Altea erospace XR Flight User manual

XR Flight Operations Manual Version 3.0
Copyright 2006-2018 Douglas Beachy. All Rights Reserved.
1
XR Flight Operations Manual
Version 3.0
Publication Date: 12-February-2018
Vessel Versions: XR5 1.13 / XR1 1.15 / XR2 1.10
Copyright 2006-2018 Douglas Beachy. All Rights Reserved.
This software is freeware and may not be sold.
Web: http://www.alteaaerospace.com
Email: mailto:[e-mail]
Orbiter Forum: dbeachy1 (http://orbiter-forum.com)

XR Flight Operations Manual Version 3.0
Copyright 2006-2018 Douglas Beachy. All Rights Reserved.
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Table of Contents
DG-XR1 Development Team .................................................................. 3
XR5 Vanguard Development Team.......................................................... 3
XR2 Ravenstar Development Team ......................................................... 3
Voice Actress (all vessels) ..................................................................... 3
DG-XR1 Beta Testers ............................................................................ 4
XR5 Vanguard Beta Testers ................................................................... 4
XR2 Ravenstar Beta Testers................................................................... 4
XR Flight Operations Manual Translations ................................................ 5
Acknowledgements ............................................................................... 5
Copyright ............................................................................................ 6
Summary ............................................................................................ 7
Features.......................................................................................................7
Requirements .....................................................................................11
Installation .........................................................................................11
Configuring Your XR Vessel...........................................................................16
Cheat Codes ............................................................................................... 20
Flying your XR Vessel...........................................................................20
Structural and Thermal Limits ...............................................................24
Custom Shortcut Keys..........................................................................25
XR Vessel Custom Shortcut Keys ...................................................................25
XR Attitude Hold Shortcut Keys .....................................................................27
XR Descent Hold Shortcut Keys ..................................................................... 27
XR Airspeed Hold Shortcut Keys ....................................................................28
Center-of-Gravity Shifting ....................................................................28
Using the Multi-Display-Area (MDA) .......................................................29
Walkthrough: Launch from KSC to Low-Earth-Orbit .................................30
Fuel and Oxygen Consumables Management...........................................36
Replenishing Fuel and LOX Tanks ..................................................................36
XR2/XR5 Only: Using Payload Bay Fuel/LOX Tanks ..........................................38
Coolant Temperature Management ........................................................39
APU Fuel Management .........................................................................41
M.E.T. and Interval Timers ...................................................................42
Damage and Warning Display ...............................................................43
Attitude Hold Autopilot .........................................................................44
Reentry Walkthrough ................................................................................... 46
Descent Hold Autopilot (Hovering and Landing).......................................49
Airspeed Hold Autopilot ........................................................................50
Using the Docking Camera (XR5 Only) ...................................................52
Payload Management (XR2/XR5 Only)....................................................54
UCGO Support ............................................................................................ 55
Grappling Payloads ...................................................................................... 55
Deploying Payloads......................................................................................58
Using the Payload Editor............................................................................... 60
Creating Your Own Payload Module........................................................62
Publishing Your Payload Module.....................................................................65
XR2-01_Bay/XR5-01_Bay Vessel Saved in Scenario Files..........................65

XR Flight Operations Manual Version 3.0
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Installing and Using a Custom Skin........................................................65
Submitting a Feature Request or Bug Report...........................................66
Appendix A: Notes...............................................................................67
Appendix B: Technical Data ..................................................................68
The Future Is Now.
DG-XR1 Development Team
Douglas Beachy
Systems design, C++ code, 2D graphics, dialogs, exterior
textures, documentation
Don Gallagher
3D mesh tweaks, hover doors, SCRAM doors
XR5 Vanguard Development Team
Douglas Beachy
Concept, systems design, C++ code, 2D graphics, dialogs,
documentation
Russell Hicks
3D modeling, internal cockpit textures, model design, cargo
module models, some animation code
PennyBlack
Ship textures
Carmen A
Fuel, LOX, & H20 cargo modules
Tom Fisher
AIA cargo module
XR2 Ravenstar Development Team
Douglas Beachy
Systems Design, C++ code, 2D graphics, dialogs,
documentation.
Steve “Coolhand”
Tyler
Concept, model design, 3D modeling, textures, cargo module
models, Lee and Kara astronaut models, XR2 turbopack
models, custom main/hover/RCS/SCRAM sound effects.
Voice Actress (all vessels)
•Sally Beaumont (http://www.sallybeaumont.com/)

