- Location
- Outside the Box
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Per Aspera (Space Agency Plan Quest)
- Thread starter Shadows
- Start date
- Original
Shadows
Sacred Priestess of the Benevolent Dice Gods
- Location
- USS Civilian, DDG-214
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Yes.
A. It means you need to have a Sounding Rocket of some description available when the project completes in order to complete it. This is an instance where you would not take "And launch it" as an option when building a Sounding Rocket - it will be used up for the weather studies if/when they complete.
B. Both, actually. You get some basic cycles (there will be a vote) that you can then iterate on later.
Shock effect will be a thing with larger projects - the All-Sky Survey, for instance. Apollo-sized programs.
Good catch.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Ohhhh. I should take off the Launch It option from my plan then.
- Pronouns
- He/They
Just a thought, not really relevant to this vote if we're putting all our engineering into combustion cycles, but we may actually want to look into Alternative Launch Systems sometime by the 60s. If gun-launch system costs are at all in line with the estimates, they might be a really valuable way to make certain kinds of small satellite far more accessible to the public. Being able to build them fixed and pointing out over the Indian Ocean, and the lack (hopefully) of international tension might help us get more approval for them than IRL has. Maybe we'd need to limit it to low altitudes or something to not minimize debris buildup, since those satellites probably won't be the most reliable or capable, but it could be a great testbed for new applications and the effects of future cheap rocket launch.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I would not trust 60s gun launched electronics to successfully control a toaster, lot alone an orbital satellite.
So, to make sure after the edits, this is what you're thinking of Cyber?
[] Plan: Political Sausage-making
-[] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket (20R per dice, 0/50, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[] And use it for Weather Studies
-[] Construct a Computational Research Facility (20R per die, 0/180, +3 to all projects)
-[] (3 Dice) Engine Cycles (Tech) [MATSCI, CHEM, PROP] (10R per die, 114/250, unlocks further engine development options)
-[] (3 Dice) Weather Studies (Phase 2) (10R per die, requires a Sounding Rocket, 67/160) (+5 PS on complete) (High Priority)
-[] There is Power in a Union (0/100, 5R per dice, -5 PS on completion. Gain +1 Facilities dice, +5 to Facilities rolls)
-[] (2 Dice) Rocket Boxes (Phase I) - (5R per die, 175/200. 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.)
If so, seems good to me. There's a small gamble with not going all-in on rocket boxes, but it should hopefully still be enough, and if it pays off, we'll have a very nice schedule for the heavy sounding rockets.
Also, because getting ahead of ourselves and random spitballing are fun, what kind of engines would you guys be hoping for when Engine Cycles completes?
[] Plan: Political Sausage-making
-[] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket (20R per dice, 0/50, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[] And use it for Weather Studies
-[] Construct a Computational Research Facility (20R per die, 0/180, +3 to all projects)
-[] (3 Dice) Engine Cycles (Tech) [MATSCI, CHEM, PROP] (10R per die, 114/250, unlocks further engine development options)
-[] (3 Dice) Weather Studies (Phase 2) (10R per die, requires a Sounding Rocket, 67/160) (+5 PS on complete) (High Priority)
-[] There is Power in a Union (0/100, 5R per dice, -5 PS on completion. Gain +1 Facilities dice, +5 to Facilities rolls)
-[] (2 Dice) Rocket Boxes (Phase I) - (5R per die, 175/200. 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.)
If so, seems good to me. There's a small gamble with not going all-in on rocket boxes, but it should hopefully still be enough, and if it pays off, we'll have a very nice schedule for the heavy sounding rockets.
Also, because getting ahead of ourselves and random spitballing are fun, what kind of engines would you guys be hoping for when Engine Cycles completes?
- Location
- Outside the Box
- Pronouns
- She/Her
But 60s electronics were much easier to fix with percussive maintenance than modern electronics. If the orbital satellite/toaster isn't working right, we can just shoot it again with our space gun!
Godwinson
"Well, I've got nothing."
And if that don't work, use more gun.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Yeah, that's right.
