AP - GDI forces operating on the southern shore of YZ-13 experienced several setbacks over the course of the last two months as Brotherhood of Nod forces launched several assaults on ground force outposts tasked with screening naval port facilities and civilian villages. Among other incidents, fast-moving Brotherhood vehicles inflicted heavy damage on the naval maintenance facilities at Accra before being repulsed by shore bombardment from the GDCA Bulwark, which caused further collateral damage; a combined effort from the 358th Mechanized Infantry Platoon and a naval expeditionary force prevented total casualties among civilians being evacuated from a small town being overrun by Tiberium; the 487th Mechanized Engineering Platoon was forced to aggressively intervene to contain violence between local civilian militias instigated by Nod raiders. While the Nod forces were eventually repulsed, their losses were relatively light.
Still, the areas affected are now safe enough for Reclamation Corps personnel to move in and set up Tiberium spikes. The Diplomatic Corps has offered the former residents of Have the opportunity to take up temporary or permanent residence in blue zone housing until such time as their village is fully cleared of Tiberium and spikes are properly installed. A Navy spokesperson confirmed that repairs on the facilities at Accra are on-going and will be completed before the end of this year.
---
To learn more about on-going operations by the 358th Mechanized Infantry Platoon
To learn more about the Reclamation Corps
To learn more about the Diplomatic Corps
[X] Plan Remember Eris...next turn?:
-[X] Earthside Fascilities Unlimited Dice:
--[X] Hover Rover Workshop 20IP
-[X] Earth-Orbit Fascilities:
--[X]Gagarin Station (Stage 4) 1/10 Gagarin Station Parts +1 Part 5C
--[X]Enterprise Orbital Assembler (Phase 2 of 4) 27IP
-[X] Lunar Fascilities 3/3 Dice:
--[X] Craterscope Foundations (Phase 2) 90/300 3 Dice
-[X] Assembly:
--[X] Craterscope Mirror tools 30IP
-[X] Development 6 Dice + 5 Craterscope Dice +30:
--[X] G-Drive Improvement Program 46/400 (15C/Die +10IP)(max 1 die per turn) 1 Die = 15C +10IP
--[X] Gravity Particle Sample Collection Machine 0/100 (10C/Die+20IP/Die) (New) 1 Die = 10C + 20IP
--[X] Union Fabricator Craft Development 79/225 (6C/Die+6IP/Die) 2 Die = 12C + 12IP
--[X] Tick Tank Dig Experiments 0/150 (3C/Die+4IP/Die) 2 Die = 6C + 8IP
--[X] Craterscope Imaging Sensor Development 277/500 (8C/Die+1IP/Die)(Required) 3 Dice = 54C + 3IP
--[X] Craterscope Atmospheric Analyzer Development 0/200 (10C/Die+1IP/Die)(Optional) 2 Die = 40C + 2IP
-[X] Space Command Mission Planning 4 Dice +5:
--[X] Mission: Orbital Scan: (Eris) 1 Die
--[X] Mission: Research Base (Mercury) 0/150 2 Die
--[X] Voyager Visitation 102/150 1 Die
-[X] Mission
--[X] Manned Mercury Landing (Required for activation: 30IP, 15 Capital, 1 Astronaut Team, 14+12 = 26 Pathfinder days)
--[X] Ceres Pathfinder Survey I 20 Pathfinder days
--[X] Ceres Pathfinder Survey II 20 Pathfinder days
SCEDQuest Q2 2061 Results
Hover Rover Workshop
During the last three months the workshop has started to produce the first repulsor plates. For now the output is low with many plates being not up to the high standards of the SCED for use off world. Most can still be used elsewhere, but enough have been made to produce a single scouting vehicle for the Pathfinder.
20/20 IP
[]Craterscope Foundations (Phase 2)
The foundations for the reflective dish were completed ahead of schedule as the foundation needs to no longer take into account the vibrations caused by vehicles - by the time the Craterscope is completed all transport to the facility will be handled by hover vehicles.
This will be combined with a 10 km mining exclusion zone around the Craterscope.
361/300
Craterscope Mirror tools
During the Second World War the Manhattan Project used magnets made out of silver due to a shortage of copper, which was being used for shells. The mirror that is being built at the Enterprise station is facing similar issues as the mirror is intended to be used for years, with the structure and other modules built around it. A single speck of tiberium would ruin the mirror but a solution has been found - making out of the metals mined on the Moon before they reach Earth. This does limit construction to metals currently mined at the Moon but it is considered worth the effort.
30/30IP
G-Drive Improvement Program
After reading all existing research papers on the G-Drive Samantha Carter (Admiral Harrison Carter's niece) has several theories about how the drive works and designed experiments to find out which of those theories is the correct one.
114/400
Gravity Particle Sample Collection Machine
A machine to gather the gravity-affecting particles which were found on Mars has rather impressive requirements, given their particular qualities and rarity. Its unique reactions to electromagnetic fields has made its detection simple in theory, but simple and easy are rarely the same. A prototype device has been completed, but with just one sampler, throughput is likely to be lower than desirable.
111/100
Union Fabricator Craft Development
The Union Fabricator is designed to be able to land anywhere on the Moon using the VTOL system of the Union and then provide a workshop where there is none. While constructing a workshop that can handle acceleration is not a trivial task, it is also one that has known solutions.
225/225 +1 Lunar die
Tick Tank Dig Experiments
The experiment with the new diggers inspired by the Tick Tank have gone well. Now the next step is adapting the diggers to operate in a vacuum.
102/150
Craterscope Imaging Sensor Development
The craterscope imaging sensor will be one of the most advanced pieces of technology GDI currently is capable of producing. It will need to be capable of detecting single photons in a wide frequency range and allow the SCED to extract useful data from the minimal data collected.
519/500
Craterscope Atmospheric Analyzer Development
The Atmospheric Analyzer is a dedicated computer to calculate the effect of the light from a target system's sun traveling through the planet being analysed.
89/200
Mission: Orbital Scan: (Eris)
Eris is the most distant target for exploration considered by SCED so far - it is the second-largest known dwarf planet in the solar system, and is over 90AU away from Earth. Its elliptical orbit would bring it far closer to the inner solar system in time, but a century-long wait has been considered impractical.
1 Die
Mission: Research Base (Mercury)
The plans for the Mercury research base are nearing completion. The current plan is a base buried deep into the soil of Mercury where the rocks can be used to store heat during the long day and recover it once more during the night.
124/150
Voyager Visitation 102/150
The debate about what to do when the Voyager visitation mission reaches the probes continues and little about the mission can be decided before the goal has been decided.
131/150
Manned Mercury Landing
Once the idea of a manned landing was something that was planned for years followed by several years of building a dedicated spacecraft to carry out the mission. In the age of the Pathfinder this is no longer the case.
Ceres Pathfinder Survey
The survey of Ceres spent forty days collecting samples at two sites and came to the following conclusions: The first site has water crystals mixed into the soil in amounts great enough to supply a base if built at that spot. While the second site lacked that water but there was a deposit of heavy metals close to the surface there. The size of the deposit is minor but where there is one there might be more.
Mars resupply missions
With a manned presence at the transfer station in Mars orbit the Pathfinder needs to make a visit once per year to rotate the crew and provide fresh food. There is enough freeze dried food and water for the crew to last three years but a stay that long on freeze dried food would not be good for morale.
SCEDQuest Q2 2061
This Side Quest was allowed by Ithillid and is supposed to be fun. Things happening in SCEDQuest will be affected by the main one, but unless Ithillid says otherwise it is only semi-canon.
Budget: 411, income: 125 Capital per turn
Industrial Capacity: 200 IP
Pathfinder Time: 90 Days
Astronaut Teams: 3 (+5 per Plan)
Astrotech Teams: 4 (+1 per turn, +5 per year)
Earth-Luna:
Earthside Facilities (Unlimited Dice)
[]Isolinear Computing Center(Updated)
Now that we can print Isolinear chips, we can build dedicated computers for the development department who are eager to get the increased calculation power.
Now that the fabricator at Anadyr is completed we can get some of the needed chips from there reducing the cost of the project.
(Phase 1)(25 Capital per Die 0/200)
(Phase 2)(0/50 IP)(+5 to development dice)
Earth-Orbit Facilities:
[]Gagarin Station (Stage 4)
(2/10 Gagarin Station Parts; 5C and 10 IP per Part)(-1 Pathfinder maintenance time, +2 Mission planning die, +1 Research Die)(-3 Astrotech Teams)(For one station part per turn, the IP cost is waived)
[]Enterprise Orbital Assembler (Phase 2 of 4)(Updated)
With the industrial space and resources available on Enterprise station steadily growing has come the possibility of other GDI departments besides the Treasury to get a piece of the orbital manufacturing station's capacity. Luckily Developmentalist, Starbound and even a few Militarist politicians continue to look out for the SCED and have reserved some of the station space for the small organization. With the completion of the Station it has become easier to request help from the existing workshops on the Enterprise.
(65/80 IP)(+30 IP)(was 100 IP per phase)
Lunar Facilities (4 Dice available):
[]Craterscope Structure (Phase 1)
The construction of the main building will be a major effort that can be begun as soon as the foundations have been completed.
(Phase 1)(0/30 Structure Parts, 4C and 4IP per Part)
(Phase 2)(0/400)
[]Ore Electrolysis Test Facility Foundations (Phase 1)
With Luna not really offering potential for a chemical industry, ore will need to be refined with other methods. Electrolysis is not a new process to GDI, but trying it on Luna is no doubt going to result in new issues that need solving. The SCED can try to work out some of these kinks before work begins in earnest. Step 1 is a building to house the test facility.
(Phase 1)(0/3 Foundation Parts, 4C and 4IP per Part))
(Phase 2)(0/85)
[]Lunar Imaging Seismic Array (Phase 2 of 10)
LISA can be deployed from orbit, the pods landing and burying their sensors by themselves. The SCED will expand the array region by region, scanning each for available volcanic caves.
(0/10 Sensor Pods; 4C, 4 IP per Sensor Pod)
Martian Facilities (13 Pathfinder days):
[]Initial Martian SCED Research Base (Northern polar region)
The initial base will follow a similar pattern to the lunar one. A number of prefabricated habitat units, connected to life support and power. However, the different environmental needs require custom-built facilities to deal with the slight atmosphere, windblown dust, and more normalized day-night cycle.
(0/8 Facilities; 7C, 5 IP per Facility)(-1 Astronaut Team)
Venus Facilities (12 Pathfinder days):
[]Venus Research Station
A station in orbit of Venus has been requested to safely study tiberium samples collected there as they can easily be returned to the surface if needed. The station will float in the upper atmosphere with oxygen-nitrogen as a lifting gas. A second goal of the station would be a study of Venus's unique weather phenomena
(0/20 Station Parts; 5C and 10 IP per Part)(Astrotech Teams -2)(For one station part per turn, the IP cost is waived)
Assembly
[]Craterscope Imaging Sensor(NEW)
The craterscope imaging sensor will be one of the most advanced pieces of technology GDI currently is capable of producing. It will need to be capable of detecting single photons in a wide frequency range and allow the SCED to extract useful data from the minimal data collected.
0/120 IP
Development (6 Dice) +30
[]Curiosity Shuttle Prototype 0/200 (25C/Die +20IP)
With work on new variations of the Leopard underway the research department has asked permission to build one to test new technology. The plan is to start with one of the new VIP Leopards and refit it with a hover landing system and artificial gravity. Other planned additions include large sensor arrays, an isolinear EVA, and extensive monitoring systems to study the craft while it is flying.
[]G-Drive Improvement Program 114/400 (15C/Die +10IP)(max 1 die per turn)
Now that our understanding of the science behind gravity manipulation, STU's and superconductors has increased we can try to improve the G-Drive. Due to the high volatility and danger of improperly aligned G-Drives and the limited number of scientists yet qualified to study them, SCED cannot rush this research.
[]He-3 Experimental Reactor 0/200(20C/Die +10IP)
To prepare for the next wave of construction on the Moon the construction of a HE3 reactor is planned. It will power SCED operations for years to come with power to spare for the Treasury's mining operations. The reactor will be designed to experiment with He-3 based fusion processes. While this means the reactor is unlikely to be an optimal design for power production, it allows for a greater range of operating options, and room for extensive sensor networks to study its function. The already extant mines on the Moon are not designed to capture and store He-3 locked in mined materials, but the small quantity that can be recovered will easily provide for the operating of a single reactor.
[]Europa Deep Ocean Sample Extraction Drone 0/200 (4C/Die+4IP/Die)
It has long been theorized that Europa contains oceans of liquid water under its icy surface, heated by geothermal forces. If this should prove to be the case, there may be life in some form huddled around the energy providing deep sea volcanoes on Europa. A specialized, disinfected robot would have to be designed to take samples without contaminating any potential ecosystem already in place.
[]Ore Electrolysis Smelter Development 0/200 (2C/Die+4IP/DIe)
Electrolysis can be used to extract metal from oxidized ore. With Luna lacking the prerequisites for a chemical industry, electro-chemistry will be needed for all on-site refinement. While Enterprise has seen and solved many of the issues involved already, it does so through sheer brute force. SCED is looking to refine the ores without needing to dedicate as much space, power and other resources for the production of raw material in a lunar environment.
[]Atmospheric Containment Shimmer Optimization 0/400 (1C/Die)
Hypothetically, a shimmer shield could be used to keep oxygen atoms from being sucked out into vacuum, however doing so will require a lot of tweaking of shield parameters.
[]Tick Tank Dig Experiments 102/150 (3C/Die+4IP/Die)
The Tick Tank has a unique digging system that may be useful in extraterrestrial construction, but first a few groundside experiments will need to be performed.
Craterscope Projects (Warning: Some of these will have quality rolls; Quality can be improved)(Access to up to 5 Outside Dev Dice, each costs an extra 10C/Die)
[]Craterscope Atmospheric Analyzer Development 89/200 (10C/Die+1IP/Die)(Optional)
Using spectroscopy on the light given off by a planet's atmosphere, the makeup of that atmosphere can be extrapolated. Given the distances and projected minimum data required the Analyzer will need to be able to extract even more information out of an even smaller area of the sky.
