shuttle-a

bgcolor="lightsteelblue" colspan="3" align="center" style="border-bottom:3px solid"\|Shuttle-A
olspan="3" align="center"\|
gcolor="lightsteelblue" colspan="3"\|Description
ole	colspan="2"\|Cargo vessel
rew	colspan="2"\|1 or 2
irst Flight	colspan="2"\| date unknown
ntered Service	colspan="2"\| date unknown
anufacturer	colspan="2"\|unknown
gcolor="lightsteelblue" colspan="3"\|Dimensions
idth="30%"\|Length	align="right" width="30%"\|35.00 m	align="right" \|
idth	align="right" \|15.40 m	align="right" \|
eight	align="right" \|6.98 m	align="right" \|
gcolor="lightsteelblue" colspan="3"\|Weights
mpty	align="right" \|12,000 kg	align="right" \|
ain fuel load	align="right" \|11,400 kg	align="right" \|
a href="/encyclopedia/Reaction-control-system-" title="Reaction control system ">RCS fuel load	align="right" \|600 kg	align="right" \|
ake off-mass	align="right" \|24,000 kg	align="right" \|
gcolor="lightsteelblue" colspan="3"\|Propolusion
ain engines	align="right"\|2 x 193.52 kN
uxiliary engines	align="right"\|2 x 60 kN
over engines	align="right"\|3 x 135.45 kN
lign="right"\|@ Isp of	align="right"\| 30,000 m/s
gcolor="lightsteelblue" colspan="3"\|Performance
ax delta-v	align="right"\|26,800 m/s
ax accel	align="right"\|18 m/s^2	(main axis)
ax accel	align="right"\|18 m/s^2	(up axis)
ax accel	align="right"\|18 m/s^2	(combination)
gcolor="lightsteelblue" colspan="3"\|RCS
translation	align="right"\|6 x 5000N	(x,y,z axis)
pitch	align="right"\|75 kNm
bank	align="right"\|30kNm
yaw	align="right"\|75 kNm
lign="right"\|@ Isp of	align="right"\| 30,000 m/s
gcolor="lightsteelblue" colspan="3"\|Other
nertia ( PMI)	15.5 / 22.1 / 7.7 m²
gcolor="lightsteelblue" colspan="3"\|Docking ports
irst	regular docking collar	front
gcolor="lightsteelblue" colspan="3"\|Origional Shuttle-A (lifting off)
olspan="3" align="center"\|

Shuttle-A is a futuristic cargo vessel featured in Orbiter space flight simulator (a closed source, freeware simulator by Martin Schweiger). Thanks to the technologies beyond the reach of the modern aerospace industry its propulsion system has a very low fuel consumption (or high specific impulse, if you like) that allows it to get to LEO or even make short jaunts to the Moon. The Shuttle was designed primarily for low gravity/low atmoshperic density environments. Lacking good aerodynamic qualities it is demanding for the novice Orbiteer who would probably prefer a Delta-glider on their first flight. Shuttle-A is included in the standard distribution of Orbiter

Features and Capabilities

The Shuttle-A is only capable of VTOL. It cannot take of horizontally because it uses fixed landing struts to support itself when grounded. The auxilary engine pods are needed to assist the two hover engines in medium gravity enviroments.

Cockpit

Three cockpit panels:

Overhead panel - with propellant status indicator, readouts for current tank fill status, mass flow rates for the main fuel pumps, switches and indicators to operate the docking hatch and airlocks.
Main panel - access to the manual engine controls (main, hover, auxiliary), two multifunctional displays (MFD) and HUD.

Engines and fuel systems

The exact nature of the propulsion system used by the Shuttle remains a mystery. What can be implied from the very high specific impulse is that this technology is well beyond state-of-the art for the beginning of 20th century, somewhere in the MPD - VASMIR range (compare Table ). The engine layout consists of:

two main engines - in the main axis of the vessel,
two hover engines - underneath the superstructure,
two engines in central side pods which can be rotated 90 degrees for hover or retro duty.

There are two different propellant systems for main and RCS engines.

Other systems

As of now the Shuttle does not have operable electrical or hydraulical systems

Docking, EVA and cargo

The Shuttle-A contains a docking port and airlock below the cockpit module which is protected by a hatch during atmospheric flight. Cargo pods and auxilary fuel tanks are attached to either side of the main skeleton of the ship, which starts behind the cockpit and extends to the main engines. This skeleton also contains the fuel lines and electrical wiring for the ship and auxilary fuel tanks.

Latest release

The current version (031217) features:

model design by Roger "Frying Tiger" Long
instrument panels and module code by Martin Schweiger
Shuttle-A Technical Manual by Martin Schweiger

It is part of the standard distribution of Orbiter

History and evolution

The history and evolution of the Shuttle-A reflects that of the general history of the Orbiter simulator. The protoplast of the Shuttle - simply called the Shuttle apperared in Orbiter release 001127. It was relatively simple and straightforward in its appearance, yet it gained a popularity among Orbiteers. Its nickname was the "Space Truck", due to its similarity in appearance and function to a semi-trailer.

Variations and third-party add-ons

The popularity, udeniable charm and agility of the original has spurred other Orbiter add-on makers in the Orbiter community to further develop the Shuttle-A concept. The most notable of those attempts was Shuttle-A2 by Alexander "Mindblast" Blass and Jgvan "C3PO" Trondesen.

Shuttle-a