45th Anniversary of Earthrise

OK...so I've done this bit with Orbiter about 3.5 years ago while developing the Apollo 8 Scenario Pack for AMSO.

I've also blogged on the iconic photo known as, "Earthrise", before too.  See here.

But the people at Goddard Space Center have come out with a new video based on new findings.

Besides, this Tuesday (Christmas Eve) is the 45th anniversary...



Here is the direct link to the YouTube Video: http://youtu.be/dE-vOscpiNc

More multimedia can be found on this page as well: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a004100/a004129/

Pizza on the Moon?

"It all started when I found the green meteorite." 

Seriously, this post idea started about 2 weeks ago after reading a thread on Orbiter Forum. It was started by Bloodworth, and discussed food franchises on the Moon - specifically, "on our lunar bases."  I was flattered to see, "Niven's Nachos", on the list.  Not quite so with his entry for "Jules Verne Vegan Cafe".  For you, Dear Reader (if any), not in the "know", Lunar Base Niven resides in the lunar far side crater of Jules Verne.

What really intrigued me was Pipcard's entry.  After viewing the commercial for Domino's Pizza, Japan, and doing a little background research,  I thought I'd add to this Internet meme (however old and/or short lived it may be).  I think that it is a mere publicity stunt in reaction to Pizza Hut's first delivery to the International Space Station.  Estimates for this project are $21 billion...their pizza just isn't that good!




I was struck by the similarities between the artist's conception and my own add-on (yes, another opportunity for shameless self-promotion).  Dome shaped with solar panels in the background.  Turn about is fair play...

So, the following is my first public exhibition of my mesh/texture creation with Wings 3D:

Finally, after adding this mesh into Niven.cfg:

(Click on images to enlarge)

THIS ISN'T an update to my add-on, BTW.   Above view is looking roughly south from the base.

Lunar Base Niven v.3.0 FIXED!

I released ver. 3.0 knowing it had a flashing issue with the animated vessels.  I searched both the old M6 forum and the current Orbiter-Forum for solutions and came up with nothing.  I figured that not only would I get smart a$$ comments (here and here) but I would also get helpful suggestions (here and here).

From the 1st suggestion posted by Loru (change COG to >0), I was able to quickly find that it also needed the landing points changed in the original Spacecraft3 config file...as suggested by woo482.  As I was running out of time yesterday morning and had to leave for work, I did manage to get the issue resolved but yet not upload said changes until this morning.  A quick recompile via the DLL converter and changing the documentation and the zip file...and an update on the "Hangar".

Being indebted to both Loru and woo482, my humble and small thanks was to include them in the credits.

Reinforcing my comments about disco, I offer the following chorus from April Wine's, Wanna Rock, originally released on the album, Nature of the Beast:

Don't waste my money driving 'round in a car
Save my money for electric guitars
Disco music's just a social disease
If it don't rock me, then it ain't gonna please me

I flatly refuse to boogie till I puke!  I'll puke FIRST!

Here's the song on YouTube:



Better a smart a$$ than a dumb a$$!

Lunar Base Niven v.3.0 RELEASED!

Yes, it is RELEASED!

From today, it will only be available from Orbit Hangar.

Enjoy, Dear Reader (if any)!

Lunar Base Niven for Orbiter 2012 is finished!

It is completed, and available only on my website until Monday, February 6.  On Monday, I will release it on Orbiter Hangar Mod.

Why until Monday?  Because I turn 50 then.  Yes, I'll be officially an old fart.

Refer to the blog title image for a peek.

Lunar Base Niven 2012 updates

I finally had enough time and ambition to start adding the finishing touches to my Orbiter add-on surface base, Lunar Base Niven.  As of now, I've been working about 3 weeks on it, and estimate another 3-4 weeks before it is done.

I've animated portions of the domes and the doors on the surface locks.  I've added UCGO surface vehicles programmed to visit the outer laying portions of the base (the nuclear power plant, the VLA antennas, and the solar power panel farms).  I've also added UMmu breathable areas to the domes and locks.

Why the name Niven?  I choose it as a tribute to one of my top five science fiction authors, Larry Niven.  I would have choosen Heinlein...but it was already taken.

Here's 2 screen shots, both from the same position.  Remember, dear Reader (if any), click on any of the images to enlarge/download.

