Let's play: Buzz Aldrin's Race Into Space

[Simon_Jester]

We probably can afford N-1, either way our expenses for the moon launches add up to about two years of our remaining budget and we get at least three more years' budget before the game ends. But my preference is for joint launches now, mostly because we never had the money to develop N-1 when we had the chance to do so and get it out quickly, as the Murcans did with the Saturn V.

[Simon_Jester]

Question: Unmanned lunar pass missions are possible, da?

Hmmm.

[Simon_Jester]

Ghetto Edit: another question. Since a lunar probe landing is (somehow) a milestone for the manned lunar pass, did the Murcans clear that milestone with their successful lunar pass? Or will it still affect their lunar orbital?

[hopes]

[Simon_Jester]

Plan Pavylyvych Fall 1973

Comrades of Baikonurek Cosmodrome! After prolonged discussions with the highest echelons of the Zenobian state, we shall chart a new course to the moon as swiftly and expeditiously as possible, ahead of the strutting, boasting Murcans!

We shall begin with a demonstration of the great superiority of Zenobian interplanetary landing technology- for in this area the vaunted MASA aerospace wizards have achieved virtually nothing, while we have been landing probes on various celestial bodies for many years, and are far along in the development of the Duet lander which will one day let our comrades plant the red banner of international commienism on the soil of the moon!

Sadly, the temporary hiatus of the N-1 rocket program must continue, due to budgetary concerns. This should not significantly impact the lunar program in the short term, as the excellent Proton booster is quite capable of meeting our needs. We expect to resume development of the heavy-lift rocket booster for later projects such as the proposed "Mir" space station and the assembly of voyages to Mars and Venus.

On an unrelated note, I wish to reassure you all that rumors of the spacetankski Avrora being haunted are utterly false and without substance. I have every faith in the repair work being done even as we speak to restore this indestructible paragon of Zenobian ingenuity and technospatial reasoning. Indeed, even now new modifications to the telemetry and command-relay systems of the shuttle and Comrade Module are devised by the brilliant computermen of Baikonurek, to correct minor technical difficulties which arose during the epic voyage of Comrades Kerman, Volishin, and Nefartnyi. This hardware is expected to become flight-ready in the near future.

The computermen propose to test this hardware by once more sending Avrora round the moon, this time without its crew, as a proof of superior Zenobian calculatronics. If so, the hopes and spirits of all pioneers of Zenobian science will go with the tankski as it proceeds to set yet another record in the annals of Zenobian aerospaceflight.

---

Budget: 55 megarubleoids

Hardware Purchase

[lay in supplies for upcoming lunar lander test]
Purchase 2 A-Series Rockets: 6 MB
Purchase 2 Booster Stages: 8 MB

Total: 14 MB
Remaining budget: 41 MB

Research and Development
5 teams' research on Duet: 10 MB

Total: 10 MB
Remaining budget: 31 MB

Cosmonaut Management
Comrade cosmonauts GURRAGCHAA and BELOUSOV to undergo advanced capsule training: 6 MB
Comrade cosmonauts LEBEDEV and BEREZOVOI to undergo advanced lunar lander training: 6 MB

Total: 12 MB
Remaining budget: 19 MB

Schedule Missions

Schedule Unmanned Lunar Pass on Pad A:
Very Not Haunted Spacetankski Avrora
Primary crew is IVAN IVANOV SR REMOTE GROUND CONTROLSKI
Backup crew is GRZEGORZ BRZECZYSZCZYKIEWICZ REMOTE GROUND CONTROLSKI

Schedule Joint Earth Orbit Lunar Module test on Pad B:
Spacetankski Potemkin, Lunar Module Baikal
Primary crew is STREKALOV/YEBANOVY/GRECHKO
Backup crew would be JKERMAN/VOLISHIN/NEFARTNYI

Mission Go/No-Go Status:
We are NO GO for manned lunar orbital on Pad A. This mission will be expanded to a test of the lunar lander at a future date, with new crews assembled to fly it.

[PeZook]

Ghetto Edit: another question. Since a lunar probe landing is (somehow) a milestone for the manned lunar pass, did the Murcans clear that milestone with their successful lunar pass? Or will it still affect their lunar orbital?

[hopes]

No, their balls-out lunar pass cleared the probe landing milestone as well. Sorry, but it wouldn't be much of an achievement otherwise

And yes, unmanned lunar passes are possible, but not very prestigious.

[Simon_Jester]

Well, in my case, that kicker reliability makes me distinctly nervous, and what better way is there to use the money saved by not researching N-1?

[fnord]

Off top of my head, pretty much bugger all.

[PeZook]

MISSIONS LAUNCH
HERMES VII, NOVEMBER 1973

Joe Engle shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Ever since he and his crew of three entered the Odyssey, now mounted on top of the huge, throbbing rocket body, he could feel the Saturn V's presence under his backside. While such feelings were not uncommon for proud and manly Murcan astronauts, the sheer size of the instrument was...intimidating.

