- Location
- The Endless Abyss of Middle America
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Hot damn, the scientific process really do go brrr
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Per Aspera (Space Agency Plan Quest)
- Thread starter Shadows
- Start date
- Original
Hot damn, the scientific process really do go brrr
trooperist
Cinnamon Roll AI
Good rolls for just about everything. Except weather studies and a little bit of the Long Beach bonus. Might be our most productive turn in a while.
I bet next World Council we're going to have options to finish our last three Scientific Complexes.
With the slack in Facilities we should probably get started on the Assembly Complex and the new launch pads. Maybe even spare a dice or two to help the Big Ear.
I bet next World Council we're going to have options to finish our last three Scientific Complexes.
With the slack in Facilities we should probably get started on the Assembly Complex and the new launch pads. Maybe even spare a dice or two to help the Big Ear.
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joe6168
Just a humble lurker
- Location
- Michigan, The lower left glove
?? Shouldn't that be 179/???
- Location
- The great frozen north
This turn has gone well indeed. Got almost all our promises done a quarter early! Much thanks to dice luck though, so let's not get cocky with taking more promises later!
Is it possible the nat 100 on computer science got us early transistorization, or is it too early? Perhaps some particularly modern architecture? IDK I don't know what the main advances in computer science were in the fifties aside from basic miniaturization.
Hmm, the nuclear outreach... the congress has zero issues with us employing rocket tech derived from the German *V2 despite its use for terror bombing, hopefully we can convince them that the atom too is an example of warmongers misusing modern science for war rather than peace.
Is it possible the nat 100 on computer science got us early transistorization, or is it too early? Perhaps some particularly modern architecture? IDK I don't know what the main advances in computer science were in the fifties aside from basic miniaturization.
Hmm, the nuclear outreach... the congress has zero issues with us employing rocket tech derived from the German *V2 despite its use for terror bombing, hopefully we can convince them that the atom too is an example of warmongers misusing modern science for war rather than peace.
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It was mis-rolled, we only put two dice on it, not three.
It got us an extra 1d5; otherwise we'd apparently be at +6 to COMP (we rolled a nat 1 on the bonus, then a 4).
I think next year we can afford to slow things down a bit. We promised a lot this year, everyone deserves some time off.
Apparatus 3 1/2 - C_Z
Apparatus 3½
Artist's impression of Apparatus 3½ from the newspaper "Jingzhe (驚蟄)", 1954
Apparatus 3½ (colloquially known as "Yasin's Big Balloon" for the Somali worker who proposed a similar satellite[1], "Project Fountain Pen" after the inflation mechanism[2], "September Star"[3], and "The Modest Orb"[4]) was arguably the first artificial satellite[note]As Apparatus 3½ was intentionally launched into an unstable orbit which decayed in under a day, it is disputed if this, or the later Apparatus 4, was the first true artificial satellite. It was launched as a payload simulator for the inaugural flight of the R-4 rocket on 3 September 1954 from Mogadishu Launch Site No.2-1 as part of the preparations for the later launch of the Apparatus 4 satellite near the end of the year. Intentionally launched into a highly elliptical orbit with a perigee below the Kármán line, it rapidly decayed over approximately 18 hours and burnt up in the atmosphere[1]. The spacecraft was not originally the intended payload of the mission (which would have instead been a solid steel mass simulator), but a team of engineers at the IEC's launch facility worked overtime to jury-rig a payload that was described later on by a team member as being "more interesting"[2]. The designation of Apparatus 3½ was a result of this unexpected development, as the Apparatus 4 designation had already been assigned to the in-development orbital satellite[1]. Despite the short flight and impromptu nature, tracking of Apparatus 3½ gave scientists with valuable information about the density of the upper atmosphere and the effect of drag on spacecraft[5].
The spacecraft was rigidly attached to the R-4's third stage, and consisted of a large white latex weather balloon that had been intended for meterologic studies conducted by the IEC, a fountain pen filled with an eutectic ethanol-water mixture to act as a simple time-delayed inflation mechanism, and 115 kg of steel ballast for a total mass of 200 kg. After launch, it slowly inflated to a 24 m diameter sphere over the course of two hours, providing a visual reference to ground-based observers[5]. The successful launch was widely reported, and people over a large portion of the world were able to observe the balloon via binoculars when it was optimally illuminated at local dawn or dusk, contributing to a growing public fascination with the cosmos[6].
Artist's impression of Apparatus 3½ from the newspaper "Jingzhe (驚蟄)", 1954
Apparatus 3½ (colloquially known as "Yasin's Big Balloon" for the Somali worker who proposed a similar satellite[1], "Project Fountain Pen" after the inflation mechanism[2], "September Star"[3], and "The Modest Orb"[4]) was arguably the first artificial satellite[note]As Apparatus 3½ was intentionally launched into an unstable orbit which decayed in under a day, it is disputed if this, or the later Apparatus 4, was the first true artificial satellite. It was launched as a payload simulator for the inaugural flight of the R-4 rocket on 3 September 1954 from Mogadishu Launch Site No.2-1 as part of the preparations for the later launch of the Apparatus 4 satellite near the end of the year. Intentionally launched into a highly elliptical orbit with a perigee below the Kármán line, it rapidly decayed over approximately 18 hours and burnt up in the atmosphere[1]. The spacecraft was not originally the intended payload of the mission (which would have instead been a solid steel mass simulator), but a team of engineers at the IEC's launch facility worked overtime to jury-rig a payload that was described later on by a team member as being "more interesting"[2]. The designation of Apparatus 3½ was a result of this unexpected development, as the Apparatus 4 designation had already been assigned to the in-development orbital satellite[1]. Despite the short flight and impromptu nature, tracking of Apparatus 3½ gave scientists with valuable information about the density of the upper atmosphere and the effect of drag on spacecraft[5].
The spacecraft was rigidly attached to the R-4's third stage, and consisted of a large white latex weather balloon that had been intended for meterologic studies conducted by the IEC, a fountain pen filled with an eutectic ethanol-water mixture to act as a simple time-delayed inflation mechanism, and 115 kg of steel ballast for a total mass of 200 kg. After launch, it slowly inflated to a 24 m diameter sphere over the course of two hours, providing a visual reference to ground-based observers[5]. The successful launch was widely reported, and people over a large portion of the world were able to observe the balloon via binoculars when it was optimally illuminated at local dawn or dusk, contributing to a growing public fascination with the cosmos[6].
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Strunkriidiisk
THE LEGEND
- Location
- Canada
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I've updated the array.
By my calculations you're 6 short on R-4 construction - looks like you only counted the die bonus once.
Ah, whoops, so I did. Thanks for catching that.
No bet. We had those last World Council meeting after all. The question is whether or not we can afford to do another push like this next turn.
Aircraft Manufacturers of the Last Great War, Part 1 - Ash19256
Something that's been bouncing around in my head since I read the excellent Super-Bombers of the Last Great War omake by Vehrec - more specifically, after I started working on a "fighters of the Last Great War" omake and realized that my brain was insistent on trying to figure out what the companies that built some of the aircraft (especially in the HRE) would have been called, even if we handwave the designs being the same.
While I initially tried to start with the HRE, I kept running into "I don't know enough about how specifically the HRE was awful vs how Nazi Germany was awful" as well as "I keep needing to go digging through Wikipedia just to figure out who I should cover and how I should cover them". As such, I decided to kick this off with a nation I'm more familiar with, and which has less alteration to its timeline.
Aircraft Manufacturers of the Last Great War, Part 1:
The United States of America
The sleeping giant of the New World, the US entered the Last Great War with a thriving civilian aviation industry and an outdated military aviation industry. By the end of the war, however, it would have developed some of the most capable military aircraft in the world, even as the flames of the Revolution began to rise around it. While this is far from an exhaustive listing, these are some of the nation's most influential or innovative manufacturers.
Lockheed Corporation:
Although most well known for their P-38 Lightning and P-80 Shooting Star fighters - the latter of which was the first American jet fighter to see combat use - the Lockheed Corporation's most important contributions, arguably, were their maritime patrol aircraft. Lockheed produced the Hudson, Ventura, and Neptune maritime patrol aircraft, all but the latter of which served with both the US Navy and the various British Commonwealth air services. These aircraft soon proved crucial to combating the threat of HRE U-boat wolf-packs in the Atlantic, helping keep open the vital lifeline to the British Isles while they were under siege from HRE commerce raiding and aerial bombardment.
While much of Lockheed's assets were repurposed to rebuilding - and later producing military aircraft for use against the FAS partisan organization - their Advanced Development Projects division, colloquially known as Skunk Works, has been out of operation since the end of the Last Great War. With the IEC's recent actions to take up the torch of aeronautical development, it may be that the minds behind America's best jet fighter may soon find themselves developing more peacefully minded projects.
Boeing Airplane Company:
Most well known for its role in the early development of America's love of strategic bombing, the Boeing Company designed and manufactured the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-29 Superfortress strategic bombers - massive aircraft which saw unfortunately horrific losses to HRE air defenses in the early years of the Last Great War. While the development of more advanced tactics and escort fighters mitigated these losses, their comparatively shorter range meant that they were eventually replaced by the Convair B-36, which was capable of flying from bases beyond the range of conventional HRE bombers carrying atomic weaponry.
Aside from their role in the construction of American bombers, the company was also well known for its airliners and transport aircraft. While Mogadishu's coastal location makes it more convenient to ship rocket components by sea in most cases, it may be possible that some transport aircraft could prove useful for moving smaller stages or payload elements.
Convair:
Formed from the merger of Consolidated Aircraft and Vultee, the largest and most visible legacy of this corporation is the B-36 Peacemaker - the intercontinental super-bomber which carried out the United States' most successful nuclear attacks on the Imperial League and its controlled territories. Aside from this, Consolidated Aircraft - one of the two companies which merged to form Convair - manufactured the B-24 Liberator and B-32 Dominator strategic bombers, contemporaries and "fallback designs" to the Boeing B-17 and B-29 respectively.
While the need for intercontinental super-bombers no longer exists, the IEC has begun considering the use of some of these grim giants for more peaceful purposes - primarily as air-launch platforms for manned rocket-planes, due to their tremendous carrying capacity and pre-existing release hardware for "dropping" something heavy in-flight.
North American Aviation:
The manufacturers of what is considered to be one of the best single-engined piston driven fighter aircraft of the Last Great War, NAA's P-51 Mustang needs very little introduction. One of the lesser known but equally innovative aircraft from the company is the P-82 Twin Mustang, a near unique twin fuselage extreme range escort fighter which entered service in the last months of the War. There was also the FJ-1 Fury - the US Navy's answer to the P-80 Shooting Star, which first flew just as the Last Great War was coming to a close.
While smaller and less industrially capable than the larger corporations of the pre-Revolution USA, NAA did have advantages in the form of a motivated and capable research and prototyping staff - as exemplified by the P-51 going from contract signing to prototype in a little over 3 months. Combined with their status as an early US pioneer of jet aircraft development, there may be some potential for the former NAA staff with the IEC.
Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation:
Colloquially known as Grumman Ironworks by the pilots who flew their aircraft, Grumman was the premier designer and manufacturer of USN fighter and torpedo bomber aircraft during the Last Great War. While their aircraft weren't always as agile as their Imperial League counterparts - especially in comparison to the Japanese A6M "Zero" - their almost legendary durability, combined with excellent top speed for their size and weight, enabled their fighter aircraft to achieve the highest kill-to-loss ratios of any combat aircraft in the Pacific Theater of the Last Great War.
While the limitations of naval aviation constrained Grumman's development, their reputation for ruggedness could be useful for pursuing reliability - in particular for spacecraft that will need to operate flawlessly for the safety of a crew. Aside from that, it's likely that Grumman may be more focused on terrestrial and atmospheric programs rather than the IEC's spacefaring mandate.
Sikorsky Aviation Corporation/Piasecki Helicopter Corporation:
Jointly listed due to the similarities in their most famous products, these two aircraft companies are most known for their pioneering role in helicopter development - with Igor Sikorsky's VS-300 and R-4 helicopters being the first two helicopters to fly in the United States, and Piasecki's PV-2 being the third. Of their designs, the R-4/H-5/R-6 lineage from Sikorsky was the most widely adopted, although the most technically capable is the Piasecki HRP Rescuer - all four of which are still in service in the post-Revolution US, used for their original roles of aerial reconnaissance, medical evacuation, and search & rescue.
Even if not directly useful to the IEC, the capabilities of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft of any sort should not be ignored - especially for search and rescue or disaster relief in more peaceful times. Additionally, should it become necessary to retrieve spacecraft from difficult to reach areas, the hovering capabilities of these vehicles may prove useful.
A/N: Apologies if the tone is all over the place, I don't think I ever figured out whether I was writing this as a historical monograph, an assessment of things for the IEC, or what. And, of course, this is just what I put together by going through Wikipedia and considering what we know of the lore for the Last Great War/WW3.
While I initially tried to start with the HRE, I kept running into "I don't know enough about how specifically the HRE was awful vs how Nazi Germany was awful" as well as "I keep needing to go digging through Wikipedia just to figure out who I should cover and how I should cover them". As such, I decided to kick this off with a nation I'm more familiar with, and which has less alteration to its timeline.
Aircraft Manufacturers of the Last Great War, Part 1:
The United States of America
The sleeping giant of the New World, the US entered the Last Great War with a thriving civilian aviation industry and an outdated military aviation industry. By the end of the war, however, it would have developed some of the most capable military aircraft in the world, even as the flames of the Revolution began to rise around it. While this is far from an exhaustive listing, these are some of the nation's most influential or innovative manufacturers.
Lockheed Corporation:
Although most well known for their P-38 Lightning and P-80 Shooting Star fighters - the latter of which was the first American jet fighter to see combat use - the Lockheed Corporation's most important contributions, arguably, were their maritime patrol aircraft. Lockheed produced the Hudson, Ventura, and Neptune maritime patrol aircraft, all but the latter of which served with both the US Navy and the various British Commonwealth air services. These aircraft soon proved crucial to combating the threat of HRE U-boat wolf-packs in the Atlantic, helping keep open the vital lifeline to the British Isles while they were under siege from HRE commerce raiding and aerial bombardment.
While much of Lockheed's assets were repurposed to rebuilding - and later producing military aircraft for use against the FAS partisan organization - their Advanced Development Projects division, colloquially known as Skunk Works, has been out of operation since the end of the Last Great War. With the IEC's recent actions to take up the torch of aeronautical development, it may be that the minds behind America's best jet fighter may soon find themselves developing more peacefully minded projects.
Boeing Airplane Company:
Most well known for its role in the early development of America's love of strategic bombing, the Boeing Company designed and manufactured the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-29 Superfortress strategic bombers - massive aircraft which saw unfortunately horrific losses to HRE air defenses in the early years of the Last Great War. While the development of more advanced tactics and escort fighters mitigated these losses, their comparatively shorter range meant that they were eventually replaced by the Convair B-36, which was capable of flying from bases beyond the range of conventional HRE bombers carrying atomic weaponry.
Aside from their role in the construction of American bombers, the company was also well known for its airliners and transport aircraft. While Mogadishu's coastal location makes it more convenient to ship rocket components by sea in most cases, it may be possible that some transport aircraft could prove useful for moving smaller stages or payload elements.
Convair:
Formed from the merger of Consolidated Aircraft and Vultee, the largest and most visible legacy of this corporation is the B-36 Peacemaker - the intercontinental super-bomber which carried out the United States' most successful nuclear attacks on the Imperial League and its controlled territories. Aside from this, Consolidated Aircraft - one of the two companies which merged to form Convair - manufactured the B-24 Liberator and B-32 Dominator strategic bombers, contemporaries and "fallback designs" to the Boeing B-17 and B-29 respectively.
While the need for intercontinental super-bombers no longer exists, the IEC has begun considering the use of some of these grim giants for more peaceful purposes - primarily as air-launch platforms for manned rocket-planes, due to their tremendous carrying capacity and pre-existing release hardware for "dropping" something heavy in-flight.
North American Aviation:
The manufacturers of what is considered to be one of the best single-engined piston driven fighter aircraft of the Last Great War, NAA's P-51 Mustang needs very little introduction. One of the lesser known but equally innovative aircraft from the company is the P-82 Twin Mustang, a near unique twin fuselage extreme range escort fighter which entered service in the last months of the War. There was also the FJ-1 Fury - the US Navy's answer to the P-80 Shooting Star, which first flew just as the Last Great War was coming to a close.
While smaller and less industrially capable than the larger corporations of the pre-Revolution USA, NAA did have advantages in the form of a motivated and capable research and prototyping staff - as exemplified by the P-51 going from contract signing to prototype in a little over 3 months. Combined with their status as an early US pioneer of jet aircraft development, there may be some potential for the former NAA staff with the IEC.
Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation:
Colloquially known as Grumman Ironworks by the pilots who flew their aircraft, Grumman was the premier designer and manufacturer of USN fighter and torpedo bomber aircraft during the Last Great War. While their aircraft weren't always as agile as their Imperial League counterparts - especially in comparison to the Japanese A6M "Zero" - their almost legendary durability, combined with excellent top speed for their size and weight, enabled their fighter aircraft to achieve the highest kill-to-loss ratios of any combat aircraft in the Pacific Theater of the Last Great War.
While the limitations of naval aviation constrained Grumman's development, their reputation for ruggedness could be useful for pursuing reliability - in particular for spacecraft that will need to operate flawlessly for the safety of a crew. Aside from that, it's likely that Grumman may be more focused on terrestrial and atmospheric programs rather than the IEC's spacefaring mandate.
Sikorsky Aviation Corporation/Piasecki Helicopter Corporation:
Jointly listed due to the similarities in their most famous products, these two aircraft companies are most known for their pioneering role in helicopter development - with Igor Sikorsky's VS-300 and R-4 helicopters being the first two helicopters to fly in the United States, and Piasecki's PV-2 being the third. Of their designs, the R-4/H-5/R-6 lineage from Sikorsky was the most widely adopted, although the most technically capable is the Piasecki HRP Rescuer - all four of which are still in service in the post-Revolution US, used for their original roles of aerial reconnaissance, medical evacuation, and search & rescue.
Even if not directly useful to the IEC, the capabilities of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft of any sort should not be ignored - especially for search and rescue or disaster relief in more peaceful times. Additionally, should it become necessary to retrieve spacecraft from difficult to reach areas, the hovering capabilities of these vehicles may prove useful.
A/N: Apologies if the tone is all over the place, I don't think I ever figured out whether I was writing this as a historical monograph, an assessment of things for the IEC, or what. And, of course, this is just what I put together by going through Wikipedia and considering what we know of the lore for the Last Great War/WW3.
September 30th, 1954//Q3 1954 Results
Shadows
Sacred Priestess of the Benevolent Dice Gods
- Location
- USS Civilian, DDG-214
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Plan: (Lightly) Inflated & Ready for Launch
-[X] Construct an R-4 Dawn (35R per dice, 69/120, costs 1 build capacity til complete) (3 dice)
--[X] And launch it (1 Operations dice; specify payload) (2 dice)
---[X] Sounding payload (inert payload for testing)
---[X] Advanced latex envelope (spare weather balloon) inflated via technologically-mature capillary action-delayed release fluid reservoir (a fountain pen full of water with a notch cut out of the cap) as an orbital payload mass simulator
-[X] Build a Scientific Complex (25R per die)
--[X] Sao Paolo Aerodynamics Centre (AERO) [CPAL, Int(C)] (425/450) (1 Die )
--[X] Long Beach Propulsion Research Complex (PROP) [Int(D),UWF] (293/450) (3 Dice
--[X] Mombasa Computer Science Institute (COMP) [CPAL] (273/450) (3 Dice)
-[X] Tracking Station Construction (Phase I) (30R per die, 183/350) (1 die)
-[X] Conduct Design Studies (First Satellite) (Phase II) [PHYS, FUEL, COMP] (15R per dice, 2/200) (5 dice)
-[X] Conduct Supersonic Jet Research (Phase 2) [AERO] (15R per die, 167/320) (3 dice)
-[X] Weather Studies (Phase 4) [PHYS] (10R per die, 118/240) (1 die)
-[X] Propagandize for Nuclear Power (-2PS per die) (0/???) (2 dice)
-[X] Accepting Submissions (1 die)
-[X] Construct an R-4 Dawn (35R per dice, 69/120, costs 1 build capacity til complete) (3 dice)
--[X] And launch it (1 Operations dice; specify payload) (2 dice)
---[X] Sounding payload (inert payload for testing)
---[X] Advanced latex envelope (spare weather balloon) inflated via technologically-mature capillary action-delayed release fluid reservoir (a fountain pen full of water with a notch cut out of the cap) as an orbital payload mass simulator
-[X] Build a Scientific Complex (25R per die)
--[X] Sao Paolo Aerodynamics Centre (AERO) [CPAL, Int(C)] (425/450) (1 Die )
--[X] Long Beach Propulsion Research Complex (PROP) [Int(D),UWF] (293/450) (3 Dice
--[X] Mombasa Computer Science Institute (COMP) [CPAL] (273/450) (3 Dice)
-[X] Tracking Station Construction (Phase I) (30R per die, 183/350) (1 die)
-[X] Conduct Design Studies (First Satellite) (Phase II) [PHYS, FUEL, COMP] (15R per dice, 2/200) (5 dice)
-[X] Conduct Supersonic Jet Research (Phase 2) [AERO] (15R per die, 167/320) (3 dice)
-[X] Weather Studies (Phase 4) [PHYS] (10R per die, 118/240) (1 die)
-[X] Propagandize for Nuclear Power (-2PS per die) (0/???) (2 dice)
-[X] Accepting Submissions (1 die)
Penelope wanted to chew her nails nervously as she stood in the control bunker, the humidity and heat of the late-September morning blocked somewhat by the fact that the bunker was partially recessed underground. Through a narrow slit of armored glass, she could see a Dawn rocket, second of its type to stand on that pad, its first stage painted ocean-blue and its upper stage and fairing, respectively, painted black and red as had been decided by the Council. She had tried to tell them that the IEC's scientists recommended white for thermal control reasons, but that had been rejected, and so it was done. To her right she could see a small cluster of color televisions mounted along a wall, showing multiple angles of the launch pad taken by mounted cameras placed around the launch complex, capturing every moment in living color.
