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This next project will continue with a theme of creating a display to include a piece of space memorabilia and a model or models that are directly related to it. The piece of memorabilia is a commemorative patch that celebrates NASA’s 60th Anniversary. The patch spent approximately a year aboard the ISS. It was flown up to the ISS aboard an Antares-Cygnus flight (NG10) & returned to earth aboard a Dragon Capsule (CRS-19). The vehicles used to transport the patch to the ISS & back will be modelled using the following Antares Launch vehicle will be a 1-144th Scale resin kit from New Ware (NW120). Dragon capsule will be a 1-48th Scale Resin 3D print, I have “designed” and drawn using Fusion 360, and it will be produced by a 3D print service. Preparations for this project have been ongoing on & off since 2018 when the seller of the patches announced his plans and started taking orders. As the Falcon 9 project is nearing completion they have been kicked off again in earnest so that all of the "hardware" will be ready to go as soon as the F9 gets completed. The base kit for the Antares The kit as supplied The new ware kit was first produced in 2013 and was modelled on the vehicle as it was then. The NG-10 flight was in the November of 2018. Between these dates there were some changes to the launch vehicle and spacecraft 1. First stage In 2015 the first stage (100 series) was retired due to the unreliability and age of the AJ26 engines, the final nail in the coffin was the loss of the Orb 3 flight in 2014. These engines were 15 year old Russian NK33 engines (that had been purchased by Aerojet, refurbished, and renamed AJ26) The first stage was replaced with the 200 series, which in essence was a beefed up version of the 100 series, powered by a more modern Russian Engine, the RD181. 2. Cygnus Cargo spacecraft & Second stage Castor Engine The original standard Cygnus version was last flown on the ill-fated Orb 3 flight in November 2014 and replaced with the Cygnus Enhanced version. Over the intervening years the second stage Castor solid fuel engine was upgraded 3. Northrop Grumman acquiring Orbital ATK In June of 2018 Northrop bought out Orbital in a 9 billion dollar deal. The NG10 flight in November of that year marked the first flight of the vehicle by its new owner/operator To accurately reflect these changes the model will be modified as below 1. First stage The AJ-26 engine bells were heavily insulated with a pink coloured insulation. The current RD181 does not have this present. The only correction needed will be to remove some material from the engine bells that represents the insulation. 2. Cygnus Cargo spacecraft & Second stage Castor Engine The enhanced Cygnus is 2.5m longer than the standard version. The Second stage Castor solid rocket engine was also upgraded. Although the later engine is physically larger, and the Cygnus was lengthened by 2.5m both of these upgrades were accommodated by lengthening the payload fairing by 2.3m At 1-144th scale a 16mm long extension will need to be inserted in the payload fairing. Fortunately, whilst I was looking into these changes I was in close contact with Martin, the owner of Martins models. He very kindly cast me a resin part of the correct dimensions 3. Northrop Grumman acquiring Orbital ATK This change meant a relatively minor change in the vehicles livery, the Orbital logo being replaced by Northrop Grumman’s corporate logo. Again, I was fortunate with the timing of this as I was having a sheet of assorted decals printed for a model, I was working on at the time so a batch of various sized logos were added. I think I have got the main changes covered and looking at the three points laid out they look fairly insignificant, but it took a fair few hours of internet searches, head scratching, calculations and educated guesswork to get there. A screengrab of where the proposed cut line (the red one) will be for inserting the extension Two shots showing the changes to the livery The second element of the model is the Dragon Capsule. I had previously looked around for a capsule on the open market and had made an approach to Oli Braun of Buzz media labs who produces a range of Space X rocket kits. Nothing came to fruition, and I left the looking on the backburner. A couple of years down the line and armed with a bit of Fusion 360 knowhow coupled with google & you tube I decided to have a bash at drawing one up and having it printed. If I rewind time back to the early eighties when I was just about to leave school and I was messing about with my newly acquired ZX80 the younger me would have not imagined that the older me would have access to, the tools, and the knowledge to create 3d parametric models. Then with a couple of presses of a button, send (for that time an unimaginably huge) file to someone who could then turn that information into a physical object using a 3d printer. In this COVID era it appears that to travel you are required to print an extraordinary amount of paperwork to carry around, that is then totally ignored by the people that request it. So, whilst in quarantine the paper, and the enforced idle time were put to constructive use The capsule was drawn up as two separate elements When it was finished, I had a play around with it, and the different visual effects available in Fusion A couple of shots in a wireframe environment, and one of a very quick render with some colours added This part of the build should be relatively straightforward. Glue A to B and apply paint he said. I have gone for a 1-48th scale, and that measures up at approx. 81mm diameter at the base and around about 70mm tall, a nice healthy size. The paint application is where I will force myself to leave the comfort zone and for the first time attempt some creative weathering. Here is a shot of the recovered capsule and the look I would like to recreate, any pointers as to how I could do this would be gratefully accepted

Mission CRS-11 Launch Date 3rd June 2017 The model was purchased from Buzz Media Labs 2017 and is a resin 3d print. A few additional scratch built details were added such as flanges on the cable ducts, and hatch covers at the base of the booster. Also added was some detail inside the interstage, namely the Merlin engine skirt support and Grifdfin actuators. The second stage Merlin engine has a piece of Mylar Insulation added that was flown aboard the International Space Station. All the lettering & logos were sprayed using self produced masks on a Cameo 4, the only decal used was the US flag The build can be seen here

Mission CRS-11 Launch Date 3rd June 2017 The model was purchased from Buzz Media Labs 2017 and is a resin 3d print. I originally bought it to be displayed alongside a commemorative patch that was planned to be transported to the ISS on the CRS-11 flight. Part of the payload was rescheduled and the patch was eventually transported to the ISS aboard a later flight by an Antares/Cygnus. The flight was significant in that it marked the first time that a Dragon capsule was being reused The kit as supplied, all laid out. All resin parts apart from the main section of the first stage which is a PVC tube, and a half round section of styrene for a cable duct. The kit ids also supplied with small magnets and engineered so that the second stage is detachable The detail is very good, and from what I have seen so far and the parts fit together really well with a minimum of clean up The grid fins are nicely detailed, they are the older aluminium type, and I think this was the penultimate time they were used. They were replaced by one made from a titanium alloy on later flights The kit supplied decals, and an AB Emblems mission patch A quick check on the orientation and fit of the second stage aft bulkhead, engine and bell. The pusher mechanism that is used for stage separation The trunk, second stage and top section of the first stage One of the grid fins with the supports removed and trial fitted Overall, I am very impressed with the quality and level of detail on the kit. A couple of the cable ducts and the stage pusher are a little warped and will require a bit of persuasion. I am not sure if they were like it when supplied, or as a result of being stored away in the stash for three and a half years. The kit does not come with any instructions, but most of it is straightforward, and there are some good reference photos to be found.

Elon Musk will be unveiling Dragon V2 early tomorrow morning (damn you time zones!) the manned version of their dragon capsule. So far we know it has a pretty snazzy display panel and leather seats. Hopefully it's a bit more watertight than the last few capsules that have been sent up. http://sploid.gizmodo.com/first-look-at-dragon-v2-the-first-manned-spaceship-by-1583376826