Quickstart to the Moon

Attention

This is a work in progress as I follow Tschachim's flight and create screen shots and scenarios. So far, it is done through TLI. To use the related scenarios, you'll need Jarmo Nikkanen's Interplanetary MFD (IMFD) 4.2.1 installed and active. If you can't find the referenced scenarios, make sure you do a CVS update.

The first thing to do is make sure you have NASSP 7.0 Beta installed. As of the writing of this, it is entirely possible to get to the moon and back in quick start ("Orbiter") mode.

Launch

Let's start by loading up the "Apollo 14 Quickstart - Launch" Scenario in your "Project Apollo - NASSP\Quickstart Missions\Apollo 14" folder. Thanks to the switch flipping abilities of your virtual copilots (only available in quickstart mode) you can sit back and watch the launch. However, since we all want something to do during the launch, I'd recommend aligning the GDC. It's a few simple switches to flip, and while your copilot does do this, it tends to get out of alignment by the time launch happens.

GDC Alignment, Launch Checklist

Switch	Panel	Action	Explanation
FDAI Select	1	Switch to 1	When in 1/2 mode, the FDAI's are both controlled by the computer. Setting 1 allows user control.
FDAI Source	1	Switch to ATT SET	This unlocks the user of the attitude set controller
ATT SET	1	Switch to GDC	This allows the pilot to compare the set values to the GDC orientation.
FDAI 1	1	Confirm needles centered	This means that the GDC is properly aligned for launch. If so, skip the next item.
GDC Align	1	Push if needles not centered	This actually aligns the GDC properly for launch.
FDAI Select	1	Switch to 1/2	Returns control of the FDAI's to the computer, guided by the IMU/GDC

With that complete, the only thing left is to switch propellant indicators on panel 1 to the launch vehichle and sit back and enjoy the ride.

Pre-launch Propellant indication selection

Switch	Panel	Action	Explanation
LV/SPS IND a/Pc	1	a	Monitor the pressure of the LV engines
LV/SPS IND SII/SIVB/GPI	1	SII/SIVB	Monitor the fuel left in the second and third stages.

Eventually you will reach orbit. And then there's a bit more that needs doing. This is where the scenario "Apollo 14 - After Earth Orbit Insertion" joins in the fun

Orbit

Orbiting the earth is a simple process. For the most part, you just ride along. In quickstart mode, there is no systems management that is required of you. However, there is much that is still available. For example, you can rotate so you have a clear view of the stars through all windows. While in earth orbit, you do not have linear RCS available. Circularizing the orbit, making a perfect approach over a target, these things that are typical of Orbiter are not usually done in Apollo, so we're going to skip over them.

In the normal Apollo missions, the time of these first two parking orbits was used to test out the navigation equipment. Astronauts would take star sightings and input them into the computer which would align the IMU. On a later pass, they'd repeat, but then check the difference to measure IMU drift. This, along with several other factors regarding the health of the spacecraft would decide whether they were "Go for TLI." All of this inspection work is done automatically for you in Quickstart mode, and your ship always checks out. So, it's time to calculate TLI.

TLI

Calculating the TLI is a difficult process. There is an article already in place about it, so I'm simply going to post the "simple" version here.

First, open IMFD on both main MFD's. You'll want to set them to shared mode.

On one MFD select Course and "Off-Plane Intercept" Set the TEJ to be greater than your orbit period (usually about 7-8K should be good.) Then increase or decrease TEJ and TIN until you get a minimum burn time. This is important, not because the SIVB has limited fuel (though it does) but mostly because the SPS has limited fuel, and we have to have just enough energy to get to the moon, so that lunar capture doesn't take an insane amount of force.

On the other MFD it's a good idea to set map. This doesn't guarantee that you'll get an accurate projection, but it's nice to see what you're going to be able to expect. The map becomes significantly more accurate on the same orbit as the TLI burn.

Here is the MFD going into TLI (this is the plan that loads with the "Apollo 14 - Go for TLI" scenario.

File:Pre-TLI.JPG

Important to note is that the blue line indicates the intersection point at which you will transition from the green orbit (current) to the blue orbit (transfer).

The TLI can be done in quickstart mode by simply hitting page to get to the second page of the course program and selecting AB (autoburn).

The TLI will happen automatically and the spacecraft will leave earth orbit.

This is IMFD after the burn (don't worry if yours doesn't look this perfect, it is not extremely important).

File:Post-TLI.JPG

Well, like hundreds of virtual astronauts before you, you are headed to the moon. At this point we are joined by the "Apollo 14 - After TLI" scenario.

Trans-Lunar Coast

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