During lunar day:

During lunar night:

 As stated in the original documentation:

 Most of the structures are like icebergs with most of the volume below the surface in order to provide shielding against the occasional solar flare and coronal mass ejection.  Each dome is actually a sphere with a diameter of 110 meters. Volume of each is 641,431 m³, which gives the entire habitat complex a total volume of 5.8 million m³. This is about 5 times the size of the Pentagon, or, about 2 times the size of the World Trade Center.

Here's a graphic of the entire base, as published in the original release:

Jimmy Carter on steroids

Welcome Back Kotter!

Hat tip to http://www.powerlineblog.com

How to Simulate Submarine Life at Home

The following list was compiled by me and my shipmates aboard USS Flasher (SSN-613) in the late '80s.  This will explain some of the outdated references.

NOTE: Since this is a simulation...SCREEN DOORS ARE OPTIONAL.  Had to get this reference in before a friend points out the lack of mention.

For a MS Word document copy, download here.

How to Simulate Submarine Life at Home

1.  Surround yourself with a lot of people you don't like.

2.  Close all windows and doors tightly and close all curtains.

3.  Seal any openings to the outside world with a suitable vault door.

4.  Unplug all radios and TV's to cut yourself off completely from news, football games, Saturday Night Live, Married with Children, etc.

5.  Hourly, monitor all home appliances operation.  If not in use - log as "secured".

6.  If using the bathroom, don't not flush the toilet for the first 2 days to recreate the smell of blowing sanitary tanks and venting them inboard.

7.  Wear only approved coveralls or a proper Navy uniform.  No hats or special T-shirts, etc.

8.  Cut your own hair once a week, ensuring you make it look like hell.

9.  Work in 18 hour day intervals to really confuse your body's circadian rhythms.

10. Listen to the same cassette (or CD) over and over again until you can't stand it anymore.  Then put in one you can't listen to without nausea setting in.

11. Set your alarm to go off just as you fall asleep - with the alarm set LOUD.  Better yet, buy an alarm with special settings (e.g. battle stations, fire, flooding in the basement).

12. Prepare food with a blindfold on to simulate what real submarine cooks do.  Then try to get your dog to eat it.  Afterwards, break out a can of tuna and/or peanut butter.

13. Cut your bed in half and enclose all but one side using the dimensions of a small coffin as a reference.  When not in it, make up the bed properly so no one will see or care.  For an added touch of realism, have 3 people taking turns sleeping in the bed, one of whom is in two section "appliance" watch.

14. Periodically for excitement:

            a. Open the main power breaker and run around yelling "Reactor SCRAM" until you are sweating profusely - then restore power.

            b. Buy yourself a snorkel and mask and put it on and pretend you are in a smoke filled room with no way out.  For variety, hook up a garden hose and pressurize it.

15. To enable yourself to handle anything, constantly study wiring diagrams and operation instructions for various home appliances.  For no reason at all at specific intervals tear one apart just in case it was going to break.

16. Paint everything around you gray.  Navy gray - no substitutions - or else off white.

17. To be sure you are living in a clean and happy environment, every Saturday night set your alarm on LOUD for a short but hated drill sound, then get up.  Manned only with a bucket and sponge, clean one area over and over again even if it was already spotless.  Then make out a discrepancy list.

18. Once a day after normal programming hours, plug in the TV and watch one movie being careful that it is:

            a. At least 5 years old.

            b. Made long enough ago to ensure you've seen it once before.

            c. So bad you have to install a seat belt in your chair to keep you there until it's over.

19. Since no doctor with be available, stockpile band-aids, aspirins, and Actifed since these are proven cure-alls.  Practice on your dog (surgery, dentistry, etc.).  For the ultimate in realism, kill the dog (or allow it to die) and keep the body in the freezer until the end of the "patrol".

20. Sleep under your coffee table so that when the alarm goes off you can hit your head on the table to recreate actual experiences.

21. All trash cans must be thrown away and trash stored in the shower.  Once every two weeks it will be thrown out the window.

22. Mount your house on a platform that can tilt in all directions - at angles up to 40 degrees.  Once a day, set the platform to rock the house from side to side and turn on air conditioning full blast to simulate ventilating the "boat" at periscope depth.

23. When commencing this simulation, lock your family, friends, and everything else that means anything to you outside.  The test will run for at least two months with no specific end in sight.  The completion will be delayed at least twice for no less than two weeks.

IF YOU CAN DO THIS, YOU MAY ATTEMPT QUALIFICATION IN SUBMARINES!

Apollo 15 - 40 years

Yes, it is anniversary announcement time again.