Penelope wanted to pace and fret while the waiting stretched on, but she was kept frightfully still by the dozing toddler in her arms, much as her partner was as she stood beside her. Penelope shared a bemused glance with her and got a wry smile in return. "Relax," the love of her life whispered.
So she tried. But she didn't know just how much longer she could keep this up.
There was at least some chatter in the room as controllers reported the statuses of the aspects of the rocket and the launch they were overseeing - fuel fill status, temperatures, guidance, the works. But as the time ticked towards zero even these seemed to be muted, as if they were all holding their breath.
"T-minus thirty seconds to launch." Five words set her heart to racing and made her jump ever so slightly where she stood, which woke the aforementioned toddler up, grumbling and complaining. Penelope absently patted the tyke's back, but it seemed she didn't want to go back to sleep, rubbing at one eye with a skinny fist as she looked about blearily.
"Twenty seconds." Somewhere out past the gate leading into the space center you knew that there was a speaker relaying the countdown for the gathered crowd of thousands of onlookers. People from across the world had made the trek - mostly Councillors, but others besides - and by far the largest contingent was from the city itself. Please just work, Penelope thought to herself. Just work.
"Ten." Her attempts to keep herself calm evaporated as her heart leapt in her throat.
"Nine." The child in her arms was looking around with a mix of confusion and curiosity that only a child could truly achieve.
"Eight." Penelope turned a bit to point the tot's eyes towards the rocket. "Lookit," she whispered. "It's going to fly!"
"Seven." - "But… it doesn't have wings?" the kid asked, confused.
"Six."
"Five." - "Just watch. You'll see."
"Four."
"Three."- "Main engines start." - The array of igniters around the base of the rocket provided a brief spark that bloomed into a roaring flame, blown into shock diamonds.
"Two." - "Thrust nominal." - The diamonds steadied, too bright to look at even from here.
"One." - "Releasing hold-down clamps."
"We have liftoff!" - "It's flying!"
The Dawn lumbered off the pad, picking up speed with every second; the thunderous roar of four propane-burning engines filled the air, billowing out like the cloud of dust from the bottom of the launch mount. It flew true, though not straight; after just a short while the rocket began to lean in the direction of the Earth's rotation, picking up horizontal velocity as it tipped over to achieve the speed necessary to make orbit.
The engineers in the room jumped out of their seats and cheered, some of them racing out of the bunker to look up; the six flight controllers diligently stayed in their seats, monitoring the rocket's progress. Penelope followed the engineers with an armful of wonderstruck toddler and shielded her eyes from the sun as she looked up at the bright, loud dot racing into the heavens.
"Where is it going?" the girl asked.
"It's going to outer space." Penelope told her, and was rewarded with a tiny gasp.
"Wow!"
"Wow!" Penelope agreed with a smile.
"Are there people in it?" the little one asked. Penelope chuckled softly.
"No, not yet."
HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
MOGADISHU - THE INTERPLANETARY EXPLORATION COOPERATIVE LAUNCHES SATELLITE INTO ORBIT - On September 26th, the IEC successfully launched the world's first artificial satellite, the Curiosity I. This one-hundred-twenty kilogram sphere, carrying batteries, antennas, and scientific equipment, is currently orbiting the earth at an altitude of five-hundred kilometers or more, transmitting data to ground stations across the equator…
MOMBASA - IEC computer science facility completes - IEC construction crews have put the finishing touches on the Mombasa Computer Science Institute, whose staff is now beginning to arrive from around the world, comprised of the brightest minds on the planet. Dr. Alan Turing, the head of the new facility, has stated that after the start of the new year, classes will be offered at the facility in the operation, construction and maintenance of high-powered electronic computers, with the local populace prioritized for access…
SAO PAOLO - IEC brings aerodynamics lab online - The lights in Sao Paolo are burning steady and bright, thanks to power system upgrades provided by the IEC in order to support their new aerodynamics laboratory. These were made necessary by the power requirements of the on-site computing equipment and the wind tunnels located there, but the upgrades provided go far beyond the needs of the facility itself in order to provide for the area in which it resides…
LONG BEACH - Rocket engines heard across city - A new IEC facility in Long Beach became operational yesterday, hosting its inaugural engine test campaign in the early afternoon. The thunder of powerful engines could be heard all across the city, and even beyond in the right conditions…
NORTH AMERICA - FAS forces continue to retreat south - The FAS is seemingly in full flight southwards as the armies arrayed against them continue to make gains. Their southward flight is being matched by a northward march by Councilist-aligned armies coming up from South and Central America…
Resources:
5R (+480R/turn - 35R/turn from payroll/dice purchases = +445/turn net)
55 Political Support
1 R-2 Gale
2 R-4 Dawn
Objectives of the World Communal Council
Complete Post-War Reconstruction (30000/200000)
Defeat Partisan Forces
State of the World
(Updated at the end of every Quarter)
Mediterranean/Saharan Africa
Education: 6
Electrification: 6 (+) (Gas power plant construction, electrification intensifies)
Industry: 7 (+) (New refinery complexes)
Infrastructure: 7 (+) (Railroad construction, local road pavement, water supply expansions)
Security: 2
Partisan Activity: 3
Sub-Saharan Africa
Education: 7 (+) (Mombasa Computer Science Institute)
Electrification: 5
Industry: 4
Infrastructure: 5
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 5
Eastern Asia
Education: 10 (+) (Rural school programs)
Electrification: 8
Industry: 10
Infrastructure: 10
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 6
Western Asia
Education: 9 (+) (Rural school programs)
Electrification: 11
Industry: 11
Infrastructure: 11
Security: 7
Partisan Activity: 7 (-)
Australia and New Zealand
Education: 6
Electrification: 7
Industry: 6
Infrastructure: 7
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 3
Europe
Education: 10
Electrification: 10
Industry: 9 (+) (Rebuilt industrial facilities come online)
Infrastructure: 11
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 5
North America
Education: 8 (+) (Long Beach Propulsion Research Complex)
Electrification: 9
Industry: 8
Infrastructure: 8
Security: 14
Partisan Activity: 7 (-)
South America
Education: 6 (+) (Sao Paolo Aerodynamics Centre)
Electrification: 7 (+) (Electrification intensifies)
Industry: 7 (+) (New metalworks, mining)
Infrastructure: 8
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 3
Pacific Islands
Education: 5
Electrification: 5
Industry: 4
Infrastructure: 6
Security: 1
Partisan Activity: 0
Complete Post-War Reconstruction (30000/200000)
Defeat Partisan Forces
Ministry of Agriculture (5%)
-Subministry for Forestry
-Subministry for Aquaculture and Fishing
Ministry of Transportation (10%)
-Subministry for Sea Travel
-Subministry for Road and Rail
-Subministry for Air Travel
Ministry of Industrial Coordination (5%)
-Subministry for Occupational Health and Safety
Ministry of Energy (8%)
Ministry of Reconstruction and Disaster Relief (27.4%)
Ministry of Health and Welfare (24%)
Ministry of Education (17%)
Discretionary Funding (3.6%)
Council Standards Commission (Negligible)
Interplanetary Exploration Cooperative (1.5%)
Antarctic Exploration Cooperative (0.1%)
(Others)
-Subministry for Forestry
-Subministry for Aquaculture and Fishing
Ministry of Transportation (10%)
-Subministry for Sea Travel
-Subministry for Road and Rail
-Subministry for Air Travel
Ministry of Industrial Coordination (5%)
-Subministry for Occupational Health and Safety
Ministry of Energy (8%)
Ministry of Reconstruction and Disaster Relief (27.4%)
Ministry of Health and Welfare (24%)
Ministry of Education (17%)
Discretionary Funding (3.6%)
Council Standards Commission (Negligible)
Interplanetary Exploration Cooperative (1.5%)
Antarctic Exploration Cooperative (0.1%)
(Others)
State of the World
(Updated at the end of every Quarter)
Mediterranean/Saharan Africa
Education: 6
Electrification: 6 (+) (Gas power plant construction, electrification intensifies)
Industry: 7 (+) (New refinery complexes)
Infrastructure: 7 (+) (Railroad construction, local road pavement, water supply expansions)
Security: 2
Partisan Activity: 3
Sub-Saharan Africa
Education: 7 (+) (Mombasa Computer Science Institute)
Electrification: 5
Industry: 4
Infrastructure: 5
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 5
Eastern Asia
Education: 10 (+) (Rural school programs)
Electrification: 8
Industry: 10
Infrastructure: 10
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 6
Western Asia
Education: 9 (+) (Rural school programs)
Electrification: 11
Industry: 11
Infrastructure: 11
Security: 7
Partisan Activity: 7 (-)
Australia and New Zealand
Education: 6
Electrification: 7
Industry: 6
Infrastructure: 7
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 3
Europe
Education: 10
Electrification: 10
Industry: 9 (+) (Rebuilt industrial facilities come online)
Infrastructure: 11
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 5
North America
Education: 8 (+) (Long Beach Propulsion Research Complex)
Electrification: 9
Industry: 8
Infrastructure: 8
Security: 14
Partisan Activity: 7 (-)
South America
Education: 6 (+) (Sao Paolo Aerodynamics Centre)
Electrification: 7 (+) (Electrification intensifies)
Industry: 7 (+) (New metalworks, mining)
Infrastructure: 8
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 3
Pacific Islands
Education: 5
Electrification: 5
Industry: 4
Infrastructure: 6
Security: 1
Partisan Activity: 0
1 Launch Stand (0-5 tonne) (+1 Operations dice)
1 Heavy Sounding Rocket Launch Pad (5-30 tonne) (+1 Operations dice)
1 Assembly Complex (+1 Build Capacity)
1 Engineer's Hall (+2 Engineering Dice)
1 University Affiliate (+2 Science Dice)
1 Materials Lab (+5 bonus to projects tagged [MATSCI])
1 Chemical Plant (+5 bonus to projects tagged [CHEM])
1 Electronics Cooperative (+5 bonus to projects tagged [AVIONICS])
2 Construction Union Halls (+2 Facilities die)
1 Publications Office (+1 to all science and engineering fields; coinflip each year to get an additional +1)
1 Hardened Tracking and Observation (T&O) Complex (+3 to Operations)
1 Engine Test Stand (+2 to PROP projects)
1 Isotope Separation and Nuclear Science Facility (Enables Nuclear Technology tree) (fully unlocks 1954Q1)
1 Computational Research Facility (+3 to all rolls)
1 Model 1952 'Stormchaser' Mobile Rocket Launch System (+1 Operations dice)
Advanced Concepts Office (unlocks experimental new programs from time to time)
