Scenario File Options
The Project Apollo scenarios have a vast number of options that you can specify. Some of the more useful are:
General options
These are options specifying things such as the CSM and LM call signs, various masses, fuel masses and other parameters.
Option | Function |
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TCP | Specifies the height of the rocket above the ground in meters prior to launch. This can be adjusted if the mission is flown from a different launch pad to the default for the spacecraft (e.g. the Skylab 'milk stool' for the Saturn 1b). |
APOLLONO | Apollo mission number. This is used to provide mission-specific systems and events such as mission audio or system failures. This has to be a numeric value and it will load the mission file from the Missions/ProjectApollo/ folder with the name "Apollo X.cfg", with X standing for the number after APOLLONO. If a non-numeric mission file is desired, use the MISSION parameter instead. |
MISSION | See APOLLONO. This parameter will load the mission file from the folder Missions/ProjectApollo with the name "X.cfg", with X standing for the file name specified after MISSION. |
VECHNO | The Saturn vehicle number: typically this will be in the 200s for a Saturn 1b, and 500s for a Saturn V. This is used to name the separated stages and components of the spacecraft. |
REALISM | Sets the realism level from 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest). Lower realism level missions will be easier to fly. Quickstart mode is level 0, Virtual AGC mode is level 5. |
DLS | Set to 1 to delete the launch site when the spacecraft passes out of visible range. This can give a significant performance boost on slow machines. |
FDAIDISABLED | Set to 1 to disable the OpenGL FDAI rendering. This can give a significant performance boost on slow machines. |
MISSNTIME | Current mission time in seconds since launch. |
IGMST | Inertial Guidance Mode start: set to the time in seconds after launch at which the autopilot switches to inertial guidance mode and starts trying to hit the target orbit rather than follow the pre-planned pitch program. |
SIFUELMASS |
Specifies the mass in kilograms of the fuel in the first stage (S-IC or S-IB). |
SIEMPTYMASS |
Specifies the empty mass in kilograms of the first stage (S-IC or S-IB). |
SICSHUT |
Specifies the mission time of center engine shutdown of the first stage (S-IC or S-IB). |
SISHUT |
Specifies the mission time of shutdown of the remaining engines of the first stage (S-IC or S-IB). |
SIIFUELMASS |
Specifies the mass in kilograms of the fuel in the second stage (S-IVB for Saturn 1B or S-II for Saturn V). This is not used for the INT-20. |
SIIEMPTYMASS |
Specifies the empty mass in kilograms of the second stage (S-IVB for Saturn 1B or S-II for Saturn V). This is not used for the INT-20. |
SIICSHUT |
Specifies the mission time of the center engine shutdown of the S-II stage of Saturn V and derivatives. |
SIIPUT |
Specifies the mission time of the PU-shift (change of mixture ratio) the second stage (S-IVB for Saturn 1B or S-II for Saturn V). |
SIISHUT |
Specifies the mission time of shutdown of the remaining engines of the S-II stage of Saturn V and derivatives. |
S4FUELMASS |
Specifies the mass in kilograms of the fuel in the S-IVB stage of Saturn V and derivatives. |
LMASCFUEL |
Specifies the mass in kilograms of the fuel in the LEM ascent stage, if appropriate. |
LMDSCFUEL |
Specifies the mass in kilograms of the fuel in the LEM descent stage, if appropriate. |
SMMASS | Empty mass of the Service Module, in kilograms. |
CMMASS | Empty mass of the Command Module, in kilograms. |
S4PL |
Specifies the payload of the SIVb stage. Current values are:
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AUTOSLOW | Set to 1 to slow to 1x time acceleration when 'something important' happens. For manned flights, this is typically when a piece of mission audio is played, for unmanned flights it is typically a stage separation, engine burn, etc. |
LANDFAIL | Landing failures. Set to 1 to disable all random landing failures in your scenario, or 0 to create a random set of failures. |
LAUNCHFAIL | Launch failures. Set to 1 to disable all random launch failures in your scenario, or 0 to create a random set of failures. |
SWITCHFAIL | Switch failures. Set to 1 to disable all random switch failures in your scenario, or 0 to create a random set of failures. |
UNMANNED | Set to 1 for an unmanned mission. |
ATTACHSTATE | Specifies which 'things' are attached to the spacecraft. This is a bit-field, created by combining the following values as appropriate.
