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| Eagle kicking up a little dust near East Crater. West Crater in the far background. Click for larger picture. In the large picture the outline of the original Eagle landing spot is shown. |
from Go For Landing LLC
Personal website:
http://www.wright-flyer.net/desertaviation
Welcome to the Eagle Lander 3D home page!
Eagle Lander 3D is the development of the most realistic and complete simulation of the Apollo lunar landings ever made. Accurate renditions of scenery, flight dynamics and the lunar module itself are all part of this package. Eagle Lander 3D is developing from the first generation Apollo 11 simulator described below to the one that will include every Apollo landing mission. The next version of Eagle Lander 3D will have Apollo 11,12 and 15. Other missions will easily 'plug-in'.
The current version of Eagle Lander 3D is a simulation of the final minutes of the Apollo 11 landing on the moon. The flight begins as the automatic landing sequence stops and manual flight control begins. During the actual Apollo 11 landing Neil Armstrong switched to manual control of the Lunar Module and landed farther downrange to avoid a rocky area. With Eagle Lander 3D one can attempt a 'historical' landing near the original Eagle landing site or 'second guess' Armstrong and choose a different location. Score is based on historical accuracy and the ability to fly as smoothly and precisely as possible.
Eagle Lander 3D is designed to realistically render the physics and dynamics of the lunar module as well as the terrain of the lunar surface. Eagle Lander 3D uses the latest in graphical 3D technology to provide high resolution renditions of the LM, it's instruments, and the lunar surface in the region of the Apollo 11 landing site. Currently the instruments are accurate in their general functionality but have been relocated and somewhat prioritized to allow the best view out the window and with the least screen clutter. Put it this way: if you can fly Eagle Lander 3D you would have no trouble flying the actual LM.
December 19, 2002
First of all...a couple of screen shots from Version 2.x.x!
Apollo 15 lunar module "Falcon" approaching the Hadley Rille landing site. The shot is from about 7800' with a forward velocity around 500fps. The LM is pitched back about 45 degrees and this would be the first time the astronauts would get a good look at the landing site. You can see the landing site area at just about the location of the bottom cross of the inscribed landing point designator (LPD) near the footpad. There is an inner and outer LPD and the commander lines them up with his eye for the proper angle. Using the virtual cockpit in Version 2.x.x you will do the same thing.
This picture is just for fun because the LM has overflown the intended landing site and is over the rim of the rille. I doubt Houston would have been very pleased with this situation....
Zooming out from the picture above. The shear vastness of the rille becomes apparent.
I have added a new page to show some of the upcoming features of 2.x.x. Check it out!
Go for Landing LLC ....
I have incorporated as Go for Landing LLC in preparation for the Version 2.X.X release.
Finally..
Version 1.1.4 is still the current version of Eagle Lander 3D.
May 04, 2002
One of the best places for information regarding program operation, updates or just Apollo talk is the Eagle Lander 3D discussion forum on Yahoo Groups.
Eagle Lander 3d Yahoo Groups page.
Check out the link above - or - you can instantly subscribe by entering your email below.
I welcome you to look through the site to learn more about it. All of the screenshots are untouched (other then compressed for size) screen dumps of the program running in real time.
A movie to whet your appetite!
If you want to see EL3D before you download, try the Movie page.