1 Wind Tunnel (+3 to AERO)
1 Flight Complex (+2 Operations dice, enables the construction and launch of air- and spaceplanes.)
Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre (+9 MATSCI, +1 Education in Europe)
Sao Paolo Aerodynamics Centre (+10 AERO, +1 Education in South America)
Long Beach Propulsion Research Complex (+7 PROP, +1 Education in North America)
Mombasa Computer Science Institute (+10 COMP, +1 Education in Sub-Saharan Africa)
1 Heavy Sounding Rocket Launch Pad (5-30 tonne) (+1 Operations dice)
1 Assembly Complex (+1 Build Capacity)
1 Engineer's Hall (+2 Engineering Dice)
1 University Affiliate (+2 Science Dice)
1 Materials Lab (+5 bonus to projects tagged [MATSCI])
1 Chemical Plant (+5 bonus to projects tagged [CHEM])
1 Electronics Cooperative (+5 bonus to projects tagged [AVIONICS])
2 Construction Union Halls (+2 Facilities die)
1 Publications Office (+1 to all science and engineering fields; coinflip each year to get an additional +1)
1 Hardened Tracking and Observation (T&O) Complex (+3 to Operations)
1 Engine Test Stand (+2 to PROP projects)
1 Isotope Separation and Nuclear Science Facility (Enables Nuclear Technology tree) (fully unlocks 1954Q1)
1 Computational Research Facility (+3 to all rolls)
1 Model 1952 'Stormchaser' Mobile Rocket Launch System (+1 Operations dice)
Advanced Concepts Office (unlocks experimental new programs from time to time)
1 Wind Tunnel (+3 to AERO)
1 Flight Complex (+2 Operations dice, enables the construction and launch of air- and spaceplanes.)
Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre (+9 MATSCI, +1 Education in Europe)
Sao Paolo Aerodynamics Centre (+10 AERO, +1 Education in South America)
Long Beach Propulsion Research Complex (+7 PROP, +1 Education in North America)
Mombasa Computer Science Institute (+10 COMP, +1 Education in Sub-Saharan Africa)
Scientific Advances
Improved Instrumentation - Gain +1d2 bonus to a random field every 2 launches. Gain +1 to AVIONICS immediately.)
Regenerative Cooling - Starts down the path to more powerful and advanced rocket engines.
Second Stages - Can now build 2-Stage Sounding Rockets.
Combustion Instability Research - Turns the initial success roll for a rocket from a >60 to >50.
Engine Cycles - Enables Early Orbital engines.
Mobile Launch Operations - Can launch Sounding Rockets without the need for a launch pad.
Improved Stringer Alloys - New (expensive) alloys improve the performance of structural tanks. (+5 to R cost of Heavy Sounding Rockets and above)
Copper-Chrome combustion chamber alloys - New combustion chamber alloys with higher heat transfer efficiency allow for hotter (and thus more efficient) chamber temperatures, leading to the ability to produce more powerful engines. (Future rocket designs will be higher performing.)
Aluminum-Lithium monolithic tanks - New tank alloys enable lighter, higher performing tankage to be produced for new rocket designs. (Future designs that use Al-Li tankage will be more performant, but more expensive in R terms.)
Scientific/Engineering Specific Field Bonuses
AERO - +19
AVIONICS - +9
CHEM - +11
CREW - +3
COMP - +13
MATSCI - +17
PHYS - +9
PROP - +14
Penelope Carter [The Director] - [+10 to Politics rolls, +2 Politics die, +5R/turn in funding from Connections, reroll 1 failed politics roll per turn]
Sergei Korolev - [+5 to Science and Engineering rolls (unless researching [HGOL][FUEL] projects, then it becomes a -15), +1 Science dice, +1 Engineering Dice. Request:
Rocket Reels - Adds a coinflip for 1 gained political support per quarter; gain an additional flip for every successful rocket launch.
Promises Made (Expires Q1 1954):
Build the Mombasa AND Sao Paolo Scientific Complexes
Build the Sao Paolo Aerodynamics Centre by 1955Q1.
Conduct Satellite Design Studies and launch the satellite before 1955Q1.
Conduct Jet Research (Phase 2) X2
Do not conduct military rocket launches or research
Construct an R-4 Dawn (100/120) (1 rocket complete)
The Assembly team seemed to have finally learned the word 'moderation' at some point during the last year, as they took a somewhat more sedate approach to building rockets this quarter. Of course, that meant they 'only' finished one rocket and three-quarters finished a second, and these rockets were, of course, orbital-class, larger than the Bedens, Gales and Snows by half again at least. The speed with which they worked did not come at the cost of quality, either; they had built 4 Dawns at this pace… and thus far, when launched, those rockets had been one-hundred percent successful, by the end of quarter.
Rocket Launches (2 successes)
The first of the two launches this quarter received vastly less fanfare than the second did, but was, in some ways, no less important. On the morning of the 1st of August 1954, humanity's first orbital-class rocket tore away from the launchpad at the Mogadishu Space Centre, racing into a mostly clear (if humid) blue sky with wispy upper-atmosphere clouds in attendance. It carried little more than a heavy sounding payload, not dissimilar from what might be flown in an R-3 (though actually lighter, because of the tyranny of the rocket equation meaning that the orbital rocket needed to trim weight where possible). It arced out over the Indian Ocean, tracked by the partially-complete network of tracking stations that would one day soon span the whole of the Earth's equator (though not continuously, given the need to refuel the tracking ships), and achieved orbital velocity roughly seven minutes into flight, with the onboard avionics and the tracking stations combined data pointing towards a successful orbital insertion.
At that point, the deorbit command was sent; a few minutes later, as the upper stage's trajectory continued past inhabited areas, a series of small solid motors placed facing opposite the direction of travel fired and lowered its perigee inside the Earth's atmosphere once more. Approximately thirty minutes later, the stage burned up over the Pacific as it re-entered, having successfully completed its mission.
This success set the stage for the second Dawn launch of the quarter, this time carrying a far, far more important payload...
Build a Scientific Complex
- Sao Paolo Aerodynamics Centre (AERO) [CPAL, Int(C)] (485/450)
The Aerodynamics Centre completed in late September, just shy of the launch of the IEC's first satellite. With its impressive suite of computers, wind tunnels and workshops, it is fully expected to greatly benefit the IEC in the future as new, more powerful rockets and other craft are in need of study. In the meantime, it also serves the dual function of teaching new aeronautical engineers in South America as a whole, using state of the art techniques, as well as allowing aircraft building organizations from across the world to have a place to test their own designs.
- Long Beach Propulsion Research Complex (PROP) [Int(D),UWF] (516/450)
The Long Beach complex finished in early September, and nigh-immediately began testing new rocket engines. Granted, the initial test runs were done using the Dawn's engine, to measure the difference between the laboratory equipment in Mogadishu and the new, state-of-the-art equipment here, as a way of calibrating it. Soon, however, all-new designs began to be proposed and prototyped.
- Mombasa Computer Science Institute (COMP) [CPAL] (515/450)
The Mombasa Computer Science Institute finished in late August and opened its doors to its first computation experiments on the first of September, along with its first class of hopefuls looking to become computer scientists alongside Dr. Turing and his compatriots in the Computer Science division. There was no one, quite, who did what they did; so, there was nowhere else someone wanting to learn on the bleeding edge of that field would want to go.
Tracking Station Construction (Phase I) (288/350)
A line of tracking stations (and tracking ships, when the need arose) now stretched from Mogadishu to Quito to the east, and to Kampala to the west. This provided a near-continuous band of coverage around the equator of the Earth, and the remainder of the stations were under construction even as the quarter ended. Soon that band would form the backbone of data transmission to and from your satellites, and from there be branched out to the north and to the south for when you began servicing the other latitudes.
Conduct Design Studies (First Satellite) (Phase II) [PHYS, FUEL, COMP] (256/200) (75 on deployment)
The Curiosity I, as the satellite came to be named, was finished in late August, fitted with a hefty payload of batteries and communications equipment, along with a geiger counter intended to measure the radiation environment over time while in orbit. It would transmit its data back to Earth, where the ground stations would measure its altitude via radio ranging.
It was loaded aboard the rocket it would ride to orbit two days prior to the rocket being lifted vertical on the launch pad, and its ride-along experiment was double checked before the fairing was closed with explosive bolts.
The launch was absolutely perfectly nominal, with the satellite being placed into an equatorial orbit roughly seven-and-a-half minutes after lift-off. While the more complicated electronics aboard the satellite were conducting their check-ins with ground control, the secondary payload found itself released, a hundred-meter length of fishing line keeping it loosely connected to the Curiosity I. The payload, which was, put simply, a mylar balloon wrapped around a pen filled with water, was dubbed Yasin's Big Balloon, after the person who suggested the idea to the IEC. Slowly, water leaked from the pen and into the balloon, which, heated by the sun, turned the water to steam, which filled the balloon; it was, when fully inflated, considerably larger than the Curiosity I itself, and provided an excellent radar target for tracking the satellite.
With a nominal launch, orbital insertion, and payload deployment, within days the Curiosity I discovered bands of intense radiation that it dipped in and out of as it flew in its ellipsoid orbit around the Earth. One of your scientists, James van Allen, theorized that the bands were caused by ionized particles coming off the sun being trapped by the Earth's powerful magnetic field. It would require additional study, but for the time being, his conjecture was panning out.
And all the while, while the IEC was doing science and celebrating their success, anyone who could look up across the whole of the Earth's equator could see a brand new, fast, artificial star zip across the heavens at night...
Conduct Supersonic Jet Research (Phase 2) [AERO] (467/320) (Phase 3) (147/640)
The jet research was paying off already. With a second quarter of funding, the scientists and engineers there pressed forward with their new engine prototypes, implementing new alloys and construction methods in the turbines' construction, enabling them to survive higher speeds without melting. It was also discovered that if fuel was injected into the exhaust stream after it had passed through the combustion chamber, the fuel would ignite and provide substantial additional thrust. It was inherently inefficient and wasteful, but these 'afterburners' enabled much higher speeds for short periods of time. This was an idea that would certainly be of interest to the parties currently fighting the FAS in North America, but on a personal level you didn't much care about it.
You supposed it might be good for an air launch system, one day, though.
Weather Studies (Phase 4) [PHYS] (146/240)
With a (relatively quiet) hurricane/typhoon season this year (so far, anyway), there wasn't a lot of opportunity to study new and interesting weather phenomena, so much of the work was on the back end, going through old data and comparing what was known now to what what known when it was taken and seeing what might be learned with new knowledge applied to it. This, too, was valuable in the scientific endeavor;
Propagandize for Nuclear Power (-2PS per die) (100/???)
Your efforts to begin counteracting the (understandable) pall over nuclear science that nuclear war had cast over it were… mixed, at best, but neither did they go badly, which was a blessing. It wasn't as if you went straight to the populace, of course; first, you had to develop your exact approach to the subject, and then you tested it on the world's most willing subjects - Councilors. You approached representatives from cities that were still in the process of being reclaimed and rebuilt, and laid out your case, asking them to hold judgement until you'd said your peace. The Bomb had devastated the lives of tens of millions through direct and indirect means; clearly, the power of the Atom was a potent and unforgiving one when misused. But there were uses to which it could be put that would be peaceful, that would benefit the world - nuclear power, and nuclear medicine.
You pointed to the IEC's own preliminary studies on nuclear power, and numerous medical journal papers describing the ways in which radioactive isotopes could be used to treat illnesses, rather than cause them (well, so long as they were administered correctly). You pointed out the strengths, weaknesses, and risks; there was zero point attempting to fluff those aspects of nuclear power and nuclear technology. By the end of it, you thought you'd made some headway with them. If you could get them on board with the idea, you could take that idea more broadly and begin working with the many, many people of the world who held a justified fear of that incredible power.
