Team Hawk Entry 1/3: Replica Challenge (Ariane 4)

Rigel

Swingin' on a Star
Copycat
Biker Mice from Mars
ET phone home
Voyager Quest
Floater
Registered
#1
As I promised yesterday, here's my proposal for the Replica Challenge.

I feel here are too many Ariane 5s and Falcon 9s replicas already, so I opted for something different: the ARIANE 4. More precisely, the Ariane 4 44L, the most powerful version of the rocket. I also chose the version with the longest fairing, equipped with a system that makes the rocket capable of launching two satellites at once, called SPELDA. It's the sixth rocket in this scheme, although the version of the fairing I've chosen is a bit longer than the one in the drawing:
Ariane_4_and_Ariane_5_launchers_artist_view_pillars.jpg
The width of the second and third stages is BP edited, as well as the engines of the firts stage, that are stretched to adapt to the real width of the Viking engines. The nose cones of the fairings and the boosters are also slightly modified to better resemble the original. I also made the pipe in the third stage by BP editing. Everything else is vanilla (with some clipping). I've recreated the SPELDA, so my Ariane 4 can carry two satellites at once and put them into separate orbits. I've also included the two satellites as payload:
Screenshot_20220121-110226_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg

Screenshot_20220121-101751_Spaceflight Simulator (1).jpg

The information available about the size of the elements of the rocket are a bit contradictory depending of the source. I suppose that's because Arianespace offered many different versions of the rocket with different boosters and fairings. Most of the information has been taken from this pages, especially the first one, as I think is the best documented:
http://www.capcomespace.net/dossiers/espace_europeen/ariane/ariane4/caracteristiques.htm
https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/ariane-44l_h10plus.htm

As a curiosity, the original rocket had a cryogenic third stage, and that's the reason why it looks bigger than the second: Its LH/LOX tanks were bulkier than the hypergolic tanks on the second stage, despite being much lighter.
 
Last edited:

Rigel

Swingin' on a Star
Copycat
Biker Mice from Mars
ET phone home
Voyager Quest
Floater
Registered
#2
To prove that it works, here is a launch of two gestationary satellites (geostationary orbit in SFS scale would be about 1790km).

First, the launch into geostationary orbit
Screenshot_20220121-101751_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg Screenshot_20220121-110348_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg Screenshot_20220121-110358_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg Screenshot_20220121-110412_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg Screenshot_20220121-110418_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg Screenshot_20220121-111037_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg Screenshot_20220121-111341_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg

Now, the deployment of the first satellite, then detachment of the SPELDA, and finally, deployment of the second satellite:
Screenshot_20220121-111532_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg Screenshot_20220121-111628_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg Screenshot_20220121-111711_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg
Launch succesful!
 

yonkee

Queen of Awesome
Staff member
Team Kolibri
TEAM HAWK
Swingin' on a Star
Atlas
Fly me to the Moon
Registered
MOTY 2022
#3
Like how you made the boosters look 3D
 

Rigel

Swingin' on a Star
Copycat
Biker Mice from Mars
ET phone home
Voyager Quest
Floater
Registered
#4
Like how you made the boosters look 3D
Thank you! With fairings surrounding the boosters, the efect is totaly 3D, yeah. It's a bit complicated to work with, as you can't see what you're building until you launch.
 

Mars Pathfinder

«★★» CMDR «★★» // PT // FartFinder
Christmas Event Category Winner
TEAM HAWK
Swingin' on a Star
Atlas
Deja Vu
Fly me to the Moon
Under Pressure
Registered
#5
Nice replica!
 

Rigel

Swingin' on a Star
Copycat
Biker Mice from Mars
ET phone home
Voyager Quest
Floater
Registered
#6
I've been working a little bit more in this rocket, so here's version 2.0:
Screenshot_20220123-131847_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg

Screenshot_20220123-131820_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg


I've included the BP as well. Changes I've made:
- The first stage's fins are slightly lenghtened.
- I've included some external pipes in the first stage, like in the real rocket.
- I've reproduced, the best I could, the ESA and Arianespace logos.
- The second stage engine is stretched a bit, to better fit the real size of the Viking engine's vacuum nozzle.
- I've fliped the two first stage core engines, so their exhaust now point to the exterior.
- The third stage texture is changed,. Now it has 14 horizontal stripes, like the original.
- There are now 2 side parachutes between the second and third stages, to resemble the fairings the Ariane 4 has.
 

Attachments

Mooncrasher

Reading LOTR lore
Staff member
Team Valiant
Discord Staff
Voyager Quest
Man on the Moon
Forum Legend
#7
Hi, sorry for neglecting this for so long, that is totally my fault.

So this is what I'm using for reference:
Ariane4.GIF
Somebody leaked it a long time ago, it's pretty much the go-to I think.
Very important note!: The dimensions are NOT measured from the bottom of the engine bells. I think it's 400mm above where the launch clamps go. I don't know if you caught that, but if you didn't it might explain a few slightly incorrect dimensions.
Screenshot_20220127-080121~2.png
The bottom of the 0.5x0.5m struct is where my 0-mark is.
So what's not wrong:
All the diameters are correct to the nearest half a meter.
The overall height of your boosters is correct.