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DG-XR1 Beta Testers
•Cale Nicholson (Cale)
•Chris Mueller (BuckTheInfernal)
•Christopher Turner (CHRISTU)
•Don Gallagher (Donamy)
•David A. Seiver (BigDAS)
•Franconis Wisard (Zebuwin)
•Jim Ladmo (Delboy)
•Jógvan Trondesen (C3PO)
•Luca Rizzardi (rigel489)
•Matt Picio (Matt P.)
•Michael Sturm (Sturmn8r)
•Michael Weatherton (TWIFOSP)
•Mohd Ali (computerex)
•Patrice Fort (Fort)
•Steve Symonds (Scorpius)
•Zachary Grillo (Jgrillo2002)
•Zachstar Brown (Zachstar)
XR5 Vanguard Beta Testers
•Callum Massey (kais58)
•Charles Singh
•Don Gallagher (Donamy)
•Jógvan Trondesen (C3PO)
•John Mark Simpson (Duke)
•Julian Soulages (jsoulages)
•Michael Scott (Zaphod)
•Neil Forrester (scarecrow)
•Randy Stearns (yagni01)
•Russell Hicks (Russ_H)
•Stefan Sondermann (gnome_gemini)
•Tom Fisher (wehaveaproblem)
XR2 Ravenstar Beta Testers
•Ben Stickan (TSPenguin)
•Blair Hoddinott (orwellkid)
•Cale Nicholson (Cale)
•Charles Singh
•Dennis Reynolds (karpador)
•Jógvan Trondesen (C3PO)
•John Mark Simpson (Duke)
•Randy Stearns (yagni01)
•Ryan Kingsbury (Countdown84)
•Stefan Sondermann (gnome_gemini)
•Tristan Lostroh (TL8)
•Zachary Grillo (jgrillo2002)

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XR Flight Operations Manual Translations
•German: Stefan Sondermann (earlier XR5 manual)
•Spanish: Julian Soulages (earlier XR5 manual)
•Italian: Ugo Palazzo (XR Flight Operations Manual Version 2.4)
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Dr. Martin Schweiger for his outstanding Orbiter program, which he
develops for free.
Special thanks to Don Gallagher for his early XR5 Vanguard prototype meshes that
helped me figure out how I wanted the Vanguard to look.
Thanks to Greg Burch for kindly granting me permission to use his high-polygon
astronaut meshes.
Thanks to Frying Tiger on the Orbiter Forum for developing the original DeltaGlider-S
mesh and virtual cockpit upon which the XR1 is based.

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Special thanks to Stefan Sondermann, Julian Soulages, and Ugo Palazzo for
translating the XR Flight Operations Manual into German, Spanish, and Italian,
respectively. See my Web site for more information.
Copyright
This software copyright 2006-2018 Douglas Beachy. This software is FREEWARE and
may not be sold or distributed for a fee under any circumstances, including a
“distribution fee.” You may not redistribute this software or host it on your own Web
site; however, you are free to link to my Web Page.
You may not charge a fee of any kind to use this software, nor may you use this
software for any commercial purpose (i.e., where profit is involved), regardless of
the terms governing the Orbiter instance on which it is running, without express
written permission signed by the author and sent via hardcopy letter or fax; i.e., an
email is not sufficient to grant permission. Please email me at
[email protected]et if you have any questions.
All software, custom meshes, custom textures, and all other files contained in this
package are copyright 2006-2018 by their respective authors (Douglas Beachy,
Russell Hicks, Steve Tyler, PennyBlack), and may not be sold or reused in any
Orbiter add-on or other product without express written permission signed by the
author(s) and sent via hardcopy letter or fax; i.e., an email is not sufficient to grant
permission.
This software is provided without any warranty, either expressed or implied.
You may not use any ship’s mesh, skins, or custom textures for another ship or
product without express written permission from the author(s) as stated above.

