Quickstart to the Moon
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| 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. |
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
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.
| 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.
| 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.
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