[]Craterscope Asteroid Belt Detector 0/200 (10C/Die+1IP/Die)(Optional)
Detection of an Asteroid belt will be an even greater challenge since they are barely hotter than the cosmic background in most cases. However, using anomalies in photon gravitic phase shift should allow for at least confirming the position of asteroid belts in a solar system as long as they are not too far away from their center star.
[]Craterscope Tiberium Detector 0/125 (10C/Die+1IP/Die)(Optional)
Tiberium gives off very particular frequencies of light and radiation patterns. By adding a sensor module tweaked for these frequencies and particles, we could detect Tiberium on planets in other solar systems.
[]Craterscope Moon Detector 0/125 (10C/Die+1IP/Die)(Optional)
Moons are in a similar spot as Asteroid belts, but require a less specialized sensor module to detect the subtle shifts in orbital movement and gravitic redshift caused by orbiting moons.
Space Command Mission Planning (4 Dice) +5
[]Mission: Orbital Scan (Write-in) (for example: Neptune, Saturn or Uranus) (Requires one Die)(Gas Giants have the main planet, each major moon, and rings+minor moons as locations)
[]Mission: Surface Exploration (Write-in) (Requires one Die)
-Charon
-Pluto
[]Mission: Manned Landing (Write-in) (Requires one Die)
- Charon
[]Mission: Research Base (Write-in) 0/150
-Ceres 0/150
-Europa 0/150
-Mercury 0/150
[]Voyager Visitation 102/150
The Voyager probes were the first and only of Mankind's creations that reached the Interstellar void between the stars. Their position has long been lost, but it could be extrapolated and, using Pathfinder, the SCED could catch up to their theoretical position to place a higher power beacon next to them and the probes inside a protective, armored shell if found.
Missions
Total Pathfinder Time: 90 days
Current Maintenance time: 3 days
Mercury: 9 days
Venus: 9 days
Mars: 10 days
Asteroid Belt: 13 days
Jupiter: 20 days
Saturn: 26 days
Uranus: 36 days
Neptune: 45 days
Pluto: 51 days
Mars (13 Pathfinder days)
[]Rover Delivery-Mars
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location, 2 Capital per Location)(22/50 locations surveyed)
[]Mars Pathfinder Survey
Send the pathfinder to Mars to stay there for 20 days so the geology team can live inside while investigating the area. The Pathfinder can carry enough supplies to do two surveys before needing to return to the Moon for resupply.
(Required for activation: 20 Pathfinder days)(shares sites with Rover Delivery)
[]Mars particle collection mission 0/6 max attempts
Before we can study the gravity altering particle we need more than the handful we have now. By landing the pathfinder at the site where the particles were first found we can get a better idea of how rare they are by examining far more materials then the rover could.
(Required for activation: 20 Pathfinder days, DC80 can be repeated, DC lowered by 5 per attempt)
Asteroid Belt (16 Pathfinder days)
[]Ceres Rover Delivery
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location, 2 Capital per Location)(0/15 Locations surveyed)
[]Manned Ceres Landing
(Required for activation: 30IP, 15 Capital, 1 Astronaut Team, 14 Pathfinder days)(Cannot do Rover deliveries at the same time as Manned Landing)
[]Ceres Pathfinder Survey
Send the Pathfinder to Ceres to stay there for 20 days so the geology team can live inside while investigating the area. The Pathfinder can carry enough supplies to do two surveys before needing to return to the Moon for resupply.
(Required for activation: 20 pathfinder days)(shares sites with Rover Delivery)
Jupiter (23 Pathfinder days) Banned due the Scrin presence []Observation Array - Jupiter
(0/10 Observation Satellites 6IP+3 Capital per Satellite)
[]Callisto Rover Delivery
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location, 2 Capital per Location)(0/15 Locations surveyed)
[]Surface Scan - Ganymede
(Required for activation: 6IP+ 3 Capital or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Surface Scan - Io
(Required for activation: 6IP+ 3 Capital or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Manned Landing Europa
(Required for activation: 30IP, 15 Capital, 1 Astronaut Team, 23 Pathfinder days)(Cannot do Rover deliveries at the same time as Manned Landing)
[]Observation Probes - Minor Moons + Rings
(Required for activation: 6IP+ 3 Capital or 4 Pathfinder days)
Saturn (29 Pathfinder days)
[]Observation Array - Saturn
(0/10 Observation Satellites 6IP+3 Capital per Satellite)
[]Observation Probes - Minor Moons + Rings
(Required for activation: 6IP+ 3 Capital or 4 Pathfinder days)
Pluto (51 Pathfinder days)
--- Eris(85 Pathfinder days)
[] Orbital scan
There is little practical benefit of scanning a planet this far away but it would be the most distant object visited by the Pathfinder
(Required for activation: 6IP+ 3 Capital or 4 Pathfinder days)
[X] Plan Mars + Two Turn Crater Structure + More Reserach
-[X] Earth-Orbit Facilities
--[X] Enterprise Orbital Assembler (Phase 2 of 4)(Updated) (65/80 IP) 15 IP
-[X] Lunar Facilities 72C 72 IP
--[X] Craterscope Structure (Phase 1) 0/30 +15 Structure Parts: 60C, 60 IP
--[X] Ore Electrolysis Test Facility Foundations (Phase 1) 0/3 +3 Foundation Parts: 12C, 12 IP
--[X] Ore Electrolysis Test Facility Foundations (Phase 2) 0/85 4 dice 98%
-[X] Martian Facilities +13 Pathfinder days
--[X] Initial Martian SCED Research Base (Northern polar region) 0/8 +8 Facilities: 56C 40 IP -1 Astronaut Team
-[X] Venus Facilities (12 Pathfinder days)
--[X] Venus Research Station 0/20 +1 station part 5C 0IP
-[X] Assembly
--[X] Craterscope Imaging Sensor 0/120 +46 IP
-[X] Development 6/6 +5 Craterscope dice 124C 27 IP
--[X] G-Drive Improvement Program 114/400 1 die 15C 10 IP (1/3.5 median)
--[X] Ore Electrolysis Smelter Development 0/200 2 dice 4C 8 IP 19%
--[X] Atmospheric Containment Shimmer Optimization 0/400 2 dice 2C (2/5 median)
--[X] Tick Tank Dig Experiments 102/150 1 die 3C 4 IP 83%
--[X] Craterscope Atmospheric Analyzer Development 89/200 1 die 20C 1 IP 20%
--[X] Craterscope Asteroid Belt Detector 0/200 2 dice 40C 2 IP 19%
--[X] Craterscope Tiberium Detector 0/125 1 die 20C 1 IP 6%
--[X] Craterscope Moon Detector 0/125 1 die 20C 1 IP 6%
-[X] Mission Planning 4/4 dice
--[X] Mission: Orbital Scan Uranus 1 die autosuccess
--[X] Mission: Orbital Scan Titan 1 die autosuccess
--[X] Voyager Visitation 131/150 1 die 87%
--[X] Mission: Research Base Mercury 124/150 1 die 80%
-[X] Missions:
--[X] Mars particle collection mission 3/6 attempts 60 Pathfinder Days DC80, 75, 70 (59.7% at least one roll succeeds.)
SCEDQuest Q3 2061 Results
Ore Electrolysis Test Facility
The test facility is situated to the east of the main base close enough that staff can walk there but far enough away that any accidents will not impact the main base. Initial plans only included a single Electrolysis basin but with the entire lunar workforce assigned to this project, the facility has been completed with three different basin setups, two to easily compare results and a single spare in case of accidents
These basins are the heart of the small testing facility. The projected power requirements are so enormous that tests can only be performed during the lunar day when the sun is available to power the heaters and electrodes. But since development for the on-site systems has not been completed the test site is in low power preservation mode until installation of the industrial machines can continue.
240/85
Enterprise Orbital Assembler (Phase 2 of 4)
The workshops on the enterprise station have been expanded with an ore smelter to supply them. This is a smaller one than the main smelters elsewhere on the station, optimized to provide small batches of less commonly used alloys.
+30 IP per turn
Initial Martian SCED Research Base (Northern polar region)
Created to prepare for the proper colonization of Mars, the polar base's location has been carefully chosen near to where our rovers have detected enough water to supply the base. Named Opportunity after a rover program NASA disbanded at the start of the millennium, the base's focus is on small scale habitation experiments. Starting with one involving ten cloned plants, two will be grown on Mars, three on the moon and the rest on Earth to compare the three locations. For now the base is not much more than a few prefabricated habitation- and laboratory-modules, manned by a handful of astronauts to perform experiments. For more expansive operations the base will need to be expanded to the level of the SCED moonbase in both scope and on-site personnel.
-1 Astronaut Team
Venus Research Station
The beginning of the Venus aerostat has been uneventful. A single module of the aerostat stations, put into a stable venusian orbit for storage until everything required is on site. The plan is then to assemble it in orbit and slowly let it drift down into the atmosphere, where balloons and parachutes will bring it to a halt around 50 kilometers above the surface. At these heights, the pressure and temperature are comparable to Earth, meaning an astronaut will not require a pressure suit to be outside, only an oxygen mask and something to protect against the temperature and acidity.
1/20
G-Drive Improvement Program
The first small scale Gravitic Drive experiments have reached completion. While most changes only showed miniscule effects, a few of them lend statistical credence to some of Samantha Carter's hypotheses. It is now time for these experiments to be repeated in larger scale trials. While the experiments can be done on Earth, there is also the option to complement these efforts with live testing on the Pathfinder itself.
198/400
Ore Electrolysis Smelter Development
The team working on the smelter part of the lunar electrolysis system have completed their first prototypes. The remaining work will focus on engineering the actual electrolysis part of the device. With some of the metal oxides in lunar soil having a melting temperature of 2900°C, special design considerations had to be made for power delivery and cooling in the lunar environment. Using an electric heater to melt the ore has been its own challenge to overcome, but with the lack of ingredients necessary for chemical solutions, not using electricity for melting and refining is out of the question.
164/200
Atmospheric Containment Shimmer Optimization
With the current shield parameters, gasses can pass the shields to ensure the crews can breathe. Work has now begun on shields that contain gasses to act as bulkheads, as a shield can be dropped and raised faster than mechanical barriers, reducing air losses when used.
147/400
Tick Tank Dig Experiments
Live testing of the new digger prototypes on the Moon hit an embarrassing snag when it was discovered that the designs were calibrated for Martian rather than Lunar gravity. Luckily, this is a simple problem to fix, and another infusion of funds should see the experiments reach their conclusion by the end of the year.
137/150
Craterscope Atmospheric Analyzer Development
Using spectroscopy on the light given off by a planet's atmosphere, the makeup of that atmosphere can be extrapolated. Given the distances and projected minimum data required the Analyzer will need to be able to extract even more information out of an even smaller area of the sky.
208/200
With the help of universities across the world work begins on a large suite of detectors and sensors for the Craterscope. These range from atmospheric analysers to Moon detectors and with more funding all will be done in a few months.
Craterscope Asteroid Belt Detector 184/200
Asteroid belts are some of the hardest objects to detect. Their cross section is incredibly thin, meaning minimal reduction of light when they pass in front of a star, and they are incredibly nonreflective. With direct methods promising little effort, data analysis and simple AI is needed to pull useful data out of weeks or months of footage. Work on these required code modules has progressed well, with the scientists working on them hopeful the detector will be finished on time.
Craterscope Tiberium Detector 55/125
The search for Tiberium over interstellar distances is an incredible specific task requiring especially specific solutions. Luckily, Tiberium gives off very specific wavelengths of light that can be detected, if the planet's atmosphere is not clouded like Venus. The needed module will need to be incredibly sensitive to these wavelengths, which has been an engineering challenge. While the detector won't be able to fully confirm the presence of Tiberium on any planet outside the solar system, unusually large amounts of these wavelengths being detected when observing such a world will give definite clues.
Craterscope Moon Detector 110/125
Moons run into much of the same problem as Asteroids, with the benefit that they will only exist close to other planets. By observing planets more carefully over longer timespans, data on the possible number, presence, and size of moons can be gained.
Craterscope Imaging Sensor 46/120
Mission: Orbital Scan Uranus
Mission: Orbital Scan Titan
Planning an orbital scan is easy these days with the Pathfinder, all that is needed is to plan the flight and pick the orbits for the satellites and the Pathfinder.
Voyager Visitation
Our mission planning department has estimated the location of the Voyager probe to an acceptable level of precision and has devised options for a visit.
172/150
Mission: Research Base Mercury
The plans for dealing with the long days of Mercury have been completed.
197/150
Mars particle collection mission
The results of the first particle collection mission is that the particles seem to be limited to a single layer in the soil of Mars and a shallow one at that. This hints of a geologically recent arrival of the particles. Studies of craters that cut through this layer result in an estimate of 30.000 to 200.000 years for the age of the layer.
The highest concentrations of the particles have been found near where the rover first detected them, with concentrations dropping if you go to the east or north.
3/6 attempts 60 Pathfinder Days DC80, 75, 70 = 65,27,10
SCEDQuest Q4 2061
This Side Quest was allowed by Ithillid and is supposed to be fun. Things happening in SCEDQuest will be affected by the main one, but unless Ithillid says otherwise it is only semi-canon.
Budget: 279, income: 125 Capital per turn
Industrial Capacity: 230 IP
Pathfinder Time: 90 Days
Astronaut Teams: 2 (+5 per Plan)
Astrotech Teams: 5 (+1 per turn, +5 per year)
Earth-Luna:
Earthside Facilities (Unlimited Dice)
[]Isolinear Computing Center(Updated)
Now that we can print Isolinear chips, we can build dedicated computers for the development department who are eager to get the increased calculation power.
Now that the fabricator at Anadyr is completed we can get some of the needed chips from there reducing the cost of the project.
(Phase 1)(25 Capital per Die 0/200)
(Phase 2)(0/50 IP)(+5 to development dice)
Earth-Orbit Facilities:
[]Gagarin Station (Stage 4)(Updated)
With SCED growing and the number of off-earth sites increasing, the design for the next phase of the Gagarin station has been changed. The new design still includes 0G research labs but the rest of the expansion now focuses on a large communication suite to coordinate SCED efforts across the solar system.