Defaults are generally safe to use, but you may need to specify the value in the scenario for unusual missions (e.g. Apollo 5 with no LES or CSM and a nosecap uses 93). |
HASPROBE | Allows you to override the default docking probe state. Set to 1 if the spacecraft has a docking probe, or 0 if it doesn't.
This value is not saved in scenarios written out by orbiter, it is purely intended to allow you to set the docking probe state in initial scenarios without having to specify the full value for ATTACHSTATE. If you specify both HASPROBE and ATTACHSTATE in the same scenario, then whichever value comes second will be used for the docking probe state. |
SLASTATE | Specifies the state of the SLA panels on the SIVB. Bit 8 should be set to 1 if the panels are hinged, or 0 if they separate from the SIVB. Bits 0-7 specify the angle to which they will open if hinged, defaulting to 45 degrees with an upper limit of 150 degrees; if they're not hinged, they currently always separate at 45 degrees.
In most cases the default will work fine (hinged to 45 degrees on Saturn 1b, not hinged on Saturn V), but special missions may require manually setting this state. For example for hinged panels opening to 150 degrees use "SLASTATE 150" in the scenario. |
PAYN | Sets the payload vessel name (e.g. Eagle for the Apollo 11 LEM). This is the name the SIVB payload will be given when it is created; LEMN can be used as a synonym. |
MCC_MT_Enabled | Set to 1 to enable the ground and mission tracking of the Mission Control Center. This parameter is only used for initializing the MCC before launch and is not saved again in a scenario. |
Mission parameter options
These are options specifying things such as the earth parking orbit parameters, lunar landing site, various mission time parameters etc.
Option | Function |
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TOAPO | Specifies the desired launch apogee altitude in kilometers. |
TOPER | Specifies the desired launch perigee altitude in kilometers. |
TOHDG | Specifies the desired launch azimuth in degrees. |
TLIMJD | Specifies the desired MJD of the TLI burn.I |
LOIMJD | Specifies the desired MJD of the first LOI burn.I |
FREERETURNPECMJD | Specifies the desired MJD of the free return pericynthion.I (currently unused) |
FREERETURNPECALT | Specifies the desired altitude (in meters) of the free return pericynthion.I (currently unused) |
TLIOFFSETLON | Specifies the longitude of desired target offset (in radian) of the TLI burn.I |
TLIOFFSETLAT | Specifies the latitude of desired target offset (in radian) of the TLI burn.I |
TLIOFFSETRAD | Specifies the radius of the desired target offset (in meters) of the TLI burn.I |
MOONMJD | Specifies the desired MJD of the lunar landing.I |
MOONBASE | Orbiter base name of the planned landing site on the Moon, if any.I |
MOONLAT | Latitude (in degrees) of the planned landing point on the Moon, if any. |
MOONLONG | Longitude (in degrees) of the planned landing point on the Moon, if any. |
MOONALT | Altitude (in meters) of the planned landing point on the Moon, if any. |
EARTHEIMJD | Specifies the desired MJD of the Earth landing entry interface, if any.I |
SPLASHLAT | Latitude (in degrees) of the planned splashdown site on the Earth, if any.I |
SPLASHLONG | Longitude (in degrees) of the planned splashdown site on the Earth, if any.I |
Audio options
Option | Function |
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LANG | Set to the appropriate string for the audio language you want to use. Currently we only ship English audio, but if, say, you downloaded a French audio add-on you could set this to French instead and the French files would take precedence. |
AGC options
AGC options are specified between AGC_BEGIN and AGC_END. Options outside those lines will be ignored.
Option | Function |
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EMEM | Set an AGC erasable memory location to a specified value. Addresses and values are both specified in octal (base-8), so to set address 10 (decimal) to 17 (decimal) you would specify EMEM0012 21 . LMPAD and CMPAD should be used in prelaunch scenarios.
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Virtual AGC options
These options are set in the standard CSM configuration, not between the AGC_BEGIN and AGC_END lines. If you try to set them inside the AGC configuration they will be ignored.
Option | Function |
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CMPAD | Set a Virtual AGC erasable memory location in the CM AGC to a specified value. Addresses and values are both specified in octal (base-8), so to set address 10 (decimal) to 17 (decimal) you would specify EMEM0012 21 . If the scenario uses the C++ AGC rather than Virtual AGC, these values are ignored.
