Remove ads

Fly me to the Moon (Space Race Council Quest)

Reader mode
I feel like there's a simultaneous expansion path there, both making a slightly bigger pad and crew rating it to do the ICBM and the early crewed missions. Passenger Rocket, incidentally, is cheap to do and provides +6 rather than the +4 for other T3 missions, we should target it.
 
Remove ads
Routine 8, Results 3: January-June 1954
  • Threadmarks
    • January 1954 - Undertake Capital
    Partial Failure - Nothing gained and nothing lost

    February 1954 - Research Structural Steel Tanks
    Partial Success - Gain technology!

    March 1953 - Research Early Nuclear Warhead
    Partial Success - Gain technology!

    April 1954 - Design LA-30 Block B
    Partial Success -All proceeds as expected

    May 1954 - Plan LA-31 Launch Vehicle
    Partial Failure - Due to Issues with the Launch Vehicle Design, Reduce Control by 1.
    Partial Success on re-roll! - No issues with the design.

    June 1954 - Order 2 LA-31 Launch Vehicle
    Partial Success - Both vehicles will be available for Scheduling in August 1954.
    Remaining Budget: (23.7-(3.791x2)= 16.118C

    Dessard, Please repost the LA-31 Launch Vehicle with the Control modifier so I can copy it into the Directory
    Create a Plan for this Turn (6 actions, one action per councillor). If a flight is scheduled, the turn will be interrupted after that months action and restart afterwards.
    Select from:
    [ ] Design
    [ ] Plan
    [ ] Order
    [ ] Schedule
    [ ] Modify
    [ ] Construct
    [ ] Research
    [ ] Undertake
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • We might want to use a Connections point to reroll that Plan roll, as we don't have a lot of Control to spare.
     
    Okay then. AIUI, we don't need to research anything else for the upcoming launch, right? If so, then I'd suggest something like this:

    -[]Petrova (+3): Design payload
    -[]Paton (+2): Schedule a launch
    -[]Orlovsky (+2): Construct something to use up our remaining annual budget
    -[]Pavlyuk (+3): Undertake capital
    -[]Kovalenko (+1): Research something low priority or undertake capital
    -[]Kilesso (+1): Research something low priority
     
    Last edited:
    I want to go for Solar Cells, we're going to want them soonish. The crewed stuff is going to need a lot of research, mind, we may want to get started on that. I don't want to go for microbioscience payloads without knowing what the rewards are, but I have to say that for the price of the module they'd have to be significant for me to be interested.
     
    FrangibleCover said:
    I want to go for Solar Cells, we're going to want them soonish. The crewed stuff is going to need a lot of research, mind, we may want to get started on that. I don't want to go for microbioscience payloads without knowing what the rewards are, but I have to say that for the price of the module they'd have to be significant for me to be interested.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Yeah, we could try and squeeze some crewed research in. I'll have to do the math later to see if we can manage a crewed pod that can be used on the IRBM's first stage, but if we can, then that's a good thing to work on researching in the "background" while we try and get to orbit. Solar cells are pretty important for our satellite launches as well. (edit: it seems we can; the question is probably mostly "how much do we want to have common to this and our future proletarian orbital bus service")

    I do want to push hard on Capital because getting Source:Capital would be huge. When you combine it with our ability to launch 4 rockets per year, we'd basically be doubling our annual operating budget. Getting "fuck you" levels of money for our space program would allow for so much freedom - building massive launch complexes, endless redesign rolls until we get 20s and can apply positive optimizations, etc. Of course, it'd be a very boring ~5 years for CyberFemme, so I wouldn't force it on her, but _ALL THE CAPITAL!!!_
     
    Last edited:
    Looking at the actions we'd probably want for the crewed suborbital launches, I think we'd definitely need the following actions:
    - Research Back-up Chute
    - Research Human-Rated Chute
    - Research Flight Seat
    - Research Early Environmental Systems
    - Design the payload
    - Construct Astronaut Center
    - Recruit
    - Plan the single-stage launch vehicle
    - Order 2 or more launch vehicles
    - Schedule 2 or more launches

    In addition, for extra safety, it'd be good to get:
    - Ejection Seat
    - Radar Guidance
    - Reaction Control
    - Flight Controls

    All that might increase our budget by as much as 24 (4 + 6 + 10% of our peak pre-orbit budget twice), or by maybe 40% compared to not doing it. That seems big for maybe a year and a half to two years, but it doesn't beat the SRBM to Orbital Science path for money-per-year and I don't think it would push us up over any critical threshold for affording key infrastructure.