(2/10 Gagarin Station Parts; 5C and 10 IP per Part)(+5 to all rolls, +1 Research Die)(-3 Astrotech Teams)(For one station part per turn, the IP cost is waived)
[]Enterprise Orbital Assembler (Phase 3 of 4)(Updated)
With the industrial space and resources available on Enterprise station steadily growing has come the possibility of other GDI departments besides the Treasury to get a piece of the orbital manufacturing station's capacity. Luckily Developmentalist, Starbound and even a few Militarist politicians continue to look out for the SCED and have reserved some of the station space for the small organization. With the completion of the Station it has become easier to request help from the existing workshops on the Enterprise.
Phase 3: (0/80 IP)(+1 free station part per turn, fewer parts needed once the Conestoga is ready)
Phase 4: (0/80 IP)(+10 IP, research projects require less progress)
Lunar Facilities (4 Dice available):
[]Craterscope Structure (Phase 1)
The construction of the main building will be a major effort that can be begun as soon as the foundations have been completed.
(Phase 1)(15/30 Structure Parts, 4C and 4IP per Part)
(Phase 2)(0/400)
[]Lunar Imaging Seismic Array (Phase 2 of 10)
LISA can be deployed from orbit, the pods landing and burying their sensors by themselves. The SCED will expand the array region by region, scanning each for available volcanic caves.
(0/10 Sensor Pods, 4C and 4 IP per Sensor Pod)
[]Ore Electrolysis Test Facility (Phase 3) With the building completed the next step is the construction and delivery of the electrolysis machines. The plan calls for the facility to run only in the daytime when there is enough power for short testing runs and that full scale operations will begin once the experimental reactor has been completed
0/30 IP +5 to lunar die, -1 Astrotech Teams
Martian Facilities (13 Pathfinder days):
[] Martian SCED Research Base (Phase 2) (Northern polar region)(NEW)
The polar research base's focus is the colonisation of Mars and the first expansion focusses on that with a small aquaponics bay to feed the base and expanded living quarters to house more scientists.
(0/20 Facilities, 7C and 5 IP per Facility)(Max 10 parts per pathfinder trip)(-3 Astrotech Team)
Mercury Facilities (13 Pathfinder days):
[]Mercury SCED Research Base (Northern polar region)(NEW)
The initial base will follow a similar pattern to the lunar one. A number of prefabricated habitat units, connected to life support and power. The plan is for an underground base near the poles as it is easier to deal with constant cold temperatures than the large changes that are present at the poles.
(0/15 Facilities; 7C, 5 IP per Facility)(-1 Astronaut Team)
Venus Facilities (12 Pathfinder days):
[]Venus Research Station
A station in orbit of Venus has been requested to safely study tiberium samples collected there as they can easily be returned to the surface if needed. The station will float in the upper atmosphere with oxygen-nitrogen as a lifting gas. A second goal of the station would be a study of Venus's unique weather phenomena
(1/20 Station Parts; 5C and 10 IP per Part)(Astrotech Teams -2)(For one station part per turn, the IP cost is waived)(max four parts per trip)
Assembly
[]Craterscope Imaging Sensor
The craterscope imaging sensor will be one of the most advanced pieces of technology GDI currently is capable of producing. It will need to be capable of detecting single photons in a wide frequency range and allow the SCED to extract useful data from the minimal data collected.
46/120 IP
[]Build Craterscope Atmospheric Analyzer
We can build the Atmospheric Analyzer ourselves
0/50IP
[]Commision Craterscope Atmospheric Analyzer
Or commission its construction
0/75 Capital
Development (6 Dice) +30
[]Curiosity Shuttle Prototype 0/200 (25C/Die +20IP)
With work on new variations of the Leopard underway the research department has asked permission to build one to test new technology. The plan is to start with one of the new VIP Leopards and refit it with a hover landing system and artificial gravity. Other planned additions include large sensor arrays, an isolinear EVA, and extensive monitoring systems to study the craft while it is flying.
[]G-Drive Improvement Program 198/400 (15C/Die +10IP)(max 1 die per turn)
Now that our understanding of the science behind gravity manipulation, STU's and superconductors has increased we can try to improve the G-Drive. Due to the high volatility and danger of improperly aligned G-Drives and the limited number of scientists yet qualified to study them, SCED cannot rush this research.
[]He-3 Experimental Reactor 0/200(20C/Die +10IP)
To prepare for the next wave of construction on the Moon the construction of a HE3 reactor is planned. It will power SCED operations for years to come with power to spare for the Treasury's mining operations. The reactor will be designed to experiment with He-3 based fusion processes. While this means the reactor is unlikely to be an optimal design for power production, it allows for a greater range of operating options, and room for extensive sensor networks to study its function. The already extant mines on the Moon are not designed to capture and store He-3 locked in mined materials, but the small quantity that can be recovered will easily provide for the operating of a single reactor.
[]Europa Deep Ocean Sample Extraction Drone 0/200 (4C/Die+4IP/Die)
It has long been theorized that Europa contains oceans of liquid water under its icy surface, heated by geothermal forces. If this should prove to be the case, there may be life in some form huddled around the energy providing deep sea volcanoes on Europa. A specialized, disinfected robot would have to be designed to take samples without contaminating any potential ecosystem already in place.
[]Ore Electrolysis Smelter Development 164/200 (2C/Die+4IP/DIe)
Electrolysis can be used to extract metal from oxidized ore. With Luna lacking the prerequisites for a chemical industry, electro-chemistry will be needed for all on-site refinement. While Enterprise has seen and solved many of the issues involved already, it does so through sheer brute force. SCED is looking to refine the ores without needing to dedicate as much space, power and other resources for the production of raw material in a lunar environment.
[]Atmospheric Containment Shimmer Optimization 147/400 (1C/Die)
Hypothetically, a shimmer shield could be used to keep oxygen atoms from being sucked out into vacuum, however doing so will require a lot of tweaking of shield parameters.
[]Tick Tank Dig Experiments 137/150 (3C/Die+4IP/Die)
The Tick Tank has a unique digging system that may be useful in extraterrestrial construction, but first a few groundside experiments will need to be performed.
Craterscope Projects (Warning: Some of these will have quality rolls; Quality can be improved)(Access to up to 5 Outside Dev Dice, each costs an extra 10C/Die)
[]Craterscope Asteroid Belt Detector 184/200 (10C/Die+1IP/Die)(Optional)
Detection of an Asteroid belt will be an even greater challenge since they are barely hotter than the cosmic background in most cases. However, using anomalies in photon gravitic phase shift should allow for at least confirming the position of asteroid belts in a solar system as long as they are not too far away from their center star.
[]Craterscope Tiberium Detector 55/125 (10C/Die+1IP/Die)(Optional)
Tiberium gives off very particular frequencies of light and radiation patterns. By adding a sensor module tweaked for these frequencies and particles, we could detect Tiberium on planets in other solar systems.
[]Craterscope Moon Detector 110/125 (10C/Die+1IP/Die)(Optional)
Moons are in a similar spot as Asteroid belts, but require a less specialized sensor module to detect the subtle shifts in orbital movement and gravitic redshift caused by orbiting moons.
Space Command Mission Planning (4 Dice) +5
[]Mission: Orbital Scan (Write-in) (for example: Neptune, Saturn or Uranus) (Requires one Die)(Gas Giants have the main planet, each major moon, and rings+minor moons as locations)
Mars (13 Pathfinder days)
[]Rover Delivery-Mars
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location, 2 Capital per Location)(22/50 locations surveyed)
[]Mars Pathfinder Survey
Send the pathfinder to Mars to stay there for 20 days so the geology team can live inside while investigating the area. The Pathfinder can carry enough supplies to do two surveys before needing to return to the Moon for resupply.
(Required for activation: 20 Pathfinder days)(shares sites with Rover Delivery)
[]Mars particle collection mission 3/6 max attempts
Before we can study the gravity altering particle we need more than the handful we have now. By landing the pathfinder at the site where the particles were first found we can get a better idea of how rare they are by examining far more materials then the rover could.
(Required for activation: 20 Pathfinder days, DC65 can be repeated, DC lowered by 5 per attempt)
Asteroid Belt (16 Pathfinder days)
[]Ceres Rover Delivery
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location, 2 Capital per Location)(0/15 Locations surveyed)
[]Manned Ceres Landing
(Required for activation: 30IP, 15 Capital, 1 Astronaut Team, 14 Pathfinder days)(Cannot do Rover deliveries at the same time as Manned Landing)
[]Ceres Pathfinder Survey
Send the Pathfinder to Ceres to stay there for 20 days so the geology team can live inside while investigating the area. The Pathfinder can carry enough supplies to do two surveys before needing to return to the Moon for resupply.
(Required for activation: 20 pathfinder days)(shares sites with Rover Delivery)
Jupiter (23 Pathfinder days) Banned due the Scrin presence []Observation Array - Jupiter
(0/10 Observation Satellites 6IP+3 Capital per Satellite)
[]Callisto Rover Delivery
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location, 2 Capital per Location)(0/15 Locations surveyed)
[]Surface Scan - Ganymede
(Required for activation: 6IP+ 3 Capital or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Surface Scan - Io
(Required for activation: 6IP+ 3 Capital or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Manned Landing Europa
(Required for activation: 30IP, 15 Capital, 1 Astronaut Team, 23 Pathfinder days)(Cannot do Rover deliveries at the same time as Manned Landing)
[]Observation Probes - Minor Moons + Rings
(Required for activation: 6IP+ 3 Capital or 4 Pathfinder days)
Saturn (29 Pathfinder days)
[]Observation Array - Saturn
(0/10 Observation Satellites 6IP+3 Capital per Satellite)
[]Observation Probes - Minor Moons + Rings
(Required for activation: 6IP+ 3 Capital or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Observation Probes - Titan
(Required for activation: 6IP+ 3 Capital or 4 Pathfinder days)
Uranus(39 Pathfinder days)
[]Observation Probes - Uranus
(Required for activation: 6IP+ 3 Capital or 4 Pathfinder days)
Pluto (51 Pathfinder days)
--- Eris(85 Pathfinder days)
[] Orbital scan
There is little practical benefit of scanning a dwarf planet this far away but it would be the most distant object visited by the Pathfinder
(Required for activation: 6IP+ 3 Capital or 4 Pathfinder days)
Other
[] Pathfinder Drive Testing (NEW)
With a greater understanding of the gravity drive the Pathfinder can be temporarily modified to confirm if the experimental results will scale up to full size. These tests will be performed near the Enterprise station where the refits can be done using its workshops while being in range of fusion shuttles if something goes wrong.
(Required for activation: 20IP and 40 Pathfinder days. Roll a die and add the result to the G-Drive Improvement Program. Can only do once per turn.)
[]Voyager Visitation (NEW)
The Voyager probes were the first and only of Mankind's creations that reached the Interstellar void between the stars. Their position has been extrapolated and, using Pathfinder, the SCED could catch up to their theoretical position to place a higher power beacon next to them and secure the probes inside a protective, armored shell.
(Required for activation: 90 Pathfinder days)
—
-[] Curiosity Shuttle Prototype 0/200 2 dice 19%, 3 dice 79%, 4 dice 98%
-[] G-Drive Improvement Program 198/400 2 dice 19%, 3 dice 79%, 4 dice 98%
-–Note: Only 1 Development die per turn.
--Alt: 1 Dev die 1 Pathfinder die 4%
--Alt 2: 2 Dev dice 1 Pathfinder die 57%, 2 Dev dice 2 Pathfinder dice 84%
--Alt 3: 3 Dev dice 1 Pathfinder die 94%
-[] He-3 Experimental Reactor 0/200 2 dice 19%, 3 dice 79%, 4 dice 98%
-[] Europa Deep Ocean Sample Extraction Drone 0/200 2 dice 19%, 3 dice 79%, 4 dice 98%
-[] Ore Electrolysis Smelter Development 164/200 1 die 95%
-[] Atmospheric Containment Shimmer Optimization 147/400 3 dice 42%, 4 dice 88%, 5 dice 99%
-[] Tick Tank Dig Experiments 137/150 1 die 100%
Craterscope (Up to +5 extra Dice) +20
-[] Craterscope Asteroid Belt Detector 184/200 1 die 100%
-[] Craterscope Tiberium Detector 55/125 1 die 61%, 2 dice 99%
-[] Craterscope Moon Detector 110/125 1 die 100%
Space Command Mission Planning (4 Dice) +5
-[] Mission: Orbital Scan (Write-in) 1 die auto
-[] Mission: Surface Exploration (Write-in) 1 die auto
-[] Mission: Manned Landing (Write-in) 1 die auto
-[] Mission: Research Base (Write-in) 0/150 2 dice 19%, 3 dice 63%, 4 dice 89%, 5 dice 97%
AP - As construction continues on yellow zone fortress towns across multiple theaters, often on territory only recently captured from the Brotherhood of Nod, Global Defense Initiative health care systems have received a sudden, though not entirely unexpected shock. As millions of refugees abandon their substandard living areas in the hopes of securing a better life in blue, green or even GDI-controlled yellow zones, the systems responsible for screening immigrants have ground to a halt as capacity is suddenly outmatched by demand. Additionally, GDI has been forced to redirect military and police forces to provide security for personnel working at screening centers, both to protect against direct Brotherhood of Nod sabotage and protests against yellow zone resident admission by Initiative First members.
"We need to use the resources being diverted to these yellow zone leeches to crush the Brotherhood and take care of business in the blue zones! All these doctors working here should be working on patching up GDI soldiers!" were the comments made by one of the IF protestors, who refused to identify himself and wore a face mask. When asked about what should be done about all the refugees fleeing Nod-held territories, the reply given was - "I don't care, let them rot. We've got our own problems here."
Mecit Bozdemir, a representative of the United Yellow List, meanwhile complained of the slow pace of refugee admission - "We have tens of thousands of people sitting in camps outside these screening centers, waiting and vulnerable to Brotherhood attacks. They need help and additional resources immediately."
Dr. Margaret Fawcett, one of the volunteers leading operations at the screening centers, had this to say in response to the IF complaints about the existence of the process and to United Yellow List complaints that the process is moving too slowly - "We are currently focused on making sure that those attempting to enter the blue zones have a clean bill of health. Simply letting people enter the blue zones indiscriminately will result in greater use of medical and other resources due to the transmission of Tiberium and non-Tiberium related infections. Meanwhile, kicking them out is simply unconscionable."
