Orion MPCV Pack 1.0.0

Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle and variants:

_________________________________________

Hi there Combatace community!

As you may already know, this Monday (with some luck) the mission ARTEMIS one is going to lift-off setting the path for future manned missions to the Moon, something that as engineer and space nerd I am very excited about. To celebrate this milestone and since I am finding myself without time to continue 3D modelling space gear for the Moon mods, I have decided to upload my UNFINISHED models so you can enjoy them! That includes:

- Aircrafts (or should I say spacecrafts)

• Orion MPCV: Your normal Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle, with some "landing gear" I was trying to design because my experiments with vertical take-off were to this point very unsuccessful... but appart from that and two floating invisible pilons for IR missiles, it should look like the Orion that will take off in a few days!
• Orion MPCV-ICPS: That is a bigger Orion which includes a variation of the "Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage", which in reality is the upper stage of the SLS that will insert the spacecraft into a translunar orbit from Earth. I modelled it here as a longer range Orion since the ICPS module are substantially two giant propellant tanks (big one LH2 and smaller one LOX). Also I have equipped it with four rocket engines which will help compensating the much heavier fuel tanks (I tried to tweak the engines parameters to make it look a little bit more like a rocket engine instead of an airbreathing one, so fuel consumption has become super high hahaha)
• F-40A Apollo Starfighter: The beginning of the Spacefighters mod, a modified Orion MPCV-ICPS in which the main body of the ICPS module has been modified to carry weaponry becoming a propulsion and warmodule. It includes to arms with a pair of space adapted cannons and pylons for eight SIM-9A the first vacuum rated version of the AIM-9 with reactive thrust control for maneuvering. This is definetely not how I want it to look like but newer models are on the long To Do List.

- AAA test beds: In order to become a full Space warfare mod, ground objects have to be implemented, unfortunately appart from static turrets and modified rovers sketches I have not been able to make 3D models, that is why I borrowed randomly GKABS M163 PIVADS models in order to have AAA with good targeting for the following systems:

• Laser AAA: In space, one of the biggest challenges is thermal control of the spacecraft, and since there is no atmosphere to dissipate beams, a laser could potentially become an enemy for sneaky spacecrafts that ventures into restricted territory. That is why a small low power version of Laser AAA is intended to be used in the early stages of the mods conflict.
• Railgun: An electromagnetically accelerated projectile, with low fire rate but high velocities. It would have sense in the moment in which bigger and armoured spacecrafts appears in later stages of the conflict.

- Weapons:

• 23mm MG-2040 Lunar Cannon
• 20mm M168 Lunar Vulcan
• 100KW XN1 Laser Weapon System (quick fact eventhough "small" 100kW is freaking difficult to generate on the Moon)
• 105mm Lunar Rail Gun
• SIM-9A Spacewinder

- So what to expect from this release?

As you will see, it lacks a lot of things we take for granted in this game: ground assets, targets to strike, actual Air-to-Ground and viceversa weaponry, spacecrafts from other nations. But as we all know, time is sometimes really hard to invest in these projects and real life easily takes over it. So at least you can have some dogfights between Orions and experiment this new environment. I personally enjoyed a lot the process of doing them and thinking how a Spacefighter mod would look like after seeing that a Moon map is actually possible (thank you Menrva!).

So I hope you enjoy this despite of the clearly unfinished models and textures!

- CREDITS TO:

• Menrva: For the amazing map in which all of this can be developed and for the nations creation with their logos and the skins for them in the Orion.
• ravenclaw_007: For the incredibly detailed AIM-9 model from which I based my own space version model.
• GKABS: For the M163 that I included for testing the different AAA systems.
• Combatace community: In general, for the support, suggestions, advice and the material that I have used but I am not able to track the creator.

DISCLAIMER:  As always this is a FREEWARE, the use of this content for commertial purposes is strictly FORBIDDEN.

Ohhh and before I forget it, THERE ARE NO LANDING GEARS! hahahha

All being said, kind regards. Nuni