I'm not dead yet...
I thought an update might be in order since its been so long. I have gone through a couple prototypes already. You don't appreciate how big the TDRS is until you start to assemble the thing. I'm going to keep with the 1/25 scale, but wow.
Another issue cropped up during the first prototype. After working so hard to design the Single Access Array, I screwed up the heights.
Don't ya just wish that it hadn't taken 7 hours to lay out all of the line work? And that doesn't get much easier when you have to redo it all for the correct dimensions. Oh well, better right than abandoned.
I tried very hard to print this on transparency paper. I tried a couple different printers and spent TOO much on the paper and finally just gave up on that. Maybe someone has a secret method, I'm not designing a reverse side for that reason. I'll be happy.
Meanwhile the bus is coming together. I'm going to include a "pass-through" structure that is maintaining the lateral rigidity and allowing a way to insert and support both the solar arrays and the single access arrays. I have to say, I'm worried about it holding up. The display will either need to be supported vertically by the arrays or by a three point base thing.
At the moment, I'm busy building up the OMNI directional antennas and realizing I didn't mark up the sun sensors on the arrays. I'm going to be a little bit cheaty and leaning heavily on shaped paper lollypop sticks for the majority of struts and the RCS motor nozzles. Man I love working with this material.
More to come soon ...