---
Our Journalistic Integrity Policy
Our Military Operational Security Compliance Policy
Our Legal Disclaimer article subjects flagged by EVA system for InOps review, estimated time to roview based on current load - 536 hours
[X] Plan Driven by G -[X] Earth-Orbit Facilities Edit 2: 5 C 5 IP:
--[X]Gagarin Station (Stage 4)(Updated) (2/10 Gagarin Station Parts; 5C and 10 IP per Part)(+5 to all rolls, +1 Research Die)(-3 Astrotech Teams)(For one station part per turn, the IP cost is waived) 1 Part 5 C
--[X] Enterprise Orbital Assembler (Phase 3 of 4)(Updated) 0/80 5 IP -[X] Lunar Facilities (4 Dice available) 60 C + 60 IP:
--[X] Craterscope Structure (Phase 1) 15/30 +15 Parts 60 C 60 IP
---[X] Craterscope Structure (Phase 2) 0/400 4 Dice -[X] Assembly 124 IP
--[X] Craterscope Imaging Sensor 46/120 IP 74 IP
--[X] Build Craterscope Atmospheric Analyzer 0/50IP 50 IP -[X] Development (6 Dice) +30 83 C + 21 IP
--[X] G-Drive Improvement Program 198/400 (15C/Die +10IP) Max 1 Die per Turn 15 C 10 IP
--[X] Ore Electrolysis Smelter Development 164/200 (2C/Die+4IP/DIe) 1 Die = 2 C 4 IP
--[X] Atmospheric Containment Shimmer Optimization 147/400 (1C/Die) 3 Dice = 3 C
--[X] Tick Tank Dig Experiments 137/150 (3C/Die+4IP/Die) 1 Die = 3 C 4 IP
--[X] Craterscope Asteroid Belt Detector 184/200 (10C/Die+1IP/Die)(Optional) 1 Die = 20 C + 1 IP
--[X]Craterscope Tiberium Detector 55/125 (10C/Die+1IP/Die)(Optional) 1 Die = 20 C + 1 IP
--[X]Craterscope Moon Detector 110/125 (10C/Die+1IP/Die)(Optional) 1 Die = 20 C + 1 IP -[X] Space Command Mission Planning (4 Dice) +5
--[X] Mission: Surface Exploration (Charon) (Requires one Die) 1 Die
--[X] Mission: Surface Exploration (Pluto) (Requires one Die) 1 Die
--[X] Mission: Orbital Scan (Oberon) (Requires one Die) 1 Die
--[X] Mission: Orbital Scan (Titania) (Requires one Die) 1 Die -[X] Missions 20 IP
--[X]Mars (13 Pathfinder days)
---[X] Mars particle collection mission 3/6 max attempts DC65 can be repeated, DC lowered by 5 per attempt) 33 Pathfinder Days --[X] Other 20 IP
---[X] Pathfinder Drive Testing (NEW) 20 IP 40 Pathfinder Days +1 Die to G-Drive Improvement Program
SCEDQuest Q4 2061 Results
Reallocation
During reallocation negotiations, the SCED has gained enough additional budget to simplify bookkeeping by assigning part of the increase to already ongoing operations. Capital is now only required for large orders and cooperations with outside departments.
(A lot of actions costing between 1 and 10 Capital have had the Capital cost removed)
Gagarin Station (Stage 4)(Updated)
Work on a new "true" 0G material laboratory has begun on the Gagarin Station, but with the slow progress of station construction, completion of the facility is not expected within the next two years, much to the complaints of our university partners and the SCED's material scientists.
2+1= 3/10 Gagarin Station Parts
Enterprise Orbital Assembler (Phase 3 of 4)
Work on expanding the workshops on the Enterprise was limited to design work for the next phase as only limited resources were allocated.
5/80
Craterscope Structure (Phase 1)
With all required parts and material on site, construction of the craterscope foundations has begun. First came preparations of the site. The crater side had to be cleaned of rocks and debris and the top layers of regolith removed before the first foundational pieces could be laid down to allow assembly of the remaining structure. The realities of material availability and construction on Earth's closest neighbor mean the foundation is a compromise between many contradicting factors, not as great and robust as the scientists would have hoped for, not as simple and ready for assembly as the planners had planned. Once finished, the foundation, assembled from relatively simple sheets, struts and pipes of steel, will protect the sensitive sensor equipment from spaces radiation when not in use. It will also protect the coolant, power and data cables running underneath the actual craterscope and isolate the entire structure from any vibrations caused by nearby meteorite impacts or rumblings in the moon's still (suspected) molten core.
246/400
G-Drive Improvement Program
Samantha has spent the last three months on the pathfinder making minuscule changes to the G-Drive's operating parameters and testing the results. Integration of the new generation of superconductors has lowered the power draw, allowing more power flow into creating the actual Gravitic Drive field, resulting in nominally faster acceleration without overheatings. Larger gains are being made by running mathematical modulations of potential the G-Field forms in an attempt to find a more efficient one and, more importantly, how to stabilize potential candidate field configurations. 296/400
Ore Electrolysis Smelter Development
Analysis of the three prototypes at the test facility has resulted in much data about the advantages and issues of the different designs installed there, on the basis of which the department has created a finalized design. The final design consists of heat resistant tungsten alloy electrodes for both the heating and electrolysis halves, that can survive the extreme temperatures of molten regolith and the additional power draw placed upon them. Finding a way to manufacture the electrodes was a herculean task in itself given the resilience of the material in question, meaning that the tungsten alloy rods will need to be made and supplied by specialized manufacturers on earth.
201/200 +10 to lunar dice
Atmospheric Containment Shimmer Optimization
Work on the Atmospheric Containment shields got boosted, when the teams got the design specifications for the new Sparkle Shield Module. Using it as a stronger base shield resulted in more finely tuned shields with a greater chance of reflecting air molecules and has provided some insights into how to transfer some of that progress onto the Shimmer prototype. 373/400
Tick Tank Dig Experiments
Construction machines improved with lessons learned from the design of the tick tank has been finalized and are ready for deployment on the Moon.
207/150
Craterscope Imaging Sensor
The imaging sensor for the Carterscope is the largest imaging sensor ever made. This in combination with the lack of atmospheric interference, and the lack of other sources of interference will allow the Craterscope to see more distant targets than any previous telescope.
120/120 IP
Build Craterscope Atmospheric Analyzer
Cooperating with the scientists responsible for the design of the analyzer, the SCEDs specialized manufacturing division assembled a production version meant for deployment in the craterscope.
50/50IP
Craterscope Asteroid Belt Detector, Craterscope Tiberium Detector and Craterscope Moon Detector
Faced with similar problems of needing to isolate specific frequencies out of very small portions of the main sensor, the teams working on the secondary sensors cooperated on the last challenges facing them in physics, programming and material science to produce three working prototypes based on similar principles.
184+63+30 = 277/200 55+69+30 = 154/125 110+81+30 = 221/125
Mission: Surface Exploration (Charon)
Mission: Surface Exploration (Pluto)
Mission: Orbital Scan (Oberon)
Mission: Orbital Scan (Titania)
Four more future missions have been planned. Two to survey Pluto and its sister planetoid, including its minor gravitic anomaly, and two to scan Uranus's largest moons.
Mars particle collection mission
After another two months of work, the geologist now has a good idea of the size and layout of the particle deposit. Plans have been made for a mining base to collect enough for research to begin after about twelve months of mining.
DC65 81 PASS
SCEDQuest Q1 2062
This Side Quest was allowed by Ithillid and is supposed to be fun. Things happening in SCEDQuest will be affected by the main one, but unless Ithillid says otherwise it is only semi-canon.
Budget: 256, income: 100 Capital per turn
Industrial Capacity: 230 IP
Pathfinder Time: 90 Days
Astronaut Teams: 7 (+1 per year, +1 per Plan)
Astrotech Teams: 11 (+1 per turn, +5 per year)
Earth-Luna:
Earthside Facilities (Unlimited Dice)
[]Isolinear Computing Center(Updated)
Now that we can print Isolinear chips, we can build dedicated computers for the development department who are eager to get the increased calculation power.
With the fabricator at Anadyr completed we can get some of the needed chips from there reducing the cost of the project.
(Phase 1)(25 Capital per Die 0/200)
(Phase 2)(0/50 IP)(+5 to development dice)
Earth-Orbit Facilities:
[]Gagarin Station (Stage 4)
With SCED growing and the number of off-earth sites increasing, the design for the next phase of the Gagarin station has been changed. The new design still includes 0G research labs but the rest of the expansion now focuses on a large communication suite to coordinate SCED efforts across the solar system.
(3/10 Gagarin Station Parts; 10 IP per Part)(+5 to all rolls, +1 Research Die)(-3 Astrotech Teams)(For one station part per turn, the IP cost is waived)
[]Enterprise Orbital Assembler (Phase 3 of 4)
With the industrial space and resources available on Enterprise station steadily growing has come the possibility of other GDI departments besides the Treasury to get a piece of the orbital manufacturing station's capacity. Luckily Developmentalist, Starbound and even a few Militarist politicians continue to look out for the SCED and have reserved some of the station space for the small organization. With the completion of the Station, it has become easier to request help from the existing workshops on the Enterprise.
Phase 3: (5/80 IP)(+1 free station part per turn, fewer parts needed once the Conestoga is ready)
Phase 4: (0/80 IP)(+10 IP, research projects require less progress)
Lunar Facilities (4 Dice available):
[]Craterscope Structure (Phase 2)(Updated)
With the parts needed for construction delivered, work on assembling the Craterscope foundations has begun.
(Phase 2)(246/400)
[]Lunar Imaging Seismic Array (Phase 2 of 10)
LISA can be deployed from orbit, the pods landing and burying their sensors by themselves. The SCED will expand the array region by region, scanning each for available volcanic caves.
(0/10 Sensor Pods, 4 IP per Sensor Pod)
[]Ore Electrolysis Test Facility (Phase 3)(Updated)
With the building completed the next step is the construction and delivery of the electrolysis machines. The plan calls for the facility to run only in the daytime when there is enough power for short testing runs and that full scale operations will begin once the experimental reactor has been completed
(0/30 IP +10 to lunar dice, -1 Astrotech Teams)
Martian Facilities (13 Pathfinder days):
[] Martian SCED Research Base (Phase 2) (Northern polar region)
The polar research base's focus is the colonization of Mars and the first expansion focuses on that with a small aquaponics bay to feed the base and expanded living quarters to house more scientists.
(0/20 Facilities, 5 IP per Facility)(Max 10 parts per pathfinder trip)(-3 Astrotech Team)
[] Martian particle mining Base (Phase 1)(NEW)
The first phase of the mining base will collect enough particles to start research within a year. Expanding it with a second phase allows research to start in six months.
(0/20 Facilities, 5 IP per Facility)(Max 10 parts per pathfinder trip)(-3 Astrotech Team)
(0/30 Facilities, 5 IP per Facility)(Max 10 parts per pathfinder trip)(-3 Astrotech Team)
Mercury Facilities (13 Pathfinder days):
[]Mercury Comsat/GPS Network
Before permanent facilities can be manned on mercury, a network of communication and positional satellites has to be completed to facilitate communication with Earth and allow for accurate positioning on the planet for the scientists.
(0/10 CSATs)(5 IP per CSAT)
[]Mercury SCED Research Base (Northern polar region)(NEW)
The initial base will follow a similar pattern to the lunar one. A number of prefabricated habitat units, connected to life support and power. The plan is for an underground base near the poles as it is easier to deal with constant cold temperatures than the large changes that are present at the poles.
(0/15 Facilities; 5 IP per Facility)(-1 Astronaut Team)
Venus Facilities (12 Pathfinder days):
[]Venus Comsat/GPS Network
Before permanent facilities can be manned on Venus, a network of communication and positional satellites has to be completed to facilitate communication with Earth and allow for accurate positioning on the planet for the scientists.
(0/10 CSATs)(5 IP per CSAT)
[]Venus Research Station
A station in orbit of Venus has been requested to safely study tiberium samples collected there as they can easily be returned to the surface if needed. The station will float in the upper atmosphere with oxygen-nitrogen as a lifting gas. A second goal of the station would be a study of Venus's unique weather phenomena
(1/20 Station Parts; 10 IP per Part)(Astrotech Teams -2)(For one station part per turn, the IP cost is waived)(Max four parts per trip)
Assembly
[]Craterscope Asteroid Belt Detector (60 IP or 40 Capital)
The main sensor module required for the Craterscope to function.
(We can build it ourselves, or commission its construction.)
[]Craterscope Tiberium Detector (50 IP or 40 Capital)
An optional sensor module that allows, in theory at least, the Craterscope to identify signs of Tiberium infestation on planets across interstellar distances.
(We can build it ourselves, or commission its construction.)
[]Craterscope Moon Detector (40 IP or 50 Capital)
An optional sensor module that allows, in theory at least, the Craterscope to identify signs of Tiberium infestation on planets across interstellar distances.
(We can build it ourselves, or commission its construction.)
[]Tick Digger Vehicle Rollout 0/80 IP
Rollout of the improved construction vehicle designs based on the Tick Tank. There are several variants, each designed to operate in the many different gravity and atmospheric conditions across the solar system.
(+10 to all off-Earth construction rolls)
Development (6 Dice) +30
[]Curiosity Shuttle Prototype 0/200 (50C +20IP/Die)
With work on new variations of the Leopard underway, the research department has asked permission to build one to test new technology. The plan is to start with one of the new VIP Leopards and refit it with a hover landing system and artificial gravity. Other planned additions include large sensor arrays, an isolinear EVA, and extensive monitoring systems to study the craft while it is flying.
[]G-Drive Improvement Program 296/400 (15C/Die +10IP)(max 1 die per turn)
Now that our understanding of the science behind gravity manipulation, STU's and superconductors has increased we can try to improve the G-Drive. Due to the high volatility and danger of improperly aligned G-Drives and the limited number of scientists yet qualified to study them, SCED cannot rush this research.
[]He-3 Experimental Reactor 0/200(20C/Die +10IP)
To prepare for the next wave of construction on the Moon the construction of a HE3 reactor is planned. It will power SCED operations for years to come with power to spare for the Treasury's mining operations. The reactor will be designed to experiment with He-3 based fusion processes. While this means the reactor is unlikely to be an optimal design for power production, it allows for a greater range of operating options, and room for extensive sensor networks to study its function. The already extant mines on the Moon are not designed to capture and store He-3 locked in mined materials, but the small quantity that can be recovered will easily provide for the operating of a single reactor.
