- Location
- Raleigh, NC
N/M
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Let Me Play Among The Stars (A Space Program Plan Quest)
- Thread starter 4WheelSword
- Start date
- Original Alt. History
[X] Plan Walk Before Running
4WheelSword
The original N-body Problem
- Pronouns
- It/She/They
Hey @midnight77 and @JumpStationApoll just to be clear the poster of that plan has cancelled it.
Budgetary Issues
4WheelSword
The original N-body Problem
- Pronouns
- It/She/They
Based on conversation with a voter, I thought the following would be useful:
There are several ways to increase your budget:
Budgets
The Space Program (PEAC in this case) has an annual budget which is currently 5C or around five million dollars. It will refresh on the January turn and *any remaining budget will be lost*. This might seem unfair but it's the reality of government departments. To repeat, any remaining budget at the end of December will be lost.There are several ways to increase your budget:
- Completing Missions improves your annual refreshing budget. The more space flight milestones you achieve, the better for your ongoing finances.
- Prestige Objectives are a part of the Missions that award a temporary budget bonus. This is a lump sum that is not re-awarded each January for doing things like the first flight to space, or the first crewed orbit.
- The Capital resource can be used to re-award the program a 50% budget improvement once per instance of the resource. Capital can be accrued using the Undertake action.
- Pronouns
- He/They
OK, looking at our goals and working backwards:
- We are committed to launching a basic sounding rocket (T1 mission)
- We are also committed to launching a human to space, suborbitally (T3 mission)
In order to achieve the second goal, looking at the tech trees right now, we need probably 6-10 techs for the return vehicle, plus whatever we want to get to improve the launcher, plus at least three successful development rolls - call it at least twelve, maybe as many as twenty actions when we consider that some will fail.
Given that, I think we need to be looking at intermediate steps on the way to that point, to complete milestones and gain budget as well as not letting PEAC appear to be doing nothing.
Two intermediate steps seem obvious: building a better sounding rocket capable of completing the T2 mission that comes between those two goals; and using the suborbital launcher for less safety-critical tasks like launching larger scientific payloads or as a primitive SRBM.
To determine our needs for the improved sounding rocket, we need to know what the payload/mission requirements are going to be. At the same time, we have budget that we don't want to waste, so it would be good to spend it on something we know'll be useful, like a wind tunnel large enough for small scale tests of a small rocket, or full scale tests of something like VREDE.
Thus, for the next two turns these seem like a good set of actions:
- This turn: launch VREDE, build another in case it fails, and build a wind tunnel.
- Next turn: if the launch failed, make another launch attempt and consider redesigning or building a third VREDE; if we don't need to do that, see what'd be useful. Do Mission Element research.
[X] Plan: Find something to spend it on!
-[X] Order: VREDE, keeping the workshop running.
-[X] Schedule: VREDE for launch from Sweden. A rocket needs to fly.
-[X] Build a Wind Tunnel, paying the cost out of the current budget.
--[X] Supersonic, 1.86 M max capacity.
- We are committed to launching a basic sounding rocket (T1 mission)
- We are also committed to launching a human to space, suborbitally (T3 mission)
In order to achieve the second goal, looking at the tech trees right now, we need probably 6-10 techs for the return vehicle, plus whatever we want to get to improve the launcher, plus at least three successful development rolls - call it at least twelve, maybe as many as twenty actions when we consider that some will fail.
Given that, I think we need to be looking at intermediate steps on the way to that point, to complete milestones and gain budget as well as not letting PEAC appear to be doing nothing.
Two intermediate steps seem obvious: building a better sounding rocket capable of completing the T2 mission that comes between those two goals; and using the suborbital launcher for less safety-critical tasks like launching larger scientific payloads or as a primitive SRBM.
To determine our needs for the improved sounding rocket, we need to know what the payload/mission requirements are going to be. At the same time, we have budget that we don't want to waste, so it would be good to spend it on something we know'll be useful, like a wind tunnel large enough for small scale tests of a small rocket, or full scale tests of something like VREDE.