CMPAD entries are used once to set up the values in the AGC when the scenario is loaded, then thrown away. So they will not be saved to a scenario file when you exit Orbiter. |
LMPAD | Set a Virtual AGC erasable memory location in the LM AGC to a specified value. Addresses and values are both specified in octal (base-8), so to set address 10 (decimal) to 17 (decimal) you would specify EMEM0012 21 . If the scenario uses the C++ AGC rather than Virtual AGC, these values are ignored.
Note that the LEM PAD is loaded when the LEM is created, so setting these values when the LEM already exists in the scenario will have no effect. |
LMPADCNT | Sets the number of LEM PAD entries. The LEM PAD is saved in a table until the LEM is created, so the DLL needs to know how large a table to create. Any values beyond this count will be ignored. |
LVDC options
LVDC options are specified between LVDC_BEGIN and LVDC_END. Options outside those lines will be ignored.
Guidance Presettings For Boost to Earth Parking Orbit
Option | Function |
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LVDC_dV_B | Cutoff velocity bias for S-IVB first burn. Velocity in meters per second. |
LVDC_eps_2 | Constant time for selection of guidance option that enforces only terminal velocity. Time in seconds. |
LVDC_fx[0] | Coefficients of parking orbit inclination polynomial. Values as degrees in LVDC_fx[0] to LVDC_fx[6] .
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LVDC_gx[0] | Coefficients of parking orbit descending nodal angle polynomial. Values as degrees in LVDC_gx[0] to LVDC_gx[6] .
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LVDC_H | Third zonal harmonic coefficient in gravitational potential model. |
LVDC_J | Second zonal harmonic coefficient in gravitational potential model. |
LVDC_Fx[1][0] | Coefficients for the four-segment first-stage tilt polynomial. LVDC_Fx[1][0] to LVDC_Fx[1][4] for the first segment, LVDC_Fx[2][0] to LVDC_Fx[2][4] for the second segment etc.
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LVDC_Rho[0] | Atmospheric density mode polynomial coefficients. |
LVDC_ROV | Constant for biasing terminal range-angle prediction in first S-IVB burn. |
LVDC_T_ar | Time from Timebase 1 when tilt arrest occurs. |
LVDC_tau2 | Estimated time to burn up vehicle completely, from a selected time between T1I=0 and the end of the artificial tau mode. |
LVDC_tau2N | Nominal tau, used in the S-IVB first-burn artificial tau mode. |
LVDC_tau3 | Estimated time to burn up S-IVB completely, constant during first and second stages of IGM. |
LVDC_T_S1 | Segment switch times for four-segment first-stage tilt polynomial reference to Timebase 1.LVDC_T_S1 to LVDC_T_S3 .
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LVDC_Tt_3 | Estimated third-stage burn time. |
Guidance Presettings for Translunar Injection Boost
Option | Function |
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LVDC_eps_2R | Constant time for selection of guidance option that enforces only terminal velocity end-conditions during S-IVB second burn. |
LVDC_eps_3R | Constant time for selection of guidance option that freezes the terminal conditions during the second S-IVB burn. |
LVDC_T_4N | Nominal time from TB4 to first GCS. |
Targeting Presettings for Daily Launch Window
Option | Function |
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LVDC_ALFTSA | Desired angle between the S Vector (Nodal crossing of target ellipse and Earth Parking Orbit) and T (Unit Target) vector at restart preparation for first opportunity. (constant across daily launch window.) |
LVDC_ALFTSB | Desired angle between the S Vector (Nodal crossing of target ellipse and Earth Parking Orbit) and T (Unit Target) vector at restart preparation for second opportunity. (constant across daily launch window.) |
LVDC_BETAA | Angle between S Vector and Radius Vector at initiation of S-IVB restart preparations for first opportunity. (constant across launch window.) |
LVDC_BETAB | Angle between S Vector and Radius Vector at initiation of S-IVB restart preparations for second opportunity. (constant across launch window.) |
LVDC_CCSA0 | LVDC_CCSA0 through LVDC_CCSA14 are values of a 15-point table of the cosine of the true anomaly of the target vector as a function of time into the launch window for first opportunity.
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LVDC_CCSB0 | LVDC_CCSB0 through LVDC_CCSB14 are values of a 15-point table of the cosine of the true anomaly of the target vector as a function of time into the launch window for second opportunity.
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LVDC_C3A0 | LVDC_C3A0 through LVDC_C3A14 are values of a 15-point table of twice the specific energy of the target ellipse as a function of time into the launch window for first opportunity.