Apollo 15 flew 40 years ago, from July 26, 1971 to August 7, 1971.  It still remains my favorite mission of the Apollo series - and my scenario pack for this mission was my first Orbiter add-on.
It was the only mission I witnessed on TV from beginning to end.  That was because it happened in the summer during school break between 3rd and 4th grades.

This date mission event was lunar landing at 6:16:29 PM EDT on July 30, 1971.

Mission firsts:

• First mission to use the Lunar Rover.
• First and only mission to incorporate a SEVA (Standing Extra Vehicular Activity).
• First mission to demonstrate a "Mr. Wizard" moment, i.e., dropping of the hammer and feather in vacuum.
• First all Air Force derived crew
• First deployment of a satellite while in lunar orbit.
• First EVA performed between Earth and Moon.
• First and only graduate of East High School (in SLC, UT) to walk on the Moon.  See photo below.

Courtesy of NASA.  Photo of Jim Irwin saluting the flag.

Jim Irwin remains the only astronaut I've seen in person.  He visited his high school alma mater to speak to the student body.

MESSENGER MOI

MOI is shorthand for Mercury Orbit Insertion.  Currently scheduled for March 18, 2011 at 0045 UTC (that's March 17, 2011 at 1845 MDT).

Per the spacecraft's website, a webcast starts at 1755 MDT...my guess is that this will be the only live coverage of the event.  Also available on the website, under "Animation", are two Quick Time movies...the quality is LOTS better than the animations of anything Apollo...waaaay back in the day.

Or, dear reader (if any), if you are hopelessly addicted to Orbiter...then download the scenario pack I just uploaded to Orbit-Hangar.  This is a "little" more interactive.  Plus you get the opportunity to totally FUBAR a multi-million dollar spacecraft (simulated...of course).

A screen shot from the scenario:

Sputnik Moment? WTF?

Yes, I doing it again.  I'm mentioning politics in this blog.  OBTW, "WTF" in the title refers to "Winning the Future."

During the "current resident of the White House" 2nd State of the Union Address, The One said, " This is our generation's Sputnik moment".  This is just one example of "WTF" moments during the speech (referring to the original meaning).

I think this is really what to expect:

 Credit to: Erin Bonsteel

The following is a good rendition of my thought process on the matter.  "Sputnik Moment" was really a poorly chosen metaphor.

From James Oberg on SodaHead:

 I'm seeing up close how 'Palin Derangement Syndrome' can compel otherwise intelligent people to foam at the mouth and babble nonsense to prove they're right and she's wrong. The historical view is that the early Soviet victories in the Space Race led to the US response of the Apollo program, whose triumph validated the superiority of US space technology -- which had profound diplomatic, military, commercial, and cultural consequences. When Reagan challenged the USSR with Strategic Defense in the 1980s, Apollo had given that challenge credibility -- and the same pundits in the West and in Russian who pooh-poohed SDI had also pooh-poohed the odds of Apollo working. Proven wrong once, they lost credibility when Gorbachyov had to decide when/.if to pull the plug on the USSR's own hideously expensive space weapons programs (eg, Polyus-Skif and Buran). Soviet leadership came to believe, rightly or wrongly, that SDI was a lethal threat to them, based on the success of Apollo that had only been made possible by the stinging US defeats in the early Space Race, It's more complicated, but the essence is, Palin was right: the Soviets sowed the seed of their own collapse by setting off the Space Race.

Not intending to be crass, especially in light of certain anniversaries of tragic events in the U.S. Space Program, I offer the following "more" pessimistic alternatives.  I think with this Administration's record thus far, the following are probably more accurate.

The Challenger Moment (blowing up in our faces shorting after beginning):

The Columbia Moment (breaking up into little pieces within sight of the goal):

If any of the 3 scenarios listed above become true, then "The One" will be a one term resident.  I hope, I hope, I hope...

As always, don't retreat. RELOAD!

Apollo 18? Hollyweird!

As I was surfing today, I read a blog post from a colleague who's blog covers either the "brilliantly stimulating" or the "bu!!$hit" he encounters.  Sometimes, through sheer serendipity, he accomplishes both in the same post...like today...perhaps.

"Apollo 18" is just another sci-fi thriller/found footage genre/"Blair Witch Project" in space/mockumentary directed by Gonzalo López-Gallego or Trevor Cawood, according to the following list of sites found by Google and perused by me in about 10 minutes:

Geek Syndicate
Badassdigest
Wegotthiscovered
Pajiba.com

The best description of this issue, and my personal favorites, are 2 excerpts from Pajiba.com:

Certain people (crazy people) believe that Apollo 18 did actually go to the moon, but was covered up, probably for the same reasons that the whole program was faked, and I am not nearly drunk enough to follow the logic of those two truths co-existing.

