Opps, I didn't just lose all that work...

For the last 72 hours I've been working on the handrails and walkways that surround the main structure of the Crawler Transport. I grouped all the parts and I thought I hidden them so I could see another section more clearly. I didn't. What I did was I collapsed the majority of the walkway, handrails and associated parts so that only a few faces existed. Adding insult to injury, I hadn't saved or backed up to the cloud or to my NAS.

Normally, I would of blown my lid off, moaned, had a monumental strop and restarted. However, this is a blessing in disguise. Half way through creating the rails, I found a better way of making the walkway and handrails. It also has the advantages of reducing the polygon count and improving model accuracy. But, I couldn't make the alterations then, as it would of clashed with what already existed.

I've restarted and it's taken fifth of the time to get the bare bones back on the CT. I might have everything back by the end of the night.

Crawler Transporter - (Part 6)

I've neglected the Crawler Transporter for too long. I've improved one corner and with the assistance of JayP (a forum member on NASASpaceFlight), I've got a better understanding on the JEL systems. Once I'm happy with one corner (lower left on the image below), I'll replicate that corner on the other 3. I've also started on walkway and safety rails. There about 70% done and the I need to mirror and flip to the other side.This is a low quality render as I need to get some sleep, but you get the idea.

More Old Space Shuttle Data Found - Switches, Buttons, Panels and Scans of Guillow's Space Shuttle

Today I've been as sick as a dead parrot, and there one thing I hate more than being sick, lying in bed being sick. So, late this afternoon I dragged my bones to the 'workshop/office/games' room and did a bit of house keeping. Festering in the bottom of a drawer was a small cardboard box containing old USB memory sticks. Going through them I found a surprising gem, files relating to the old Space Shuttle project...

The first image is of switches and other panel components that I've drawn to scale.

Using these switches, I planned to add them to the image below, which is the original CRT and MEDS Orbiter forward panels of the flight deck. Some time ago, I was in the process of adding the components to the panels, when a few days later the HDD died and the project was lost. For some reason I copied to a USB memory stick. luckily.

The MEDS version was obtained from the Shuttle Crew Operations Manual (SCOM). The CRT version I think I built it from various PDFs and DXF file that were available at the time, or maybe an older version of the SCOM. I can't remember. I've also have DXF files of the other forward panels (Left, Right and Overhead), but I have nothing saved of the rear panels.

Also on this USB Stick, I've found scans of the Guillow's Space Shuttle Kit No. 1201 which I had purchased a few years ago. My plan at the time was to re-create the balsa parts from the kit plans and keep the original kit intact. I still may do this, but I have other projects rat the moment and at best this is going to be a side line project.

Paper Model VAB & LCC, Version 1

The last version wasn't really a version, it was a quick test to see how fast I could transfer a 3D format to paper. I've updated the texture, simplified the Launch Control Center (LCC) section and scaled it to 1:2400, which gives it a height of 66mm. To download the PDF file please click here to download the PDF version. You'll need the latest version of Adobe Reader, as the first paper is a 3D model. I've also made it available as a Pepakura model (.pdo). This can be downloaded here

Space Shuttle Orbiter's HUD (Paper Model)

I've been using Pepakura Designer 3 a bit more and I've made a paper version of the HUD. So far it's low detail version and I'll add the switches later. You can download load it here.

Mobile Launch Platform - Space Shuttle Era (part 5)

I've now added the majority of the rails for Side1. I haven't checked the polygon count, but, I bet it's more than my prediction of 12,000. Oh well.

The rails that I've added may not be in the right place, as I'm trading off between polygon count, quality and interpretation from a series of photos and drawings, of which some are of a good quality, but most are not.... Best Guess™

Space Shuttle Stack, Mobile Launcher Platform and Crawler

Started this render last night at about 8pm, it finished at around 3am. I've added some of the stairs, light sources and (I think) completed the major pipework on side 1. I'm planning on reducing the power of the light sources on side 1, as it just looks too bright. It also needs more orange in colour, as photos of the MLP at night suggest it.

Next tasks: add safety rails to the MLP, and work on the Crawler.

Note: the blogger app seems to forget about adding images.

Paper VAB

Merry Christmas to one and all. 

One of the Christmas gifts I received this year was a Paper/Card model creator. Not the easiest 3D model to paper/card model on the market, but after 30 minutes I was able to create a layout for the VAB. If you want you can download in the first image.

The VAB itself is a low polygon model that I created a while back. In a later version, I'll be correcting a few 'minor' errors and adding more details. This is my third attempt at create paper/card models so thee maybe error and if you need any help, please leave a comment. My second was the Forward flight deck of the Space Shuttle Orbiter. My first was a botched and rather crude Apollo Command Module, thankfully lost to inaccessible recycle bin.

Mobile Launch Platform - Space Shuttle Era (part 4)

Merry Christmas! I've just downed tools for the night, as there is shin-dig tomorrow later...

I've done a little bit of pipework on the Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP). Its low detail for the moment as I need to make sure the pipework looks right. Then I'll up the polygons by a factor of two.

I'm now seriously thinking about creating this as as real 1:144 model for The Space Shuttle. The minor lights will probably be fibre optics from a simple LED source and two bright focused LEDs onto the Space Shuttle itself. The main section of the MLP will probably be wooden, and the details (e.g. pipework) I might create using a 3D printer. Time and money will tell ;)

Crawler Transporter (Part 5)

A low resolution render I started an hour ago has just completed.... 

Off to bed, hoping that the little ones have a quiet night and wake up at 7am...

Crawler Transporter (Part 4)

The Crawler Transporter is too detailed for the intended use. I've gone on an extreme polygon diet and it still not enough. Currently, the 3D model for the Crawler Transporter stands at 87,386 polygons. I need it to be no more than 15,000, 17,500 absolute maximum, and there still more objects to add...

Here is the full 3D model so far.

[edit] Changed the title from Part 3 to 4, it's late and I'm watching The Bourne Legacy.

Crawler Transporter - Track Shoes (Part 3)

The track shoes are now in place, and it was a pain in the neck getting to fit. However, at this level of detail it's just too many polygons. By my calculations, I need to get down to less than 75 polys per shoe... But it does look Shiny!

Crawler Transporter - Track Shoes (Part 2)

With a little bit of persistence, I've managed to find some drawings on the track shoes for the Crawler:

There are 57 track shoes per track, 2 tracks at each of the 4 corners.... I'll save you the grey cells.... 456 track shoes. The original track shoe had just over 550 polygons, that would mean 250000 polygons just for the track shoes alone. I've reduced the polygon count to 352 per shoe and this gives a total of 160512 polygons. Just to put that into some form of perspective: the Orbiter model in F-Sim Space Shuttle is only a humble 8370 polygons. 

I need to reduce those pesky polygons,.

Crawler Transporter

I've started to form the basic shape NASA's workhorse, the Crawler. I thought it was a simple box with bits sticking out, how wrong was I. The Crawler is a maze of criss-cross I beam girders and thanks to @MDBenson on Twitter, his photos showed how complex the placement for girders, rooms and equipment are. I've also found this paper model of the Crawler on MicroArtwork website, which has given me clues to how the Crawler is assembled.

I'm very attempted to model the Crawler completely, but I'll probably spend to much time online searching for details. Best to keep it simple...