Thus, for the next two turns these seem like a good set of actions:
- This turn: launch VREDE, build another in case it fails, and build a wind tunnel.
- Next turn: if the launch failed, make another launch attempt and consider redesigning or building a third VREDE; if we don't need to do that, see what'd be useful. Do Mission Element research.
[X] Plan: Find something to spend it on!
-[X] Order: VREDE, keeping the workshop running.
-[X] Schedule: VREDE for launch from Sweden. A rocket needs to fly.
-[X] Build a Wind Tunnel, paying the cost out of the current budget.
--[X] Supersonic, 1.86 M max capacity.
- Location
- Raleigh, NC
[X] Plan Gofas'
[X] The ECN will attempt to act as a peacekeeping force, allied to neither side, and use diplomatic and military methods to create a peace.
[X] The ECN will attempt to act as a peacekeeping force, allied to neither side, and use diplomatic and military methods to create a peace.
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- Location
- Yes
Okay, general thoughts:
- Slot 2 needs to be the launch one
- We need to spend 3.2C somewhere in the three slots we have
- Engine test stands in the current iteration of the rules are really, really expensive
- I don't want to build a second rocket of a design we haven't tested
The current 'safe' fuel is rubbish and the current 'good' fuel is horrifying, so I'd like to get new fuels researched before we build any infrastructure around either of them. At the very least lets try to get IRFNA so it only dissolves site technicians, not scientists. Therefore the only thing to put money on is a wind tunnel. The question then is which type to spend 3C on... We can get a 3M supersonic tunnel or we can get a 30M subsonic tunnel... The subsonic tunnels seem significantly less useful to me outside of development for spaceplanes, and 3M (supersonic full test) is big enough to get a fair sized sounding rocket in while 300M (subsonic scale test) is still too small for actual space launch vehicles as a long term thing. Full testing also provides Reliability, which mitigates any other problems we can have.
[X] Plan Gofas'
- [X] Construct: Build a Wind Tunnel, paying the cost out of the current budget.
-- [X] 3M, Supersonic
- [X] Schedule: VREDE for launch from Sweden. A rocket needs to fly, more than before because we might be about to go right back to the drawing board.
- [X] Research: Fuels
[X] The ECN will attempt to act as a peacekeeping force, allied to neither side, and use diplomatic and military methods to create a peace.
- Slot 2 needs to be the launch one
- We need to spend 3.2C somewhere in the three slots we have
- Engine test stands in the current iteration of the rules are really, really expensive
- I don't want to build a second rocket of a design we haven't tested
The current 'safe' fuel is rubbish and the current 'good' fuel is horrifying, so I'd like to get new fuels researched before we build any infrastructure around either of them. At the very least lets try to get IRFNA so it only dissolves site technicians, not scientists. Therefore the only thing to put money on is a wind tunnel. The question then is which type to spend 3C on... We can get a 3M supersonic tunnel or we can get a 30M subsonic tunnel... The subsonic tunnels seem significantly less useful to me outside of development for spaceplanes, and 3M (supersonic full test) is big enough to get a fair sized sounding rocket in while 300M (subsonic scale test) is still too small for actual space launch vehicles as a long term thing. Full testing also provides Reliability, which mitigates any other problems we can have.
[X] Plan Gofas'
- [X] Construct: Build a Wind Tunnel, paying the cost out of the current budget.
-- [X] 3M, Supersonic
- [X] Schedule: VREDE for launch from Sweden. A rocket needs to fly, more than before because we might be about to go right back to the drawing board.
- [X] Research: Fuels
[X] The ECN will attempt to act as a peacekeeping force, allied to neither side, and use diplomatic and military methods to create a peace.
- Location
- Fort Worth, TX
[X] Plan Gofas'
4WheelSword
The original N-body Problem
- Pronouns
- It/She/They
Don't forget to vote on the ECN's involvement in Korea
- Location
- United States
[X] The ECN will attempt to act as a peacekeeping force, allied to neither side, and use diplomatic and military methods to create a peace.
