Luna 1 Build

[ralf]

Hello Everyone,

quite some time has passed since my last modelling related activities but I am working on a new project now. On my last attempt of scratchbuilding the Ranger 7 probe I was a bit stuck with building the main spacecraft bus. I've then discovered on a French forum that l'Arsenal would bring out a Ranger 8 spacecraft model in 1/24th scale designed by Bruno Gire. I've eventually bought the kit and the details and everything is great, way better than I could do. So I decided that I have to move on to another project. I have plenty of ideas but limited time and so I took my time and now I moved to a different subject. Still a moon probe but I've switched sides and I am now working on a model of Luna 1 the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the moon in 1959. Unfortunately it missed it's target of hitting the moon but it became the first spacecraft in heliocentric orbit.

The Luna 1 spacecraft did contain a radio transmitter and five instruments to study the space around the moon; a magnetometer, a geiger counter, a device to measure ionized radiation and a micrometeroid detector. The main objective was to impact the moon and to release a small metal coat of arms of the Soviet Union. Due to a faulty upper stage it failed it's mission and passed the moon within about 6000 km. On it's way to the moon it also released a cloud of sodium gas as an observation experiment. Eventually the batteries died and it flies around the sun now.

 

Luna 1 inside the upper stage.

 

A period picture of Luna on a trolley.

 

One of the main problem of build Soviet spacecraft is the lack of detailed resources and pictures. For Luna 1 however there are plenty of ressources available. But nothing is better than seeing the original (or at least a decent copy) and make a ton of pictures.

The Museum of Cosmonautics in Moscow is stuffed with all kinds Soviet and Russian Space hardware and models. The perfect place to gather more informations and get some inspirations. The museum itself is located beneath the monument of the Conquerors of Space which is very impressing.

 

And the object of interest. The Luna 1 probe:

I made a ton of pictures for reference purposes. The great thing about this museum is that you can get very close to the objects.

 

Perfect to get the references needed for a build.

 

Since there are no kits of this subject availabe from the usual subjects I had to scratchbuild a Luna 1 model. But after reading all the posts with the great 3d modelling, I've decided to also go down that route and 3d model the probe and then 3d print the parts. I am not going totally the 3d print way, I use it for componentents. The main body is a styrene shell. Since I've plan to use my own 3d printer I try to print components and put them together the old way rather than to print everything in one piece. FDM printing is still limited and there is some post processing involved but I want to use this build mainly for practice reasons and get back to modelling. But I have also some other projects in the pipeline. The next will probably be the Pioneer luna probe, that I've already 3d modelled and made some test prints.

 

But now to the build. Since I've learned a lot from the other guys here on the forum in 3d modelling and scratchbuilding I want to share my process and how I try to solve problems. I hope there is some inerest, even if I know that space probes are a very narrow part of real space modelling. But the main process is applicable to everything so maybe it is still interesting what I do.

 

The first step is to create a 3d model of the spacecraft that can later be sent to the 3d printer.  For 3d modelling, I use as a CAD Autodesk Fusion 360 which is free for educational and non commercially purposes.

If there are scale drawings, perfect but if not good pictures can be used too. I've imported a reference picture, then I've calibrated the picture to the size of my spacecraft body. My model will be 10 cm in diameter.  And than I began to model the individual parts.This is really straightforward. Make a half-sketch on the plane of the picture.

 

 

Rotate the sketch using the rotate command and one antenna is finished.

 

 

One prominent feature is the micrometeroid counter. For this part I drew some rectangles and used the extrude command.

 

 

 

 

 

The ion traps are modelled using a profile sketch and then rotated.

 

 

The components are then added to the main spacecraft body.

 

 

To test my process I've then printed the componentens on my 3d-printer.

 

 

First in a low quality to check for flaws and to see if the dimensions are right.

 

 

For the magnetometer and the antennas I've printed them in halves with a little space inside. I've then glued them together with some steel wire in it. So it will be holding it's form over time.

 

 

Using some white tack to place the components on the model. For this I used the low quality printed parts. I also made a quick stand to handle the model.

After 3d modelling all the individual components I then 3d printed the parts in the highest resolution. Since there are still some print lines visible the parts need to be prepared for painting. This is the part which I don't like very much since it involves sanding and sanding.

I've applied some filler primer and sanded the parts using various pieces of sandpaper.

 

This process has to be repeated several times until the surface is smooth.

 

Thanks for watching.

Cheers Ralf

 

 

 

[spaceman]

Hello Ralf,

 

welcome back again here after a longer pause. 

 

This seems to become a very interesting project, I'll stay tuned. 

Edited March 30, 2018 by spaceman

[johnlove_mk_II]

Very nice work.  

 

Wow, I  REALLY need to get myself a 3D printer

[niart17]

Great work! I love the subject matter. Nice to see something outside the normal builds. Can't wait to see it come together!

