Bugfixes:

• (Un-)Docking:
  
  • After undocking, the vessel now moves away from the docking port correctly for all docking directions.
• Reentry:
  
  • If no base is defined in the variables of the processor, the base defined in the MapMFD is ignored.
  • Improved course correction (to target base).
• AlignOrbit:
  
  • Fixed bug that caused multiple peri-/apoapsis corrections in one run.
• Approach:
  
  • Less flickering thrusters while killing relative velocity.

• Landing:
  
  • The Landing processor has been reworked and now handles the "Glide" mode. This means REDSHIFT can now land shuttle-like vessels on RCS (no main or hover thrusters used). Currently the processor can not land a shuttle straight on the runway (I am working on that) - but it will land pretty close to the given base and with a smooth touch-down...
• (Un-)Docking:
  
  • It is now possible to define the time we stay docked; the new variable "TimeDocked" can be used instead of "StartAt". This variable (obviously) only makes sense in fully automated missions.
• Reentry:
  
  • Process can now be split into two seperate processes ("deorbit burn" and "reentry") by setting the mode string in the processor definition to "Deorbit" or "Trajectory". (This split was necessary for vessels that have a separate deorbit stage like Hermes).
  • New variable "MaxRollSpeed" defines the max speed for course corrections during reentry. The default value is 4500 (m/s).
  • New variable "TurnTime" to adjust to the vessels speed of attitude change.
  • The existing variable "CompleteAt" can now be defined in terms of airspeed (e.g. "Va = 2500").
• REDSHIFT.cfg:
  Ship properties can now be assigned based on vessel instance names also. This allows to assign properties to vessels that use a generic spacecraft / multistage DLL.
• Scenarios:
  The SpaceShuttle and Hermes missions have been made complete "launch-to-landing" missions and make fully use of the new REDSHIFT features. Of course landing is far from being perfect (see notes above), but you can terminate the landing processor with SHIFT-T any time and land the shuttle yourself ;-)
• Mission charts:
  All new missions will include "mission charts" that explain how to sucessfully run that REDSHIFT mission. Charts for the "Shuttle to ISS" and "Hermes to ISS" missions are included in this release.

Bugfixes:

• Docking:
  Core parts of the docking processor have been rewritten to allow docking vessels with arbitrary docking directions (until now only "nose docking" was possible). This limitation is gone; the new feature is used in the two new scearios that comes with this version: Hermes (tail docking) and SpaceShuttle (top docking).

Bugfixes:

• Reentry:
  As soon as the vessel enters the upper layers of the atmosphere, the processor performs aerodynamic course corrections to keep the heading towards the defined base station (new variable). This brings you in much closer to the target base during reentry. Timing of the de-orbit burn is nonetheless critical.
• Landing:
  The final landing phase (hover landing) has been improved to operate thrusters smoother and somewhat more efficient. One small step closer to an acceptable landing procedure ;-)
• Config / Status:
  Any vessel in the status list, that can not be selected as a focus object, is no longer selectable (the old version crashed when selecting such object).

• Sync:
  The meaning of the CompleteAt variable has changed: Former versions used the specified distance to initiate a capture procedure when the vessel reached that distance; the processor continued as long as the vessel was closing in on target.
  The new version will actually terminate the Sync processor at the specified distance. The capture process is started when the vessel is a defined from the completion distance (specified by a new variable CaptureDist).
• The REDSHIFT scenarions have been re-organized a bit, so that unpacking the upgrade package will leave old scenarios untouched. Therefore some scenarios are available twice. This can be confusing, so I recommend you backup your changes in the REDSHIFT scenarios (if any) and then delete the old REDSHIFT scenario folder before unpacking the upgrade.

• Align:
  Although the Align processor has been improved, there is still an "error" somewhere that messes up alignment burns when relative inclination is small. The process works just fine for start RInc values of 10° or above; smaller RInc values yield an incorrect longitude for the alignment burn - the smaller RInc, the larger the error. I am still sorting this out.

New:

• Based on the addon 2001 - A Space Odyssey John Wilson (a.k.a. MrBatman) created a FOP to autopilot Dr.Floyd from Florida to the Space Station 1 ("stationV") in an Orion III. This is a real joyride - especially approach and docking to the "stationV" is an eye candy. For maximum pleasure I recommend to have the matching soundtrack available. Nice work, John.

• Align:
  • "sign bug" in the alignment formula found and fixed.
• Sync:
  • processor now checks both intersection points (distance minima) for interception.
  • New variable "Thrust" defines thrust level during synchronization burn.
• Docking:
  • processor can now dock the Deltaglider (or any other nose docking vessel) to rotating docks. This makes it possible to dock to "stationV" from 2001 - A Space Odyssey or to the Luna station.
  • New variable to define hold distance from dock.
  • Now the screen displays the "real" distance during final approach.

