Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6 (1:144)

• #360 by roma847 on 21 Dec, 2013 09:11
• Hello folks,
  
  thanks for your compliments and nice wishes, I can understand your enthusiasm!
  
  Tom,
  here is the German ebay seller ledbaron, where you can find a lot of this great LED stuff.
  
  Rich,
  yep, the chapter lighting is really fascinating, so I want to try a first step. But one thing is clear, you're the LED monster and the boss in the ring, not me!   I'm only a rank beginner, who certainly still has to pay a lot of training money. 
  
  Now I would at least try and see if I can install some LEDs later on the MLP. That will certainly be a bit difficult, because the space below the Blast shields is so small.
  
  But my motto is: trial and error!
  
  
• #361 by roma847 on 21 Dec, 2013 09:42
• Hi guys,
  
  sorry, in my next to last post I have forgotten this picture by the STS-1, on which one might suspect that the lamps hung at the level's ceiling.
  
  
  Source: NASA
  
  Does anyone have any other pictures where you can see more precisely the positions of the lamps around the elevator shaft on each level?
  
  BTW, this could also be old pictures of the Apollo LUT, because parts of it were indeed used later for the Shuttle launch towers.
  
  
• #362 by shuttlemodeler on 21 Dec, 2013 14:21
• here is one more i happened to have.   couple of pics during the dismantle.  you can see where the lights are.

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• #363 by roma847 on 21 Dec, 2013 16:13
• Thanks Tom, but this is the Tower design of the later years of the shuttle missions after covering the elevator shaft, I've also shown some posts before in this picture.
  
  
  Source: NASA
  
  But STS-6 was in 1983 and at the time the elevator shaft had yet this typical LUT design of the Apollo era, that's why I am now looking for close-up LUT images.
  
  Here is a picture from any Apollo Museum, there can be seen two level of the LUT, where you can see some lights.
  
  
  Source: NASA
  
  But that is only one picture of only two sides, that's my problem.
  
  Therefore, once again my appeal to the Apollo freaks, who has good pics of the LUT with lighting details and can help me?
  
  
• #364 by Ronpur50 on 21 Dec, 2013 16:53
• Not sure how accurate the display is at The Saturn V Center, but these lights are on the levels of the tower they have on display.
  
  If it will help, I will try to take some more pictures of it next month.

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• #365 by roma847 on 21 Dec, 2013 21:29
• Hi Ron,
  thanks for your help, that looks cool and could coincide with the images of the STS-1 tower. what a lot of lamps, this is the bomb ...
  
  I would be glad if you could even make some photos for your next trip, so you can see it from all four sides, where the lamps sit. Maybe there are also on-site photos or posters of the whole LUT, with which you can compare.
  
  Thanks in advance!
  
  
• #366 by RichO on 22 Dec, 2013 05:19
• MANFRED,
  
    Now I have you turned on with the lights, you have a considerable chore ahead of you. I think that the FSS/RSS of the shuttle tower is quite complex with the light placements.  I know how you are, in that you would probably like to install all the lights to make it as accurate as possible. Sometimes one has to pick his battles and decide how for to go with the details.
  
    When I started my research for the MSS, I discovered a website that specializes in scans of original technical drawings and blueprints of various launch structures.  I downloaded several DVD's of info that I could use for my project. I'll dig this out and send it to you. Perhaps there might be some info that you could use also.
  
    So on with the show, I'm really excited to see how you proceed with the lights. I wont change the channel, I'll stay tuned.
• #367 by roma847 on 22 Dec, 2013 09:05
• Thanks Rich for your helpful feedback and for your offer, something to send, because technical drawings are always good for scratch building.
  
  On one hand, the lighting is an exciting story, because light makes things alive!
  
  On the other hand, one must be realistic here, especially in view of the scale. 1:160 is damn small to such small things and not to be compared with 1:96 or 1:72 (Hi Tom).
  
  Therefore, it will also have to be a compromise here, because afterwards no one will count the lamps, and also the construction is complicated enough.
  
  I originally wanted to build the tower from bottom to top, but with lighting it might be better from top to bottom.
  
  On the MLP Side 1 is still relatively manageable, although the subsequent installation of the lamps is perhaps painfully. But in the tower with many PE floors and stairs in such a confined space it will be certainly incredibly difficult.   That's what I do not want to think today though.
  
  So I'll try it on MLP, maybe I'll throw in the towel but then.
  
  
• #368 by RichO on 22 Dec, 2013 13:03
• It's enough to make my brain hurt!
• #369 by roma847 on 22 Dec, 2013 22:42
• Hello for the 3rd Advent,
  
  Boldly ventured, is half done, and therefore I have also razed me on this unknown territory to work, or rather, taken the first steps.
  
  First I once tried the LEDs, and as I have already learned clamped precaution with a series resistor (250 Ohm) to a normal flat battery (4.5 V).
  
  And lo and behold there be light: And there was light! And my first light is burning, joy on 3rd Advent!
  