[]Europa Deep Ocean Sample Extraction Drone 0/200 (4IP/Die)
It has long been theorized that Europa contains oceans of liquid water under its icy surface, heated by geothermal forces. If this should prove to be the case, there may be life in some form huddled around the energy providing deep sea volcanoes on Europa. A specialized, disinfected robot would have to be designed to take samples without contaminating any potential ecosystem already in place.
[]Atmospheric Containment Sparkle Optimization 373/400 (No cost per die)
Hypothetically, a sparkle shield could be used to keep oxygen atoms from being sucked out into vacuum, however doing so will require a lot of tweaking of shield parameters.
[]Treasury Communal Housing Evaluation 0/200 (4IP/Die)
Since the second attempt at building communal housing has seemed to have more success than the first, the SCED is obligated to evaluate the principles employed in their design for use in orbital-, lunar- and general off-Earth habitation both for the SCEDs staff and the general civilian inhabitant of any such future facilities. Notable for this project is the undeserved vitriol that the project has gotten from some of the higher ups and multiple favors had to be called in by the scientists to even put it on the planning table for further consideration.
[]Treasury Green Architecture Evaluation 0/200 (4IP/Die)
Always striving in the advancement of civilian space technology and knowledge, the SCED is obligated to evaluate the principles employed in the design of the Treasuries Green Architecture project for use in orbital-, lunar- and general off-Earth habitation both for the SCEDs staff and the general civilian inhabitant of any such future facilities.
[]Gravitational Wave Observatory Assessment 0/150 (4IP/Die)
The theory of gravitational waves has long existed in scientific literature and has gained some increased attention with the discovery of the Gdrive. New advancements in Laser-, sensor- and computing technology have brought new options to the table to facilitate the construction of such Gravitational Wave Observatories on or off Earth.
[]Void-compatible Ultra High Albedo Coatings 0/150 (No cost per die)
White surfaces had been used to protect space equipment from the sun's heat ever since the early days of space exploration, but since then space coating technology has barely evolved. By going through the chemical literature and papers on high albedo pigments and coatings since then, maybe an improvement can be made.
Space Command Mission Planning (4 Dice) +5
[]Mission: Orbital Scan (Write-in) (for example Neptune, Saturn, or Uranus) (Requires one Die)(Gas Giants have the main planet, each major moon, and rings+minor moons as locations)
[]Mission: Follow up missions (Write-in) (Requires one Die)
-Uranus
-Titan
[]Mission: Manned Landing (Write-in) (Requires one Die)
-Charon
-Titan
-Pluto
[]Mission: Research Base (Write-in) 0/150
-Ceres 0/150
-Europa 0/150
Missions
Total Pathfinder Time: 90 days
Current Maintenance time: 3 days
Mercury: 9 days
Venus: 9 days
Mars: 10 days
Asteroid Belt: 13 days
Jupiter: 20 days
Saturn: 26 days
Uranus: 36 days
Neptune: 45 days
Pluto: 51 days
Mars (13 Pathfinder days)
[]Rover Delivery-Mars
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location, 2 Capital per Location)(22/50 locations surveyed)
[]Mars Pathfinder Survey
Send the pathfinder to Mars to stay there for 20 days so the geology team can live inside while investigating the area. The Pathfinder can carry enough supplies to do two surveys before needing to return to the Moon for resupply.
(Required for activation: 20 Pathfinder days)(shares sites with Rover Delivery)
Asteroid Belt (16 Pathfinder days)
[]Ceres Rover Delivery
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location, 2 Capital per Location)(0/15 Locations surveyed)
[]Manned Ceres Landing
(Required for activation: 30IP, 15 Capital, 1 Astronaut Team, 14 Pathfinder days)(Cannot do Rover deliveries at the same time as Manned Landing)
[]Ceres Pathfinder Survey
Send the Pathfinder to Ceres to stay there for 20 days so the geology team can live inside while investigating the area. The Pathfinder can carry enough supplies to do two surveys before needing to return to the Moon for resupply.
(Required for activation: 20 pathfinder days)(shares sites with Rover Delivery)
Jupiter (23 Pathfinder days) Banned due the Scrin presence []Observation Array - Jupiter
(0/10 Observation Satellites 6IP+3 Capital per Satellite)
[]Callisto Rover Delivery
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location)(0/15 Locations surveyed)
[]Surface Scan - Ganymede
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Surface Scan - Io
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Manned Landing Europa
(Required for activation: 30IP, 1 Astronaut Team, 23 Pathfinder days)(Cannot do Rover deliveries at the same time as Manned Landing)
[]Observation Probes - Minor Moons + Rings
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Observation Probes - Minor Moons + Rings
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Observation Probes - Titan
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
Uranus(39 Pathfinder days)
[]Observation Probes - Uranus
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Surface Scan - Oberon
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Surface Scan - Titania
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
Pluto (51 Pathfinder days)
[]Pluto Rover Delivery
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location)(0/10 Locations surveyed)
[]Charon Rover Delivery
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location)(0/5 Locations surveyed)
[]Pluto Pathfinder Survey
(Required for activation: 20 pathfinder days)(shares sites with Rover Delivery)
[]Charon Pathfinder Survey
(Required for activation: 20 pathfinder days)(shares sites with Rover Delivery)
--- Eris(85 Pathfinder days)
[] Orbital scan
There is little practical benefit of scanning a dwarf planet this far away but it would be the most distant object visited by the Pathfinder
(Required for activation: 6IP+ 3 Capital or 4 Pathfinder days)
Other
[] Pathfinder Drive Testing
With a greater understanding of the gravity drive the Pathfinder can be temporarily modified to confirm if the experimental results will scale up to full size. These tests will be performed near the Enterprise station where the refits can be done using its workshops while being in range of fusion shuttles if something goes wrong.
(Required for activation: 20IP and 40 Pathfinder days. Roll a die and add the result to the G-Drive Improvement Program. Can only do once per turn.)
[]Voyager Visitation
The Voyager probes were the first and only of Mankind's creations that reached the Interstellar void between the stars. Their position has been extrapolated and, using Pathfinder, the SCED could catch up to their theoretical position to place a higher power beacon next to them and secure the probes inside a protective, armored shell.
(Required for activation: 90 Pathfinder days)
—
-[] Curiosity Shuttle Prototype 0/200 2 dice 19%, 3 dice 79%, 4 dice 98%
-[] G-Drive Improvement Program 296/400 1 die 27%, 2 dice 91%
-–Note: Only 1 Development die per turn.
--Alt: 1 Dev die 1 Pathfinder die 74%
-[] He-3 Experimental Reactor 0/200 2 dice 19%, 3 dice 79%, 4 dice 98%
-[] Europa Deep Ocean Sample Extraction Drone 0/200 2 dice 19%, 3 dice 79%, 4 dice 98%
-[] Atmospheric Containment Shimmer Optimization 373/400 1 die 100%
[] Treasury Communal Housing Evaluation 0/200 2 dice 19%, 3 dice 79%, 4 dice 98%
[] Treasury Green Architecture Evaluation 0/200 2 dice 19%, 3 dice 79%, 4 dice 98%
[] Gravitational Wave Observatory Assessment 0/150 2 dice 61%, 3 dice 97%
[] Void-compatible Ultra High Albedo Coatings 0/150 2 dice 61%, 3 dice 97%
Space Command Mission Planning (4 Dice) +5
-[] Mission: Orbital Scan (Write-in) 1 die auto
-[] Mission: Surface Exploration (Write-in) 1 die auto
-[] Mission: Manned Landing (Write-in) 1 die auto
-[] Mission: Research Base (Write-in) 0/150 2 dice 19%, 3 dice 63%, 4 dice 89%, 5 dice 97%
[X] Plan Particle Mining: -[X] Earth-Orbit Facilities Edit 2: 54 IP:
--[X] Gagarin Station (Stage 4) (3/10 Gagarin Station Parts; 10 IP per Part)(+5 to all rolls, +1 Research Die)(-3 Astrotech Teams)(For one station part per turn, the IP cost is waived) Edit 2: 6 Parts 50 IP
--[X] Enterprise Orbital Assembler (Phase 3 of 4) 5/80 IP Edit 2: 4 IP -[X] Lunar Facilities (4 Dice available, +15 to lunar dice) 30 IP:
--[X]Craterscope Structure (Phase 2)(Updated) 246/400 4 Dice
--[X]Ore Electrolysis Test Facility (Phase 3)(Updated) 0/30 IP 30 IP -[X] Martian Facilities (13 Pathfinder days) 100 IP 26 Pathfinder Days:
--[X] Martian particle mining Base (Phase 1)(NEW) 0/20 Fascilities 5 IP per Fascility, 10 Fascility per Trip 100 IP 26 Pathfinder Days -[X] Assembly 130 C
--[X] Craterscope Asteroid Belt Detector 40 C
--[X] Craterscope Tiberium Detector 40 C
--[X] Craterscope Moon Detector 50 C -[X] Development (6 Dice) +30 15 C 26 IP
--[X] G-Drive Improvement Program 296/400 (15C/Die +10IP)(max 1 die per turn) 1 Die 15 C 10 IP
--[X] Atmospheric Containment Sparkle Optimization 373/400 (No cost per die) 1 Die
--[X] Treasury Communal Housing Evaluation 0/200 (4IP/Die) 2 Die 8 IP
--[X] Treasury Green Architecture Evaluation 0/200 (4IP/Die) 2 Die 8 IP -[X] Space Command Mission Planning (4 Dice) +5
--[X] Mission: Orbital Scan (Miranda) 1 Die
--[X] Mission: Orbital Scan (Ariel) 1 Die
--[X] Mission: Orbital Scan (Umbriel) 1 Die
--[X] Mission: Follow up missions (Uranus) (Requires one Die) 1 Die -[X] Missions Edit 2: 20 IP 40 Pathfinder Days
--[X] Other
---[X] Pathfinder Drive Testing 20 IP 40 Pathfinder Days
SCEDQuest Q1 2062 Results
Gagarin Station (Stage 4)
The current stage of Gagarin Station is nearing completion. The gear in the new zero g lab is being calibrated and the communication systems are undergoing final testing. Minor issues have been found during both so a few replacement parts are needed before operations can begin.
9/10 Gagarin Station Parts
Enterprise Orbital Assembler (Phase 3 of 4)
Work on the Orbital assembler slowly continues, with little slack time available due to the rush of construction on the station assembly bay. Thus, only a small amount of preparatory work was done this quarter.
9/80
Craterscope Structure (Phase 2)(Updated)
The building for the craterscope has been completed and now the installation of the Mirror and detectors can start. The largest single structural item is the massive sunshield which will prevent solar radiation from damaging any of the mirror or detectors, and ensure constant temperature across the worksite.
436/400
Ore Electrolysis Test Facility (Phase 3)(Updated)
With the test facility online we now produce a small amount of metal parts on the Moon, though only during the 'day' time when the sun shines on the solar collectors to provide the needed power. Even if the output of the facility is low it has a notable impact on Lunar operations as it can produce parts in hours instead of the days it takes to get a replacement from enterprise. High capacity testing will require a greater and more consistently available power source.
30/30 IP +10 to Lunar Dice -1 Astrotech Team
Martian Particle Mining Base (Phase 1)
The first mining base on another planet then our own has been named after the first geologist to land on the moon, Harrison H. Schmitt, who landed on the Moon as the pilot of Apollo 17 on December 10, 1972. The facility itself consist of two main parts: A buried base where the crew lives to shield them from martian weather, and a fleet of mobile mining rigs that process tons of sand each day to find the handful of particles they contain.
20/20 (Phase 2) -3 Astrotech Teams Research Starts in Q1 2062
Craterscope Asteroid Belt Detector 40 C
Craterscope Tiberium Detector 40 C
Craterscope Moon Detector 50 C
Many high-precision manufacturing centers around the globe were commissioned this quarter by SCED to produce more of the Craterscope's highly complex and delicate sensors. Soon, they will be transported up the gravity well and towards the moon.
G-Drive Improvement Program
After months of testing, simulations, calculations and cups of coffee, the improved Gdrive project has finally produced a stable, improved field configuration. compared to the previous one, the new field curvature results in a net 0.05 g's of additional observed performance with minimal increase to the volume/power requirements. Refitting Pathfinder however will require a few months worth of dock time, as several systems have to be ripped out and exchanged before its drive can produce the new configuration. More importantly, this groundbreaking accomplishment shows that improving, and ultimately understanding, Gdrive technology is not only possible but a viable path for the future of GDI space travel and scientific understanding.
401/400
Atmospheric Containment Sparkle Optimization
Work on adapting the Sparkle shield to serve as a backup for containing air in our bases has been completed. The STU element requirements are minor, but the power requirements are significant, and the containment shields will not function in the event of a general power failure or other accident. However, for some applications, like for say, a garage for lunar or martian vehicles, or in some docking applications, sparkle shields can partly replace standard airlocks, simplifying the need to pump down and up air levels constantly. However, these shields are not perfect, and gas leakage is noticeable though slow. Shutters are thus needed both as a backup, and to keep too much air from escaping when not in active use.
426/400 -20 proges needed to design bases
Treasury Communal Housing Evaluation
The evaluation of communal housing and how the results will impact SCED base design are ongoing and await additional reports from the housing experiments on Earth. It is expected that these efforts will be of a somewhat limited nature, as remote SCED bases will feature relatively cramped and communal living conditions by default, and everyone assigned to such locations will be relatively dedicated professionals. However, some sociological data on improving morale may be useful to extend the working duration of crews.
166/200
Treasury Green Architecture Evaluation
The Evaluation of the Green Architecture is going slowly due a lack of input. Many of the plants involved have not reached their full size and until they do the costs and benefits of the projects are hard to judge. In the meantime, several dwarf palm trees have been slated for boosting into orbit to speed up the tests.
131/200
Mission: Orbital Scan (Miranda)
Mission: Orbital Scan (Ariel)
Mission: Orbital Scan (Umbriel)
Mission: Follow up missions (Uranus)
More future missions have been planned, this time with a focus on scanning most Uranus's moons.
SCEDQuest Q2 2062
This Side Quest was allowed by Ithillid and is supposed to be fun. Things happening in SCEDQuest will be affected by the main one, but unless Ithillid says otherwise it is only semi-canon.