Accepting Submissions
The IEC began accepting public submissions for ideas and proposals at the beginning of the quarter.
This, promptly, required you to double your mailroom staff in order to deal with the influx of letters from the world over, and train the sorters you had also hired in spotting what ideas were quite literally physically impossible and those which were worth passing on to the scientific offices. Others got redirected to Outreach; there were quite a few ideas for things like movies and books submitted, and your efforts with the creative community might benefit from having an index of prompts to spark their creativity with.
Advanced Concepts Office
Photovoltaic Investigations - Batteries are all well and good for powering spacecraft, but are also heavy and do not generate power on their own - once they're discharged, they're done. Your scientists suggest that by utilizing the photovoltaic effect, it might be possible to power spacecraft with it. (4 turns, 1 Science dice locked; 20R per turn)
(Projects that require locked dice can be unlocked at any time, but progress will not be made without a dice locked in.)
trooperist
Cinnamon Roll AI
I didn't know we were launching the satellite this quarter but it's a welcome surprise. Now we have an entire free quarter to ourselves before we have to make promises again.
The FAS keeps having the noose tightened. Will they last another year?
The next phase of supersonic jets looks like a doozy. Maybe time to focus our science dice elsewhere. Like Big Ear or more Materials Research.
For engineering I say complete our partial projects of alternate launch systems and balloon tanks.
The FAS keeps having the noose tightened. Will they last another year?
The next phase of supersonic jets looks like a doozy. Maybe time to focus our science dice elsewhere. Like Big Ear or more Materials Research.
For engineering I say complete our partial projects of alternate launch systems and balloon tanks.
Last edited:
- Location
- Outside the Box
- Pronouns
- She/Her
- Location
- Fort Worth, TX
I would think many Civilian Aerospace companies would be interested in our materials research.
DracoDracul
Transbian Communist
- Location
- Austin
- Pronouns
- She/They
I think this would be a great opportunity to do all skies survey to try and save some resources for quarter after next.
We've finished all our promises.
I vote that, for the next plan, we activate zero dice. Everyone deserves three months of celebration.
IMO, we should also try and plan ahead and come up with targets for the next five years. I think that Korolev's request of an orbital rocket helped to focus us over the past few, and we should try and do the same over the next few.
I vote that, for the next plan, we activate zero dice. Everyone deserves three months of celebration.
IMO, we should also try and plan ahead and come up with targets for the next five years. I think that Korolev's request of an orbital rocket helped to focus us over the past few, and we should try and do the same over the next few.
One, single, political die, to represent Penelope staying in the office while everyone else is gone.
October 1st, 1954//Q4 1954
Shadows
Sacred Priestess of the Benevolent Dice Gods
- Location
- USS Civilian, DDG-214
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Following most of a week of celebrations of varying intensity, Penelope found herself back in her office once more on the first day of another new quarter, with a raft of proposals on her desk.
One thing that certainly hasn't changed, that.
She started in on her work, and neither her daughters nor that little ball in the sky bleeping out radio signals were ever far from her mind, and both the most important things in her world for the time being. The latter, of course, would leave; the Curiosity I would deorbit some time next year and burn up somewhere, hopefully completely, before it hit the ground or ocean.
For the first time in quite a long time, there were no promises of any variety pulling on the IEC; they had complete freedom of action to choose what they wanted to pursue... for a quarter, at least.
Resources:
450R (+480R/turn - 35R/turn from payroll/dice purchases = +445/turn net)
69 Political Support
1 R-2 Gale
2 R-4 Dawn
Scientific Advances
Improved Instrumentation - Gain +1d2 bonus to a random field every 2 launches. Gain +1 to AVIONICS immediately.) (Made obsolete by First Satellite)
Regenerative Cooling - Starts down the path to more powerful and advanced rocket engines.
Second Stages - Can now build 2-Stage Sounding Rockets.
Combustion Instability Research - Turns the initial success roll for a rocket from a >60 to >50.
Engine Cycles - Enables Early Orbital engines.
Mobile Launch Operations - Can launch Sounding Rockets without the need for a launch pad.
Improved Stringer Alloys - New (expensive) alloys improve the performance of structural tanks. (+5 to R cost of Heavy Sounding Rockets and above)
Copper-Chrome combustion chamber alloys - New combustion chamber alloys with higher heat transfer efficiency allow for hotter (and thus more efficient) chamber temperatures, leading to the ability to produce more powerful engines. (Future rocket designs will be higher performing.)
Aluminum-Lithium monolithic tanks - New tank alloys enable lighter, higher performing tankage to be produced for new rocket designs. (Future designs that use Al-Li tankage will be more performant, but more expensive in R terms.)
First Satellite - With the launch of the Curiosity I, the IEC and the world have entered a new era of spaceflight, and the horizons of science and engineering broaden ever further. (+10PS, Improved Instrumentation bonus deactivated. Gain +1d2 bonus to a random non-CREW field per two satellite launches.)
Van Allen Belts - An area of charged particles from the Sun, trapped by Earth's magnetic field. These belts have caused several minor hiccups with the Curiosity I satellite, and given the transmitted radiation readings, care must be taken if the IEC intends to launch humans through them. Staying for any significant length of time would be... ill advised.
Scientific/Engineering Specific Field Bonuses
AERO - +19
AVIONICS - +9
CHEM - +11
CREW - +3
COMP - +13
MATSCI - +17
PHYS - +9
PROP - +14
Penelope Carter [The Director] - [+10 to Politics rolls, +2 Politics die, +5R/turn in funding from Connections, reroll 1 failed politics roll per turn]
Sergei Korolev - [+5 to Science and Engineering rolls (unless researching [HGOL][FUEL] projects, then it becomes a -15), +1 Science dice, +1 Engineering Dice. Request:Build an Orbital Rocket within 5 years; build a Scientific Complex in Ukraine within 10 years.]
Rocket Reels - Adds a coinflip for 2 gained political support per quarter; gain an additional flip for every successful orbital rocket launch. [UPGRADED]
Promises Made (Expires Q1 1955):
Do not conduct military rocket launches or research
Operations (5 dice, +3 bonus) (1 type of Rocket may be built at a time)
[ ] Construct an R-1 Beden - Standard Sounding rocket launches are now something of an old hat. Still perfectly useful, of course, and they're not actually that old, but the two stage rockets have stolen some of their thunder. (15R per dice, 3/35, 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)
-[ ] And do a recon launch in the North American conflict (gains launch experience)
[ ] Construct an R-2 Gale - The IEC's engineers and scientists have come up with a moderately reliable stage separation system for multi-stage rockets. The Gale has seen active use for two years, now, and is turning into quite the reliable workhorse. (20R per dice, 19/45, 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 R-3 Snow - The Heavy Sounding Rocket, now known as the Snow, is ready for construction. It's a sizeable rocket, but thankfully you have a sizeable pad to launch it from. Unfortunately, it won't ever fit on a Stormchaser. (25R per dice, 7/80, 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) (Unlocks Weather Observation Campaigns)
[] Construct an R-4 Dawn - The first Orbital-class rocket, the Dawn is capable of lifting 200 kilograms to low Earth orbit. It may be able to do more, in time, but for now that would suffice. It can only launch on the Heavy Sounding Pad or heavier, as yet unbuilt ones. (35R per dice, 100/120, costs 1 build capacity til complete)
-[ ] And launch it (1 Operations dice; specify payload)
–[ ] Sounding payload (inert payload for testing)
–[ ] Curiosity-class Satellite (+25 progress requirement) - Used primarily for earth-orbit science.
[ ] Construct a Prototype Spaceplane -
Facilities (8 dice, +10 bonus)
(A maximum of 3 dice may be used on any project - representing 3 shifts of work.)
[ ] Expand the Assembly Complex - A proposal to expand the Assembly Complex to allow for more rockets to be constructed simultaneously has hit your desk. This will significantly up your launch cadence, you are told, and allow for multiple rocket programs to be run in parallel, as well as future proofing you somewhat against the upcoming orbital rockets. (20R per die, 0/350, +1 Build Capacity, +1 Program Slot (runs repeatables in the background))
[ ] Expand the Launch Complex - You have two launch pads (one of which has gone entirely unused, so far) but, soon enough, you expect to need additional pads to account for the maintenance and upgrades the existing ones will certainly need. Getting a head start on that need may be a good idea. (20R per die, 0/350, gain two 500t launch pads)
[ ] Build a Scientific Complex - While there are a significant number of people within the IEC who want to keep the Cooperative's footprint confined to Mogadishu - at least for now - there is definitely an argument to be made for building dedicated facilities in other locations to build up buy-in from the rest of the world by providing them something tangible in return. One of those ideas is for a dedicated Scientific Complex, dedicated to a particular discipline, much like the Soviet closed cities - just not closed. This has the potential to greatly increase your scientific output and your political sway at the same time. (25R per die, opens up new research possibilities, +1d5+5 bonus in the associated field, +1 Education for the region)
-[] Beijing Institute for Chemical Research (CHEM) (0/450)
-[] Sydney Microelectronics Research Centre (AVIONICS) (0/450)
-[] New Delhi Institute for Physics (PHYS) (0/450)
[ ] Tracking Station Construction (Phase I) - The first stage of Tracking Stations rolls out the facilities along the equator as best as possible where land exists, and deals with constructing the first of the fleet of tracking vessels the IEC will need to cover all those thousands of square kilometers where there is no land to be had. Thanks to the decision to use converted warships for the base of the tracking vessels, the process will be somewhat quicker, though also more expensive. (30R per die, 288/350, adds equatorial tracking for rocket launches)
[ ] Spacefarer Training Facilities - Should the IEC wish to fly humans into space, it will need a place to train them for their missions, and ready their bodies for the rigors of flying on a rocket. (15R per dice, 0/300) (+2 CREW) (will have projects to expand it later for new capabilities, enables crew to be trained for basic LEO flight)
Engineering (5 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
[ ] Rudimentary Heat Shielding [MATSCI] - Currently, you now have the ability to put things into space. But what if you want to get them back? Your engineers have some ideas they've floated past your materials scientists, and they're asking for time and space at Dnipro to do some investigations. (2 turns, 1 locked dice, 15R per turn)
[ ] Observation Satellites - Now that we can put things in space, we should branch out what we're doing with them. The chief request of your weather scientists (and those elsewhere) is the ability to observe storms forming in real time, and while weather radar has been greatly helpful, it doesn't reach everywhere it needs to and would be far more uneconomical besides. By sticking a television camera and an antenna on a satellite, perhaps you could do something about this. (6 turns, 1 locked dice, 15R per turn)
[ ] Human-rated Rocketry - Satellites would certainly be useful for many things that you didn't want to spend precious human time on, nor deal with the constraints involved in getting them back. But, should the need arise, it would be a good idea to develop a way to get a human into space, then orbit, and back, alive. (8 turns, 1 locked dice, 20R per turn)
[ ] Prototype Spaceplane - Your spaceplane enthusiasts returned to your office with another proposal, building off the back of the design studies they had undertaken through the winter of 1954. Their desire was to create a crewed 'space' plane that would be towed behind or carried underneath a carrier aircraft, be released, and activate a rocket engine that would take it up over the Karman line. It would have a multitude of sensors, of course, and would also need air supplies and likely a heated flight suit to keep the pilot alive and able to work. (0/300, 15R per dice)
[ ] Conduct Design Studies (Alternative Launch Systems) [AERO, PHYS] - Still more of your engineers were talking about investigating different ways of potentially getting to space. Jules Verne stuff. Big guns and space towers and the like. You didn't think them likely to work, but having the knowledge wouldn't hurt. (5R per die, 177/300, ???)