[X] Plan Gofas'
...A random though I ended up having was somehow managing to create a third Korea even if it's just like a city and its surroundings or piece of land some amount larger then the demilitarized zone.
[X] Plan Gofas'
...A random though I ended up having was somehow managing to create a third Korea even if it's just like a city and its surroundings or piece of land some amount larger then the demilitarized zone.
- Location
- Yes
Land at Incheon and create a Legation City in Seoul.
C1T6 - October - December 1950
4WheelSword
The original N-body Problem
- Pronouns
- It/She/They
If you look at the design document you'll notice that there has been a rather radical change - after feedback from the community 'M' or Mass has been changed. Previously M was equal to 250kg. Now M is equal to 1,000kg.
GM Moves have also been heavily re-written to better represent the problems you might face.
Handing the tool to a workman, she steps back into the assembled group of staff and visitors. They've broken down into smaller groups, chatting amongst themselves about things to come. The conversations, at least the snatches of them that Hedwig can hear, are hopeful.
"This is a good day, pani dyrektor," A warm voice says from behind her, making her start.
She turns, assessing the woman in the uniform of the Siły Powietrzne. She's tall, taller than she has any right to be, and between her full lips and sparkling eyes Hedwig cannot help but gawk. If she had any less of her wits about her she would surely have her mouth hanging open.
"Did I say something wrong?" She asks, seemingly sincere though the slight upturn of the corner of her mouth belies her concern.
"I'm sorry," Hedwig apologises, feeling her brain whirr as gears gnash against the blockage, "I was trying to read your rank tabs before I responded."
The woman chuckles, a throaty, deep laugh that cuts right through Hedwig to the core. She extends a hand to be shaken and Hedwig takes it gently. Her hands are rough, workmanlike, and warm.
"Kapitan Krystyna Nowak. Krys, to my friends," the Polish officer nods to the patch of bare earth, "I was saying, this is good. A number of nations in the ECN are going to be coming to you on their knees begging for time testing aircraft prototypes."
"Including Poland?" Hedwig asks, desperately trying not to think about kneeling.
"Oh, absolutely. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up spending more time here than in my own home country." Nowak gives a lopsided grin that seems explicitly designed to make the director blush.
"Our work demands too many sacrifices."
"I'm sure I will come to terms with them." She says, touching the brim of her cap, "if you'll excuse me, Dyrektor."
Wind Tunnel, Supersonic: Capacity 0.75M
Construction Cost: 3C
Remaining Budget: 0.238C
Roll 2d10+1
"The end of December, and not before. Our wise and powerful superiors want to inform the Soviets and the neighbours that we'll be launching a rocket before they get weird ideas and decide to send up interceptors." Hedwig responds, sitting comfortably behind her desk. She had finally managed to get some soft chairs brought in and it was a godsend.
"I can only imagine the looks on their faces when our little experiment goes whizzing past their noses," he says with a smile.
There is a pause. Hedwig uses the moment to look out the window and at the sun that is just starting to set.
"How does it feel?" She asks quietly.
"Hmm?"
"To go back to your homeland?"
"Oh," he offers a gentle smile and a casual shrug, "I have spent most of my life at home. Coming here to develop aeronautical masterpieces - this is like a dream. How long has it been for you?"
"Thirteen years. Most of those in the United States."
"A grim, money-focused place."
"Mmm, quite," She sighs sadly and turns back to face him, "When do you fly?"
"Whenever we get word that VREDE is in the country. I'll be going over to supervise assembly and testing before we actually launch."
"Good luck."
Flight scheduled for December 1950
Roll 2d10-2
"A little faith please, Director." The small French woman responds, grinning with all her teeth, "We are being much more cautious and we have improved our safety standards significantly."
"I don't want anyone getting hurt," Hedwig says in a plaintive tone, "Least of all you."