From there though:
The beginning of the corgurrated part on the first stage is 1m too low.
The overall height of your core stage is 0.5m too high.
So in other words, the whole first stage interstage needs to be moved up by 1m, then lower the top of it by 0.5m.

How?
Well, look at this picture.
Ariane_second_stage_pillars.jpg
You see how the bottom of the second stage is slightly flared?
That's because this bit is part of the second stage:
Screenshot_20220127-084941~2.png
Now, I know that there's no 0.5m thick fuel tank pieces, so it's okay if the flared section is 1m thick instead of 0.5m thick. The important part is that there's flare and that the first stage is 27m tall from that 0-mark


That's as far as I got, I'll analyse the rest later.
 

Rigel

Swingin' on a Star
Copycat
Biker Mice from Mars
ET phone home
Voyager Quest
Floater
Registered
#10
Technically no. :)
Also, we don't need to review it just yet. He is still two missions away from unlocking Team Hawk.
True. Well, to be more precise, I've already sent the Voyager and Mars missions, so I hope I'm only one mission away from un locking it! (in case you validate the both, of course). In fact, I only submitted the replica because I used this rocket for the Mars Mission and I thought it would be nice to describe it here at the same time.
So, you're both right, I should finish my space station before replying. (I'm not big fan of space stations, that's why it takes me a little time)
 

Blazer Ayanami

Space Shuttle enthusiast // Retired Admin
Registered
Forum Legend
#11
True. Well, to be more precise, I've already sent the Voyager and Mars missions, so I hope I'm only one mission away from un locking it! (in case you validate the both, of course). In fact, I only submitted the replica because I used this rocket for the Mars Mission and I thought it would be nice to describe it here at the same time.
So, you're both right, I should finish my space station before replying. (I'm not big fan of space stations, that's why it takes me a little time)
Well, you already have your replica reviewed here:
Hi, sorry for neglecting this for so long, that is totally my fault.

So this is what I'm using for reference:
View attachment 78044
Somebody leaked it a long time ago, it's pretty much the go-to I think.
Very important note!: The dimensions are NOT measured from the bottom of the engine bells. I think it's 400mm above where the launch clamps go. I don't know if you caught that, but if you didn't it might explain a few slightly incorrect dimensions.
View attachment 78046
The bottom of the 0.5x0.5m struct is where my 0-mark is.
So what's not wrong:
All the diameters are correct to the nearest half a meter.
The overall height of your boosters is correct.


From there though:
The beginning of the corgurrated part on the first stage is 1m too low.
The overall height of your core stage is 0.5m too high.
So in other words, the whole first stage interstage needs to be moved up by 1m, then lower the top of it by 0.5m.

How?
Well, look at this picture.
View attachment 78045
You see how the bottom of the second stage is slightly flared?
That's because this bit is part of the second stage:
View attachment 78047
Now, I know that there's no 0.5m thick fuel tank pieces, so it's okay if the flared section is 1m thick instead of 0.5m thick. The important part is that there's flare and that the first stage is 27m tall from that 0-mark


That's as far as I got, I'll analyse the rest later.
So now you can resubmit it, with greater precision.
 

Rigel

Swingin' on a Star
Copycat
Biker Mice from Mars
ET phone home
Voyager Quest
Floater
Registered
#12
Ok, here I am with the third iteration of the Ariane 4.

As you noticed, there were some incorrections in the first and second stage. I think they are now all correct.
Just one thing: as you can see in this picture, the whole stripped lowersection of the second stage is flared, not just the last 50cm. So I BP edited it to measure 1,50m, as the plan says:
inCollage_20220130_121225229.jpg

Also, I BP edited the first stage so it is now 23,5m high up until the separator, wich itself ends at 27,0m. Finally, I reworked the ESA logo , now it's way cooler:
Screenshot_20220130-122916_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg



Screenshot_20220130-122935_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg
 

Attachments

Rigel

Swingin' on a Star
Copycat
Biker Mice from Mars
ET phone home
Voyager Quest
Floater
Registered
#13
Hi again. I've reworked the ESA logo.
Now I'm tempted to start other Ariane replicas, so I can reuse the logo...
Screenshot_20220203-004159_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg
 

Mooncrasher

Reading LOTR lore
Staff member
Team Valiant
Discord Staff
Voyager Quest
Man on the Moon
Forum Legend
#14
Hi Rigel , deepest apologies for the delay.

It is a most excellent Ariane 4, I had a look at your revised one, and almost everything is perfect.
If you resubmit it with a 1m shorter fairing and fix the "no fuel source" for the left booster engine, I will immediately accept it.
 

Rigel

Swingin' on a Star
Copycat
Biker Mice from Mars
ET phone home
Voyager Quest
Floater
Registered
#16
Hey! I didn't notice your replies!

Here's the corrected BP. I had doubts about shortening the fairing, as there were different types of fairings available for the Ariane 4, and some of them matched my replica:
config partie haute 1993.jpg
Nonetheless, I've changed it, and corrected the left booster engine:
Screenshot_20220505-005151_Spaceflight Simulator.jpg
Thanks for your patience!
 

Attachments