[ ] Balloon Tanks [MATSCI] - A curious phenomenon has been observed with the use of stainless steel for tankage. If made very thin, it is flimsy - but if the material is then appropriately pressurized, it regains significant structural strength, saving greatly on weight at the cost of being much more expensive to manufacture. This could be ideal for some applications that the IEC has in mind where cost is not an issue while performance is, but needs further testing beforehand. (15R per dice, 100/200, unlocks balloon tankage for use in later rockets)
[ ] Lifting Body - Work with the Wind Tunnel and on the Spaceplane studies had revealed a new configuration for air- and spacecraft fuselage design - the concept of the lifting body, where the wing area was minimized to reduce drag at high speeds, with the body itself providing the lifting force used. While not terribly useful for aircraft, it was potentially very useful for spacecraft design. (10R per die, 0/150)
[ ] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies - Now that initial work had been completed verifying that, at the lab scale, nuclear energy could be used to generate power, now it was time to actually forward that knowledge into a practical, useful form. It would not be cheap, but, hopefully, it would be worth it. (8 turns, 1 locked dice, 25R per turn, -30PS on completion UNLESS given WC authorization) (Unlocks 1st Generation Terrestrial Fission Power Plants for the world, leads to Radioisotope Thermal Generators, 2nd Generation Terrestrial Fission Plants, 1st Generation Space-rated Fission Plants)
[ ] Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Applications Studies - A side-effect of the nuclear power studies lead to several of your researchers realizing that the heat a reactor produced could be harnessed for things other than turning a turbine. By passing propellant over a reactor's core housing you would cool the core and heat the propellant alike - and the propellant would be very hot indeed, making it an attractive candidate for being flung out the back of the spacecraft at extremely high speeds. (20R per die, 0/500, -30PS on completion UNLESS given WC authorization) (Unlocks 1st Generation Nuclear Thermal Propulsion for spacecraft)
(Projects that require locked dice can be unlocked at any time, but progress will not be made without a dice locked in.)
Science (4 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
[ ] Exploratory Propellant Research (Phase 1) [CHEM] - A group of chemists attached to the IEC came to you with a proposal to conduct an exhaustive campaign characterizing just about as many propellants as they could come up with. While expensive, and dangerous, and potentially deadly, the knowledge gained could also be invaluable for nailing down mixtures and ratios of fuels that could help the IEC achieve its objectives. (15R per dice, 0/150, unlocks fuel mixtures and further fuel development)
[ ] Conduct Materials Research (Phase 4) [MATSCI] - Better alloys and manufacturing techniques would lead to higher-performing engines and lighter rockets, you were told. A fair deal of research had already been done into the subject, giving you a much-improved set of materials with which to build your rockets and engines out of, but there was much more that could be done. (20R per die, 4/300, provides access to new manufacturing techniques)
[ ] Conduct Supersonic Jet Research (Phase 3) [AERO] - Basic testing has been completed, and interesting phenomena observed when experimenting with the engines that have been built. More can be done, of course. (15R per die, requires a completed Hangar Complex and Runway to finish, can be started without, 147/640)
[ ] Weather Studies (Phase 4) [PHYS] - With the weather observation program started, keeping it going is now almost a given. The returns have been very valuable for the meteorological community at large, and the PAO has received numerous calls from various localities across the globe asking for the IEC to put up instruments where they are, each hoping to reap the rewards of more accurate weather prediction. (10R per die, requires a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket, requires Mobile Launch Operations, 146/240) (+5 PS on complete)
[ ] All-Sky Survey (Phase 1) [PHYS] - The Science Committee at the WCC put forward the proposal to perform an All-Sky Survey, mapping the entire night sky with telescopes across the world. The first such survey, the Carte du Ciel, had never actually finished, despite starting nearly three quarters of a century ago. With advancements in photography and optics, the science teams predict that they will be able to perform the task… in roughly a decade. First, though, you needed to wrangle observatories… (10R per die, 0/300) (+5 PS, ???)
[ ] Big Ear [PHYS] - The scientists working for the IEC have latched on to the opening the new broadcast regulations have given them, and are clamoring for funding to construct a radio telescope in a remote part of Africa. It might need a bit of infrastructure run out to it, and probably a security force of some sort to dissuade partisans, but it looked doable. Personally, you thought it was also a good excuse to help electrify somewhere that needed it. (20R per die; At least 1 dice must be Facilities, 0/300) (+1 Electrification and Infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa, +2 to PHYS)
[ ] Atomic-powered Ground Launch Concept Studies - The idea of in-space nuclear propulsion, brought down to Earth. This program would study the possibilities for using nuclear power to get from the surface to space, both directly and indirectly. (10R per die, 0/300, -5PS on start, and an additional -10 on completion)
[ ] Photovoltaic Investigations - Batteries are all well and good for powering spacecraft, but are also heavy and do not generate power on their own - once they're discharged, they're done. Your scientists suggest that by utilizing the photovoltaic effect, it might be possible to power spacecraft with it. (4 turns, 1 Science dice locked; 20R per turn)
(Projects that require locked dice can be unlocked at any time, but progress will not be made without a dice locked in.)
Politics (3 dice, +10 bonus, reroll 1 failure per turn)
Political
[ ] Bothering Councilors - The year's budget is set, but next year's is very much not. You can influence investment priorities if you want to apply enough political pressure to the right people to convince them to fund, say, better roads out of Mogadishu… elementary and secondary schools in Africa… that kind of thing. (-10 PS, roll a quality dice to give options for influencing infrastructure funding, triggers subvote)
[ ] 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. (-2PS per die) (100/???)
[ ] Propagandize for Space - Now that you've gotten your first orbital class rocket (and soon your first satellite), now is the best time to start touting the benefits of space exploration and access to space to the public. You'll need to find ways of engaging everyone in the idea, and there was no better time to start than now. (5R per die) (0/???)
Outreach
[ ] Rocket Boxes (Phase 5) - The fourth phase of Rocket Box deployment has completed across South America and the Pacific Islands. Next up is Europe; it needs the program probably the least of all the regions under the World Council, but it would be unadvised to not extend it anyway. New factories will be built for the motors and parts in Europe, which should ease logistics in the area. (5R per die, 0/250. Gives Rocket Boxes to every middle-school, high-school and university or equivalent in Europe. Encourages future scientists and engineers - some of whom will even come work with the IEC.)
[ ] Creative Sponsorships - A junior physicist has made the suggestion that by sponsoring the work of fiction authors (particularly science fiction), interest in space, science, and the IEC could be generated outside the bounds of colleges and classrooms. This sparked another suggestion from one of the Outreach department's people - broaden the sponsorship from simply authors to filmmakers and more traditional artists as well. This would help reach even more people than before, they thought. (10R per die, 141/400) (-5R per turn when done, provides additional variable passive PS income and can result in shuffled costs and requests at World Council meetings.)
[ ] University Rocket Competitions - Now that Rocket Boxes are widely distributed all over the world, there are a number of rocketry clubs at universities everywhere (including the places that did not as yet have Rocket Box coverage). A competition, where the teams design and build their own rockets and then come together to see who did the best in various categories would be an interesting way of keeping interest in the IEC up and scouting for future members. (20R to activate)
Personnel
[ ] Engineering Job Fair - (56/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn on completion. Gain +1 Engineering dice)
[ ] Laboratory Talent Scouting - (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn on completion. Gain +1 Science dice)
[ ] There is Power in a Union - The PAO says you should expand your physical footprint so more people can interact with the IEC. Preparations and initial expansions have already been made, but your facilities unions need more able bodies to do more with. (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn and -5 PS on completion. Gain +1 Facilities dice, +5 to Facilities rolls)
[ ] The Right Stuff - With work underway on several programs that would require the services of skilled and courageous pilots, you would soon need to begin finding them so they could be integrated into the IEC - and someday, they would become your first astronauts. (0/300, 5R per dice, gain astronaut candidates)
One thing that certainly hasn't changed, that.
She started in on her work, and neither her daughters nor that little ball in the sky bleeping out radio signals were ever far from her mind, and both the most important things in her world for the time being. The latter, of course, would leave; the Curiosity I would deorbit some time next year and burn up somewhere, hopefully completely, before it hit the ground or ocean.
For the first time in quite a long time, there were no promises of any variety pulling on the IEC; they had complete freedom of action to choose what they wanted to pursue... for a quarter, at least.
