Per Aspera (Space Agency Plan Quest)

[ ] [ASSIST] Sergei Korolev
While the debuff to hypergolics suck (perhaps for the better considering how toxic that they are), the fact he adds both a science and engineer die and gives a buff to both is too useful in my opinion. And building a facility in Ukraine won't be too much of an issue. But this does mean we'll have to rush getting an orbital rocket faster than IRL. So no time for spaceplanes until then.
[ ] Plan Rocket Rush
The goal of this plan is to start preparing oursleves for an orbital launch as quickly as possible. Although that does mean we have to spread ourselves out somewhat since, who knew, rocketry is difficult. And orbital rocketry even moreso.
Total Spent: 70R

[] [ASSIST] Sergei Korolev

1) I like the bonuses and think the promises give us a nice concrete goal to aim for. 2) its Korolev. The only other person I think I'd prefer might be Faget... or Sagan. But I don't think Sagan is old enough yet...

[ ] Plan Incremental Improvement
-[] Construct a Sounding Rocket - Having just launched its first sounding rocket, the IEC is very well advised to repeat the feat, this time with a heavier sensor payload to gain more information about the region beyond the edge of the Earth's atmosphere. (10R, 0/40, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you)
-[ ] Construct an Engine Test Stand - Your engineers tell you it's a good idea to have some place specifically built to test engines at, and specifically built to absorb the occasionally energetic failures such testing causes. (10R per die, 0/50, +2 to propulsion projects)
-[ ] Conduct Design Studies (Platform) (Heavy Sounding Rocket) [AERO] - Your small sounding rockets are, well, they work, but they're not as high-performing as you'd like. During the Third Great War, the Empire used a thirteen-tonne rocket as a terror weapon against civilians; that rocket is, approximately, thirteen times as large as the ones you are using, and able to fly at least three times as high, based on your people's calculations. They think they can recreate the design using notes seized from the ruins of the Empire's rocket complex. (5R per die, 0/80, unlocks Heavy Sounding Rocket (and a naming vote because that's unwieldy))
-[ ] Conduct Materials Research (Phase 1) - Better alloys would lead to higher-performing engines and lighter rockets, you were told. All you had to do was authorize the resource expenditure to start testing materials. (15R per die, 0/150, provides access to aluminum structures)
-[ ] Outcome Surveys - In order to get a better handle on exactly what the various councils, committees, and the general public wanted out of the IEC, your staff thinks a survey should be conducted. They'll go out to the various bodies that voted for your creation - and even those who voted against - and see what they'd like to see investigated. (5R per dice, 0/120, get concrete goals to work towards)
-[ ] Rocket Reels - The test footage the IEC produces for scientific value can be easily copied and turned into high-octane spectacle for the purposes of swaying the public's opinion and imagination. The best part is, the more rocket launches you do, the better your reels get. (5R per die, 0/120, gain a coinflip for 1 additional Political Support per quarter; successful rocket launches give you an additional coin flip for each launch.)


The Sounding rocket is the only operational action we can take at the moment so why not. Meanwhile the test stand and Heavy Sounding Rocket work gets us toward bigger and better rockets. Materials Research and Outcome surveys should help with the 'Whats the Space Program done for Us?' problem, and Rocket Reels play nicely with higher launch cadence - which I want.

I'm going with Turing. While I ideally would like him to have a balanced dice load, I suspect that we will have other opportunities to gain dice in the near future, say when our budget is reallocated next year. I think his bonuses are best long term as well.

[] [ASSIST] Alan M. Turing (+10 to AVIONICS- and COMPSCI-tagged projects, +2 Science dice. Request: invest in improved Computer facilities and technologies within 5 years; build an unmanned Orbital satellite within 10 years.)

