Since it is a very simple flight, here is a step-by-step beginner's tutorial as promised:
TUTORIAL: Aurora rising
NOTE: You need BurnTimeCalc MFD.
The concept of the flight is very simple:
- we use LaunchMFD to determine launch heading and time
- we enter this heading value into ThemisMFD and use its ascent autopilot
- after MECO we disable ThemisMFD and use BurnTimeMFD for cicularization burn
Our target orbit is:
PeA= 800 km (error: 25km)
ApA= 800km (error: 15km)
Inc = 64° (error: 3°)
LAN = 105° (deviations do not matter)
0. The scenario starts with Themis-A sitting on the launch pad at CSSC at 1010 seconds before the launch time.
1. MFD mode: Left - ThemisMFD, Right - LaunchMFD:
VERIFY
2. LaunchMFD display,
Selected target: 64 105q:
VERIFY
If different target is set, press TGT then enter
64 105 q.
3. LaunchMFD display,
Req. heading: northern: 22.8:
VERIFY.
If different value is displayed, verify and repeat previous step, unless
Time to Intersection is below 300s.
4. LaunchMFD display,
Target periapsis alt: 800.0km,
Target apoapsis alt: 800.0km:
VERIFY
If different altitude is set, press ALT then enter
800.
5. ThemisMFD display, launch vehicle:
SELECT.
Press the button next to the vehicle name (
Themis-A).
6. ThemisMFD display,
Auto-staging: 1:
VERIFY.
If different value is displayed, press STG.
7. ThemisMFD display,
Auto-fairing: 1:
VERIFY.
If different value is displayed, press FIR.
8. ThemisMFD display,
Acceleration Limit: 44.10m/s2:
VERIFY.
If different value is displayed, press GLM until the correct value is displayed.
9. ThemisMFD, APC button:
PRESS
10. ThemisMFD display,
Page 1/3:
VERIFY.
If different mode, repeat previous step.
11. ThemisMFD display, APA button:
PRESS. Enter
800.
12. ThemisMFD display,
Target APA: 800.00 km:
VERIFY.
If different value, repeat previous step.
13. ThemisMFD display, HDG button:
PRESS. Enter
22.88.
14. ThemisMFD display,
Target HDG: 22.88:
VERIFY.
If different value, repeat previous step.
15. LaunchMFD,
Time to Intersection:
READOUT.
16. If
Time to Intersection above 300s, cross-check HDG and APA values between ThemisMFD and LaunchMFD.
NOTE: Heading value displayed by LaunchMFD will start to diverge about 300s before intersection. DO NOT adjust heading value on ThemisMFD after this point.
17. LaunchMFD,
Time to Intersection:
WAIT until 60s.
18. Service tower, arms:
RETRACT
Press
F1 for external view, Press
F3, click
Select ship, click
LPad, press
K. Verify arm movement. Press
F3, click
Select ship, click
Themis-A, press
F1 to return to cockpit view.
19. LaunchMFD,
Time to Intersection:
WAIT until 0s.
20. ThemisMFD, LCH button:
PRESS.
21. Vehicle launch:
VERIFY.
22. ThemisMFD,
MET T+120:
WAIT.
23. Periodically cross-check
Req. heading: northern value displayed by LaunchMFD and
Target HDG value displayed by ThemisMFD. If increasing divergence is observed, enter the value displayed by LaunchMFD into ThemisMFD per step 13.
24. Engine cut-off when
APA on ThemisMFD display is about 800km:
VERIFY.
25. ThemisMFD, LCH button:
PRESS.
26. ThemisMFD, display:
AP STATUS: DISABLED:
VERIFY.
If ENABLED, repeat previous step.
26a. LaunchMFD, PG button:
PRESS.
Confirm top left button now reads GC - if not, repeat until it does.
26b. LaunchMFD, HUD button:
PRESS.
Verify HUD disabled callout.
27. Right MFD mode: Orbit:
SET
28. OrbitMFD, PRJ button:
PRESS.
Verify that
Prj SHP is displayed, if not, repeat step.
29. OrbitMFD, DST button:
PRESS.
Verify that
PeA is displayed, if not, repeat step.
30. OrbitMFD, FRM button:
PRESS.
Verify that
Frm EQU is displayed, if not, repeat step.
31. OrbitMFD display:
ApA, Inc, LAN:
READOUT.
Compare values to mission specification.
32. NAV modes:
DISABLE ALL.
33. Left MFD mode: BurnTimeMFD:
SET.
34. BurnTimeMFD, CIR button:
PRESS.
35. BurnTimeMFD, display:
Autocirc armed:
VERIFY.
If not, repeat previous step.
36. BurnTimeMFD, MD button:
PRESS.
37. BurnTimeMFD, display:
Time to Apoapse:
VERIFY.
If not, repeat previous step.
38. BurnTimeMFD, display:
Time to Ignition:
WAIT until 300s.
39. OrbitMFD, HUD button:
PRESS.
Verify that Orbit HUD is displayed, if not, repeat step.
40. RCS mode: ROT:
VERIFY.
41. MANUALLY rotate spacecraft prograde (within 10 degrees).
NOTE: Built-in prograde AP has difficulty rotating this spacecraft. Doing initial alignment manually is much faster.
42. NAV mode PROGRADE:
ENABLE.
43. Spacecraft oriented prograde:
VERIFY.
44. BurnTimeMFD, display:
Time to Ignition: 0, engine start:
VERIFY
45. Engine cutoff:
VERIFY.
46: OrbitMFD display:
PeA, ApA, Inc, LAN:
READOUT.
Compare to mission specification.
47. NAV modes:
DISABLE ALL.