Bugfixes:

• Launch: Multi-vessel support broke the rocket launch mode - fixed.
• Profile: Unaligned ascent if no reference plane is defined.
• FltOp Manager: New name for the REDSHIFT MFD in the selection menu.

Bugfixes:

• Reentry: Crash at process start fixed.
• SyncOrbit: Main engine burn problem fixed.
• Atlantis: Put the wrong files into 0.2a (sorry). Modified FOP to make use of new Profile parameters.
• Launch: Mode "Hover" - Smooth operation of hover thrust during lift-off and delay of re-orientation until safety altitude is reached.

• Profile: The Ascent processor has two new parameters. MaxG limits the acceleration to a defined limit and LockVz controls the pitch at the "end" of the profile to keep a vertical velocity close to zero.

This is a major upgrade! Many features (and a lot of kernel stuff) has changed, so make sure you read the enhanced manual on how to use REDSHIFT. I hope that this version is not too instable although it changed dramatically (inside)... But at least I can put a feature freeze on the project and spent the rest of the time on bug hunting.

Changes:

• Multi-vessel support
  REDSHIFT now handles an independent autopilot for every vessel in an Orbiter scenario. This allows to fly more than one vessel automatically in one session or to fly one (or more) vessels on autopilot and one vessel manually.
• Reworked user interface
  There is a consistent button handling for processes now that allows the user to terminate, run and stop processes at any time.

Changes:

• REDSHIFT can now use a user-defined key to button mapping. Some vessels (like SpaceShuttles and many rockets) use the default keys used by REDSHIFT for their own purpose and don't check for MFD shift keys. This results in some mess-up with some spacecraft. So you can now map the keys you want to the REDSHIFT MFD buttons.

Changes:

• The Launch processor now avoids the drop at the beginning of the launch by operating the hover thruster a bit longer. It is a less spectacular launch when viewed from outside - but some crafts didn't make it into the sky, so safety first!

• The AlignOrbit processor has new variables that allow more orbit parameters to be aligned from a reference or via direct specification (more details)
• The SyncOrbit processor has new variables also (more details). This allows to control how much fuel you will spend on the interception.

This release now includes a SpaceShuttle-specific extension DLL. Currently this REDSHIFT extension allows you to launch the shuttle into orbit - so docking, reentry and landing (other shuttle specific processes) have still to be done.

The ascent profile for the shuttle that comes with the version is just a quick shot to get you into orbit. I will leave it "as an exercise to the reader" to make a better one ;-)

I have been able to reproduce the freeze when REDSHIFT switches from Launch to Ascend mode (that problem was still reported with 0.1e). So please test this version if you had freezes yourself.

The only other thing changed is in a part not used until now and involves the external processor interface. The processors for the SpaceShuttle (Launch, Docking and Landing) I am currently working on, will be put into an external processor DLL that get loaded by REDSHIFT on demand. This will also be the way for external developers to write spacecraft specific processors.

Major bugfixes:

• The crashes and freezes that people still report made me curious. I now believe that it was my variable handling in the MFD update() method. This is plausible since there seems to be relation to the MFD refresh rate (which defines how often the update() method is called). So I reworked every processor to check everything is in place as it should.
  If you had crashes or freezes please check this version and report remaining problems back. Thanks a lot.
  
• I have reworked the Landing processor (guess I messed it up in the last version). The Deltaglider now behaves more like a plane and comes "sailing" in to Baikonur. The last part of the approach now lands you right in the middle of the pad. Still not what it could be, but much better than before (see Landing).
  

• The Undock process now has a consistent timeline. There was some confusion about a wrongly displayed time (overrunning the "time to undock" clock) which is fixed now.
  The new module also fixes the "problem" that OrbiterSound only reports "undocking" and plays the "lock mechanism" sound when a vessel is undocked and not at docking position, so REDSHIFT is now accelerating after undocking just a bit to fulfill that need.
  

Major bugfixes and improvements (hopefully)

• The Launch processor can now handle the Ariane 5 scenario (until now it tried to start the Ariane5 with a hover engine and the booster rockets on ;-)
• I am working hard on the "crash to desktop" problem people have reported. One thing seems to be switching scenarios without quiting Orbiters Launchpad dialog in between. I made some changes to trigger a reset on the module if a scenario is switched.
• There was a problem that processes didn't switch correctly if you have the REDSHIFT MFD turned off or are in an outside (external) view. This should work now, so it should now be possible to view the complete mission from outside.

The problem with the Deltaglider at launch ("flipping over") is fixed.

Minor changes and bugfixes applied:

• The Launch processor now turns slower to the final launch attitude (pitch) giving the vessel more time to take up speed and to use aerodynamic lift during launch.
• The SyncOrbit processor now stops time acceleration correctly if the closest approach is before the calculated time.

Initial pre-alpha test release