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LVDC_C3B0 | LVDC_C3B0 through LVDC_C3B14 are values of a 15-point table of twice the specific energy of the target ellipse as a function of time into the launch window for second opportunity.
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LVDC_DECA0 | LVDC_DECA0 through LVDC_DECA14 are values of a 15-point table of target vector declination as a function of time into the launch window for first opportunity.
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LVDC_DECB0 | LVDC_DECB0 through LVDC_DECB14 are values of a 15-point table of target vector declination as a function of time into the launch window for second opportunity.
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LVDC_dV_BR | Cutoff velocity bias for translunar injection (constant across daily launch window.) |
LVDC_ENA0 | LVDC_ENA0 through LVDC_ENA14 are values of a 15-point table of target ellipse eccentricity as a function of time into the launch window for first opportunity.
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LVDC_ENB0 | LVDC_ENB0 through LVDC_ENB14 are values of a 15-point table of target ellipse eccentricity as a function of time into the launch window for second opportunity.
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LVDC_FA | True anomaly of the predicted cutoff radius vector for first opportunity (constant across daily launch window). |
LVDC_FB | True anomaly of the predicted cutoff radius vector for second opportunity (constant across daily launch window). |
LVDC_hx[0][0] | LVDC_hx[0][0] through LVDC_hx[0][4] are coefficients of the first-segment polynomial of launch azimuth versus time.
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LVDC_hx[1][0] | LVDC_hx[1][0] through LVDC_hx[1][4] are coefficients of the second-segment polynomial of launch azimuth versus time.
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LVDC_hx[2][0] | LVDC_hx[2][0] through LVDC_hx[2][4] are coefficients of the third-segment polynomial of launch azimuth versus time.
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LVDC_hx[3][0] | LVDC_hx[3][0] through LVDC_hx[3][4] are coefficients of the fourth-segment polynomial of launch azimuth versus time.
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LVDC_RASA0 | LVDC_RASA0 through LVDC_RASA14 are values of a 15-point table of target vector right ascension as a function of time into the launch window for first opportunity.
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LVDC_RASB0 | LVDC_RASB0 through LVDC_RASB14 are values of a 15-point table of target vector right ascension as a function of time into the launch window for second opportunity.
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LVDC_RNA | Predicted radius at reignition for first opportunity (constant across daily launch window). |
LVDC_RNB | Predicted radius at reignition for second opportunity (constant across daily launch window). |
LVDC_t_DS0 | LVDC_t_DS0 through LVDC_t_DS3 are the partition times for launch azimuth polynomial segments.
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LVDC_t_D1 | LVDC_t_D1 through LVDC_t_DS3 are the initial times for the azimuth polynomial segments.
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LVDC_TETEO | Angle between the inertial meridian of the vernal equinox and the Pad 39A meridian at Guidance Reference Release. |
LVDC_T_LO | Time from midnight Greenwich Mean Time to GRR on day of launch. |
LVDC_TPA0 | LVDC_TPA0 through LVDC_TPA14 are values of a 15-point table of time since launch window opening. These time are values of all out-of-orbit targeting tables for first opportunity.
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LVDC_TPB0 | LVDC_TPB0 through LVDC_TPB14 are values of a 15-point table of time since launch window opening. These time are values of all out-of-orbit targeting tables for second opportunity.
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LVDC_t_SD1 | LVDC_t_SD1 through LVDC_t_SD3 are azimuth polynomial normalizing coefficients.
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LVDC_TSTA | Time to begin testing for restart preparations referenced to Timebase 5 for first opportunity. |
LVDC_TSTB | Time to begin testing for restart preparations referenced to Timebase 5 for second opportunity. |
LVDC_XLunarAttitude | Roll, pitch and yaw attitude required for S/C separation maneuver. |
Checklist Information
These values are defined between the lines <checklist> and </checklist>
Option | Function |
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FILE | This is the file name of the checklist file to use. |
AUTO | This defines whether to automatically execute the checklists. |
Additionally there are two items to define in the launch vehicle before the scenario starts. These are NOT defined between <checklist> and </checklist>
Option | Function |
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LEMCHECK | This is the file name of the checklist the LEM should use. |
LEMCHECKAUTO | This defines whether the LEM should automatically execute the checklists. |
Scenario information
Option | Function |
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NASSPVER | The version of the current scenario file. The first two digits are reserved to indicate the current NASSP version. The remaining 3 digit number is incremented each time a breaking change is made to a scenario parameter. |