Budget: 211, income: 100 Capital per turn
Industrial Capacity: 230 IP
Pathfinder Time: 90 Days
Astronaut Teams: 7 (+1 per year, +1 per Plan)
Astrotech Teams: 8 (+1 per turn, +5 per year)
Earth-Luna:
Earthside Facilities (Unlimited Dice)
[]Isolinear Computing Center
Now that we can print Isolinear chips, we can build dedicated computers for the development department who are eager to get the increased calculation power.
With the fabricator at Anadyr completed we can get some of the needed chips from there reducing the cost of the project.
(Phase 1)(25 Capital per Die 0/200)
(Phase 2)(0/50 IP)(+5 to development dice)
Earth-Orbit Facilities:
[]Gagarin Station (Stage 4)
With SCED growing and the number of off-earth sites increasing, the design for the next phase of the Gagarin station has been changed. The new design still includes 0G research labs but the rest of the expansion now focuses on a large communication suite to coordinate SCED efforts across the solar system.
(9/10 Gagarin Station Parts; 10 IP per Part)(+5 to all rolls, +1 Research Die)(-3 Astrotech Teams)(For one station part per turn, the IP cost is waived)
[]Enterprise Orbital Assembler (Phase 3 of 4)
With the industrial space and resources available on Enterprise station steadily growing has come the possibility of other GDI departments besides the Treasury to get a piece of the orbital manufacturing station's capacity. Luckily Developmentalist, Starbound and even a few Militarist politicians continue to look out for the SCED and have reserved some of the station space for the small organization. With the completion of the Station it has become easier to request help from the existing workshops on the Enterprise.
Phase 3: (9/80 IP)(+1 free station part per turn, fewer parts needed once the Conestoga is ready)
Phase 4: (0/80 IP)(+10 IP, research projects require less progress)
Lunar Facilities (4 Dice available, +20 to lunar dice):
[]Craterscope Mirror Laying and Sensor Installation (New)
With the building complete it is time to install the mirror and sensors.
(0/200)
[]Lunar Imaging Seismic Array (Phase 2 of 10)
LISA can be deployed from orbit, the pods landing and burying their sensors by themselves. The SCED will expand the array region by region, scanning each for available volcanic caves.
(0/10 Sensor Pods, 4 IP per Sensor Pod)
Martian Facilities (13 Pathfinder days):
[] Martian SCED Research Base (Phase 2) (Northern polar region)
The polar research base's focus is the colonization of Mars and the first expansion focusses on that with a small aquaponics bay to feed the base and expanded living quarters to house more scientists.
(0/20 Facilities, 5 IP per Facility)(Max 10 parts per pathfinder trip)(-3 Astrotech Team)
[] Martian particle mining Base (Phase 2)(Updated)
An expansion of the base will double the rate of particle collection and speed the start of viable research by six months.
(0/30 Facilities, 5 IP per Facility)(Max 10 parts per pathfinder trip)(-3 Astrotech Team)
Mercury Facilities (13 Pathfinder days):
[]Mercury Comsat/GPS Network
Before permanent facilities can be manned on mercury, a network of communication and positional satellites has to be completed to facilitate communication with Earth and allow for accurate positioning on the planet for the scientists. This includes relay satellites to enable communications when the sun blocks line of sight to earth, thus the need for larger transmitters and receivers.
(0/10 CSATs)(5 IP per CSAT)
[]Mercury SCED Research Base (Northern polar region)
The initial base will follow a similar pattern to the lunar one. A number of prefabricated habitat units, connected to life support and power. The plan is for an underground base near the poles as it is easier to deal with constant cold temperatures than the large changes that are present away from the poles.
(0/15 Facilities; 5 IP per Facility)(-1 Astronaut Team)
Venus Facilities (12 Pathfinder days):
[]Venus Comsat/GPS Network
Before permanent facilities can be manned on Venus, a network of communication and positional satellites has to be completed to facilitate communication with Earth and allow for accurate positioning on the planet for the scientists. As with Mercury, relays to communicate when occluded are a required part of this network.
(0/10 CSATs)(5 IP per CSAT)
[]Venus Research Station
A station in orbit of Venus has been requested to safely study tiberium samples collected there as they can easily be returned to the surface if needed. The station will float in the upper atmosphere with oxygen-nitrogen as a lifting gas. A second goal of the station would be a study of Venus's unique weather phenomena
(1/20 Station Parts; 10 IP per Part)(Astrotech Teams -2)(For one station part per turn, the IP cost is waived)(Max four parts per trip)
Assembly
[]Tick Digger Vehicle Rollout 0/80 IP
Rollout of the improved construction vehicle designs based on the Tick Tank. There are several variants, each designed to operate in the many different gravity and atmospheric conditions across the solar system.
(+10 to all off-Earth construction rolls)
[]Pathfinder Engine Refit
Replacing the engine on the Pathfinder will take months and a large part of our workshops supporting the effort.
0/150 IP 60 pathfinder days
[]Pathfinder General Refit
In the years since the Pathfinder was first built there have been several research breakthroughs that can be applied to the ship ranging from better superconductors to transport power to the new sparkle shield. A refit to apply these will allow the evaluation of these new components in space.
0/90 IP 45 pathfinder days
[]Pathfinder Science Refit
The pathfinder is currently designed to do everything the SCED needs from science missions to constructions of space stations. With a Conestoga promise to be delivered this plan we can reduce the Pathfinder's cargo space to increase the size of the onboard labs, sensors and crew quarters.
0/50 IP 40 pathfinder days, pathfinder can carry only one station part and gets +10 to all science missions and pathfinder surveys take two less days to complete.
Development (6 Dice) +30
[]Curiosity Shuttle Prototype 0/200 (50C +20IP/Die)
With work on new variations of the Leopard underway the research department has asked permission to build one to test new technology. The plan is to start with one of the new VIP Leopards and refit it with a hover landing system and artificial gravity. Other planned additions include large sensor arrays, an isolinear EVA, and extensive monitoring systems to study the craft while it is flying.
[]He-3 Experimental Reactor 0/200(20C/Die +10IP)
To prepare for the next wave of construction on the Moon the construction of a HE3 reactor is planned. It will power SCED operations for years to come with power to spare for the Treasury's mining operations. The reactor will be designed to experiment with He-3 based fusion processes. While this means the reactor is unlikely to be an optimal design for power production, it allows for a greater range of operating options, and room for extensive sensor networks to study its function. The already extant mines on the Moon are not designed to capture and store He-3 locked in mined materials, but the small quantity that can be recovered will easily provide for the operating of a single reactor. (Unlocks more Lunar Facilities.)
[]Europa Deep Ocean Sample Extraction Drone 0/200 (4IP/Die)
It has long been theorized that Europa contains oceans of liquid water under its icy surface, heated by geothermal forces. If this should prove to be the case, there may be life in some form huddled around the energy providing deep sea volcanoes on Europa. A specialized, disinfected robot would have to be designed to take samples without contaminating any potential ecosystem already in place.
[]Treasury Communal Housing Evaluation 166/200 (4IP/Die)
Since the second attempt at building communal housing has seemed to have more success than the first, the SCED is obligated to evaluate the principles employed in their design for use in orbital-, lunar- and general off-Earth habitation both for the SCEDs staff and the general civilian inhabitant of any such future facilities. Notable for this project is the undeserved vitriol that the project has gotten from some of the higher ups and multiple favors had to be called in by the scientists to even put it on the planning table for further consideration.
[]Treasury Green Architecture Evaluation 131/200 (4IP/Die)
Always striving in the advancement of civilian space technology and knowledge, the SCED is obligated to evaluate the principles employed in the design of the Treasuries Green Architecture project for use in orbital-, lunar- and general off-Earth habitation both for the SCEDs staff and the general civilian inhabitant of any such future facilities.
[]Gravitational Wave Observatory Assessment 0/150 (4IP/Die)
The theory of gravitational waves has long existed in scientific literature and has gained some increased attention with the discovery of the Gdrive. New advancements in Laser-, sensor- and computing technology have brought new options to the table to facilitate the construction of such Gravitational Wave Observatories on or off Earth.
[]Void-compatible Ultra High Albedo Coatings 0/150 (No cost per die)
White surfaces had been used to protect space equipment from the sun's heat ever since the early days of space exploration, but since then space coating technology has barely evolved. By going through the chemical literature and papers on high albedo pigments and coatings since then, maybe an improvement can be made.
Space Command Mission Planning (4 Dice) +5
[]Mission: Orbital Scan (Write-in) (for example: Neptune, Saturn or Uranus) (Requires one Die)(Gas Giants have the main planet, each major moon, and rings+minor moons as locations)
-Callisto
-Titania
-Uranus: Minor Moons + Rings
-Neptune
-Triton
-Neptune: Minor Moons + Rings
[]Mission: Follow up missions (Write-in) (Requires one Die)
-Titan
[]Mission: Manned Landing (Write-in) (Requires one Die)
-Charon
-Titan
-Pluto
[]Mission: Research Base (Write-in) 0/130
-Ceres 0/150
-Europa 0/150
Missions
Total Pathfinder Time: 90 days
Current Maintenance time: 3 days
Mercury: 9 days
Venus: 9 days
Mars: 10 days
Asteroid Belt: 13 days
Jupiter: 20 days
Saturn: 26 days
Uranus: 36 days
Neptune: 45 days
Pluto: 51 days
Mars (13 Pathfinder days)
[]Rover Delivery-Mars
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location, 2 Capital per Location)(22/50 locations surveyed)
[]Mars Pathfinder Survey
Send the pathfinder to Mars to stay there for 20 days so the geology team can live inside while investigating the area. The Pathfinder can carry enough supplies to do two surveys before needing to return to the Moon for resupply.
(Required for activation: 20 Pathfinder days)(shares sites with Rover Delivery)
Asteroid Belt (16 Pathfinder days)
[]Ceres Rover Delivery
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location, 2 Capital per Location)(0/15 Locations surveyed)
[]Manned Ceres Landing
(Required for activation: 30IP, 15 Capital, 1 Astronaut Team, 14 Pathfinder days)(Cannot do Rover deliveries at the same time as Manned Landing)
[]Ceres Pathfinder Survey
Send the Pathfinder to Ceres to stay there for 20 days so the geology team can live inside while investigating the area. The Pathfinder can carry enough supplies to do two surveys before needing to return to the Moon for resupply.
(Required for activation: 20 pathfinder days)(shares sites with Rover Delivery)
Jupiter (23 Pathfinder days) Banned due the Scrin presence []Observation Array - Jupiter
(0/10 Observation Satellites 6IP+3 Capital per Satellite)
[]Callisto Rover Delivery
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location)(0/15 Locations surveyed)
[]Surface Scan - Ganymede
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Surface Scan - Io
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Manned Landing Europa
(Required for activation: 30IP, 1 Astronaut Team, 23 Pathfinder days)(Cannot do Rover deliveries at the same time as Manned Landing)
[]Observation Probes - Minor Moons + Rings
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Surface Scan - Oberon
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Surface Scan - Titania
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Surface Scan - Miranda
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Surface Scan - Ariel
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
[]Surface Scan - Umbriel
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
Pluto (51 Pathfinder days)
[]Pluto Rover Delivery
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location)(0/10 Locations surveyed)
[]Charon Rover Delivery
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location)(0/5 Locations surveyed)
[]Pluto Pathfinder Survey
(Required for activation: 20 pathfinder days)(shares sites with Rover Delivery)
[]Charon Pathfinder Survey
(Required for activation: 20 pathfinder days)(shares sites with Rover Delivery)
--- Eris(85 Pathfinder days)
[] Orbital scan
There is little practical benefit of scanning a dwarf planet this far away but it would be the most distant object visited by the Pathfinder
(Required for activation: 6IP+ 3 Capital or 4 Pathfinder days)
Other
[]Voyager Visitation
The Voyager probes were the first and only of Mankind's creations that reached the Interstellar void between the stars. Their position has been extrapolated and, using Pathfinder, the SCED could catch up to their theoretical position to place a higher power beacon next to them and secure the probes inside a protective, armored shell.
(Required for activation: 90 Pathfinder days)
—
-[] Mission: Orbital Scan (Write-in) 1 die auto
-[] Mission: Surface Exploration (Write-in) 1 die auto
-[] Mission: Manned Landing (Write-in) 1 die auto
-[] Mission: Research Base (Write-in) 0/150 2 dice 19%, 3 dice 63%, 4 dice 89%, 5 dice 97%
AP - As the GDI's advance into YZ-18 from the west has stalled due to logistical issues, GDI command has thrown additional forces into the eastern front, in an effort to erode required travel distance to BZ-18, as well as drive a wedge between YZ-18 and YZ-3.
An unfortunate collateral casualty of this has been the Forgotten town of Sofiisk, which was attacked and destroyed by Brotherhood of Nod forces on suspicion of collaboration with the Global Defense Initiative. A daring deep raid by GDI Ground Force and Zone Operations Command units enabled the evacuation of the majority of the civilian population overland toward the coast, where they were able to board GDI landing craft for relocation to a currently undisclosed location.
GDI Ground Force and Zone Operations Command units have also had mixed success defending fortress towns under construction in the eastern YZ-18 region from Brotherhood attacks, with several such locations having to be abandoned or to have construction plans shelved after continued raids. While said raids have had only mixed success, GDI Ground Force Command have adopted a strategy of consolidating their forces and moving under a highly effective umbrella of air coverage to negate the Brotherhood's continued Barghest and Venom attacks on supply convoys. Where such air coverage is present, the effectiveness of Brotherhood raids is greatly reduced, and construction has been able to continue on schedule.
---
Our Journalistic Integrity Policy
Our Military Operational Security Compliance Policy
Our Legal Disclaimer Submitted for EVA-INT screening 08022060
EVA-INT screening and recommended edits completed 08292060
----
August 30, 2060
NP - Rejoice, brothers! Our artillery has wiped yet another mutant town out of existence, thanks to technological the superiority of our forces. Their spies had attempted to plant electronic surveillance software in our computer networks, but our technicians were able to ferret out such intrusions. As evidence pointed to the town of Sofiisk, an example had to be and was made of them.