 

and oh yeah, welcome back,

Bill

[ralf]

Hello Everyone,

 

After a bit of sanding (it wasn't too bad) the 3d printed parts I started with the construction of the Luna 1 probe. The parts are now very smooth and I think there won't be any print lines visible anymore. This process works very well on larger scale parts. For smaller parts with details it is a bit tricky. But in the end it worked very well on my model.

Between the sanding I had to think about a proper display for the model. In the beginning I was thinking about a 3d printed surface of the moon as a stand. But the model is too big for that and I didn't like the look of the whole thing. So after looking at pictures it came to me that the trolley they used would make a perfect stand.

 

 

You can also see the trajectory of the Luna 1 probe. It missed the moon and eventually went into a heliocentric orbit. This orbit almost touch the orbit of mars.

 

 

Using the reference pictures and the drawings available I've used Fusion 360 to model the trolley. One of the advantages of constructing with CAD is that you can test everything and look at the dimensions so that the result will look allright in the end.

 

I've printed the trolley in parts using a little bit of support on the ring but after a bit of cleaning, the parts look very nice.

 

 

Then I began the assembly of the probe. I've glued all the parts onto the shere. And now it's ready for the black undercoat.

 

So that is where I am at right now. Thanks for looking.

Ralf

 

[southwestforests]

3D printing sure is turning out to be a handy modeling tool.

[K2Pete]

This is looking GREAT Ralf ... !

[ralf]

Hello Everyone,

just a quick update. Unfortunately I was quite busy in the last time so I did not had the time to work a lot on the build. But now I've completed all the small parts and added them to the body of the probe.  Then the whole model was primed in black to get a nice foundation for the silver paint. I have to say that the probe also looks nice in black. Reminds me a bit of the Imperial Probe Droid from Star Wars... Anyway the next step will be the silver paint. After that I have to add the cabeling and put the trolly together and finish the build. And then on to the next moon probe.

 

 

 

Cheers Ralf

 

 

[K2Pete]

Looks pretty good ralf ... but I'm curious, is the coat of black a Flat Black? ... or is the matte look, due to the texture of the sphere's surface?

Unless the Silver paint doesn't require a Gloss finish.

 

And are you doing a series of unmanned probes? And is Surveyor included in your plans?  

 

I hope you too will have wonderful and Merry Christmas and that 2019 will be Happy and very productive ( modelling-wise ) !

 

Pete

[Slartibartfast]

A very interesting craft and build process.  I look forward to your next installment.

[ralf]

Hi Pete,

thanks for your interest.  I've used a Molotov Deep Black spray paint as a primer. One for hiding the small crimes so to speak. It covers very well and also fills small gaps. It's an good quality artist brand. And I wanted to try something different than the usual alclads.  It's not a high gloss more a semi matte.

For the Silver paint I used also the Molotov range in this case their special series effect chrome. This one is ultra shiny. Since I wanted something inbetween I've hoped it works. 

Well and here are the results:

 

 

I like the result of the chrome paint. I will polish it a bit and I hope I will get a very smooth texture. I've tried this on some scrap parts and I liked the effect. The trolly needs a little bit more work of cleaning dealing with some scratches. But the majority of the work is hopefully done. Next I will add the cables for the instruments and installing the antennas and the magnetometer.

So for your other question. Yes I've planning a series of early planetary probes. Beginning with moon probes. The next one Pioneer 1 is ready to print.

 

I've build the model in CAD so, that I can print the individual components and then assemble them like a normal kit. I think I will use the same scale as the Luna 1. At least around 1:10th scale or so. 

For my upcoming plans... I definately plan for the early Russian Moon probes: Luna 3 since I can recycle some of the components of Luna 1 and then Luna 9 the first soft moon landing. And the later ones Luna 16 and maybe a Lunochod rover. Since my visit at the Cosmonautics museum I have all the reference pictures that I need. 

I definately want to do the Venera Venus probes since I also have some very good references.

Surveyor I would also like to build. Maybe as a side by side comparison with the Soviet Luna 9. 

On the manned space flight topics. I want to build a 1:48 scale Skylab and also the Salyut 6 in 1:48 scale. I really like your Gemini model and I also have everything in the stash so this will be on the list.  And I still have my LUT packed away. So much on the list...mhhh.

I know unmanned probes are not very interesting for many in comparison to manned spacecrafts. But I like the more obscure stuff. If there is interest I could do a build thread on the Pioneer as well.

 

Ohh and in the background is the New Horizon probe. I hope that I will finish it before the Ultima Thule encounter. This one is the 3d model provided by NASA and I've printed a new antenna dish some small parts. 

 

I also wish everyone Merry Christmas and a Happy Year and good health. 

Cheers Ralf