It also made him a little jealous.

He glanced upwards, and remembered the checklist. Activate commander's communications system. Activate onboard computer. Activate tape recorder.

With rock and roll blaring inside the cabin, Joe's apprehension was gone. It was on. He was going to the FUCKING MOON to show the damn Zenobian scum what was what!

He flipped a couple dozen pages of his checklist. Yes. Mission time +113:23:11 - Initiate mooning of Zenobia trough port window.

Fuck yeah.

-------------------------------------------------

Common Carter Connoway pumped his fist into the air upon hearing the rock & roll blare across the airwaves. He saw his crew of mission controllers do the same, and god damn he approved. What they were about to do was something so glorious, so incredibly manly that it required proper rituals to accompany it.

After all, the President himself came to see the launch!

"Hermes VII flight controllers!", Connoway howled over the music, "Give me a fuck yeah/fuck no for launch! CAPCOM?"

"Fuck yeah, flight!"

"FAO?"

"Fuck yeah!"

"SURGEON?"

"Oiled up and ready, fuck yeah!"

"BOOSTER?"

"Damn straight we're rady, flight! Fuck yeah!"

"EECOM?"

"Go flight", the bored engineer mumbled. There was an awkward pause before he realized his mistake, "Err, I mean, FUCK YEAH and all that!"

Connoway's brow furrowed. He'd have to have a chat with that guy, but there was no time for that now, "GUIDO?"

"Fuck yeah!"

"INCO?"

"Fuck yeah, flight!"

"NETWORK?"

"MURCA FUCK YEAH LET'S GO YEAH OH BABY!", the guy manning the NETWORK station was besides himself and awkwardly shifting in his chair. His console was plastered with pictures of the Saturn V in various stages of flight. CCC approved of that as well. That rocket deserved all the love it could get. Connoway shook his head to clear it and stood up, presenting his chiseled and manly physique to everyone present. They looked back in awe of his manliness, or maybe just his see-through shirt.

"Signal THE CAPE that we're FUCK YEAH for launch!", he said with gravity.

Back at THE CAPE, launch controllers were working themselves up into a frenzy. Instead of the usual nerdy white shirts and ties they all wore football jackets and chewed gum. The cleaning staff was quietly fuming somewhere in the basements, anticipating a night full of cleaning.

When they got the call, they hollered and howled and finally began the final stage of the countdown.

"Ten...nine...eight...seven...ignition sequence start...six...five...four...three...two...one...ignition...and...liftoff! LIFTOFF! FUCK YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAH!"




They were on their way. On their way to the FUCKING MOON.

Flight Day 5

Silver light flooded the cockpit. All three astronauts looked up in silent reverence at the magnificent sight above them, frozen halfway through their high-fives. Sure, they were not the first ones to see it. They were not even the first ones to see it and live, but it didn't stop them.

How could they let their pants down and moon their hated commienist enemies in the presence of such grandeur? How could they defile this virgin, untouched, unblemished land so?

As they watched the surface of the Moon glide majestically before them, they felt something that Murcan astronauts did not often feel. It was a strange feeling, one that made them uncomfortable and a bit queasy. They couldn't quite name it, since the relevant vocabulary was not something they used often, or at all.

It was Mike Collins who finally found the right word for it. Humility.

It was certainly eye opening.

Flight Day 7

Awkward silence fell aboard the Odyssey, and beyond the bare necessities of the mission, lasted throughout lunar orbital activities, trans-earth injection and even the fourth mid-course correction burn. The astronauts were lost in silent contemplation of the profound events of the last two days, which they mostly spent orbiting the Moon and snapping photographs of the surface.

They didn't moon Zenobia. Somehow, it didn't feel right. But now they would have to explain why none of the Hasselbad cameras had any pictures of happy astronauts without any pants down, and that bothered them. For how would they speak to the press at home? How could they lie to the public about failing to carry out the most important of all the flight tasks?



Well, as it turned out, the press didn't give a crap, and there were plenty of people in Alyeska who had to be flown to hospitals after attempting to moon Kolchatka from the shore and falling into the frigid water without any pants on.

[PeZook]

CHAPTER 10: THE CHROME AGE
Time is: Spring 1974

Launch windows: Mercury, Venus





MURCA
TEDDY SPACE CENTER

Well, it had to happen eventually.

While using the achivements in robotic done at the Unmanned Planetary Exploration Lab to control alcohol production was indeed a truly manly and patriotic project, which supplied countless gallons of high-purity moonshine to the ever-hungry scientific programs of the Teddy Space Center, it was still a vastly complex network of tubing and burners and kegs of highly flammable liquid, constructed by nerds in their spare time out of unmanned probe parts laying around.

The resultant explosion was as powerful as it was inevitable. The resultant fire, due to its proximity to the lab's archives and computers, also happened to destroy critical pieces of documentation - and, obviously,all the extremely expensive prototype parts that were supposed to go into the Ranger's gyro system, which were used in the still.