"Me, madame Director?"
She takes two steps across the office's bare floor, flat shoes clicking far louder than they have any right to. Hedwig takes a breath in as the space between them closes to a matter of inches and as she does she realises her mistake. She can smell Apolline's perfume, a gentle floral scent, light enough that one could only notice it this close.
"Why would you be so concerned about me?"
The heat rising in Hedwig's chest is overwhelming, a warmth unmistakable as it climbs her neck and into her cheeks. Her breathing shallows, just a little. Just enough. Apolline laughs, a small, sonorous chuckle that reverberates through Hedwig like electric current.
Her hand rises, touching Hedwig's elbow ever so lightly,
"I will be ever so careful, ma chérie." She whispers and sweeps from the room, shoes clicking loudly.
As the door closes, Hedwig reaches up to touch her mouth, a ghost that wasn't pressed against her lips.
Where is Apolline's propellant research focus?
[ ] Better uses for Liquid Oxygen
[ ] Other uses for Nitric acid
[ ] Attempt to find new options entirely
Roll 2d10+3
GM Moves have also been heavily re-written to better represent the problems you might face.
October 1950 - Construct Wind Tunnel
The first ground breaking ceremony - the first formal one at least - in PEAC's history is a dreary affair. They had at least managed to get lucky and conduct it on a day when it wasn't raining, but it was hardly warm enough to be considered a comfortable celebration. Still, as Hedwig sinks the shovel into the damp earth she cannot help but smile. Fortunate, perhaps, for the snap of camera bulbs from a handful of reporters is loud in her ears but nonetheless, this is progress. This is forward movement even in the face of conflict.Handing the tool to a workman, she steps back into the assembled group of staff and visitors. They've broken down into smaller groups, chatting amongst themselves about things to come. The conversations, at least the snatches of them that Hedwig can hear, are hopeful.
"This is a good day, pani dyrektor," A warm voice says from behind her, making her start.
She turns, assessing the woman in the uniform of the Siły Powietrzne. She's tall, taller than she has any right to be, and between her full lips and sparkling eyes Hedwig cannot help but gawk. If she had any less of her wits about her she would surely have her mouth hanging open.
"Did I say something wrong?" She asks, seemingly sincere though the slight upturn of the corner of her mouth belies her concern.
"I'm sorry," Hedwig apologises, feeling her brain whirr as gears gnash against the blockage, "I was trying to read your rank tabs before I responded."
The woman chuckles, a throaty, deep laugh that cuts right through Hedwig to the core. She extends a hand to be shaken and Hedwig takes it gently. Her hands are rough, workmanlike, and warm.
"Kapitan Krystyna Nowak. Krys, to my friends," the Polish officer nods to the patch of bare earth, "I was saying, this is good. A number of nations in the ECN are going to be coming to you on their knees begging for time testing aircraft prototypes."
"Including Poland?" Hedwig asks, desperately trying not to think about kneeling.
"Oh, absolutely. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up spending more time here than in my own home country." Nowak gives a lopsided grin that seems explicitly designed to make the director blush.
"Our work demands too many sacrifices."
"I'm sure I will come to terms with them." She says, touching the brim of her cap, "if you'll excuse me, Dyrektor."
Wind Tunnel, Supersonic: Capacity 0.75M
Construction Cost: 3C
Remaining Budget: 0.238C
Roll 2d10+1
November 1950 - Schedule VREDE for Launch
"When do we launch?" Arne asks, barely managing to remain on the edge of his seat. His excitement has been palpable for days, ever since the constituent parts of the VREDE rocket were loaded into the back of the Program's trucks and driven down to the port."The end of December, and not before. Our wise and powerful superiors want to inform the Soviets and the neighbours that we'll be launching a rocket before they get weird ideas and decide to send up interceptors." Hedwig responds, sitting comfortably behind her desk. She had finally managed to get some soft chairs brought in and it was a godsend.