[] Plan Spaceplanes
-[] Construct a Sounding Rocket (10R, 0/40, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[] And launch it
-[ ] Construct a Hangar (10R per die, 0/100, allows constructing spaceplane prototypes)
-[ ] Conduct Design Studies (Platform) (Spaceplane Development) [AERO] (5R per die, 0/100, unlocks Prototype Spaceplane) (2 dice)
-[ ] Improved Instrumentation Development (Tech) [AVIONICS] (5R per dice, 0/100, improves scientific outcomes from Sounding Rockets)
-[ ] Research Program Outreach (10R per dice, 10/120, gives +2 bonus to 1d4 research areas (including engineering))
-[ ] Outcome Surveys (5R per dice, 0/120, get concrete goals to work towards) (2 dice)
-[ ] Shaking Trees (5R per dice, 0/100, variable reward)
-[ ] Rocket Boxes (Phase I) (5R per die, 0/200. Gives Rocket Boxes to every middle-school, high-school and university or equivalent in Africa. Encourages future African scientists and engineers - some of whom will even come work with the IEC.)

came up w/ this plan, which is spaceplanes focused and costs 65R

CyberEnby said:

-[][] Second Stages (Tech) [AERO, PHYS] (10R per die, 0/200, gain the ability to make 2-stage rockets)

Second stages are a must for an orbital vehicle. And with a 200 point project, we should start this soon because we'll still have to sink at least one die into it next turn.

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Why are you doing this ahead of heavy rockets? Seems like building bigger is a logical next step? Might even offer progress discounts. I know you want to wait until after we have an improved engine, but, well.

CyberEnby said:

-[][] Improved Instrumentation Development (Tech) [AVIONICS] (5R per dice, 0/100, improves scientific outcomes from Sounding Rockets)

This is a relatively cheap project, and the sooner we take it the more we maximize out boni to future missions by getting more data.
Not to mention it could open up things like cameras for taking pictured from a space - sure to be a hit with the public.

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Judging from the flavor text, I think that we need bigger rockets with more payload capacity to make use of this. Given we have already used one of the instruments, we have only one useful launch left with the small rockets. I would prefer to have to redesign the rocket one extra time compared to needing to wait before we can do more launches.

CyberEnby said:

Politics (3 dice, +10 bonus, reroll 1 failure per turn)
-[] Outcome Surveys (5R per dice, 0/120, get concrete goals to work towards)
-[] Shaking Trees (5R per dice, 0/100, variable reward)
-[] Council Liaison Office (5R, establishes a Council Liaison Office, provides details on the state of Council funding priorities, budget, infrastructure status, etc.)

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Why are you putting only one die on outcome surveys? That would mean we can't get concrete goals until Q4 at the earliest, when it seems our budget is altered every year?

Edit: Judging from last turn's results post, we already have regen cooling, so we don't need to wait on the test stand for it to go in the heavy rocket. I think that the test stand is for future development work

Here's a plan aimed at moving us towards the first launch of a heavy sounding rocket using our own hardware in Q2 of next year. I think that's a good target to set because the large sounding rocket is a major step in not only payload capacity but also in grappling with engines, flight control and other key issues. A year gives us time to spread out our dice while still getting some better technology into what could be a design that lasts us a while. Since our resources are very limited compared to our dice right now, I don't necessarily see a strategy of rushing out a V2-alike to kickstart our rocket industry as helpful.

Now, this ended up becoming more and more similar to CyberEnby's plan as I edited it and I'm honestly not sure which is better, but posting it for consideration and because I already wrote it.

[] Plan: A Rocket of our Own (65R)

Operations does another launch, though resources may not permit doing one every turn in the future.

-[ ] Operations: 10R
--[ ] 10R, 0/40, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
---[ ] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you)

Facilities begins an engine test stand, which should help development somewhat while also probably being safer than whatever we use now. There's a very good chance we can get it and the launch pad done by Q2 1952, and about a 50% chance of earlier.

-[ ] Facilities: 10R
--[ ] Construct an Engine Test Stand (10R per die, 0/50, +2 to propulsion projects)

In Engineering, since we have slack in the timeline here, I put dice into second stages (which we can use on future small sounding rockets as well as any further-off large designs).

-[ ] Engineering: 20R
--[ ][ ] Second Stages (Tech) [AERO, PHYS] - (10R per die, 0/200, gain the ability to make 2-stage rockets)

Unfortunately Science is the squeeze in the timeline if we want to get improved instrumentation soon while also getting improved materials and fuels in the new rocket. We have enough dice for that + research outreach assuming average rolls, but this plan delays putting dice in the research outreach program just in case.