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Summary
Welcome to the Future.
The DG-XR1, XR5 Vanguard, and XR2 Ravenstar are cutting-edge spacecraft for
Orbiter that are the products of over 60,000 lines of C++ code. All XR vessels are
built on a common framework and share similar internal systems. Highlights include
three (XR1), four (XR2), or five (XR5) 2D instrument panels that natively support
1280-, 1600-, and 1920-pixel-wide resolutions, high-performance Altea Aerospace
SCRAM engines, complex damage simulation, custom sound effects via XRSound,
over 250 voice callouts performed by voice actress Sally Beaumont, and highly
precise autopilots just to name a few. In addition, the XR2 and XR5 include a
payload bay with full payload support via a custom panel.
XR vessels are designed to be pilots’ships, and with all the realism settings set to
maximum the ships are significantly more challenging to fly efficiently (and safely)
than the default DeltaGlider; i.e., pilot workload is higher. However, each vessel is
fully configurable via its configuration file (e.g., Config\XR5VanguardPrefs.cfg),
and with all the realism settings disabled each vessel is just as forgiving to fly as the
default DeltaGlider. The configuration file also features a custom CHEATCODES
section that allows the user to directly set certain ship's values such as maximum
engine thrust, fuel capacity, ship mass, etc.
Features
If you are a veteran XR pilot, you will find most of all three ships’ systems familiar.
However, the Vanguard is many times larger than the XR1/XR2 and the flight
characteristics are completely different –particularly if you are carrying a heavy
payload.
All XR vessels include:
•2D instrument panel native support for 1280-, 1600-, and 1920-pixel-wide
video modes. By default each XR vessel will automatically load the optimum
panel width based on the window size in which Orbiter is running. However,
to force a particular panel width to be used, set 2DPanelWidth in your ship’s
configuration file (e.g., Config\XR5VanguardPrefs.cfg). Each main panel is
low-profile in the center for maximum visibility.
•255-281 unique sound effects and voice callouts; callouts performed by voice
actress Sally Beaumont.
•Altea Aerospace SCRAM engines operable up to ~Mach 17 (XR1) or ~Mach 20
(XR2/XR5).
•Extensive refueling/resupply support via the lower instrument panel. Also
disabled Orbiter's automatic (and instant) refueling of the ship when touching

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down on a landing pad or when loading a scenario where the ship is landed on
a pad.
•Many instrument panel gauges, including:
oFuel display showing Main, RCS, and SCRAM fuel remaining.
oEngine display showing 1) main engine efficiency (affected by
atmospheric pressure), 2) main, hover, and SCRAM thrust levels, and
3) acceleration along all three axes in g’s and meters-per-second-
squared.
The G scale automatically switches its range as necessary, providing accurate
information for low, moderate, and high-G situations. This gauge shows the
force pulling on the ship, so as the ship accelerates into orbit you can watch
the Y axis Gs go down from one to zero. X = lateral (left-right), Y = vertical
(up-down), Z = ship acc (front-back).
•Reworked TSFC ("Thrust-Specific Fuel Consumption") screen showing main
engine and hover engine efficiency (affected by atmospheric pressure).
Rocket engines are most efficient when operating in a vacuum.
•Dynamic Pressure and Static Pressure gauges; useful for optimizing your
ascent when using the SCRAM engines.
•Slope gauge showing ascent/descent slope.
•AOA and Slip gauges.
•SCRAM Diffuser Temperature gauge which allows the pilot to monitor when
the SCRAM engines reach the edge of their performance envelope.
•Multi-Display-Area (MDA) screen that has ten different modes, showing:
oMode 0: Airspeed Hold Autopilot
oMode 1: Descent Hold / Auto-Land Autopilot
oMode 2: Attitude Hold Autopilot
oMode 3: Temperature Display for hull and coolant
oMode 4: Systems Status Display #1
oMode 5: Systems Status Display #2
oMode 6: Systems Status Display #3
oMode 7: Systems Status Display #4
oMode 8: Systems Status Display #5
oMode 9: Reentry Systems Check
•Two configurable pop-up HUDs. The secondary HUD has five modes and is
fully configurable for data, color, and transparency. The tertiary HUD shows
status and warning messages and is configurable for color and transparency
only.
•A new configuration file in your C:\Orbiter\config directory for each vessel
named DeltaGliderXR1Prefs.cfg, XR5VanguardPrefs.cfg, or
XR2RavenstarPrefs.cfg for the XR1, XR5, and XR2, respectively. This file
allows you to configure many ship settings, including flight settings,
disabling/enabling a given damage type, pop-up HUD colors and fields, etc.
Read the detailed comments in each file for details.