  
  
  For my taste, the LED light is very flashy, but that will hopefully be more subdued with the lampshade, are just LEDs and not bulbs. And as for the color, I have probably already try some more, possibly in direction to warm white with a bit of coloring, since 1983 at the STS-6, were certainly quite normal bulbs.
  
  Here the LED is in a gray cover, but is inserted only once temporarily. Black covers would certainly be better, because this pretty shine through here.
  
  
  
  And here I then tried five LEDs on the MLP over the Valve skids to see the effect. Mind you, these are my very first baby steps in this area, but which I am completely satisfied initially. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As I said, the LED light is still too bright to me. But that is for a fact that the LEDs were only once hung so provisionally under the Blast Shields, wherein the threading of thin wires (0.1 mm) was difficult enough.
  
  
  
  
  
  Since LEDs have not had lampshades, light naturally radiates far too heavily on the environment. Secondly, I hope so, that the cold whiteness can be adapted towards a warm white like incandescent bulbs yet, maybe by dipping of the LEDs in epoxy resin so that it then looks something like as in this picture here.
  
  
  Source: NASA
  
  That should have been first time as a first small taste! Since one can certainly improve a lot, but all beginnings are difficult.
  
  
• #370 by roma847 on 23 Dec, 2013 09:10
• And so it all looks in daylight.
  
  
  
  
  
  What else is added, the effect is that the silver-colored pipes and fittings Valve skids the bright white still fairly reflect. But we'll get everything even a little bit better, I hope so.
  
  I want to experiment again today with the lamp shades on, then the light should not shine through so up at least.
  
  
• #371 by Squack on 23 Dec, 2013 10:38
• Hi Manfred,
  
  If you want to make the LEDs less bright try adding more resistance in series with the power supply.
  
  LEDs will dim somewhat with a reduced current.
• #372 by Ronpur50 on 23 Dec, 2013 12:20
• Also, by the time you light the whole pad, and if you use the same power supply, they should dim as well.
• #373 by roma847 on 23 Dec, 2013 12:26
• Thanks Squack and Ron,
  
  yep, there are some possibilities.
  
  Or do I try it once the "sunny white/warm white" LEDs (left), here in comparison with "bright white".
  
   
  
  As one can see, the "sunny white/warm white" is much more pleasant and I like better.
  
  I want to try some more, we'll see.
  
  
• #374 by Ronpur50 on 23 Dec, 2013 12:32
• Oh, a nice yellow color.  That matches the photos better.
• #375 by RichO on 23 Dec, 2013 20:45
• OMG, Manfred!!
  
    Your baby steps are just wunderbar!!
  
    So now, you have several options for the light intensity and color. To cut down on the brightness, you simply install a dimmer switch into the power line. This is the same thing as a dimmer switch for your house lights. However this only works if you are using a power cord from a wall socket to your model.
  
    You can also dip the individual lights into accrylic paint glaze of the color that you would like them to be. That is, you paint the bright white lights with a gold-yellow paint, and this will dim the lights and change the color at the same time.
  
    Also simply install a warm white color light.
  
    Also if you are using a battery power source, make sure you place your battery mount in a place where you can get to them easily. The batteries will only last for a few hours compaired to electrical power.
  
    I chose an electrical power source because I could install 100's of my lights or more, and not have to worrie about draining the power to dim the lights. They will stay at full intencity, no matter how many lights I install.
  
    You and Tom are on the correct path to outdo my crawler build, I'm so excited to see this build!! Keep up the great work!
  
    P.S. Check out: artifactoryreplicas.com and also Aerospase Project Review from Scott Lowther for technical drawings and refferances. I'm not sure if these might have what you are looking for but it sure is cool looking at scans of the original blueprints.
• #376 by Davp99 on 24 Dec, 2013 14:06
• Fantastic Manfred, and a Merry Christmas to All...
• #377 by roma847 on 24 Dec, 2013 23:15
• Thanks Rich for your helpful comment and support, since I can still learn a lot.
  
  BTW, the battery was only to test, later I will also use constant current sources and a power supply.
  
  Thanks also for the links of sources, I will study next.
  
  I have a professional guy (aircraft electronics) found in our German Raumcon forum who wants to help me and will also build a power supply.
  
  From Mischa I have got some LUT plans, where upon about 12 lamps are installed on each tower level.
  
  So it is a great help if the friends help. Thanks all guys for your support, you make me happy! 
  
  
• #378 by roma847 on 26 Dec, 2013 13:02
• Hello guys,
  
  and there just everywhere so many lights shine, here's fits to a picture of the STS-6-Pad with full lighting and floodlights, on which one can see some details of the Tower Lighting around the red elevator shaft, which I have now clarity.
  
  
  Source: retrospaceimages.com
  
  And how was that again with flash light?
  
  Then, still further includes a beautiful 2nd Holiday!
  
  
• #379 by shuttlemodeler on 28 Dec, 2013 14:58
• Hey Manfred:
  
  question for you.   the hood or shield you have above the LOX tunnel.  Do you have a pic of it?  I cannot see it in any of my pictures.