU
• The copilot voice sound was generated with a text-to-speech program and edited in Audacity.
• All other sounds licensed CC0 from Freesound.net and edited in Audacity

Software License: GPLv2 Supported Orbiter version: 2016

External links

• DarkEnergy Spaceplane download page.
• DarkEnergy Spaceplane 3.0b Orbiter-forum discussion thread.