Remove ads

Per Aspera (Space Agency Plan Quest)

Reader mode
All the same, given continuing attitudes it would probably be better to retain our carve-out and keep advancing terrestrial nuclear tech. Could spare the world a good deal of trouble.
 
[] Plan: Monuments to the Conquerors of Space
Operations (6+0/6) ()
-[] [1 die] Construct an R-3 Snow (25R per dice, 7/80, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[] And give it to the visitor's centre
-[] [3 dice] Construct an R-4a Dawn (30R per dice, 34?/100, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[] [1 die] And launch it (1 Operations dice; specify payload)
---[] Write-in: Boilerplate Mark 1 Single Crew Capsule (45R?) full of commemorative plaques to be placed on monuments
--[] [1 die] And launch it (1 Operations dice; specify payload)
---[] Mark 1 Single Crew Capsule (45R, 1 turn) (0 quarter lifetime)

Programs (1/1) (40R)
No change

Facilities (8+0/8) ()
-[] [3 dice] Build a new Space Center (Singapore) (Phase 2) (35R per dice, 436/600)
-[] [3 dice] Build a Scientific Complex (25R per dice)
--[] Sydney Microelectronics Research Centre (AVIONICS) (290/450)
-[] [2 dice] Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 3) (30R per dice, 474/550) (3 dice, -90R)

Engineering (3+3/6) ()
-[] [LOCKED] Design/Redesign an Orbital Rocket (15R, 1/2 turns, 1 die locked)
-[] [LOCKED] Lander Design Studies (15R, 1/4 turns, 1 die locked)
-[] [LOCKED] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies (25R, 7/8 turns, 1 die locked)
-[] [3 dice] Solar Thermal Rocketry [PHYS] (15R per dice, 100/450)

Science (2+3/5) ()
-[LOCKED] Very Long Range Communications (5R, 2/3 turns, 1 die locked)
-[LOCKED] Transistor Computing Investigations (20R, 3/6 turns, 1 die locked)
-[LOCKED] Synthetic Aperture Radar (20R, 1/4 turns, 1 die locked)
-[] [2 dice] All-Sky Survey (Phase 1) [PHYS] (10R per die, 124/300)

Politics (5/5) ()
-[] [1 die] Coordinate with the AEC (-5R/turn)
-[] [2 dice] Laboratory Talent Scouting - (5R per dice, 0/150)
-[] [2 dice] Propagandize for Space [5R per dice, 138/???)
--[] Write-in: Distribute monuments carrying the names of those who have worked on the space program, made of parts of our first capusle, local materials, and flown plaques, to cities and institutions around the globe.
 
MSH said:
All the same, given continuing attitudes it would probably be better to retain our carve-out and keep advancing terrestrial nuclear tech. Could spare the world a good deal of trouble.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Eh, thanks but no. Our remit doesn't and shouldn't include all terrestrial nuclear power. We got the science off the ground, we've allayed people's fears, and we have our dedicated projects.

This is a generally anarchic utopian setting that doesn't have the incentives IRL does to muck up nuclear power. Moreover we lose a science die when we hand it off which implies the scientists working on it will continue to.

I'm fine with finishing out the 'propagandize' piece and then handing it off. As @Shadows mentioned, we can keep doing our own space related nuclear projects.

This is a space program quest, let's do space program things TYVM.
 
Yeah, agreed with pbluekan. Let's finish propagandize for nuclear power, and then hand it off. It should only take ~a turn if we throw all our politics dice on it. We've done our part.
 
[] Plan: We'll Always Have Oak Ridge
Resources: 135/850
Political Support 80/88
Operations (6/6 dice, 2/2 capacity, 1/1 slot, +3 bonus, 220R)
-[] Construct an R-3 Snow (7/80) (2 dice, 1 capacity, 50R)
--[] And donate it to the Visitor Center
-[] Construct an R-4a Dawn (0/100) (3 dice, 1 capacity, 90R)
-[] Construct a Payload
--[] Lodestone-class impactor (2 mass) (0/1 turn) (1 die, 40R)
-[] Weather Observation Satellites (1 slot, 40R)