And,

In related news, how stupid are people that believe the Moon landings were shot on a sound stage? The correct answer is “Fuck you for this topic of conversation even existing, asshole.”

In a related entry in THIS blog, I said, "I have to show my utter disdain for Apollo moon hoax conspiratorial nut cases".  Though the last comment from Pajiba.com may be harsh...I nevertheless agree with it.

What "actually" happened, per the "official" history, is that Apollo 18 was canceled, along with Apollos 19 and 20.  Thanks to "Tricky Dick" Nixon.

Had it actually flown, per the "Canceled Apollo missions" entry on Wikipedia, the crew would have been:

     Richard F. Gordon, Jr. (Commander (CDR))
     Vance D. Brand (Command Module Pilot (CMP))
     Harrison Schmitt (Lunar Module Pilot (LMP))

And, per same source, would have landed:

According to "NASA OMSF, Manned Space Flight Weekly Report" from July 28, 1969, Apollo 18 would have landed at Schröter's Valley in February 1972

In the NASA report "Scientific Rationale Summaries for Apollo Candidate Lunar Exploration Landing Sites" from March 11, 1970, Apollo 18 is targeted for Copernicus

Another source lists the prospective landing sites as Gassendi craters (Apollo 18, July 1973).

Finally, the Orbiter community is trying to "sim" this cancelled mission, see here and here.  I guess I could take a stab at creating a scenario pack for Apollo 18, since there has been an overwhelming response to my other scenario packs (8,12,14,15,16...REAL ONES), with over 21,000 downloads from Orbiter-Hangar.


@Bob: My online name, "NukeET", has the following derivation.  "Nuclear Power Trained Electronics Technician".  The Navy's way of saying, "Reactor Operator".   Though in "Footfall", by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, the ETs are nuked by humans.  Thanks to ole Bang-Bang.  F***ing deserved it too!

The Nigerians GET IT!

They get it because of this news article...actually, just the article's title.

Hail Probe, you ask?  See here and/or here.  It also graced the title screen of this blog for awhile:

I got "static" from the cultists on the forum after I posted this on the screenshot thread.

But it is also certain ethically challenged Nigerians that send emails requesting funds in order for you, dear reader (if any), to obtain even more funds.  Now it seems they're trying to mine the intelligently challenged people who follow space flight activities:

 

Before you send any funds to help this poor soul, I recommend that you research "Salyut 8T".

In closing, I just want to say: "HAIL PROBE"!

The real Drake equation

America's surrender of space

When I started this blog, my intention was to keep it free of politics.

Then the Obama "regime" was elected...and since then the fertilizer has hit the air circulation device - several times.  The final straw was his killing of the Constellation program.

I personally haven't been able to give voice to my frustration with that decision - then I read this post at AmericanThinker.com today.

So long New Frontier.

Willy Ley Space Taxi

Released this yesterday on Orbit Hangar Mods after a month of working on it.  It is my first spacecraft add-on, as well as my first attempt at animation within Orbiter.  Also, it is offered here as a donation to improve Orbiter overall.  The jury is still out on that one.

Conception and Project Description

My first inspiration came from the following Orbiter-Forum thread (my personal thanks to willy88): http://orbiter-forum.com/showpost.php?p=149436&postcount=1

Shortly after, while surfing the Web about Orion (Old Bang Bang) I came across this site, Fantastic Plastic, where I found an entry for Space Taxi (1959).  I recognized this from childhood, and thought it would be a worthwhile project to bring it alive in Orbiter, as well a simple vessel project – this being my first.

Quoting Fantastic Plastic:

Another classic Willy Ley design, the "Space Taxi" or "Space Buggy" is, in the description found on the 1969's re-release box, an "Intraspace cargo/passenger carrier designed to move men and material between space cargo ships and manned space stations."    Its clunky, purely functional design is typical of the brass-tacks engineering aesthetic that characterized conceptual spacecraft during the second half of the 1950's.

And

Despite its non-aerodynamic shape, the "Space Taxi" proved to be popular enough to warrant multiple re-releases following its 1959 debut.  In 1969 it was released with chrome-plated astronauts and machinery cages (the version shown here), and it was released again in 1996 along with the "Passenger Rocket" as part of Revell/Monogram's "Selected Subjects Program." 
This is a refurbished "chrome" edition from the 1960's.