-[ ] Science: 10R
--[ ][ ] Improved Instrumentation Development (Tech) [AVIONICS] - (5R per dice, 0/100, improves scientific outcomes from Sounding Rockets)

For Politics, it's another dice spread. I think the Council Liasion office is worth getting soon so that we can get a general picture of the situation, while Outcome Surveys is something we just need to work towards. I'm not prioritizing it more because I don't think the general direction of this plan ignores anything that's likely to be a huge priority. Another die goes to Rocket Boxes to show commitment to and inspire the personnel we need for a global program, and because the initial round of them was such a success. Not bothering with Shaking Trees because the whole idea here is to delay a heavier rocket and put our own tech into it, not duplicate

-[ ] Politics: 15R
--[ ] Outcome Surveys - (5R per dice, 0/120, get concrete goals to work towards)
--[ ] Council Liaison Office - (5R, establishes a Council Liaison Office, provides details on the state of Council funding priorities, budget, infrastructure status, etc.)
--[ ] Rocket Boxes (Phase I) (5R per die, 0/200. Gives Rocket Boxes to every middle-school, high-school and university or equivalent in Africa. Encourages future African scientists and engineers - some of whom will even come work with the IEC.)

Hunter531 said:

Why are you doing this ahead of heavy rockets? Seems like building bigger is a logical next step? Might even offer progress discounts. I know you want to wait until after we have an improved engine, but, well.

Judging from the flavor text, I think that we need bigger rockets with more payload capacity to make use of this. Given we have already used one of the instruments, we have only one useful launch left with the small rockets. I would prefer to have to redesign the rocket one extra time compared to needing to wait before we can do more launches.

Why are you putting only one die on outcome surveys? That would mean we can't get concrete goals until Q4 at the earliest, when it seems our budget is altered every year?

Edit: Judging from last turn's results post, we already have regen cooling, so we don't need to wait on the test stand for it to go in the heavy rocket. I think that the test stand is for future development work

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I want to crack the keystone techs for orbital before building a heavy rocket so that we don't have to redesign a heavy rocket later to incorporate them.

What? Where does it say we have finite numbers of instrument packages?

With the +10 we have, it's just as likely that we'll have the results by Q3 actually. Basically, doing a smaller investment now hedges against a high roll (ie: if we roll really well in Shaking Trees, the +10 could carry us over the completion threshold). We can always use more dice later, we can't get back dice we spend overshooting.
(It's a super minor thing tho, I can easily throw two dice at outcome surveys this turn and two dice at Shaking Trees next turn if people prefer it.)

I was under the impression we need the test stand to deploy regen cooling? @Shadows?

CyberEnby said:

I want to crack the keystone techs for orbital before building a heavy rocket so that we don't have to redesign a heavy rocket later to incorporate them.

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And I think it's better get the heavy rocket working now and redesign once we have a significant amount of improvements, because it gives more visible progress for the politicians and there will pretty much always be something else we can research to improve the rocket.

CyberEnby said:

What? Where does it say we have finite numbers of instrument packages?

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It's fairly subtle but the improved instrument option mentioned that our people figured out two instruments to put in the rocket, a Geiger counter and a magnetic field measurement device. We already sent up the Geiger counter, so that leaves the magnetic field measurement device.

If that seems like not a lot of stuff, that's because it isn't. In all fairness though, we had only a 25% chance of successfully getting the rocket built and Geiger counter airborne in turn 1.

CyberEnby said:

With the +10 we have, it's just as likely that we'll have the results by Q3 actually. Basically, doing a smaller investment now hedges against a high roll (ie: if we roll really well in Shaking Trees, the +10 could carry us over the completion threshold). We can always use more dice later, we can't get back dice we spend overshooting.
(It's a super minor thing tho, I can easily throw two dice at outcome surveys this turn and two dice at Shaking Trees next turn if people prefer it.)