Resources:
450R (+480R/turn - 35R/turn from payroll/dice purchases = +445/turn net)
69 Political Support
1 R-2 Gale
2 R-4 Dawn
Objectives of the World Communal Council
Complete Post-War Reconstruction (30000/200000)
Defeat Partisan Forces
State of the World
(Updated at the end of every Quarter)
Mediterranean/Saharan Africa
Education: 6
Electrification: 6
Industry: 7
Infrastructure: 7
Security: 2
Partisan Activity: 3
Sub-Saharan Africa
Education: 7
Electrification: 5
Industry: 4
Infrastructure: 5
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 5
Eastern Asia
Education: 10
Electrification: 8
Industry: 10
Infrastructure: 10
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 6
Western Asia
Education: 9
Electrification: 11
Industry: 11
Infrastructure: 11
Security: 7
Partisan Activity:
Australia and New Zealand
Education: 6
Electrification: 7
Industry: 6
Infrastructure: 7
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 3
Europe
Education: 10
Electrification: 10
Industry: 9
Infrastructure: 11
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 5
North America
Education: 8
Electrification: 9
Industry: 8
Infrastructure: 8
Security: 14
Partisan Activity: 7
South America
Education: 6
Electrification: 7
Industry: 7
Infrastructure: 8
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 3
Pacific Islands
Education: 5
Electrification: 5
Industry: 4
Infrastructure: 6
Security: 1
Partisan Activity: 0
Complete Post-War Reconstruction (30000/200000)
Defeat Partisan Forces
Ministry of Agriculture (5%)
-Subministry for Forestry
-Subministry for Aquaculture and Fishing
Ministry of Transportation (10%)
-Subministry for Sea Travel
-Subministry for Road and Rail
-Subministry for Air Travel
Ministry of Industrial Coordination (5%)
-Subministry for Occupational Health and Safety
Ministry of Energy (8%)
Ministry of Reconstruction and Disaster Relief (27.4%)
Ministry of Health and Welfare (24%)
Ministry of Education (17%)
Discretionary Funding (3.6%)
Council Standards Commission (Negligible)
Interplanetary Exploration Cooperative (1.5%)
Antarctic Exploration Cooperative (0.1%)
(Others)
-Subministry for Forestry
-Subministry for Aquaculture and Fishing
Ministry of Transportation (10%)
-Subministry for Sea Travel
-Subministry for Road and Rail
-Subministry for Air Travel
Ministry of Industrial Coordination (5%)
-Subministry for Occupational Health and Safety
Ministry of Energy (8%)
Ministry of Reconstruction and Disaster Relief (27.4%)
Ministry of Health and Welfare (24%)
Ministry of Education (17%)
Discretionary Funding (3.6%)
Council Standards Commission (Negligible)
Interplanetary Exploration Cooperative (1.5%)
Antarctic Exploration Cooperative (0.1%)
(Others)
State of the World
(Updated at the end of every Quarter)
Mediterranean/Saharan Africa
Education: 6
Electrification: 6
Industry: 7
Infrastructure: 7
Security: 2
Partisan Activity: 3
Sub-Saharan Africa
Education: 7
Electrification: 5
Industry: 4
Infrastructure: 5
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 5
Eastern Asia
Education: 10
Electrification: 8
Industry: 10
Infrastructure: 10
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 6
Western Asia
Education: 9
Electrification: 11
Industry: 11
Infrastructure: 11
Security: 7
Partisan Activity:
Australia and New Zealand
Education: 6
Electrification: 7
Industry: 6
Infrastructure: 7
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 3
Europe
Education: 10
Electrification: 10
Industry: 9
Infrastructure: 11
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 5
North America
Education: 8
Electrification: 9
Industry: 8
Infrastructure: 8
Security: 14
Partisan Activity: 7
South America
Education: 6
Electrification: 7
Industry: 7
Infrastructure: 8
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 3
Pacific Islands
Education: 5
Electrification: 5
Industry: 4
Infrastructure: 6
Security: 1
Partisan Activity: 0
1 Launch Stand (0-5 tonne) (+1 Operations dice)
1 Heavy Sounding Rocket Launch Pad (5-30 tonne) (+1 Operations dice)
1 Assembly Complex (+1 Build Capacity)
1 Engineer's Hall (+2 Engineering Dice)
1 University Affiliate (+2 Science Dice)
1 Materials Lab (+5 bonus to projects tagged [MATSCI])
1 Chemical Plant (+5 bonus to projects tagged [CHEM])
1 Electronics Cooperative (+5 bonus to projects tagged [AVIONICS])
2 Construction Union Halls (+2 Facilities die)
1 Publications Office (+1 to all science and engineering fields; coinflip each year to get an additional +1)
1 Hardened Tracking and Observation (T&O) Complex (+3 to Operations)
1 Engine Test Stand (+2 to PROP projects)
1 Isotope Separation and Nuclear Science Facility (Enables Nuclear Technology tree) (fully unlocks 1954Q1)
1 Computational Research Facility (+3 to all rolls)
1 Model 1952 'Stormchaser' Mobile Rocket Launch System (+1 Operations dice)
Advanced Concepts Office (unlocks experimental new programs from time to time)
1 Wind Tunnel (+3 to AERO)
1 Flight Complex (+2 Operations dice, enables the construction and launch of air- and spaceplanes.)
Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre (+9 MATSCI, +1 Education in Europe)
Sao Paolo Aerodynamics Centre (+10 AERO, +1 Education in South America)
Long Beach Propulsion Research Complex (+7 PROP, +1 Education in North America)
Mombasa Computer Science Institute (+10 COMP, +1 Education in Sub-Saharan Africa)
1 Heavy Sounding Rocket Launch Pad (5-30 tonne) (+1 Operations dice)
1 Assembly Complex (+1 Build Capacity)
1 Engineer's Hall (+2 Engineering Dice)
1 University Affiliate (+2 Science Dice)
1 Materials Lab (+5 bonus to projects tagged [MATSCI])
1 Chemical Plant (+5 bonus to projects tagged [CHEM])
1 Electronics Cooperative (+5 bonus to projects tagged [AVIONICS])
2 Construction Union Halls (+2 Facilities die)
1 Publications Office (+1 to all science and engineering fields; coinflip each year to get an additional +1)
1 Hardened Tracking and Observation (T&O) Complex (+3 to Operations)
1 Engine Test Stand (+2 to PROP projects)
1 Isotope Separation and Nuclear Science Facility (Enables Nuclear Technology tree) (fully unlocks 1954Q1)
1 Computational Research Facility (+3 to all rolls)
1 Model 1952 'Stormchaser' Mobile Rocket Launch System (+1 Operations dice)
Advanced Concepts Office (unlocks experimental new programs from time to time)
1 Wind Tunnel (+3 to AERO)
1 Flight Complex (+2 Operations dice, enables the construction and launch of air- and spaceplanes.)
Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre (+9 MATSCI, +1 Education in Europe)
Sao Paolo Aerodynamics Centre (+10 AERO, +1 Education in South America)
Long Beach Propulsion Research Complex (+7 PROP, +1 Education in North America)
Mombasa Computer Science Institute (+10 COMP, +1 Education in Sub-Saharan Africa)
Scientific Advances
Improved Instrumentation - Gain +1d2 bonus to a random field every 2 launches. Gain +1 to AVIONICS immediately.) (Made obsolete by First Satellite)
Regenerative Cooling - Starts down the path to more powerful and advanced rocket engines.
Second Stages - Can now build 2-Stage Sounding Rockets.
Combustion Instability Research - Turns the initial success roll for a rocket from a >60 to >50.
Engine Cycles - Enables Early Orbital engines.
Mobile Launch Operations - Can launch Sounding Rockets without the need for a launch pad.
Improved Stringer Alloys - New (expensive) alloys improve the performance of structural tanks. (+5 to R cost of Heavy Sounding Rockets and above)
Copper-Chrome combustion chamber alloys - New combustion chamber alloys with higher heat transfer efficiency allow for hotter (and thus more efficient) chamber temperatures, leading to the ability to produce more powerful engines. (Future rocket designs will be higher performing.)
Aluminum-Lithium monolithic tanks - New tank alloys enable lighter, higher performing tankage to be produced for new rocket designs. (Future designs that use Al-Li tankage will be more performant, but more expensive in R terms.)
First Satellite - With the launch of the Curiosity I, the IEC and the world have entered a new era of spaceflight, and the horizons of science and engineering broaden ever further. (+10PS, Improved Instrumentation bonus deactivated. Gain +1d2 bonus to a random non-CREW field per two satellite launches.)
Van Allen Belts - An area of charged particles from the Sun, trapped by Earth's magnetic field. These belts have caused several minor hiccups with the Curiosity I satellite, and given the transmitted radiation readings, care must be taken if the IEC intends to launch humans through them. Staying for any significant length of time would be... ill advised.
Scientific/Engineering Specific Field Bonuses
AERO - +19
AVIONICS - +9
CHEM - +11
CREW - +3
COMP - +13
MATSCI - +17
PHYS - +9
PROP - +14
Penelope Carter [The Director] - [+10 to Politics rolls, +2 Politics die, +5R/turn in funding from Connections, reroll 1 failed politics roll per turn]
Sergei Korolev - [+5 to Science and Engineering rolls (unless researching [HGOL][FUEL] projects, then it becomes a -15), +1 Science dice, +1 Engineering Dice. Request:
Rocket Reels - Adds a coinflip for 2 gained political support per quarter; gain an additional flip for every successful orbital rocket launch. [UPGRADED]
Promises Made (Expires Q1 1955):
Do not conduct military rocket launches or research
Operations (5 dice, +3 bonus) (1 type of Rocket may be built at a time)
[ ] Construct an R-1 Beden - Standard Sounding rocket launches are now something of an old hat. Still perfectly useful, of course, and they're not actually that old, but the two stage rockets have stolen some of their thunder. (15R per dice, 3/35, 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)
-[ ] And do a recon launch in the North American conflict (gains launch experience)
[ ] Construct an R-2 Gale - The IEC's engineers and scientists have come up with a moderately reliable stage separation system for multi-stage rockets. The Gale has seen active use for two years, now, and is turning into quite the reliable workhorse. (20R per dice, 19/45, 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 R-3 Snow - The Heavy Sounding Rocket, now known as the Snow, is ready for construction. It's a sizeable rocket, but thankfully you have a sizeable pad to launch it from. Unfortunately, it won't ever fit on a Stormchaser. (25R per dice, 7/80, 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) (Unlocks Weather Observation Campaigns)
[] Construct an R-4 Dawn - The first Orbital-class rocket, the Dawn is capable of lifting 200 kilograms to low Earth orbit. It may be able to do more, in time, but for now that would suffice. It can only launch on the Heavy Sounding Pad or heavier, as yet unbuilt ones. (35R per dice, 100/120, costs 1 build capacity til complete)
-[ ] And launch it (1 Operations dice; specify payload)
–[ ] Sounding payload (inert payload for testing)
–[ ] Curiosity-class Satellite (+25 progress requirement) - Used primarily for earth-orbit science.
Facilities (8 dice, +10 bonus)
(A maximum of 3 dice may be used on any project - representing 3 shifts of work.)
[ ] Expand the Assembly Complex - A proposal to expand the Assembly Complex to allow for more rockets to be constructed simultaneously has hit your desk. This will significantly up your launch cadence, you are told, and allow for multiple rocket programs to be run in parallel, as well as future proofing you somewhat against the upcoming orbital rockets. (20R per die, 0/350, +1 Build Capacity, +1 Program Slot (runs repeatables in the background))
[ ] Expand the Launch Complex - You have two launch pads (one of which has gone entirely unused, so far) but, soon enough, you expect to need additional pads to account for the maintenance and upgrades the existing ones will certainly need. Getting a head start on that need may be a good idea. (20R per die, 0/350, gain two 500t launch pads)
[ ] Build a Scientific Complex - While there are a significant number of people within the IEC who want to keep the Cooperative's footprint confined to Mogadishu - at least for now - there is definitely an argument to be made for building dedicated facilities in other locations to build up buy-in from the rest of the world by providing them something tangible in return. One of those ideas is for a dedicated Scientific Complex, dedicated to a particular discipline, much like the Soviet closed cities - just not closed. This has the potential to greatly increase your scientific output and your political sway at the same time. (25R per die, opens up new research possibilities, +1d5+5 bonus in the associated field, +1 Education for the region)
-[] Beijing Institute for Chemical Research (CHEM) (0/450)
-[] Sydney Microelectronics Research Centre (AVIONICS) (0/450)
-[] New Delhi Institute for Physics (PHYS) (0/450)
[ ] Tracking Station Construction (Phase I) - The first stage of Tracking Stations rolls out the facilities along the equator as best as possible where land exists, and deals with constructing the first of the fleet of tracking vessels the IEC will need to cover all those thousands of square kilometers where there is no land to be had. Thanks to the decision to use converted warships for the base of the tracking vessels, the process will be somewhat quicker, though also more expensive. (30R per die, 288/350, adds equatorial tracking for rocket launches)
[ ] Spacefarer Training Facilities - Should the IEC wish to fly humans into space, it will need a place to train them for their missions, and ready their bodies for the rigors of flying on a rocket. (15R per dice, 0/300) (+2 CREW) (will have projects to expand it later for new capabilities, enables crew to be trained for basic LEO flight)
Engineering (5 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
[ ] Rudimentary Heat Shielding [MATSCI] - Currently, you now have the ability to put things into space. But what if you want to get them back? Your engineers have some ideas they've floated past your materials scientists, and they're asking for time and space at Dnipro to do some investigations. (2 turns, 1 locked dice, 15R per turn)
[ ] Observation Satellites - Now that we can put things in space, we should branch out what we're doing with them. The chief request of your weather scientists (and those elsewhere) is the ability to observe storms forming in real time, and while weather radar has been greatly helpful, it doesn't reach everywhere it needs to and would be far more uneconomical besides. By sticking a television camera and an antenna on a satellite, perhaps you could do something about this. (6 turns, 1 locked dice, 15R per turn)
[ ] Human-rated Rocketry - Satellites would certainly be useful for many things that you didn't want to spend precious human time on, nor deal with the constraints involved in getting them back. But, should the need arise, it would be a good idea to develop a way to get a human into space, then orbit, and back, alive. (8 turns, 1 locked dice, 20R per turn)
[ ] Prototype Spaceplane - Your spaceplane enthusiasts returned to your office with another proposal, building off the back of the design studies they had undertaken through the winter of 1954. Their desire was to create a crewed 'space' plane that would be towed behind or carried underneath a carrier aircraft, be released, and activate a rocket engine that would take it up over the Karman line. It would have a multitude of sensors, of course, and would also need air supplies and likely a heated flight suit to keep the pilot alive and able to work. (0/300, 15R per dice)
[ ] Conduct Design Studies (Alternative Launch Systems) [AERO, PHYS] - Still more of your engineers were talking about investigating different ways of potentially getting to space. Jules Verne stuff. Big guns and space towers and the like. You didn't think them likely to work, but having the knowledge wouldn't hurt. (5R per die, 177/300, ???)
