The CAD model is done. It has been saved as 98 separate STL files (one for each unique part… there will be, of course, many identical parts that will be cast multiple times) and shipped off to 3D print shops for quoting. So, at least for now… wooo! I’m done with it!
You have *no* idea how much time and trouble it took to crank out this one side-view line drawing…
The Prometheus is being hollowed out and locating bumps & divots are being added. The larger main body parts also have stiffening frames added. Lower left shows the parts for the escape module.
The model will be able to be “posed” in flight configuration. The color version gives an idea about parts breakdown.
Oh, and if you see anything missing here, any vital detail that should be but ain’t… now’s the time to speak up.
And while you wait impatiently for the model to be released… why not buy a couple copies of US Bomber Projects and/or Aerospace Projects Review?
I think this will about do it.
The last remaining bits of missingness from the Prometheus model are the numerous antennae. This is starting to be rectified. The two “radar” dishes” have been assembled. They are cruder and beefier than what’s shown on screen for the simple fact that these parts will need to be printed, molded and cast in resin, and to-scale parts would be far, far too fine to even reliably print. Note that the starboard dish is built on a ball and socket joint, and folds down into a recess for flight.
In the early stages is work on all the “rod” antennae that litter this vehicle. The actual kit parts will be a mix of resin and wire. So far I’ve cobbled together the two bundles behind the starboard “radar.” The wire components are shown in yellow. Wire placeholders are in place for all the bundles, as shown in the previous post showing the model dimensions.
Here are the main dimensions of the Prometheus model, assuming a 560-foot length and 1/500 scale. Dimensions are in millimeters. If you want it in inches or feet or yards or li or rods or fathoms or furlongs or leagues or parsecs… well, it’s late, I’m tired, and what, is your arm broke? Use a calculator.
After more than a month (yay, H1N1!), here are some progress shots on the Prometheus. The vast bulk of the modeling is done (antennae and details on the lower “nose” being the main gaps now), but that doesn’t mean the project is done. The parts need to be hacked and carved and turned into printable, moldable and castable *kit* parts. This means turning the fat brick that is the main body into a series of shells, something my version of Rhino cannot do with the push of a button. So it needs to be “carved” out. The main body is here shown in four colors for the four parts it has currently been sliced into; this may reduce to two parts, top and bottom. Most of the hollowing is done; the extreme tail needs doing.
Since the last update images were posted, the engines have been brought inboard to their correct position. The ball-and-socket joint should allow the engines to be modeled in landed, flight, or anywhere-in-between positions. Built right, it should be possible to build the whole thing so you can move them as desired, rather than fixed in place. However, the landing gear itself is being modeled in two distinct positions… if you want to scratchbuild that mess of pistons and hinges to be movable… well, you just go right ahead.
There’s two ways to have a computer generated character walk:
1) You animate it walking, doign whatever you want
2) You *simulate* it walking, factoring in physics and anatomy and whatnot
For movies and whatnot, #1 gets the job done. #2 is far, far harder, and is prone to fail… but if you can pull it off, the results can be impressive.
We present a muscle-based control method for simulated bipeds in which both the muscle routing and control parameters are optimized. This yields a generic locomotion control method that supports a variety of bipedal creatures. All actuation forces are the result of 3D simulated muscles, and a model of neural delay is included for all feedback paths. As a result, our controllers generate torque patterns that incorporate biomechanical constraints. The synthesized controllers find different gaits based on target speed, can cope with uneven terrain and external perturbations, and can steer to target directions.
[vimeo 79098420]
A photo of the full-scale Zenith Star space-based laser experiment at the Martin-Mariette Titan plant near Denver, circa 1987.
Getting close. Still need all the antennae, the engines need to be brought inboard some, a few other details.