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To quote a certain move "I think what we have here is a failure to communicate". I meant I wanted it done by the start of Q3, so we have two turns of not flying blind instead of only one. That way if certain projects are really popular with certain groups we can get them done before it's time for our budget to be reviewed. Having only one turn leaves too much risk of the dice gods being angry and screwing us over.

CyberEnby said:

I want to crack the keystone techs for orbital before building a heavy rocket so that we don't have to redesign a heavy rocket later to incorporate them.

What? Where does it say we have finite numbers of instrument packages?

With the +10 we have, it's just as likely that we'll have the results by Q3 actually. Basically, doing a smaller investment now hedges against a high roll (ie: if we roll really well in Shaking Trees, the +10 could carry us over the completion threshold). We can always use more dice later, we can't get back dice we spend overshooting.
(It's a super minor thing tho, I can easily throw two dice at outcome surveys this turn and two dice at Shaking Trees next turn if people prefer it.)

I was under the impression we need the test stand to deploy regen cooling? @Shadows?

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You don't, but it sure would help with initial reliability if you could test the engine before putting it on the rocket.

Hunter531 said:

And I think it's better get the heavy rocket working now and redesign once we have a significant amount of improvements, because it gives more visible progress for the politicians and there will pretty much always be something else we can research to improve the rocket.

It's fairly subtle but the improved instrument option mentioned that our people figured out two instruments to put in the rocket, a Geiger counter and a magnetic field measurement device. We already sent up the Geiger counter, so that leaves the magnetic field measurement device.

If that seems like not a lot of stuff, that's because it isn't. In all fairness though, we had only a 25% chance of successfully getting the rocket built and Geiger counter airborne in turn 1.

To quote a certain move "I think what we have here is a failure to communicate". I meant I wanted it done by the start of Q3, so we have two turns of not flying blind instead of only one. That way if certain projects are really popular with certain groups we can get them done before it's time for our budget to be reviewed. Having only one turn leaves too much risk of the dice gods being angry and screwing us over.

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For everyone's information, you can do experiments multiple times. It's... rather part of the point.

Basically, science experiments - for your purposes - are effectively unlimited for a given 'set' or 'tech level'.

Hunter531 said:

And I think it's better get the heavy rocket working now and redesign once we have a significant amount of improvements, because it gives more visible progress for the politicians and there will pretty much always be something else we can research to improve the rocket.

It's fairly subtle but the improved instrument option mentioned that our people figured out two instruments to put in the rocket, a Geiger counter and a magnetic field measurement device. We already sent up the Geiger counter, so that leaves the magnetic field measurement device.

If that seems like not a lot of stuff, that's because it isn't. In all fairness though, we had only a 25% chance of successfully getting the rocket built and Geiger counter airborne in turn 1.

To quote a certain move "I think what we have here is a failure to communicate". I meant I wanted it done by the start of Q3, so we have two turns of not flying blind instead of only one. That way if certain projects are really popular with certain groups we can get them done before it's time for our budget to be reviewed. Having only one turn leaves too much risk of the dice gods being angry and screwing us over.

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I disagree on your analysis? There's a lot of feedback loops in rockets, researching the individual components before integrating them is going to lead to less duplication of work no matter how we square it.

Oh, honestly between Shaking Trees and Outcome Surveys, I would say Shaking Trees should actually have higher priority because of the incoming resource crunch. Outcome Surveys are also urgent, but we can't actually fulfill goals without resources, and right now we're in the middle of building up basic infrastructure so there's not a lot of decisions to be made. No matter what the Council wants we still need to do the stuff we're focusing on before addressing their desires.

Korolev has my vote. He's a no nonsense pick that gives good bonuses to rocketry. His demands are fairly reasonable and won't lock us into one path or another like the other candidates. He's not demanding a manned or unmanned system nor is he trying to convince us to go with his pet rocket design. He wants safe, reliable fuel in use for rockets, which is what we want as well. We need functional rockets to build a space agency and he gives us that. We need to be able to walk before we can run.

CyberEnby said:

I disagree on your analysis? There's a lot of feedback loops in rockets, researching the individual components before integrating them is going to lead to less duplication of work no matter how we square it.