Facilities (8/8 dice, +10 bonus, 240R)
-[] Build a new Space Center (Singapore) (436/600) (3 dice, 105R)
-[] Build a Scientific Complex
--[] Sydney Microelectronics Research Centre (AVIONICS) (290/450) (3 dice, 75R)
-[] Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 3) (474/550) (2 dice, 60R)

Engineering (6/6 dice, +9 bonus, 110R)
-[] Lander Design Studies (1/4 turns) (1 die, 15R)
-[] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies (7/8 turns) (1 die, 25R)
-[] Redesign an Orbital Rocket (R-3) (1/2 turns) (1 die, 15R)
-[] Spacesuit Design Studies (0/2 turns) (1 die, 15R)
-[] Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (0/2 turns) (1 die, 25R)
-[] Solar Thermal Rocketry [PHYS] (100/450) (1 die, 15R)

Science (5/5 dice, +9 bonus, 130R)
-[] Animal Cosmonauts (0/1 turn) (1 die, 75R)
-[] All-Sky Survey (Phase 1) [PHYS] (124/300) (1 die, 10R)
-[] Very Long Range Communications (2/3 turns) (1 die, 5R)
-[] Transistor Computing Investigations (3/6 turns) (1 die, 20R)
-[] Synthetic Aperture Radar (1/4 turns) (1 die, 20R)

Politics (5/5 dice, +10 bonus, 5R, 8PS)
-[] Coordinate with the AEC (1 die, 5R/turn)
-[] Propagandize for Nuclear Power (788/???) (4 dice, 8PS)

I am staunchly against giving up any portion of our remit voluntarily. If the World Congress wants us to hand off nuclear research to another body then they can order us to do it.
 
Last edited:
Thoughts and questions:
Shadows said:
--[ ] Lodestone-class impactor (40R, 1 turn) (2 mass) (1 quarter lifetime)
--[ ] Lodestone-class impactor (45R, 1 turn) (4 mass) (4 quarter lifetime)
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
What does it mean for an impactor to have a "lifetime"? Is that how long it takes for it to impact?
Shadows said:
[ ] Animal Cosmonauts - Now that the R-4a and the Mark 1 are both available, it would be wise to do tests on the complete set of systems our cosmonauts will rely on to live and work in space without risking said cosmonauts in case of failures. Perhaps with a chimpanzee, instead. (75R, will complete, dice roll for success, possible PS loss on failure)
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I was getting ready to send some critters to valhalla, but thinking on it more... I am unsure if actually needed? Main question if if we have data recording equipment that can accurately record g-forces and important life support parameters (temperature, CO2 concentration) and beam them back in flight. If we do, I see no reason to not just do some dry runs with 45 kilo sandbags. If we don't, than yeah we need a sacrificial lamb.

Perhaps a chimpanzee is a bad idea either way though. Too liable to pull levers they shouldn't. Maybe a dog instead.
Shadows said:
[ ] Propagandize for Nuclear Power - As the IEC has gained more and more knowledge on the subject of nuclear power, it's become apparent that if you want to put this knowledge to good use for humanity, you'll need to start working against the (justified) stigma nuclear as a whole has in order to realize its full potential. (-1PS per die) (788/???)
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Huh it no longer says it's out of 1000. Did it change, was the number display in the results an error? Anyways yeah we should hand off the nuclear research. If taking that action makes the hand-off happen at the end of the turn, doing it together with finishing terrestrial reactors and one last push on nuclear power is a great way to wrap up the year! If handing it off is exclusive with working on it this turn though, better do it next year (or at the congress).

Also, couple belated reactions on the results post:
Shadows said:
There were murmurs of doing more animal testing with the first capsule or two before sending up a human in one, but it looked distinctly like there would be a person in space before the end of the next year.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
A person at the end of next year? Very optimistic given our double-digit failure rate. Maybe if we crank out R-4a rockets as hard as we can to gain experience and launch the capsule in Q4, we'll just barely make it within comfortable margins.

Shadows said:
The finalization of the 'production' Universal Standard Fission Plant-200 design proceeded apace, detailing in minute detail how to construct a refined and uprated version of the research reactor in New Delhi.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
A standardized reactor designed for serial production? We're already doing way better than OTL, if the nuclear industry does not need to design each power plant like a bespoke artisanal product.
 
General_Urist said:
Thoughts and questions:

What does it mean for an impactor to have a "lifetime"? Is that how long it takes for it to impact?

