Space Shuttle Mission 2007
| Space Shuttle Mission 2007 (2008 Edition) | |
|---|---|
| Space Shuttle docked at the ISS | |
| Developer(s) | Exciting Simulations(tm) |
| Publisher(s) | Simsquared Ltd. |
| Platform(s) | Intel or AMD PC (Windows) |
| Release | January 2008 |
| Genre(s) | Simulation |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Summary
Space Shuttle Mission 2007 is a Space Shuttle mission simulator for the Microsoft Windows XP and Vista operating system. The simulator was released on January 1, 2008 after having been under development for more than six years.
Space Shuttle Mission 2007 has been developed by a team of Space Exploration enthusiasts whose idea was to bring the old and venerable Virgin Shuttle Simulator alive again and match the new PC technology by re-designing a new Space Shuttle simulator from the ground up and adding better graphics and more features. The team planned to develop Space Shuttle Mission 2007 as a freeware game, but as the project became more ambitious and significant resources had to be invested to meet the new design requirements, the team decided to release the simulator as a commercial indie project.
About Space Shuttle Mission 2007
The main purpose of Space Shuttle Mission 2007 is to allow the gamer to experience real historical NASA Space Shuttle missions from liftoff (T-00:01:50:00) to landing. Initially, Space Shuttle Mission 2007 was released with a set of 11 missions but as time passed, the development team has been releasing new missions as free add-ons. The missions include satellite deployment and servicing (including the Hubble Telescope), building and servicing the International Space Station, numerous Extra Vehicular Activities and landing at KSC and EAFB.
A typical mission starts on the Launch Pad at KSC right after the Astronauts have entered the cockpit. After that, the user goes through the Preflight, Liftoff, Ascent, On Orbit, Deorbit, Approach and Landing phases. Most of the time is spent on orbit where the user is expected to perform the mission as described in the briefing screen and as instructed by the on-screen checklists and audio communications from the MCC. Landing is performed manually following Huston instructins and realistic guidance and navigation information presented on the 7 Forward panels MFD and the HUD. The action during all mission phases can be viewed from several "cameras": external view, first person, floating camera and Mission Control Center information screens. After completing the mission successfully from start to end, the virtual Astronaut receives a mission badge which is displayed in the Astronaut Achievements section.
The Space Shuttle Mission 2007 simulates numerous Space Shuttle systems, including the General Purpose Computer, Remote Manipulator System, APU, Hydraulic, CCTV, Electrical, Propulsion, Navigation, APDS (Docking System), Communications, Payload Bay etc. and allows for a realistic interaction between the user and these systems throughout the mission. As the mission evolves, the simulator presents the user with an on-screen context-related checklist, indicating which systems to operate and how. In the easiest difficulty mode, the simulator indicates individual switches with flashing arrows, in addition to the checklists. In more advanced difficulty modes, the user is expected to use printed checklists to complete the mission.
The user spends most of the time in a realistic and complete 3D Virtual Cockpit, manning several "stations": Commander, Pilot, Mission Specialist 1 and Mission Specialist 2. The 3D Virtual Cockpit is especially effective due to the support of TrackIR:PRO Head Tracking Device and Matrox TripleHead2Go(tm) Multiple Monitor support. It has been announced that the developers plan to support the Vuzix(tm) Virtual Reality Stereoscopic goggles. The in-cockpit and other environmental sounds are simulated - engines, RCS, alarms, cockpit cooling "humming" etc.
The user can zoom into various panels in a 2D view or directly select the various systems from the main menu, in real time and press buttons, turn knobs, flip switches as the mission requires. There is also constant and context-relevant mission-related audio communications between the Mission Control Center and the Space Shuttle guiding the user through the mission.
Extra Vehicular Activities are conducted in First Person View allowing the user to experience the same feeling as the Astronauts do while "space walking". In certain missions, the virtual Astronauts will also drive the Manned Maneuvering Unit to capture satellites for maintenance.
Missions
Included Missions
Space Shuttle Mission 2007 was released with a set of 11 missions. Since then, new free missions are periodically added by the developers. The initial missions set includes:
New Missions
- STS-27
- The first Space Shuttle Mission 2007 "spy sat" mission.
- STS-99
- This is the famous Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM)
- STS-122
- One of the latest Shuttle missions - deployed and installed the Columbus module on the International Space Station
Included Space Vehicles
The Space Shuttle Fleet
The entire Space Shuttle fleet is rendered by high fidelity 3D models and textures. The simulator developers have decided however that only the latest cockpit instrumentation and Space Shuttle external appearance will be depicted, for the sake of simplicity and learning curve. Therefore the models do not include the old-style mechanical gauges and all the various Space Shuttle paint jobs.
Mission-related Space Objects
- International Space Station (ISS)
- A very detailed model of the ISS. In Space Shuttle Mission 2007 when you perform missions that build and maintain the ISS you watch it grow as you complete the missions. The ISS missions cover all the activities needed to complete them: Shuttle RMS operations, ISS RMS operations (including the full extraction and deployment of the payload) and Extra Vehicular Activities.
- Hubble Space Telescope
- There are several Hubble-centric missions, from its deployment to maintenance. The maintenance missions require a precision approach to, and RMS grapple of the Hubble, and relocation in the Shuttle payload bay for EVA repairs.
- Long Duration Exposure Facility Satellite
- Tracking and Data Relay Satellite Satellite
- Lacrosse 1 DoD Satellite
- This is the first DoD "Spy Sat". Nobody really knows what its real capabilities were and how the deployment mission was performed.
- Solar Max Satellite
- Columbus (ISS module)
- Unity (ISS module)
- Zarya(ISS module)
- Various misc satellites
Included Scenery
Space Shuttle Mission 2007 includes 1km/pix, 15m/pix and 1m/pix textures based on Satellite and Aerial Photography and licensed from Terrametrics(tm) - the same company which supplies Google Earth.
- Earth
- Bump-mapped, color-normalized and geo-referenced 1km/pix textures for Earth and clouds.
- Kennedy Space Center
- Color-normalized and geo-referenced 15m/pix and 1m/pix textures. The KSC scenery includes all the main structures, high-definition Launch Pads and the Shuttle Landing Facility
- Edwards Air Force Base
- Color-normalized and geo-referenced 15m/pix and 1m/pix textures. The EAFB scenery includes all the main structures and all the runways, including the surrounding topography.
See also
References
- Review at Avsim.com
- Review at Flightsim.com
- May 2008 Issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine
- The Space Shuttle Mission Commander's Reference Manual (freely downloadable at the official website)