Oh, honestly between Shaking Trees and Outcome Surveys, I would say Shaking Trees should actually have higher priority because of the incoming resource crunch. Outcome Surveys are also urgent, but we can't actually fulfill goals without resources, and right now we're in the middle of building up basic infrastructure so there's not a lot of decisions to be made. No matter what the Council wants we still need to do the stuff we're focusing on before addressing their desires.

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I know that building the heavy rocket sooner rather than later will lead to more duplication of work. What I am trying to convey is that building the heavy rocket now looks better to the powers that be. Impressed powers that be will be more free with our funding, likely giving us more resources, both in funding and in dice. Resources that can be used for redesigning in the rocket.

It's the same reason I prioritize Outcome Surveys. Let's look at spaceplanes, since we know they are an easy sell to the People's Forum. Building a prototype spaceplane and the hanger to house it might be premature at the moment. However, if Outcome Surveys tells us that building a spaceplane and a hanger to house it before Q4 will give us 10R a turn plus a free die, we will have turned a profit by Q4 of next year, assuming average dice rolls.

This doesn't take into account the fickleness of the dice among other factors, but you get the idea. Spend resources "inefficiently" now in order to gain more resources later. It helps that our character is really good at politics, and political outreach is likely to be a very good way of impressing the People's Forum given the stated reason for the IEC's founding. It's not like our budget shortfall is likely to constrain us before our next budget review after all.

Edit: Was waiting for someone else to post to avoid a double post, but given nobody has done so, I'll just add my plans to my old post instead.
[ ] Plan Go Big or Go Home
Operations
[ ] Construct a Sounding Rocket (10R, 0/40, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
-[ ] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you)
Facilities
[ ] Construct a Heavy Sounding Rocket launch site
Engineering
[ ][ ]Conduct Design Studies (Platform) (Heavy Sounding Rocket) [AERO]
Science
[ ][ ] Improved Instrumentation Development (Tech) [AVIONICS] - (5R per dice, 0/100, improves scientific outcomes from Sounding Rockets)
Politics
[ ][ ] Outcome Surveys
[ ] Shaking Trees

60R used/85R available

My attempt at a plan that makes a priority of getting the heavy rocket ready for action sooner rather than later. I'm not too sure about the second die on heavy rockets (since it's far from a guarantee that we will have the launch facility and improved sensor suite next turn and am open to suggestions on where to put it. Still, having two dice on outcome surveys is significantly more important to me than heavy rockets, as such.
[] [PLAN] Two Stages With Outcome Surveys

Operations
-[] Construct a Sounding Rocket (10R, 0/40, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you)
Facilities
-[] Construct an Engine Test Stand (10R per die, 0/50, +2 to propulsion projects)

Engineering (2 dice, +1 Bonus to All)
-[][] Second Stages (Tech) [AERO, PHYS] (10R per die, 0/200, gain the ability to make 2-stage rockets)


Science (2 dice, +1 Bonus to All)
-[][] Improved Instrumentation Development (Tech) [AVIONICS] (5R per dice, 0/100, improves scientific outcomes from Sounding Rockets)

Politics (3 dice, +10 bonus, reroll 1 failure per turn)
-[][]Outcome Surveys (5R per dice, 0/120, get concrete goals to work towards)
-[] Shaking Trees (5R per dice, 0/100, variable reward)

This is a copy paste of CyberEnby's well-reasoned plan with an extra die on outcome surveys. By the way, @Shadows is approval voting allowed?

Hunter531 said:

This is a copy paste of CyberEnby's well-reasoned plan with an extra die on outcome surveys. By the way, @Shadows is approval voting allowed?

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Yes, it is.

[X] [ASSIST] Alan M. Turing

Just voting for Mr. Turing for now, will check what plans are made and vote for that later.

[X] [ASSIST] Sergei Korolev
[X] [ASSIST] Jack Parsons

We need the extra engineering dice which rules out Turing, spaceplanes are less than ideal so that rules out Yao, we already have a politics heavy Director so Abdul isn't as useful, and Parson's focus is good but I think Korolev's is better overall.