A gas generator cycle is what we should aim for IMO. We're still in the very early days of rocketry so anything more complex is probably beyond us. As for propellants, I'm inclined to go with either methane or hydrazine*.
*Gods bless the 60s, when we had no idea hydrazine was a carcinogen. Also hydrazine and LOX isn't a hypergolic combination - through it's close.
(The reason I like hydrazine-lox is because it gives you better Isp than methane, with higher density than kerosene - it's actually as dense as water, with no engine sooting/polymerization, and its combusiton products are not hazardous. It's a godlike propellant mix.)
- Location
- USA
[] Plan: Pushing Across a Broad Front
-[] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket
--[] And use it for Weather Studies
-[] Construct a Heavy Sounding Rocket launch site
-[] Conduct Design Studies (Platform)(Heavy Sounding Rocket) [AERO]
-[] Engine Cycles (Tech) [MATSCI, CHEM, PROP]
-[] Advanced Concepts Office
-[] Weather Studies (Phase 2) x2
-[] All-Sky Survey (Phase 1)
-[] There is Power in a Union x3
-[] Rocket Boxes (Phase I)
-[] Space For All x2
-[] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket
--[] And use it for Weather Studies
-[] Construct a Heavy Sounding Rocket launch site
-[] Conduct Design Studies (Platform)(Heavy Sounding Rocket) [AERO]
-[] Engine Cycles (Tech) [MATSCI, CHEM, PROP]
-[] Advanced Concepts Office
-[] Weather Studies (Phase 2) x2
-[] All-Sky Survey (Phase 1)
-[] There is Power in a Union x3
-[] Rocket Boxes (Phase I)
-[] Space For All x2
[X] Plan: Political Sausage-making
-[X] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket (15R per dice, 0/50, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[X] And use it for Weather Studies
-[X] Construct a Computational Research Facility (20R per die, 0/180, +3 to all projects)
-[X] (3 Dice) Engine Cycles (Tech) [MATSCI, CHEM, PROP] (10R per die, 114/250, unlocks further engine development options)
-[X] (3 Dice) Weather Studies (Phase 2) (10R per die, requires a Sounding Rocket, 67/160) (+5 PS on complete) (High Priority)
-[X] There is Power in a Union (0/100, 5R per dice, -5 PS on completion. Gain +1 Facilities dice, +5 to Facilities rolls)
-[X] (2 Dice) Rocket Boxes (Phase I) - (5R per die, 175/200. 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.)
-[X] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket (15R per dice, 0/50, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[X] And use it for Weather Studies
-[X] Construct a Computational Research Facility (20R per die, 0/180, +3 to all projects)
-[X] (3 Dice) Engine Cycles (Tech) [MATSCI, CHEM, PROP] (10R per die, 114/250, unlocks further engine development options)
-[X] (3 Dice) Weather Studies (Phase 2) (10R per die, requires a Sounding Rocket, 67/160) (+5 PS on complete) (High Priority)
-[X] There is Power in a Union (0/100, 5R per dice, -5 PS on completion. Gain +1 Facilities dice, +5 to Facilities rolls)
-[X] (2 Dice) Rocket Boxes (Phase I) - (5R per die, 175/200. 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.)
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Dragontrapper
Homeless Draconis
- Location
- A Tower in the middle of nowhere
[X] Plan: Political Sausage-making
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Plan: Political Sausage-making
- Pronouns
- He/They
Just noticed, but 2-Stage Sounding Rocket is only 15R now since the combustion instability fixes are done.
- Location
- The great frozen north
[X] Plan: Political Sausage-making
Seems pretty solid.
Seems pretty solid.