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•The parser that reads each ship’s configuration file is robust; if some invalid
data is encountered, the parser will log any errors to
DeltaGliderXR1.log/XR5Vanguard.log/XR2Ravenstar.log in the main
Orbiter startup directory and blink an alert message at the bottom of the
screen.
•Full reentry heating and damage support. Hull temperature readouts are
displayed by mode 3 on the MDA screen, and may be switched between
Kelvin, Fahrenheit, and Celsius by clicking the blue block on the touch screen.
•Realistic fuzzy logic hull overheating support: the ship is not instantly
destroyed when a hull surface exceeds maximum temperature; this is
discussed in detail in the Reentry section later in this document.
•Master Warning System with an alarm tone and a warning light panel. Full
support for audio warnings is also implemented.
•Highly-precise and efficient Attitude Hold autopilot that holds a set pitch/AOA
and bank while neutralizing yaw (i.e., yaw dampening); typically used to hold
pitch and bank during reentry and to hold attitude in an atmosphere.
•In an atmosphere the Attitude Hold autopilot holds attitude using three
methods simultaneously: 1) elevator trim, 2) a center-of-gravity shift feature
that works by pumping fuel forward or aft, and 3) RCS jets. The combination
of these three methods allows the ship to hold a rock-solid reentry attitude
even under time acceleration. It is also extremely efficient and requires very
little RCS fuel. Attitude Hold requires APU power in order to drive the center-
of-gravity pumps and elevator trim.
•Efficient Descent Hold/Auto-Land autopilot to hold a descent or ascent rate;
engaging auto-land mode will land the ship in a hover efficiently and smoothly
every time.
•Efficient Airspeed Hold autopilot to hold a given airspeed within 0.1 meter-
per-second. Useful during atmospheric flight and when taxiing. Airspeed Hold
may be enabled alongside (i.e., simultaneously with) any other autopilot
mode.
•[CHEATCODES] support in the configuration file that allows you to directly set
certain ship values such as the ship's mass, max engine thrust, fuel tank
capacity, etc. See the comments in the [CHEATCODES] section in each ship’s
configuration file for details.
•Full damage and crash simulation, including gear collapse based on
touchdown vertical speed and ship mass.
•New sound effects including altitude callouts, Mach callouts, warning callouts,
damage and failure callouts, and docking distance callouts. Docking distance
callouts are synced to a NAV IDS or XPDR frequency, with the closest active
IDS frequency taking precedence over any active XPDR frequency.
•DATA HUD to show custom keyboard shortcuts; activated via ALT-SPACE or
via a button on the main instrument panel.

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•Thruster translation/rotation and on/off controls (normally NUMPAD-/ and
CTRL-NUMPAD-/) are now compatible with Joy2Key. Joy2Key has a bug
where it cannot recognize NUMPAD-/, so the new /and CTRL-/ keys do the
same thing as their NUMPAD counterparts now. This means you can now
assign translation/rotation switching to a joystick button.
•Custom sound behavior for the SCRAM engines: engine volume now is based
on fuel flow (i.e., the resulting combustion) -- not necessarily on the throttle
setting.
•Configurable refresh rates for the secondary HUD and MDA screen; this
improves performance at high frame rates.
•Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) that powers the ship’s hydraulic systems; the APU
must be running in order for hydraulic systems to operate. Depending on the
config file setting the APU has limited fuel, so manage it carefully.
•Airlock pressurization/depressurization.
•Custom autopilots Attitude Hold, Descent Hold, and Airspeed Hold save and
reload their state to/from the scenario file. This means you can now save
your scenario even while reentering or auto-landing and then reload and
continue without a hitch.
XR1-Only Features
•A fully active virtual cockpit (VC) similar to the default DeltaGlider’s VC; you
may switch between cockpit modes by pressing F8.
XR2-Only Features
•A static virtual cockpit (VC); you may switch between cockpit modes by
pressing F8.
•Hull heating visual effects.
XR2/XR5-Only Features
•Full payload support that supports any payload module (i.e., vessel) that
exists in Orbiter that can fit in the payload bay. The Vanguard can carry up
to 432 metric tons of payload, whereas the XR2’s recommended payload limit
is 10.8 metric tons.
•Rotating wheels animation.
•A payload instrument panel to manage grappling/deploying payload.
•Support for auxiliary fuel and LOX tank payload modules attached in the
payload bay. If attached, bay tanks will drain first in flight and fill last when
ship is resupplied.