Additionally, our forces have harvested hundreds of tons of glorious surface Tiberium, while destroying several staging areas and GDI forward bases. The gathered crystal has enabled our tireless workers to construct advanced military units with which to defend our territory from encroaching GDI infidels. While these units are being kept in reserve for the moment, rest assured that, when the GDI is most vulnerable, they will be used to strike the fear of Kane into all who oppose the Brotherhood of Nod and the will of the prophet.
--- One Vision, One Purpose
Local Militant Recruitment Office Finder
Technical Evaluation Registration
From: Captain Violet Hawthorne-Smythe, OSRCT 2nd Team
To: *Ground Force Armored Transport Committee
Subject: Rapid Zone Armor Deployment
During the deployments carried out by units under my command in yellow and red zones across the planet, we have accumulated a substantial amount of experience enabling direct field comparisons of zone armor and standard infantry performance. I have summarized the attached findings and hope they will be of use to the committee.
1. Zone Armor provides substantially more firepower with greater loadout flexibility than standard infantry. Between the integrated weapons systems of the Raider and Marauder-class suits and hand-held weapons systems operated by Raider, Trooper and Defender-class suits, the average squad is guaranteed at least a 100% percent firepower increase over a conventional infantry squad when taking into account the suits' targeting systems.
2. Zone Armor provides substantially more protection for their operators than the composite body armor worn by standard infantry. While modern Brotherhood weaponry, especially of the energy variety, has closed the gap considerably, an individual operating Zone Armor can absorb substantial amounts of small arms fire. Field experience shows an increase in firepower absorption of between 50 and 100%.
3. Zone Armor provides a substantial improvement in mobility over standard infantry gear, with the exception of Defender-class suits. The power-assisted musculature increases movement speed by approximately 100%. When combined with the built-in jump jets and life support systems, a unit composed entirely of zone armor equipped individuals can stay out in the field for days at a time while moving at speeds comparable to Predator tanks, with the exception of perfectly flat or paved terrain. The jump jets allow unparalleled maneuverability while the advanced sensor and communications suites mounted on the Captain-class command suits rival those used by sniper teams. Although the sniper teams do have an easier time concealing themselves.
4. Maintenance and supply in the field is an on-going concern. During our deployments, our unit addressed the issue by employing Guardian-class APCs and Hammerhead-class VTOLs to run supplies, spare parts and engineering teams to zone units operating in the field. The latter because, while most zone armor operators are capable of routine maintenance and low-level repairs to their suits, some battle damage requires dedicated expertise. Standard infantry require less on-going "maintenance", but are not capable of navigating Tiberium fields or rapid movement without transport assistance.
5. A Predator tank requires significant modification in order to transport the volume of supplies necessary for continued operation of zone armor in the field, moves approximately 13% slower than the Guardian and is considerably more expensive to construct and operate. Other GDI-operated armored units are considerably slower and more expensive and thus were not considered for this evaluation.
Although the equipment of an equivalent number of troopers with zone armor increases the raw material costs involved by approximately 260-320%, the force multiplier granted by the equipment is significantly greater. Thus, it is my recommendation that the adoption of Zone Armor continue across the board and that Guardian-class armored personnel carriers be used as the primary unit of logistical support.
[AN: @Ithillid A hypothetical email from Platoon Commander's character weighing in on the Zone Armor transport/deployment debate, assuming she remains with OSRCT to Q2-2062]
[X] Plan To The Rings Of Saturn!
-[X] Earth Facilities 50 C
--[X] Isolinear Computing Center (Phase 1)(0/200) 2 Dice 50C
-[X] Earth-Orbit Facilities 71 IP, 3 Astrotech Teams
--[X] Gagarin Station (Stage 4)(9/10 Gagarin Station Parts) 1 Part Free
--[X] Enterprise Orbital Assembler (Phase 3)(9/80 IP) 71 IP
-[X] Lunar Facilities 0 IP
--[X] Craterscope Mirror Laying and Sensor Installation (0/200) 4 Dice
-[X] Venus Facilities 40 IP, 12 Pathfinder Days
--[X] Venus Research Station (1/20 Parts) 4 Parts, 40 IP, 12 Pathfinder Days (Drop off)
-[X] Martian Facilities 50 IP, 13 Pathfinder Days
--[X] Martian SCED Research Base (Phase 2)(0/20 Parts) 10 Parts, 50 IP, 13 Pathfinder Days (Drop off)
-[X] Assembly 21 IP
--[X] Tick Digger Vehicle Rollout (0/80 IP) 21 IP
-[X] Development 60 C, 18 IP
--[X] He-3 Experimental Reactor (0/200) 3 Dice, 60C, 10 IP
--[X] Treasury Communal Housing Evaluation (166/200) 1 Dice, 4IP
--[X] Treasury Green Architecture Evaluation (131/200) 1 Dice, 4IP
--[X] Void-Compatible Ultra High Albedo Coatings (0/150) 1 Dice
-[X] Space Command Mission Planning
--[X] Mission: Orbital Scan (Uranus: Minor Moons & Rings)
--[X] Mission: Orbital Scan (Neptune)
--[X] Mission: Orbital Scan (Neptune: Minor Moons & Rings)
--[X] Mission: Orbital Scan (Triton)
-[X] Missions 30 IP, 15 C, 1 Astronaut Teams, 63 Pathfinder Days
--[X] Manned Mercury Landing (30 IP, 15 C, 1 Astronaut Team, 26 Pathfinder Days)
--[X] Mission to Saturn (29+4+4 = 37 Pathfinder Days)
---[X] Observation Probes - Minor Moons + Rings (4 Pathfinder Days)
---[X] Observation Probes - Titan (4 Pathfinder Days)
SCEDQuest Q2 2062 Results
Isolinear Computing Center (Phase 1) 134/200
The demand for Isolinear chips and associated computing components manufactured at the Anadyr Chip Foundry is absurdly high. This quarter SCED was able to requisition just over two thirds of the needed chips for the planned computing center, but additional credits and no small amount of political weight will need to be thrown in to gain the full supply needed in a timely manner.
Gagarin Station (Stage 4) 10/10 Parts
GDI's artificial gravity technology is a marvel without which space travel, exploration and colonization would be much more complicated. It suffers however from microspikes in localized gravity on the molecular scale that are not noticeable for a human, but make it unusable to mirror true zero-G for earthside laboratory or manufacturing applications. As such the new zero-g laboratory on Gagarin Station should open up another avenue of space research to the SCED, allowing them to advance the bounds of zero-g manufacturing and other sciences independent from the treasury's efforts.
(+5 to all rolls, +1 Research Die) (-3 Astrotech Teams)
Enterprise Orbital Assembler (Phase 3) 80/80 IP
Since the early days in which Carter began misusing Space Command funds for his own private space program, the SCED and GDI's orbital presence has come a long way. Enterprise station is a hub of industry and activity, producing vast amounts of various components for Columbia and Shala in different orbits. A small section of the station however is reserved for the pioneers, the deranged, the boundary pushers, and other epithets given to SCED. Sadly the station part assembler is everything but exciting and essentially just replicates the work the Enterprise's Station Bay does on a smaller scale.
(+1 free station part per turn, fewer parts needed once the Conestoga is ready)
Craterscope Mirror Laying and Sensor Installation 351/200
The once barren crater, dotted with lunarcrete grey boxes and thin power cables, has bloomed into a colossal mirror-petaled flower.
Over the last quarter, the SCED lunar team executed a smooth install of the Craterscope's mirrors and optical instruments. Each delicate component was carefully transported from Earth's surface to the Moon, where they were slotted into pre-prepared mounting slots. All that remains is to test and calibrate one of the largest scientific instruments ever constructed by humanity. A daunting prospect, but one the lunar team and various support teams on the ground are fully prepared for.
Venus Research Station 5/20 Parts
Several more station components have been floated. Attached to the initial first stage, these mainly consist of weather monitors, maneuvering thrusters, lifting gas reservoirs, backup power systems, and spare parts storage. While each room of the station will have its own balloon envelope, the main 'backbone' of the floating research station is now fully established.
Martian SCED Research Base 10/20 Parts
An extensive aquaponics bay has been fully assembled, more than enough to feed the base's current astronaut crew fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish several times over. Finishing the base's expansion will be more crew quarters and accompanying supplies.
Tick Digger Vehicle Rollout 21/80 IP
SCED warehouses are now host to a huge collection of Tick-type drills in various configurations - without any accompanying vehicles to move or power said drills.
Experimental Lunar Fission Reactor (Updated) 166/200
GDI has extensive experience with earthbound fission reactors. However, a lunar based reactor in microgravity may face any number of unknown problems, and so the experimental reactor will be overbuilt with extensive testing and safety features. (Project modified due to science consultation with BOT.)
Treasury Communal Housing Evaluation 199/200
To Do: The surveys went out late and got held up in a hilarious bureaucratic kerfuffle. Interviews are in but not the surveys, need 3 months to sort and analyze the mess. (Auto-completes this turn)
I know we're all swamped with work, but make sure you fill out the report before we send it to the Commander. - Head Analyst Johnson
Treasury Green Architecture Evaluation 234/200 (Quality: 98 general population, 81 SCED staff)
The Green Architecture Evaluation has been a resounding success on all fronts. After going through the available architectural notes and consulting with the SCED's internal architects and the Enterprise design team, several mockups were constructed to test a few layout variations taking ideas from the Treasury's Green Architecture project while keeping the limitations and requirements of space construction in mind. In total three mockups of different areas were built, each with a focus on breaking up Columbia's strict floor layout of to provide a greater sense of verticality. Indirect soft sunlight imitation lighting fixtures provided overhead lighting and worked together in tandem with the greater amount of plant decorations to provide, at least in theory, the illusion of open air spaces and nature.
Several groups were invited for varying length testing, inspection and survey. Including Space Command staff, their families, members of Project Trailblazer and groups of civilians cleared for visitation tours of the less critical SCED facilities.
Initial responses have been very good, from both the more broad survey population and the SCED staff itself. While these opinions will need to be confirmed with more long term observations, a few things are already clear. The plants significantly contribute to the air quality, absorbing CO2, microparticles and dust. Pollen has been isolated as a problem, both because they might clog up the mechanical air filter and because of allergic reactions, but creating decorative plants with minimal or no pollination is feasible with some effort. Construction of the more vertical spaces is a challenge in itself and while theoretically possible, requires some additional effort to get a consistent artificial gravity field.
Void-Compatible Ultra High Albedo Coatings 104/150
Pigments and paints are already an expansive scientific field for earthborn applications, requiring fields of chemistry and quantum physics to understand and predict the photon absorption and reflection of different molecular structures. The demands expand even more for spaceborn ones. In space, the color of surfaces is important for temperature control, as bright surfaces reflect more incoming light back out again. Organic pigments however degrade quickly under the bombardment of solar- and interstellar-radiation and are thus hardly usable. As such metal oxides in a stable coating medium remain the only viable source. For the longest time, Zinc Oxide has been used for the purpose of coating GDI satellites and spaceborn infrastructure. Since the late 1990s however, pigmentation science had advanced and titanium oxide has emerged as the definite white standard. Adapting current coating mediums for titanium oxide will require some more work from the chemists, but once completed should offer a small improvement in space science.
Mission: Orbital Scan (Uranus: Minor Moons & Rings)
Mission: Orbital Scan (Neptune)
Mission: Orbital Scan (Neptune: Minor Moons & Rings)
Mission: Orbital Scan (Triton)
Scanning missions have been planned for nearly all the remaining jovian bodies. While it will still take perhaps several years for all of Sol system's major bodies to be surveyed, the necessary preparations - greatly simplified by Pathfinder's G-drive - have been laid down. Soon enough one of SCED's founding missions will be completed.
Observation Probes - Titan (4 Pathfinder Days)
Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and the second-largest natural satellite in the Solar System. It is the only moon known to have a dense atmosphere, and is the only known object in space other than Earth on which clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found. Titan is primarily composed of ice and rocky material, which is differentiated into a rocky core surrounded by various layers of ice, including a crust of ice and a subsurface layer of ammonia-rich liquid water. The geologically young surface is generally smooth, with few impact craters, although mountains and several possible cryovolcanoes have been found. Titan's surface temperature is about 94 K/−179.2 °C. Atmospheric methane creates a greenhouse effect on Titan's surface, without which Titan would be much colder. Conversely, haze in Titan's atmosphere contributes to an anti-greenhouse effect by absorbing sunlight, cancelling a portion of the greenhouse effect and making its surface significantly colder than its upper atmosphere.
Titan's clouds, composed of methane, ethane or other simple organics, are scattered and variable, punctuating the overall haze. The findings of the Observation probes indicate that Titan's atmosphere periodically rains liquid methane and other organic compounds onto its surface. Titan has likely been around since the Solar System's formation, but its surface is much younger, between 100 million and 1 billion years old. The moon's atmosphere is four times as thick as Earth's, making it comparatively difficult for astronomical instruments to image its surface in the visible light spectrum. The SCED probes manage to pierce the dense cloud layer via radar- and microwave spectroscopy. The first images revealed a diverse geology, with both rough and smooth areas. There are features that may be volcanic in origin, disgorging water mixed with ammonia onto the surface. There is also evidence that Titan's ice shell may be substantially rigid, which would suggest little geologic activity. There are also streaky features, some of them hundreds of kilometers in length, that appear to be caused by windblown particles. Examination has also shown the surface to be relatively smooth; the few objects that seem to be impact craters appeared to have been filled in, perhaps by raining hydrocarbons or volcanoes. Radar altimetry suggests height variation is low, typically no more than 150 meters. Occasional elevation changes of 500 meters have been discovered and Titan has mountains that sometimes reach several hundred meters to more than 1 kilometer in height.
In terms of resources Titan's surface is likely an environment rich in water and volatiles, whereas the majority of its metallic resources is locked up in the core and will require a deep drilling mission to acquire samples for study.
Manned Mercury Landing 30 IP, 15 C, 1 Astronaut Team, 26 Pathfinder Days
Observation Probes - Saturn's Minor Moons + Rings (4 Pathfinder Days) *QM Note: Both of these missions were done in previous turns, but were accidentally not removed from the missions list afterwards. The Manned Mercury Landing was done in Q2 2061 (Tally here) and the Probing of Saturn's Minor Moons + Rings was done in Q4 2060 (Tally here). As there are no easy equivalents to these two missions, I'm giving a one-time bonus of their IP, C, and Pathfinder Days for this turn only. These will not carry over to next turn.