Chlof
Her Ladyship
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Plan: Union Focus w/ Heavy Rockets
-[X] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket (20R per dice, 0/50, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete) - 1 DICE
--[X] And use it for Weather Studies
-[X] Construct a Heavy Sounding Rocket launch site (15R per die, 8/60, allows launch of the Heavy Sounding Rocket and theoretical derivatives up to 30 tons) - 1 DICE
-[X] Conduct Design Studies (Platform) (Heavy Sounding Rocket) (5R per die, 49/80, unlocks Heavy Sounding Rocket) - 1 DICE
-[X] Engine Cycles (Tech) [MATSCI, CHEM, PROP] (10R per die, 114/250, unlocks further engine development options) - 2 DICE
-[X] Weather Studies (Phase 2) (10R per die, requires a Sounding Rocket, 67/160) (+5 PS on complete) (High Priority) - 3 DICE
-[X] There is Power in a Union (0/100, 5R per dice, -5 PS on completion. Gain +1 Facilities dice, +5 to Facilities rolls) - 2 DICE
-[X] Rocket Boxes (Phase I) - (5R per die, 175/200. 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.) - 1 DICE
105 R Cost
Throwing this out there because I'd prefer guaranteeing the union this turn and finishing off the HRs now. Unfortunately, my creativity for plan names fail me.
-[X] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket (20R per dice, 0/50, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete) - 1 DICE
--[X] And use it for Weather Studies
-[X] Construct a Heavy Sounding Rocket launch site (15R per die, 8/60, allows launch of the Heavy Sounding Rocket and theoretical derivatives up to 30 tons) - 1 DICE
-[X] Conduct Design Studies (Platform) (Heavy Sounding Rocket) (5R per die, 49/80, unlocks Heavy Sounding Rocket) - 1 DICE
-[X] Engine Cycles (Tech) [MATSCI, CHEM, PROP] (10R per die, 114/250, unlocks further engine development options) - 2 DICE
-[X] Weather Studies (Phase 2) (10R per die, requires a Sounding Rocket, 67/160) (+5 PS on complete) (High Priority) - 3 DICE
-[X] There is Power in a Union (0/100, 5R per dice, -5 PS on completion. Gain +1 Facilities dice, +5 to Facilities rolls) - 2 DICE
-[X] Rocket Boxes (Phase I) - (5R per die, 175/200. 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.) - 1 DICE
105 R Cost
Throwing this out there because I'd prefer guaranteeing the union this turn and finishing off the HRs now. Unfortunately, my creativity for plan names fail me.
- Location
- Outside the Box
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Engine Cycles has the [MATSCI, CHEM, PROP] tags. This means that each die, in addition to Engineering's +6, also has +5 from MATSCI, +7 from CHEM, and +4 from PROP. So each die has a total bonus of +22. With three dice, that means we need to roll (250 - 114 - 66) 70 or higher. For 3d100, that's about a 95% chance. With only two dice, we'd need to roll (250 - 114 - 44) 92 or higher, which for 2d100 is about a 59% chance.
I think three dice on Engine Cycles is overkill, and we'd be best served by only using two dice and putting that third die on another project.
I think three dice on Engine Cycles is overkill, and we'd be best served by only using two dice and putting that third die on another project.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
That's the thing, the only other option is to do Heavy Sounding Rocket. So it comes down to doing it now or going a bit over on engine cycles and making a heavy sounding rocket with a better engine next turn.
- Location
- Outside the Box
- Pronouns
- She/Her
What about Conduct Design Studies (Alternative Launch Systems)? It doesn't cost PS like the Advanced Concepts Office, and while it won't get done in one die, it'll still get some progress.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
It doesn't really contribute to any of our current goals tho.
While it is somewhat overkill, it does mean we're basically guaranteed to have it next turn. We're looking at 13 ton rockets now and our future orbital rocket is probably 30 tons, so we can fairly easily adapt it by just using twice as many engines for it (or taking the RD170/180 approach and using twice as many combustion chambers on a single engine). If that's the case, the engine(s) we get as a result of completing Engine Cycles can be immediately used on our sounding rocket - possibly without needing to redesign it for the new engines. That gives us more flight tests and the engines should hopefully be mature in time for the orbital shot.
Alt launch systems is an option, but given our focus should be on orbit within 5 years and useful satellites ASAP, it's more of a long-term thing; over those timescales, the waste of one die probably won't be that impactful.
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