I was getting ready to send some critters to valhalla, but thinking on it more... I am unsure if actually needed? Main question if if we have data recording equipment that can accurately record g-forces and important life support parameters (temperature, CO2 concentration) and beam them back in flight. If we do, I see no reason to not just do some dry runs with 45 kilo sandbags. If we don't, than yeah we need a sacrificial lamb.

Perhaps a chimpanzee is a bad idea either way though. Too liable to pull levers they shouldn't. Maybe a dog instead.

Huh it no longer says it's out of 1000. Did it change, was the number display in the results an error? Anyways yeah we should hand off the nuclear research. If taking that action makes the hand-off happen at the end of the turn, doing it together with finishing terrestrial reactors and one last push on nuclear power is a great way to wrap up the year! If handing it off is exclusive with working on it this turn though, better do it next year (or at the congress).

Also, couple belated reactions on the results post:

A person at the end of next year? Very optimistic given our double-digit failure rate. Maybe if we crank out R-4a rockets as hard as we can to gain experience and launch the capsule in Q4, we'll just barely make it within comfortable margins.


A standardized reactor designed for serial production? We're already doing way better than OTL, if the nuclear industry does not need to design each power plant like a bespoke artisanal product.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
You have a 0% failure rate on the R-4.

That's a me error with the Propagandize total.

A 'lifetime' is 'how long can the impactor last going to its target' measurement. The 2 mass one is suitable only for the Moon. The 4 mass one can be used with Mars or Venus.
 
General_Urist said:
Who dang when did we achieve that? And how, given the other rockets were far from perfect?

Thanks for the other explanations.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

You can't have a failure rate on a vehicle that hasn't had a failure yet. Everything's technically 100% reliable until something goes wrong.

Like the Falcon 9, which is 99.6% reliable in the Block 5 configuration. It was 100% reliable... and then it fucked over me, personally, by exploding the 2nd stage. The nerve.
 
Etranger said:
I am staunchly against giving up any portion of our remit voluntarily. If the World Congress wants us to hand off nuclear research to another body then they can order us to do it.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
But it's not our remit. Our remit is science, not energy production. We were handed nuclear material because we volunteered to do science with it, which we have done and will continue to do. Are we going to be responsible for building plants all over the globe? We're not the DoE.

It just doesn't make sense for a group that has otherwise made discoveries and then handed them off to the correct parties to hold on to this.
 
Our remit remains science. However, that science doesn't have to be deeply exclusive. We've formed the world's only nucleus of productive nuclear research, and there's little reason not to continue with those lines of investigation just because "it's not space". Reactor improvement is reactor improvement.

There are rational limits, but we've hardly scratched any of them here. As long as this line of investigation remains productive, specializing it is to everyone's detriment.
 
I don't personally like launching a bunch of plaques and flag pins and memorabilia in a 'test vehicle.' It feels...IDK, disrespectful? Do the tests, allocate no more than 5 kilograms to memrobelia.

I think we can probably hand-off nuclear power though, but maybe not *this* turn, maybe at the WC.
 
MSH said:
Our remit remains science. However, that science doesn't have to be deeply exclusive. We've formed the world's only nucleus of productive nuclear research, and there's little reason not to continue with those lines of investigation just because "it's not space". Reactor improvement is reactor improvement.

There are rational limits, but we've hardly scratched any of them here. As long as this line of investigation remains productive, specializing it is to everyone's detriment.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Our remit isn't science. It's space, and the necessary things to get there. We're still doing space reactor research. There's nothing saying we can't collaborate with the nuclear collective later.

We should likely focus on space for that reason.
 
If there are any nuclear related projects we will never do, we should divest that department into its own organization for the benefit of all mankind. Currently however that is not the case, but I would not be surprised if that changed as soon as the current design studies finish.
 
I'm just really excited that this quest almost has interplanetary probes, and at our rate compared to OTL. Luna 2 didn't hit the moon til September '59.
 
Space Murica said:
I'm just really excited that this quest almost has interplanetary probes, and at our rate compared to OTL. Luna 2 didn't hit the moon til September '59.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
You have inspired me good sir, to create a plan to smack the moon in the face.