I used the photos to estimate the dimensions, based on the suited figures for a “known” reference and used artistic license during the mesh design.  The hatches at both ends had to go, since it looked impossible for a man in a pressure suit to squeeze past the thruster assembly inside the cage, and well as being dangerous.  I added attitude thrusters, since the original model didn’t have any – and still wonder how “they” thought this thing would be maneuverable without them (I’m guessing gyros or PFM).  The inner bulkhead with a cabin hatch can’t be seen in the photos – but logically has to be present.  I followed the model photos for the hull textures and material colors rather than the box art.  I couldn’t identify the marking on the pilot dome, so I used a U.S. Space Command insignia.

Close-ups of hull markings:

This add-on is likely out of place in the Orbiter universe except in the World of Colliers add-on by Sputnik.  I have provided scenarios for both World of Colliers and standalone situations.  Nevertheless, since Werner Von Braun’s version of the Space Taxi has been included in the Orbiter universe already, I thought it would be a fitting tribute to Willy Ley to include his version of the Space Taxi.

Required Software

1. Orbiter Space Flight Simulator, version 2006 patched to 2006-P1 (build Sep 29 2006). 

Link: http://orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/orbit.html

2. Vinka’s Spacecraft3

Link: http://users.swing.be/vinka/

Optional Software

1. Sputnik’s add on: World of Colliers.

Link: http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=407

2. Gadfly’s add on: Space Taxi (Spacecraft3).

Link: http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4285

Special notes for installation

All file names are unique and should not overwrite existing files, especially if World of Colliers and/or Space Taxi (Spacecraft3) are already installed.   I personally recommend JoneSoft Generic Mod Enabler (last seen here: http://www.users.on.net/~jscones/software/products-jsgme.html) to install all add-ons for Orbiter as it makes installation and de-installation much easier.

Known Issues and Development Specifications

As of the initial release, I haven’t encountered any compatibility problems with running this add-on with World of Colliers or Space Taxi (Spacecraft3) add-ons.

This add-on was developed for Orbiter version 2006 patched to 2006-P1 (build Sep 29 2006).  It was tested using an Orbiter installation with up to 60 other add-ons activated (using JoneSoft Generic Mod Enabler) without any problems noted…so far.

PC specifications used for development and testing (please don’t laugh, I know it is old):

ASUS A7N266-VM motherboard AGP4X 266 MHz bus
2400+ AMD Athlon XP Processor
64MB GeForce4 Titanium-4200 Video card
Windows XP Home Edition

Future Improvements

I have considered adding a virtual cockpit.  However, that seems to be overkill considering the “rugged simplicity” of the original design.  I have also considered adding UMMU support and UCGO support.  But first, I have to become more proficient with the software and software tools to do so.  I am also waiting to see how popular this initial release is and for feedback from the Orbiter community.

Credits and Acknowledgements

Willy Ley: for the original concept

Dr. Martin Schweiger: for Orbiter Space Flight Simulator (sorry, I felt that Mr. Ley deserved top billing).

Vinka: for Spacecraft3

Sputnik: for World of Colliers add-on

Gadfly: for Space Taxi (Spacecraft3) add-on

willy88: for the inspiration to go “retro”


If I have overlooked anyone for due and proper credit, please let me know and I will add them – and apologize profusely for the oversight.

"Contact", not "Houston"

Or, how Reagan Outdoor Advertising is making jackasses of themselves.

This is a billboard being seen along the Wasatch Front.  Its purpose can be found here.  
One problem however...it is WRONG!  My first reaction to this was a very loud "Bravo Sierra".

Really, the answer to this question is easily found in the public domain, and even easier to look up with the advent of Google (perhaps Reagan Advertising hasn't heard of this recent technological breakthrough).  The public record of the ACTUAL first word spoken on the Moon is,

102:45:40 Aldrin: Contact Light. [At least one of the probes hanging from three of the footpads has touched the surface. Each of them is 67 inches (1.73 meters) long. The ladder strut doesn't have a probe. Buzz made the call at 20:17:40 GMT/UTC on 20 July 1969.]  (emphasis mine)

Most (if not all) historians and space flight enthusiasts consider the Lunar Surface Journal to be a reliable source.

I won't expound upon the argument other than to direct the reader, if any, to here.

