Space Shuttle Mission 2007

Infobox VG| title = Space Shuttle Mission 2007(The 2008 Edition)


developer = [http://www.excitingsimulations.com Exciting Simulations (tm)]
publisher = [http://www.simsquared.com Simsquared Ltd.]
distributor =
designer =
license = Commercial
engine =
version = 2.11
released = January 2008
genre = Simulation
modes = Single player
ratings =
platforms = Intel or AMD PC (Windows)
media = Downloadable from the official website
requirements = NVIDIA or ATI 3D Graphic Accelerator Card
input = Keyboard, mouse, and Joystick (optional, but recommended)

"Space Shuttle Mission 2007" (AKA "SSM2007") is a Space Shuttle stand-alone 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 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.

Outline

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 Houston instructions and realistic guidance and navigation information presented on the 9 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. These are intended to allow 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 Head Tracking Device, Matrox TripleHead2Go(tm) Multiple Monitor support and the Vuzix(tm) Virtual Reality Stereoscopic goggles. The in-cockpit and other environmental sounds are simulated including the engines, RCS, alarms, and cockpit cooling "humming".

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 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:;STS-1:;STS-8:;STS-41C:;STS-26:;STS-31:;STS-88:;STS-96:;STS-103:;STS-121:;STS-116:;STS-117:

New Missions

;STS-27: The first Space Shuttle Mission 2007 Spy Satellite mission.;STS-93: Launch of the Chandra X-ray Observatory.;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;STS-124: The latest Shuttle mission - deployed and installed the Japanese Kibo module and the new Japanese Remote Manipulator System on the International Space Station;STS-32: Deployment of the SYNCOM IV-F5 DoD Communications Satellite and retrieval of the LDEF Experiment Pack (launched with STS-41-C - another SSM2007 Mission);STS-98: Developers have announced the next mission in SSM2007 to be STS-98. This ISS building mission brought up the station's Destiny Module.

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.

; Columbia; Challenger; Discovery; Atlantis; Endeavour

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 outside DoD and the relevant NASA staff 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.

ee also

*
*Space Shuttle program
*Space Simulation

References

* [http://www.avsim.com/pages/0408/SSM/Shuttle.htm Review at Avsim.com ]
* [http://www.flightsim.com/cgi/kds?$=main/review/ssm2007/ssm2007.htm Review at Flightsim.com]
* [http://www.avionic-online.com/index.php?Mnu=SSM2007 Review at Avionic-Online.com ]
* [http://www.skyatnightmagazine.com May 2008 Issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine]
*The Space Shuttle Mission Commander's Reference Manual (freely downloadable at the official website)
* [http://www.pcpilot.net July 2008 Issue of PC Pilot Magazine]
* [http://www.computerpilot.com July 2008 Issue of Computer Pilot Magazine]
* [http://pc.ign.com/objects/964/964235.html Review at IGN.com]
* [http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/space-shuttle-mission-2007/ Review at GameSpy.com]
* [http://wiki.ssm-fans.info/ SSM2007 Fans Community Wiki]

External links

* [http://www.space-shuttle-mission.com Space Shuttle Mission 2007 official website]
* [http://www.space-shuttle-mission.com/forum Official Space Shuttle Mission 2007 Forum]