[X] Plan Punch The Moon
-[X] Construct an R-4a Dawn 34/100 (4 dice, 120R)
--[X] And launch it (2 dice)
---[X] Mark 1 Single Crew Capsule, (Max Q Abort, integration and recovery procedures test, unmanned.)
---[X] Curiosity B High Earth Orbit and color photo return.
-[X]Build a Payload
--[X] Lodestone-class impactor (40R, 1 turn)
--[X] Mark 1 Single Crew Capsule (45R, 1 turn)
-[X] Build a new Space Center (Singapore) (Phase 2 (436/600) (3 dice 105R)
-[X] Build a Scientific Complex
--[X] Sydney Microelectronics Research Centre (AVIONICS) (290/450) (3 dice, 75R)
-[X] Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 3) - (474/550) (2 dice, 60R)
-[X] Design/Redesign an Orbital Rocket [R-3, 1/2 turns] (1 die, 15R)
-[X] Lander Design Studies - (1/4 turns, 15R per turn, 1 dice locked)
-[X] Solar Thermal Rocketry [PHYS] - (100/450) (2 dice, 30R)
-[X] Expandable Nozzles (PROP) (0/400) (1 die, 15R)
-[X] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies - (7/8 turns, 1 locked dice, 25R per turn)
-[X] All-Sky Survey (Phase 1) (124/300) (2 dice, 20R)
-[X] Very Long Range Communications (2/3 turns, 1 die, 5R)
-[X] Synthetic Aperture Radar ( 1/4 turns, 1 die, 20R)
-[X] Transistor Computing Investigations (3/6 turns, 1 die, 20R)
-[X] Coordinate with the AEC (-5R/turn permanently or until coordination ends)
-[X] Propagandize for Nuclear Power (-4 PS, 2 dice)
-[X] Laboratory Talent Scouting - (0/150) (2 dice, 10R)

620R, unless I miss something, and -10R/turn going forward if everything succeeds, but that's a bit unlikely.
 
Last edited:
[X] Plan: We'll Always Have Oak Ridge
-[X] Construct an R-3 Snow (7/80) (2 dice, 1 capacity, 50R)
--[X] And donate it to the Visitor Center
-[X] Construct an R-4a Dawn (0/100) (2 dice, 1 capacity, 60R)
-[X] Construct a Payload
--[X] Lodestone-class impactor (2 mass) (0/1 turn) (1 die, 40R)
--[X] Mark 1 Single Crew Capsule (0/1 turn) (1 die, 45R)
-[X] Weather Observation Satellites (1 slot, 40R)
-[X] Build a new Space Center (Singapore) (436/600) (3 dice, 105R)
-[X] Build a Scientific Complex
--[X] Sydney Microelectronics Research Centre (AVIONICS) (290/450) (3 dice, 75R)
-[X] Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 3) (474/550) (2 dice, 60R)
-[X] Lander Design Studies (1/4 turns) (1 die, 15R)
-[X] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies (7/8 turns) (1 die, 25R)
-[X] Redesign an Orbital Rocket (R-3) (1/2 turns) (1 die, 15R)
-[X] Spacesuit Design Studies (0/2 turns) (1 die, 15R)
-[X] Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (0/2 turns) (1 die, 25R)
-[X] Solar Thermal Rocketry [PHYS] (100/450) (1 die, 15R)
-[X] Animal Cosmonauts (0/1 turn) (1 die, 75R)
-[X] All-Sky Survey (Phase 1) [PHYS] (124/300) (1 die, 10R)
-[X] Very Long Range Communications (2/3 turns) (1 die, 5R)
-[X] Transistor Computing Investigations (3/6 turns) (1 die, 20R)
-[X] Synthetic Aperture Radar (1/4 turns) (1 die, 20R)
-[X] Coordinate with the AEC (1 die, 5R/turn)
-[X] Propagandize for Nuclear Power (788/???) (4 dice, 8PS)
 
Last edited:
[X] Plan Punch The Moon

I like most of this.

I can't vote for Oak Ridge. Can't stomach animal cosmonauts. Frankly IRL, they didn't learn all that much from Laika. She died of overheating and nothing they learned from her remains couldn't have also been measured other ways.
 
[X] Plan: We'll Always Have Oak Ridge
[X] Plan Punch The Moon

Both plans are good.
 
Reader mode
You must login or register to reply here.
Remove ads
Back
Top