    So while we should be researching that stuff because we'll need it eventually, I think it should probably still be fit in at a rate that doesn't interfere with progress towards a satellite or ICBM. If nothing else, we can grab those objectives later with test launches of orbital spacecraft.
     
    Last edited:
    Dessard said:
    Looking at the actions we'd probably want for the crewed suborbital launches, I think we'd definitely need the following actions:
    - Research Back-up Chute
    - Research Human-Rated Chute
    - Research Flight Seat
    - Research Early Environmental Systems
    - Design the payload
    - Construct Astronaut Center
    - Recruit
    - Plan the single-stage launch vehicle
    - Order 2 or more launch vehicles
    - Schedule 2 or more launches

    In addition, for extra safety, it'd be good to get:
    - Ejection Seat
    - Radar Guidance
    - Reaction Control
    - Flight Controls

    All that might increase our budget by as much as 24 (4 + 6 + 10% of our peak pre-orbit budget twice), or by maybe 40% compared to not doing it. That seems big for maybe a year and a half to two years, but it doesn't beat the SRBM to Orbital Science path for money-per-year and I don't think it would push us up over any critical threshold for affording key infrastructure.

    So while we should be researching that stuff because we'll need it eventually, I think it should probably still be fit in at a rate that doesn't interfere with progress towards a satellite or ICBM. If nothing else, we can grab those objectives later with test launches of orbital spacecraft.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Agreed. I was assuming we'd do it after Orbital Science no matter what; I don't see a need to deviate from that track.

    That said, by my math it brings us up to about $80/year plus 1.21*[the reward for orbital science). Since I think it should be possible to make a stripped-down version of our future orbital passenger shuttle that fits on top of the IRBM (SRBs may be required), it might be a good way to get a bit more money and fill the gap prior to when we can send humans to orbit?
     
    Remove ads
    Objekt 3
  • Apocrypha
    • So, if my understanding of the payload is correct, then how's this for a plan:

    [] Plan: Split the Atom
    -[]Orlovsky (+2): Construct Astronaut Training Centre
    -[]Petrova (+3): Design Объект 3
    -[]Paton (+2): Schedule launch of LA-31 carrying Объект 3
    -[]Pavlyuk (+3): Undertake (Capital)
    -[]Kovalenko (+1): Research Programmed Control
    -[]Kilesso (+1): Research Solar Cells

    Ob'iekt 3:
    • Early Nuclear Warhead (.4, .25)
    • Radio Direction and Control (2%, 2C/M)
    • Sub-orbital Heat Shield (10%, 5%)
    Giving a total mass of 0.4488 tons and a cost of $0.28098 (rounding up to 0.281).

    This leaves us with $15.837+$1 (from the prestige objective) for constructing something. Our options are thus:
    • 0.42 ton hypersonic wind tunnel (good for 42 ton RVs!)
    • 33.67 ton uncrewed launch pad.
    • Astronaut Training Centre, leaving $1.837 to disappear.
    • 6.7 ton assembly facility.
    IMO, neither the launch pad nor the assembly facility are particularly efficient ways to spend money (both being below nice thresholds where prices drop), and the hypersonic wind tunnel is too large to be economical - if we have a 42 ton reentry vehicle at any point I am going to cry (even if we do the SWING WING and recover spent Zenit first stages, that's not 42 tons), so we should pay for the hypersonic wind tunnel when we've got $10-$14.9 left over at the end of the year.
    I am changing the genre of music, you cannot stop me.
     
  • Apocrypha
    • How about this:
    C_Z said:
    So, if my understanding of the payload is correct, then how's this for a plan:

    [] Plan: Split the Atom
    -[]Orlovsky (+2): Construct Astronaut Training Centre
    -[]Petrova (+3): Design Объект 3
    -[]Paton (+2): Schedule launch of LA-31 carrying Объект 3
    -[]Pavlyuk (+3): Undertake (Capital)
    -[]Kovalenko (+1): Research Programmed Control
    -[]Kilesso (+1): Research Solar Cells

    Ob'iekt 3:
    • Early Nuclear Warhead (.4, .25)
    • Radio Direction and Control (2%, 2C/M)
    • Sub-orbital Heat Shield (10%, 5%)
    Giving a total mass of 0.4488 tons and a cost of $0.28098 (rounding up to 0.281).