"I can only imagine the looks on their faces when our little experiment goes whizzing past their noses," he says with a smile.
There is a pause. Hedwig uses the moment to look out the window and at the sun that is just starting to set.
"How does it feel?" She asks quietly.
"Hmm?"
"To go back to your homeland?"
"Oh," he offers a gentle smile and a casual shrug, "I have spent most of my life at home. Coming here to develop aeronautical masterpieces - this is like a dream. How long has it been for you?"
"Thirteen years. Most of those in the United States."
"A grim, money-focused place."
"Mmm, quite," She sighs sadly and turns back to face him, "When do you fly?"
"Whenever we get word that VREDE is in the country. I'll be going over to supervise assembly and testing before we actually launch."
"Good luck."
Flight scheduled for December 1950
Roll 2d10-2
December 1950 - Research Fuel
"Heaven help me Apolline, if you almost gas yourself again-""A little faith please, Director." The small French woman responds, grinning with all her teeth, "We are being much more cautious and we have improved our safety standards significantly."
"I don't want anyone getting hurt," Hedwig says in a plaintive tone, "Least of all you."
"Me, madame Director?"
She takes two steps across the office's bare floor, flat shoes clicking far louder than they have any right to. Hedwig takes a breath in as the space between them closes to a matter of inches and as she does she realises her mistake. She can smell Apolline's perfume, a gentle floral scent, light enough that one could only notice it this close.
"Why would you be so concerned about me?"
The heat rising in Hedwig's chest is overwhelming, a warmth unmistakable as it climbs her neck and into her cheeks. Her breathing shallows, just a little. Just enough. Apolline laughs, a small, sonorous chuckle that reverberates through Hedwig like electric current.
Her hand rises, touching Hedwig's elbow ever so lightly,
"I will be ever so careful, ma chérie." She whispers and sweeps from the room, shoes clicking loudly.
As the door closes, Hedwig reaches up to touch her mouth, a ghost that wasn't pressed against her lips.
Where is Apolline's propellant research focus?
[ ] Better uses for Liquid Oxygen
[ ] Other uses for Nitric acid
[ ] Attempt to find new options entirely
Roll 2d10+3
rolling wind tunnel :
Where is Apolline's propellant research focus?
[X] Better uses for Liquid Oxygen
[X] Better uses for Liquid Oxygen
- Location
- Yes
[X] Attempt to find new options entirely
LOX is a fine oxidiser and I really don't want to piss about with nitric acid if it can be avoided, so I think the hunt for a better fuel should be the focus.
LOX is a fine oxidiser and I really don't want to piss about with nitric acid if it can be avoided, so I think the hunt for a better fuel should be the focus.
- Pronouns
- He/They
I think the vote for that is [ ] Better uses for Liquid Oxygen - finding better fuels to use liquid oxygen with.
That's what we should go for IMO for safety and performance - we don't really have any need for a storable missile fuel in our immediate program, and ditching Hydrazine wouldn't deal with the larger problem for us, which is RFNA's corrosiveness.
[X] Better uses for Liquid Oxygen
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- Location
- Yes
[X] Better uses for Liquid Oxygen
Yeah, I think you're right there.
Yeah, I think you're right there.
- Location
- Fort Worth, TX
[X] Attempt to find new options entirely
Fun:
[X] Purchase more perfume since it works very well
Fun:
[X] Purchase more perfume since it works very well
4WheelSword
The original N-body Problem
- Pronouns
- It/She/They
I'd say we are already well within the realms of science fiction. So I'd ask to define your terms
- Location
- Lost to the Depths of the Deep Web
I'd say we are already well within the realms of science fiction. So I'd ask to define your terms
Are we going to get to high technology like AI Warp Drives sort of thing or is this going to be more of a Hard Sci-fi like The Martian?
4WheelSword
The original N-body Problem
- Pronouns
- It/She/They
Much more the latter than the former. If you ever manage to reach crewed interplanetary travel (and I truly hope you do) then it will be using conventional systems.