Inside the Asp Explorer
18 Jul 2016Dewarinversion
Many CMDRS want to tell you what it is like flying the Asp Explorer. I'm sure they are right from their own persepective as a pilot. But I want to tell you what it is like inside the Asp. How does the FSD get the fuel into the frame charge before a jump, where do the thrusters get their control signals from, how does Lakon Spaceways make those spindily legs hold up all 280 tons of hull? I love all this stuff. I supose I could read the manual that came with it. And I did for the first ten mins whilst crawling between the electrical riser linking the avionics cabinet to the cargo hold. When I finnished I stuffed screen between the auxillary oxygen and 'main electical bus B'. I hope it's still there. So inside the Asp is rather splendid. Lakon have labled most of the electronics, but the pipes, wires and cables have to be traced to see what they do. Mostly made of composites, the inner structure is honey comb like in shape, the angles a reflection on the ships outside. Access lights are in each corner, they glow a faint colour. I hear each ship differ. My access lights are a pail yellow, almost white, just like a bicycle headlamp from the twentieth century.
If you have space you can install a kitchen. I did, yet it is rather small and pushed up against the side of the hull so I can't stand and stretch like in the cockpit. Lots or room to lay front to back, good for a rest. Ideal even, since some hotels are either too expensive are rather unwelcomming to a CMDR like me. Pirates don't forget a face.
I tried to open the ecape hatch manual like. It would not open. I guess there is some sort of safety switch holding the system in place. It works in tandum. The two seats, one above the other dissapear spaceways in 14ms. I guess that is some ride. For the life of me I can't see how it works though. Without the hatch open there is no way to look inside. And the manual is lost in the cargo hold. I left it there when I pulled out the loading computer to look over the electronics board. I'm sure the insuance guy would have a fit if he knew what I do to my ships in my spare time.
I hope to get the headlights covers removed sometime soon to work out if they can be upgraded to something more colourfull, like a lime green. I'll keep you all posted with my progress.