[ ] Balloon Tanks [MATSCI] - A curious phenomenon has been observed with the use of stainless steel for tankage. If made very thin, it is flimsy - but if the material is then appropriately pressurized, it regains significant structural strength, saving greatly on weight at the cost of being much more expensive to manufacture. This could be ideal for some applications that the IEC has in mind where cost is not an issue while performance is, but needs further testing beforehand. (15R per dice, 100/200, unlocks balloon tankage for use in later rockets)
[ ] Lifting Body - Work with the Wind Tunnel and on the Spaceplane studies had revealed a new configuration for air- and spacecraft fuselage design - the concept of the lifting body, where the wing area was minimized to reduce drag at high speeds, with the body itself providing the lifting force used. While not terribly useful for aircraft, it was potentially very useful for spacecraft design. (10R per die, 0/150)
[ ] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies - Now that initial work had been completed verifying that, at the lab scale, nuclear energy could be used to generate power, now it was time to actually forward that knowledge into a practical, useful form. It would not be cheap, but, hopefully, it would be worth it. (8 turns, 1 locked dice, 25R per turn, -30PS on completion UNLESS given WC authorization) (Unlocks 1st Generation Terrestrial Fission Power Plants for the world, leads to Radioisotope Thermal Generators, 2nd Generation Terrestrial Fission Plants, 1st Generation Space-rated Fission Plants)
[ ] Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Applications Studies - A side-effect of the nuclear power studies lead to several of your researchers realizing that the heat a reactor produced could be harnessed for things other than turning a turbine. By passing propellant over a reactor's core housing you would cool the core and heat the propellant alike - and the propellant would be very hot indeed, making it an attractive candidate for being flung out the back of the spacecraft at extremely high speeds. (20R per die, 0/500, -30PS on completion UNLESS given WC authorization) (Unlocks 1st Generation Nuclear Thermal Propulsion for spacecraft)
(Projects that require locked dice can be unlocked at any time, but progress will not be made without a dice locked in.)
Science (4 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
[ ] Exploratory Propellant Research (Phase 1) [CHEM] - A group of chemists attached to the IEC came to you with a proposal to conduct an exhaustive campaign characterizing just about as many propellants as they could come up with. While expensive, and dangerous, and potentially deadly, the knowledge gained could also be invaluable for nailing down mixtures and ratios of fuels that could help the IEC achieve its objectives. (15R per dice, 0/150, unlocks fuel mixtures and further fuel development)
[ ] Conduct Materials Research (Phase 4) [MATSCI] - Better alloys and manufacturing techniques would lead to higher-performing engines and lighter rockets, you were told. A fair deal of research had already been done into the subject, giving you a much-improved set of materials with which to build your rockets and engines out of, but there was much more that could be done. (20R per die, 4/300, provides access to new manufacturing techniques)
[ ] Conduct Supersonic Jet Research (Phase 3) [AERO] - Basic testing has been completed, and interesting phenomena observed when experimenting with the engines that have been built. More can be done, of course. (15R per die, requires a completed Hangar Complex and Runway to finish, can be started without, 147/640)
[ ] Weather Studies (Phase 4) [PHYS] - With the weather observation program started, keeping it going is now almost a given. The returns have been very valuable for the meteorological community at large, and the PAO has received numerous calls from various localities across the globe asking for the IEC to put up instruments where they are, each hoping to reap the rewards of more accurate weather prediction. (10R per die, requires a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket, requires Mobile Launch Operations, 146/240) (+5 PS on complete)
[ ] All-Sky Survey (Phase 1) [PHYS] - The Science Committee at the WCC put forward the proposal to perform an All-Sky Survey, mapping the entire night sky with telescopes across the world. The first such survey, the Carte du Ciel, had never actually finished, despite starting nearly three quarters of a century ago. With advancements in photography and optics, the science teams predict that they will be able to perform the task… in roughly a decade. First, though, you needed to wrangle observatories… (10R per die, 0/300) (+5 PS, ???)
[ ] Big Ear [PHYS] - The scientists working for the IEC have latched on to the opening the new broadcast regulations have given them, and are clamoring for funding to construct a radio telescope in a remote part of Africa. It might need a bit of infrastructure run out to it, and probably a security force of some sort to dissuade partisans, but it looked doable. Personally, you thought it was also a good excuse to help electrify somewhere that needed it. (20R per die; At least 1 dice must be Facilities, 0/300) (+1 Electrification and Infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa, +2 to PHYS)
[ ] Atomic-powered Ground Launch Concept Studies - The idea of in-space nuclear propulsion, brought down to Earth. This program would study the possibilities for using nuclear power to get from the surface to space, both directly and indirectly. (10R per die, 0/300, -5PS on start, and an additional -10 on completion)
[ ] Photovoltaic Investigations - Batteries are all well and good for powering spacecraft, but are also heavy and do not generate power on their own - once they're discharged, they're done. Your scientists suggest that by utilizing the photovoltaic effect, it might be possible to power spacecraft with it. (4 turns, 1 Science dice locked; 20R per turn)
(Projects that require locked dice can be unlocked at any time, but progress will not be made without a dice locked in.)
Politics (3 dice, +10 bonus, reroll 1 failure per turn)
Political
[ ] Bothering Councilors - The year's budget is set, but next year's is very much not. You can influence investment priorities if you want to apply enough political pressure to the right people to convince them to fund, say, better roads out of Mogadishu… elementary and secondary schools in Africa… that kind of thing. (-10 PS, roll a quality dice to give options for influencing infrastructure funding, triggers subvote)
[ ] 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. (-2PS per die) (100/???)
[ ] Propagandize for Space - Now that you've gotten your first orbital class rocket (and soon your first satellite), now is the best time to start touting the benefits of space exploration and access to space to the public. You'll need to find ways of engaging everyone in the idea, and there was no better time to start than now. (5R per die) (0/???)
Outreach
[ ] Creative Sponsorships - A junior physicist has made the suggestion that by sponsoring the work of fiction authors (particularly science fiction), interest in space, science, and the IEC could be generated outside the bounds of colleges and classrooms. This sparked another suggestion from one of the Outreach department's people - broaden the sponsorship from simply authors to filmmakers and more traditional artists as well. This would help reach even more people than before, they thought. (10R per die, 141/400) (-5R per turn when done, provides additional variable passive PS income and can result in shuffled costs and requests at World Council meetings.)
[ ] University Rocket Competitions - Now that Rocket Boxes are widely distributed all over the world, there are a number of rocketry clubs at universities everywhere (including the places that did not as yet have Rocket Box coverage). A competition, where the teams design and build their own rockets and then come together to see who did the best in various categories would be an interesting way of keeping interest in the IEC up and scouting for future members. (20R to activate)
Personnel
[ ] Engineering Job Fair - (56/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn on completion. Gain +1 Engineering dice)
[ ] Laboratory Talent Scouting - (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn on completion. Gain +1 Science dice)
[ ] The Right Stuff - With work underway on several programs that would require the services of skilled and courageous pilots, you would soon need to begin finding them so they could be integrated into the IEC - and someday, they would become your first astronauts. (0/300, 5R per dice, gain astronaut candidates)
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chaotic-logic
possible impossibility
- Location
- unknown
[ ] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies - Now that initial work had been completed verifying that, at the lab scale, nuclear energy could be used to generate power, now it was time to actually forward that knowledge into a practical, useful form. It would not be cheap, but, hopefully, it would be worth it. (8 turns, 1 locked dice, 25R per turn, -30PS on completion UNLESS given WC authorization) (Unlocks 1st Generation Terrestrial Fission Power Plants for the world, leads to Radioisotope Thermal Generators, 2nd Generation Terrestrial Fission Plants, 1st Generation Space-rated Fission Plants)
[ ] Photovoltaic Investigations - Batteries are all well and good for powering spacecraft, but are also heavy and do not generate power on their own - once they're discharged, they're done. Your scientists suggest that by utilizing the photovoltaic effect, it might be possible to power spacecraft with it. (4 turns, 1 Science dice locked; 20R per turn)
yes to both of these.
[ ] Photovoltaic Investigations - Batteries are all well and good for powering spacecraft, but are also heavy and do not generate power on their own - once they're discharged, they're done. Your scientists suggest that by utilizing the photovoltaic effect, it might be possible to power spacecraft with it. (4 turns, 1 Science dice locked; 20R per turn)
yes to both of these.
trooperist
Cinnamon Roll AI
I see our improved instrumentation and rocket reels have been changed. Better rewards but also higher standards.
Now we only get our +1d2 field bonus for every two satellite launches instead of regular rocket launches.
And we only get a chance for more PS from rocket reels if we launch orbital rockets. So the era of spamming R-1s and R-2s is over. Now we need to be more substantial with our launches.
Lots of long term projects that lock our dice. At the World Council I foresee us asking for a lot more engineering and science dice so we can run multiple projects.
Now we only get our +1d2 field bonus for every two satellite launches instead of regular rocket launches.
And we only get a chance for more PS from rocket reels if we launch orbital rockets. So the era of spamming R-1s and R-2s is over. Now we need to be more substantial with our launches.
Lots of long term projects that lock our dice. At the World Council I foresee us asking for a lot more engineering and science dice so we can run multiple projects.
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I think that given that we only have one free turn, we should probably finish the stuff we started and maybe start the most likely projects that they will be asked of us, like solar power
I'm not even going to vote for this myself, but I figured I should write it up.
[]Plan Celebration Meme
-[]Propogandize for Nuclear Power (1 Die)