[X] PLAN: Two Stages Are Better Than One

Operations
-[] Construct a Sounding Rocket (10R, 0/40, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you)

Second verse same as the first. We keep the rockets flying to gain more data and show results.

Facilities
-[X] Construct an Engine Test Stand (10R per die, 0/50, +2 to propulsion projects)

We have regen cooling, and I desperately want to actually implement that before we design our next bigger rocket. Not to mention it might unlock better turbopump development.

Engineering (2 dice, +1 Bonus to All)
-[X] (2 Dice) Second Stages (Tech) [AERO, PHYS] (10R per die, 0/200, gain the ability to make 2-stage rockets)

Second stages are a must for an orbital vehicle. And with a 200 point project, we should start this soon because we'll still have to sink at least one die into it next turn.

Science (2 dice, +1 Bonus to All)
-[X] (2 Dice) Improved Instrumentation Development (Tech) [AVIONICS] (5R per dice, 0/100, improves scientific outcomes from Sounding Rockets)

This is a relatively cheap project, and the sooner we take it the more we maximize out boni to future missions by getting more data.
Not to mention it could open up things like cameras for taking pictured from a space - sure to be a hit with the public.

Politics (3 dice, +10 bonus, reroll 1 failure per turn)
-[X] (2 Dice) Outcome Surveys (5R per dice, 0/120, get concrete goals to work towards)
-[X] Shaking Trees (5R per dice, 0/100, variable reward)


Shaking Trees needs to be done in the first year or it will disappear (also note how our resources are trending down, we could use an infusion to stem the tide that will come from adding two dice next turn). I've also been convinced to double up on Outcome Surveys.


Total Resources Used: 65/85

[X] [ASSIST] Jack Parsons

I'll weigh in on a plan if things get contentious, but until then, I'd like to talk about Jack Parsons. Here are just a few snippets of his Wikipedia article:

Article:

The trio focused their distinct skills on collaborative rocket development; Parsons was the chemist, Forman the machinist, and Malina the technical theoretician. [...] Sharing socialist values, they operated on an egalitarian basis; Malina taught the others about scientific procedure and they taught him about the practical elements of rocketry. They often socialized, smoking marijuana and drinking, while Malina and Parsons set about writing a semiautobiographical science fiction screenplay they planned to pitch to Hollywood with strong anti-capitalist and pacifist themes.

Article:

Malina recounted that Parsons was inspired to use asphalt by the ancient incendiary weapon Greek fire; in a 1982 talk for the International Association of Astronomical Artists, Captain Boushey stated that Parsons experienced an epiphany after watching workers using molten asphalt to fix tiles onto a roof. Known as GALCIT-53, this fuel proved to be significantly more stable than the Group's earlier concoctions, fulfilling Parsons' aim of creating a restricted-burn rocket fuel inside a castable container, and providing a thrust 427% more powerful than that of GALCIT-27.

Article:

[Parsons, his wife, and another couple], along with a number of other Thelemites (some of whom with their children), moved to 1003 South Orange Grove Boulevard, an American Craftsman-style mansion. They all contributed to the rent of $100 a month and lived communally in what replaced Winona Boulevard as the new base of the Agape Lodge, maintaining an allotment and slaughtering their own livestock for meat as well as blood rituals.[85]​ Parsons decorated his new room with a copy of the Stele of Revealing, a statue of Pan, and his collection of swords and daggers. He converted the garage and laundry room into a chemical laboratory and often held science fiction discussion meetings in the kitchen, and entertained the children with hunts for fairies in the 25-acre garden.[86]​

I mean, how cool is this guy?​

[X] [ASSIST] Jack Parsons

Etranger said:

[X] [ASSIST] Jack Parsons

I'll weigh in on a plan if things get contentious, but until then, I'd like to talk about Jack Parsons. Here are just a few snippets of his Wikipedia article:

Article:

The trio focused their distinct skills on collaborative rocket development; Parsons was the chemist, Forman the machinist, and Malina the technical theoretician. [...] Sharing socialist values, they operated on an egalitarian basis; Malina taught the others about scientific procedure and they taught him about the practical elements of rocketry. They often socialized, smoking marijuana and drinking, while Malina and Parsons set about writing a semiautobiographical science fiction screenplay they planned to pitch to Hollywood with strong anti-capitalist and pacifist themes.