However, I am reminded of two quotes:

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
Joseph Goebbels.

“A lie told often enough becomes truth”
Vladimir Lenin.

 P.S. If one desires to express their opinion to Reagan Outdoor Advertising, click here.

Thanks to Apollo 15 and 16 add-on fans.

Wow!  The download performance last week on Orbit-Hangar for my Apollo 15 and Apollo 16 scenario packs for the AMSO add-on to Orbiter placed a noticeable "knee" in my graphs, found here.

I pulled this screen shot from Orbit-Hangar yesterday...I haven't been on the "Most Wanted Files" list for a long time.  The last notable knee happened for Apollo 8 in December 2008, during the 40th anniversary of that flight.

My thanks again to the fans.

2nd best 2009 Utah blog

Congrats to "Bob's bs" blog for being at least one of four "finalists of mention" in this contest.

Damn it, Bob, there's always next year.

Clyde Station Evolution

I wonder if other Orbinauts finish a project like this and then discover they keep going back to it to tweak “just one more thing”.

The 1st version was built using Greg Burch’s Station Building Blocks 2006. Started it in early October 2006 (only 7 months into this new “hobby”) and finished it 11 days later RL (real life). Simulation time logged during construction was 11d 6h 55m 16s. The components were launched from Cape Canaveral to LEO (low Earth orbit). I choose the Nova GDB as the launch vehicle, and the Dragonfly lite as orbital tug/assembler. I later used the Clydesdale Heavy Freighter to push it to Mars using TransX as the navigation tool - the IMFD version at the time had a limitation of a maximum number of vessels in a scenario. This first version is made up of a total of 31 docked vessels.



The 2nd version was built using Blocks versions 4.0 and 4.1B – and it was mostly a one-to-one replacement of Blocks 2006. I started construction early May 2009 and finished it 13 days later RL. Simulation time was 4d 23h 52m 46s. The components were launched from Heinlein to high lunar orbit 1000 km altitude. I used the XR5 Vanguard as the launch vehicle, with the Local Space Heavy Utility Lander in a cameo role. The Shuttle-A was the preferred orbital tug/assembler, as I couldn’t deal with the problems with the Dragonfly series. I was working on keeping the vessel count to around 31 – but ended up with 41.





The 3rd version took 2 weeks RL, with a simulation time of 4d 23h 7m 59s. I started it early September 2009. I used the same launch vehicles and tug. As you can see, I expanded the size of it – version #2 looked puny with a Descartes class or a Deepstar docked. The biggest addition was the centrifuge. I easily doubled the number of vessels – now to a whopping 86.



I would claim I was done with this project – but with learning new skills, updates to other Orbiter add-ons, new Orbiter add-ons and just going through a “bored with Orbiter” on a cyclical basis gives me pause.





LAST UPDATED AUGUST 3,2013

With the introduction of a new add-on available in Orbiter, I yet again modified the design of my space station.

Interplanetary Modular Spacecraft (IMS) was initially released on 08/27/2012 and I didn't notice it till about mid June 2013.  What attracted me most was the ability to consolidate all modules into one vessel.  Plus the fact that it now makes the station ALIVE, i.e., it actually generates and consumes power, needs heating and cooling, and needs consumables to maintain life support on top of just certain parts of a few modules being animated.  In addition, it can now be damaged or kill the crew (it now holds 24 but permanently staffed with 12).

Version 4 of the station won't be seen here - it was a trial attempt learning how to use IMS.  Currently, the only drawback to this add-on is its documentation - it is there but sparse and still in 'beta'.  Because of this, it added build time waiting for answers to questions posted on the O-H forum.

Version 5 (see screen shot) has the following changes over version 3:

1. Added an additional radiator for cooling - the first non GregBurch Space Station Building Block ever.  It is added to the node next to rotation habitat.  Also mated to the same node is storage for life support: O2, H2O, and food.

2. Reoriented the fuel tanks for less obstructed access for the station's manipulator arms moving cargo from docked vessels.  Added 4 more fuel tanks after draining all original 8 while refueling just 1 XR5 Vanguard (and that only to 60%).

3. Replaced the GregBurch Airdocks - there only redeeming feature was the animation.  Mostly, they just inhibited manipulator arm access to cargo bays.

4. Got rid of the original cargo racks - they docked to the original and one had to attach cargoes to it - which added complexity.  In their place, I am now using non GregBurch modules, called container holders.  Cargoes now dock to these - and there is a nice animated part that "holds" the cargo.