| v0.3a |
Jan, 30. 2005 13:10 CEST |
New:
Improvements have been made to make a REDSHIFT flight plan less dependend
on a specific scenario. This allows to write flight plans that can be used
in different scenarios without changes.
- Time calculations
REDSHIFT now automatically calculates launch and de-orbit
times.
- Variables
-
A "Flight Operations Plan" (FOP) can now define variables that
get their value from a user input. If you define a processor
variable like
<Param name="VariableName"> ? </Param>
the processor will query the user for a value during processor startup.
The user must enter a reply exactly in the format of a parameter value.
See the parameter description for each processor for more explanation.
There can be up to 32 variables per flight plan.
-
Variables can have reference numbers (1-32), so a variable can be used
in more than one step definition. By using a a new flight plan section,
you can (pre-)define the value of variables. Such a variable can be
used in a step definition like
<Param name="VariableName"> !3 </Param>
to set a value. A step can override a defined variable by user input
by specifiying a question mark instead of the exclamation mark. See
the example flight plans for more information.
- Processors:
The following (experimental) processors have been added to REDSHIFT:
- Ballistic:
If you are on a moon or planet with (nearly) no atmosphere, you can
hop between surface bases with this processor that follows a ballistic
trajectory to the target.
- Transfer:
Transfer from an orbit around a planet to a moon of that planet. This
processor can take you from an Earth orbit to the Moon.
Changes:
A lot of small changes have summed up over the last twelve month; the major changes are:
-
Compatibility with new Orbiter version 050116:
REDSHIFT has been re-worked to use (most of) the new features and API improvements that
came with the new Orbiter release.
-
Processors with graphical display:
All processors that display a time-based graph will now update the
graph even when not in cockpit view - so the graph is not "frozen"
for the time you are not in cockpit view (or have the MFD turned off).
-
Graphical properties:
All colors used in processor displays can now be customized to your own
needs and preference by editing the definitions in RedShift.cfg.
The only graphical entity that can not be changed in color is the status
icon in the upper right of the screen.
-
Processors:
- Launch:
-
The launch processor now calculates the next launch time for a defined
launch target (vessel, moon) and launch node (ascending / descending)
automatically.
-
You can now launch plane-like vessels (like the Deltaglider) from a runway,
rockets from a launch pad and hovercrafts from anywhere.
- Deorbit:
The old Reentry processor has been split up into a new Deorbit
processor and a stand-alone Reentry processor.
- Reentry:
The internal operations of the Reentry processor have been completely redesigned.
Currently the main objective of the re-entry is to come close to the surface base,
not to keep the passengers of the vessel alive and well (up to 10G during descent are possible).
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