Article:

Malina recounted that Parsons was inspired to use asphalt by the ancient incendiary weapon Greek fire; in a 1982 talk for the International Association of Astronomical Artists, Captain Boushey stated that Parsons experienced an epiphany after watching workers using molten asphalt to fix tiles onto a roof. Known as GALCIT-53, this fuel proved to be significantly more stable than the Group's earlier concoctions, fulfilling Parsons' aim of creating a restricted-burn rocket fuel inside a castable container, and providing a thrust 427% more powerful than that of GALCIT-27.

Article:

[Parsons, his wife, and another couple], along with a number of other Thelemites (some of whom with their children), moved to 1003 South Orange Grove Boulevard, an American Craftsman-style mansion. They all contributed to the rent of $100 a month and lived communally in what replaced Winona Boulevard as the new base of the Agape Lodge, maintaining an allotment and slaughtering their own livestock for meat as well as blood rituals.[85]​ Parsons decorated his new room with a copy of the Stele of Revealing, a statue of Pan, and his collection of swords and daggers. He converted the garage and laundry room into a chemical laboratory and often held science fiction discussion meetings in the kitchen, and entertained the children with hunts for fairies in the 25-acre garden.[86]​

I mean, how cool is this guy?​

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I want Korolev to win, but I dearly, dearly want Parsons on staff. You know what. I'm going to approval vote.

[X] [ASSIST] Sergei Korolev
Still thinking about which plan to support

[X] [ASSIST] Alan M. Turing
[X] [ASSIST] Aretas Abdul
[X] PLAN: Two Stages Are Better Than One

[X] [ASSIST] Alan M. Turing
[X] Plan Go Big or Go Home
[X] PLAN: Two Stages Are Better Than One

[X] [ASSIST] Alan M. Turing

Information (and the dice bonuses it will bring) is the pathway to success, that's what science is based on.

[X] Plan: Informative Progression

Operations:

-[X] Construct a Sounding Rocket - (10R, 0/40, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)

--[X] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you)

If it ain't broke, and you have no other options, then don't fix it.

Facilities:

-[X] Construct a Heavy Sounding Rocket launch site - (15R per die, 0/60, allows launch of the Heavy Sounding Rocket and theoretical derivatives up to 30 tons)

As much as I love space planes, big rockets are just a better way to go at the moment. This gets us closer to big rockets.

Engineering:

-[X] Conduct Design Studies (Platform) (Heavy Sounding Rocket) [AERO] - (5R per die, 0/80, unlocks Heavy Sounding Rocket (and a naming vote because that's unwieldy))

-[X] Second Stages (Tech) [AERO, PHYS] - (10R per die, 0/200, gain the ability to make 2-stage rockets)

Currently we can't get nearly as many scientific instruments as we would like into our rockets. This also gets us closer to big rocket's.

Science:

-[X] Improved Instrumentation Development (Tech) [AVIONICS] - (5R per dice, 0/100, improves scientific outcomes from Sounding Rockets)

-[X] Research Program Outreach - (10R per dice, 10/120, gives +2 bonus to 1d4 research areas (including engineering))

Fitting more instruments and finishing up the outreach program both get us better scientific outcomes.

Politics:

-[X] Outcome Surveys - (5R per dice, 0/120, get concrete goals to work towards)

-[X] Council Liaison Office - (5R, establishes a Council Liaison Office, provides details on the state of Council funding priorities, budget, infrastructure status, etc.)

-[X] Rocket Boxes (Phase I) - (5R per die, 0/200. Gives Rocket Boxes to every middle-school, high-school and university or equivalent in Africa. Encourages future African scientists and engineers - some of whom will even come work with the IEC.)

We need to know what we need to do in order to do it, thus why Outcome Surveys and the Council Liaison Office are so important. However we should also devote a die to ensuring the next generation of scientists can help us along.

85-75+55=65 Resources