SCEDQuest Q3 2062
This Side Quest was allowed by Ithillid and is supposed to be fun. Things happening in SCEDQuest will be affected by the main one, but unless Ithillid says otherwise it is only semi-canon.
Budget: 186+15* C (+100 Capital per turn)
Industrial Capacity: 230+30* IP
Pathfinder Time: 90+30* Days
Astronaut Teams: 5 (+1 per year, +1 per Plan)
Astrotech Teams: 8 (+1 per turn, +5 per year)
Zero IP Station Parts: 2 per turn
Mechanics update: A Manned Landing mission is required before you may plan (or execute) Pathfinder surveys or a Research Base for that location. (This doesn't apply to gas giants, since you cannot land on them.)
Earthside Facilities (Unlimited Dice, +5 bonus)
[] Isolinear Computing Center
Now that we can print Isolinear chips, we can build dedicated computers for the development department who are eager to get the increased calculation power. With the fabricator at Anadyr completed we can get some of the needed chips from there reducing the cost of the project.
(Phase 1) (25 Capital per Die 134/200)
(Phase 2) (0/50 IP) (+5 to development dice)
Earth-Orbit Facilities
[] Enterprise Orbital Assembler (Phase 4 of 4)
With the industrial space and resources available on Enterprise station steadily growing, the possibility opens up for other GDI departments besides the Treasury to get a piece of the station's manufacturing capacity. Luckily Developmentalist, Starbound and even a few Militarist politicians continue to look out for the SCED and have reserved some of the station space for the small organization.
Phase 4: (0/80 IP) (+10 IP, research projects require less progress)
Lunar Facilities (4 Dice available, +25 to lunar dice):
[] Craterscope Final Assembly and Testing (New)
The Craterscope is ready for many months of testing, tweaking, tuning, turning, and even more testing after that. With thousands of ultra-high precision components, dozens of incredibly intricate instruments, and hundreds of kilometers in power and data cabling, it is a massive project even before taking into account that it must all be done by a mere handful of astrotechs in the vacuum of space.
(0/900, 2 IP per die)(-2 Astrotech Team)
[] Lunar Imaging Seismic Array (Phase 2 of 10)
LISA can be deployed from orbit, the pods landing and burying their sensors by themselves. The SCED will expand the array region by region, scanning each for available volcanic caves.
(0/10 Sensor Pods, 4 IP per Sensor Pod)
Martian Facilities (13 Pathfinder days)
[] Martian SCED Research Base (Phase 2) (Northern polar region)
The polar research base's focus is the colonization of Mars and the first expansion focusses on that with a small aquaponics bay to feed the base and expanded living quarters to house more scientists.
(10/20 Facilities, 5 IP per Facility) (Max 10 parts per Pathfinder trip) (-3 Astrotech Team)
[] Martian Particle Mining Base (Phase 2)
An expansion of the base will more than double the rate of particle collection, speeding the start of viable research by six months, and greatly increasing the amount of material available for research. (Research starts in Q1 2063)
(0/30 Facilities, 5 IP per Facility) (Max 10 parts per Pathfinder trip) (-3 Astrotech Team)
Mercury Facilities (13 Pathfinder days)
[] Mercury Comsat/GPS Networkper pathfinder
Before permanent facilities can be manned on Mercury, a network of communication and positional satellites has to be completed to facilitate communication with Earth and allow for accurate positioning on the planet for the scientists. This includes relay satellites to enable communications when the sun blocks line of sight to earth, thus the need for larger transmitters and receivers.
(0/10 CSATs) (5 IP per CSAT)
[] Mercury SCED Research Base (Northern polar region)
The initial base will follow a similar pattern to the lunar one. A number of prefabricated habitat units, connected to life support and power. The plan is for an underground base near the poles as it is easier to deal with constant cold temperatures than the large changes that are present away from the poles.
(0/15 Facilities, 5 IP per Facility) (Max 10 parts per Pathfinder trip) (-1 Astronaut Team)
Venus Facilities (12 Pathfinder days):
[] Venus Comsat/GPS Network
Before permanent facilities can be manned on Venus, a network of communication and positional satellites has to be completed to facilitate communication with Earth and allow for accurate positioning on the planet for the scientists. As with Mercury, relays to communicate when occluded are a required part of this network.
(0/10 CSATs) (5 IP per CSAT)
[] Venus Research Station
A station in orbit of Venus has been requested to safely study tiberium samples collected there as they can easily be returned to the surface if needed. The station will float in the upper atmosphere with oxygen-nitrogen as a lifting gas. A second goal of the station would be a study of Venus's unique weather phenomena
(5/20 Station Parts; 10 IP per Part) (Astrotech Teams -2) (Max four parts per Pathfinder trip)
Assembly
[] Tick Digger Vehicle Rollout 21/80 IP
Rollout of the improved construction vehicle designs based on the Tick Tank. There are several variants, each designed to operate in the many different gravity and atmospheric conditions across the solar system.
(+10 to all off-Earth construction rolls)
[] Pathfinder Engine Refit 0/150 IP
Replacing the engine on the Pathfinder will take months and a large part of our workshops supporting the effort.
(60 Pathfinder days to install)
[] Pathfinder General Refit 0/90 IP
In the years since the Pathfinder was first built there have been several research breakthroughs that can be applied to the ship ranging from better superconductors to transport power to the new sparkle shield. A refit to apply these will allow the evaluation of these new components in space.
(45 Pathfinder days to install)
[] Pathfinder Science Refit 0/50 IP
The Pathfinder is currently designed to do everything the SCED needs from science missions to constructions of space stations. With the Treasury's promise to give SCED a Conestoga this plan we can reduce the Pathfinder's cargo space to increase the size of the onboard labs, sensors and crew quarters.
(40 Pathfinder days to install) (Pathfinder can carry only one station part, gets +10 to all science missions, and Pathfinder surveys take two days less to complete.)
Development (7 Dice, +35 bonus)
[] Curiosity Shuttle Prototype 0/200 (50C +20IP/Die)
With work on new variations of the Leopard underway the research department has asked permission to build one to test new technology. The plan is to start with one of the new VIP Leopards and refit it with a hover landing system and artificial gravity. Other planned additions include large sensor arrays, an isolinear EVA, and extensive monitoring systems to study the craft while it is flying.
[] Experimental Lunar Fission Reactor 166/200 (20C/Die +10IP) (Updated)
To prepare for the next wave of construction on the moon the construction of a full scale lunar fission reactor is planned. The reactor will be designed to experiment with and operate in low gravity, and will have extensive sensor networks to study its function. (Unlocks more Lunar Facilities.)
[] He-3 Fusion Prototype 0/400 (35C/Die + 15IP) (New)
GDI's current fusion reactors use Deuterium-Deuterium or Tritium-Deuterium fusion. (Hydrogen isotopes with one and two extra neutrons respectively). These cycles have several limitations as they release a radical neutron that needs to be stopped by radiation mass shielding in the form of metal, concrete or energy shielding. Helium-3 Fusion, in addition to its availability in space mining, has the potential to allow for smaller fusion reactors as the cycle releases a free proton instead. A proton has a positive charge and can thus be manipulated and tapped for energy via magnetic fields, reducing the need for hard shielding. While SCED does not have the funds to produce an energy net-positive reactor, it can still operate and build a prototype test reactor to lay the groundwork.
[] Europa Deep Ocean Sample Extraction Drone 0/200 (4IP/Die)
It has long been theorized that Europa contains oceans of liquid water under its icy surface, heated by geothermal forces. If this should prove to be the case, there may be life in some form huddled around the energy providing deep sea volcanoes on Europa. A specialized, disinfected robot would have to be designed to take samples without contaminating any potential ecosystem already in place.
[-] Treasury Communal Housing Evaluation 199/200 (Auto-completes this turn)
Since the second attempt at building communal housing has seemed to have more success than the first, the SCED is obligated to evaluate the principles employed in their design for use in orbital-, lunar- and general off-Earth habitation both for the SCEDs staff and the general civilian inhabitant of any such future facilities. Notable for this project is the undeserved vitriol that the project has gotten from some of the higher ups and multiple favors had to be called in by the scientists to even put it on the planning table for further consideration.
[] Gravitational Wave Observatory Assessment 0/150 (4IP/Die)
The theory of gravitational waves has long existed in scientific literature and has gained some increased attention with the discovery of the Gdrive. New advancements in Laser-, sensor- and computing technology have brought new options to the table to facilitate the construction of such Gravitational Wave Observatories on or off Earth.
[] Void-compatible Ultra High Albedo Coatings 104/150 (No cost per die)
White surfaces had been used to protect space equipment from the sun's heat ever since the early days of space exploration, but since then space coating technology has barely evolved. By going through the chemical literature and papers on high albedo pigments and coatings since then, maybe an improvement can be made.
[] Pollen Free Decorative Plant Development 0/100 (No cost per die) (New)
Plant pollen causes two issues in spaceborn environments: Allergies and increased maintenance for the air-exchangers' particle scrubbers. Since the environment they are in is entirely artificial and controlled they have no need for reproductive functions. Removing the ability to produce pollen for a number of flowers, bushes and trees meant for decorative greenery should be a relatively easy affair.
[] Lunar Metallurgy 0/400 (4IP/Die) (New)
With the experimental refineries in place, practical work on producing Luna alloys can begin. Lunar soil consists of primarily light metals like silicon, calcium, aluminum, magnesium, titanium with a good percentage of heavy metals like iron. The purpose of the project will be to produce a variety of alloys and metal components entirely made from local materials to figure out the limitations of lunar industry without reliance on material importation.
Space Command Mission Planning (4 Dice, +10 bonus)
[] Mission: Orbital Scan (Write-in) (for example: Neptune, Saturn or Uranus) (Requires one Die)(Gas Giants have the main planet, each major moon, and rings+minor moons as locations)
-Titania
[] Mission: Survey Mission (Write-in) (Requires one Die)
-Mercury
-Titan
[] Mission: Research Base (Write-in) 0/150
---
Missions
Total Pathfinder Time: 90 days
Current Maintenance time: 3 days
Mechanics update: A Manned Landing mission is required before you may plan (or execute) Pathfinder surveys or a Research Base for that location. (This doesn't apply to gas giants, since you cannot land on them.)
Mercury: 9 days
Venus: 9 days
Mars: 10 days
Asteroid Belt: 13 days
Jupiter: 20 days
Saturn: 26 days
Uranus: 36 days
Neptune: 45 days
Pluto: 51 days
Mercury (12 Pathfinder days)
---
Venus (12 Pathfinder days)
---
Mars (13 Pathfinder days)
[] Rover Delivery-Mars
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location) (22/50 locations surveyed)
[] Mars Pathfinder Survey
(Required for activation: 20 Pathfinder days) (Max 2 surveys per pathfinder trip) (22/50 locations surveyed)
Asteroid Belt (16 Pathfinder days)
[] Rover Delivery-Ceres
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location) (2/15 locations surveyed)
[] Surface Scan - Triton
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
[] Observation Probes - Neptune's Minor Moons + Rings
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
Pluto (51 Pathfinder days)
[]Pluto Rover Delivery
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location)(0/10 Locations surveyed)
[]Charon Rover Delivery
(Required for activation: 4IP per Location)(0/5 Locations surveyed)
--- Eris(85 Pathfinder days)
[] Orbital scan
There is little practical benefit of scanning a dwarf planet this far away but it would be the most distant object visited by the Pathfinder
(Required for activation: 6IP or 4 Pathfinder days)
Other
[] Voyager Visitation
The Voyager probes were the first and only of Mankind's creations that reached the Interstellar void between the stars. Their position has been extrapolated and, using Pathfinder, the SCED could catch up to their theoretical position to place a higher power beacon next to them and secure the probes inside a protective, armored shell.
(Required for activation: 90 Pathfinder days)
—
Earthside Facilities (Unlimited Dice, +5 bonus)
-[] Isolinear Computing Center (Phase 2) 134/200 1 die 40%, 2 dice 85%, 3 dice 98%
-[] Mission: Orbital Scan (Write-in) 1 die auto
-[] Mission: Surface Exploration (Write-in) 1 die auto
-[] Mission: Manned Landing (Write-in) 1 die auto
-[] Mission: Research Base (Write-in) 0/150 2 dice 26%, 3 dice 73%, 4 dice 94%
Thanks to @BOTcommander for helping me extensively and for writing many of this turn's project entries, @sunrise for his run of SCED, and @Simon_Jester for prompting me to go back to this and finish it.
AP - Apparent internal power struggles within the Brotherhood of Nod factions located in YZ-13 have apparently drawn the attention of multiple arms of the Global Defense Initiative military as well as InOps. A failed assassination attempt on a regional warlord, combined with multiple drops from the Orbital Strike Regimental Combat Teams deep within Nod-controlled territory, have resulted in moderate GDI ground force casualties with no apparent territorial gains. Testimony by refugees fleeing the area indicates an on-going purge within the ranks of the Brotherhood military as the affected leadership attempts to re-consolidate its power following the defection and execution of several middle and high-ranking officers. Ground Force and OSRCT spokespeople were unavailable for comment at the time of writing.
---
Our Journalistic Integrity Policy
Our Military Operational Security Compliance Policy
Our Legal Disclaimer Submitted for EVA-INT screening 10272060
EVA-INT screening and recommended edits completed 11132060
----
October 20, 2060
NP - The monolithic hegemon that is the GDI may control the planet's orbit, but that doesn't mean they have free reign over the surface. Multiple incursions, from orbital, air and ground forces, have been repelled by the valiant defenders of YZ-13. Additionally, information obtained during the GDI assault has led our confessors to uncover significant treachery in our ranks, including a plot to assassinate our highest leadership! This plot has been foiled and those responsible have been executed, with some few remaining cowards fleeing. To compensate for their inability to tackle actual opponents, their power-armored GDI goons abducted multiple children from a daycare facility for unknown reasons, while firing heavy weapons in the vicinity without regard for the lives of non-combatants. Our condolences go out to those affected by this outrage, and we will re-double our efforts to crush the collection of heretics that is the GDI.
--- One Vision, One Purpose
Local Militant Recruitment Office Finder
Technical Evaluation Registration
AN: @Ithillid The last set of point-counterpoint news articles for the time being.