    This leaves us with $15.837+$1 (from the prestige objective) for constructing something. Our options are thus:
    • 0.42 ton hypersonic wind tunnel (good for 42 ton RVs!)
    • 33.67 ton uncrewed launch pad.
    • Astronaut Training Centre, leaving $1.837 to disappear.
    • 6.7 ton assembly facility.
    IMO, neither the launch pad nor the assembly facility are particularly efficient ways to spend money (both being below nice thresholds where prices drop), and the hypersonic wind tunnel is too large to be economical - if we have a 42 ton reentry vehicle at any point I am going to cry (even if we do the SWING WING and recover spent Zenit first stages, that's not 42 tons), so we should pay for the hypersonic wind tunnel when we've got $10-$14.9 left over at the end of the year.
    I am changing the genre of music, you cannot stop me.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    The astronaut center does seem like the best option. I'm not sure about the payload design though, for two reasons - I'm not sure if we need avionics on it or just on the rocket (I think warheads at this point didn't maneuver), and the line for the component says it's 450kg in one place and 400 in another.
     
    [X] Plan: 3
    -[X]Orlovsky (+2): Construct Astronaut Training Centre
    -[X]Petrova (+3): Design Объект 3
    -[X]Paton (+2): Schedule launch of LA-31 carrying Объект 3
    -[X]Pavlyuk (+3): Undertake (Capital)
    -[X]Kovalenko (+1): Research Programmed Control
    -[X]Kilesso (+1): Research Solar Cells

    I actually can stop you, and I can stop you like this.
     
    C_Z said:
    So, if my understanding of the payload is correct, then how's this for a plan:

    [] Plan: Split the Atom
    -[]Orlovsky (+2): Construct Astronaut Training Centre
    -[]Petrova (+3): Design Объект 3
    -[]Paton (+2): Schedule launch of LA-31 carrying Объект 3
    -[]Pavlyuk (+3): Undertake (Capital)
    -[]Kovalenko (+1): Research Programmed Control
    -[]Kilesso (+1): Research Solar Cells

    Ob'iekt 3:
    • Early Nuclear Warhead (.4, .25)
    • Radio Direction and Control (2%, 2C/M)
    • Sub-orbital Heat Shield (10%, 5%)
    Giving a total mass of 0.4488 tons and a cost of $0.28098 (rounding up to 0.281).

    This leaves us with $15.837+$1 (from the prestige objective) for constructing something. Our options are thus:
    • 0.42 ton hypersonic wind tunnel (good for 42 ton RVs!)
    • 33.67 ton uncrewed launch pad.
    • Astronaut Training Centre, leaving $1.837 to disappear.
    • 6.7 ton assembly facility.
    IMO, neither the launch pad nor the assembly facility are particularly efficient ways to spend money (both being below nice thresholds where prices drop), and the hypersonic wind tunnel is too large to be economical - if we have a 42 ton reentry vehicle at any point I am going to cry (even if we do the SWING WING and recover spent Zenit first stages, that's not 42 tons), so we should pay for the hypersonic wind tunnel when we've got $10-$14.9 left over at the end of the year.
    I am changing the genre of music, you cannot stop me.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    If your reusable first stage if more than 30 tonnes then you have either done something fucky or you're using a HLV. In both cases I would question your life choices.

    [X] Plan: 3
     
    Last edited:
    Routine 8, Turn 4: July-December 1954
  • Threadmarks
    • Adhoc vote count started by 4WheelSword on May 8, 2023 at 12:38 PM, finished with 17 posts and 5 votes.
    • [X] Plan: 3
      -[X]Orlovsky (+2): Construct Astronaut Training Centre
      -[X]Petrova (+3): Design Объект 3
      -[X]Paton (+2): Schedule launch of LA-31 carrying Объект 3
      -[X]Pavlyuk (+3): Undertake (Capital)
      -[X]Kovalenko (+1): Research Programmed Control
      -[X]Kilesso (+1): Research Solar Cells
    Click to expand...


    Each councillor should now make their roll. Please include any Move you are using and, if necessary, any relevant Parts or Launch Vehicles stat cards.
    Do not worry about rolling in order - I'll make sure it's all sorted in the next update.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Scheduling +2

    ... And it just barely works!
    C_Z threw 2 10-faced dice. Total: 9
    5 5 4 4
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top