As they say, progress requires sacrifice. At least the camouflage was finally removed from the VAB, and now Dr. Engineer could marvel at the glory of this massive brick of concrete blocking the view from his office.

Code: Select all

Current funds: 130 megabucks

Astronauts in XMS-2 program:

Crew I:
OLDS - CAP 3, LM 0, EVA 0, DOCK 3, END 3 ; MOOD: 45 (Pilot)
GORDON - CAP 0, LM 1, EVA 2, DOCK 2, END 3 ; MOOD: 73 (LM Pilot/EVA specialist)
WILLIAMS - CAP 1, LM 3, EVA 1, DOCK 2, END 1 ; MOOD: 83 (Docking specialist)

Crew II:
MCCANDLESS - CAP 3, LM 0, EVA 0, DOCK 2, END 2 ; MOOD: 64 (Command pilot)
CUNNINGHAM - CAP 1, LM 2, EVA 1, DOCK 0, END 4 ; MOOD: 69 (LM Pilot/EVA Specialist)
ANDERS - CAP 0, LM 2, EVA 2, DOCK 2, END 1 ; MOOD: 38 (Docking specialist) - will retire next year

Crew III:
ENGLE - CAP 4, LM 3, EVA 0, DOCK 1, END 1 ; MOOD: 91 (Command pilot)
COLLINS - CAP 0, LM 3, EVA 4, DOCK 1, END 1 ; MOOD: 99 (LM Pilot/EVA Specialist)
BRAND - CAP 2, LM 1, EVA 0, DOCK 2, END 3 ; MOOD: 81 (Docking Specialist)

Crew IV:
MUSGRAVE - CAP 4, LM 2, EVA 1, DOCK 0, END 2 ; MOOD: 69 (Command pilot)
FREEMAN - CAP 2, LM 3, EVA 0, DOCK 1, END 1 ; MOOD: 74 (LM Pilot/EVA Specialist)
CHAFFEE - CAP 0, LM 1, EVA 2, DOCK 3, END 2 ; MOOD: 65 (Docking Specialist)

Crew V:
OVERMEYER - CAP 4, LM 1, EVA 0, DOCK 0, END 4 ; MOOD: 74
FULLERTON - CAP 2, LM 1, EVA 3, DOCK 1, END 1 ; MOOD: 79
EVANS - CAP 3, LM 0, EVA 1, DOCK 2, END 1 ; MOOD: 69

Unassigned astronauts:

SUITCASE - CAP 3, LM 2, EVA 2, DOCK 4, END 3 ; MOOD: 50
LOOPY - CAP 4, LM 1, EVA 2, DOCK 3, END 2 ; MOOD: 20
HAISE - CAP 4, LM 3, EVA 0, DOCK 0, END 2 ; MOOD: 30
BEAN - CAP 2, LM 2, EVA 1, DOCK 0, END 1 ; MOOD: 79
CRIPEN - CAP 3, LM 0, EVA 1, DOCK 4, END 3 ; MOOD: 71
HARTSFIELD - CAP 3, LM 2, EVA 2, DOCK 0, END 1 ; MOOD: 71
PETERSON- CAP 3, LM 2, EVA 0, DOCK 1, END 2 ; MOOD: 56
MCKAY - CAP 3, LM 2, EVA 1, DOCK 0, END 4 ; MOOD: 61
HENIZE - CAP 1, LM 2, EVA 0, DOCK 1, END 2 ; MOOD: 66

Other astronauts:
EISELE - retired spring 1974
BROWN - retired fall 1973
ROCKET - retired fall 1973
RAVENSBURG - retired fall 1973
MAY - retired spring 1973
CARR - physical washout, spring 1972
TRULY - physical washout, spring 1972
WEITZ - physical washout, spring 1972
SWIGERT - retired spring 1972, elected to Congress.
CONRAD - retired fall 1971
BARNESTI - retired spring 1971
REXMODEM - retired fall 1968
BORMAN - retired fall 1968
KNIGHT - retired fall 1967
FLASHHEART - retired fall 1967
MODEMJR - retired spring 1965
CUNTSER - retired fall 1965
KELLY - retired spring 1965
MCCAIN - retired fall 1963
HARDBEEF -  retired spring 1963
OHJESUS - DECEASED, MERCURY IX
JOHNSON - DECEASED, MERCURY XVI

Programs running: Explorer, Ranger, Mighty Strapons, Atlas, Titan, Mercury, XMS-2, EVA Suits, Kicker-B, Docking, SATURN V MURCA FUCK YEAH

Launch pads: 3

Scheduled missions: 
Launch Pad A, Unmanned docking test, XMS-2/??? (insert rocket here)
Launch Pad B, Manned docking orbital (ORBIT) Duration-D EVA whew XMS-2/??? ; Crew IV/Crew I
Launch Pad C, Lunar probe flyby

PHOTO RECON LEVEL: 75%

***

ZENOBIA
BAIKONUREK

"I am not concerned with comrade Kerman's adorable little puppy-eyed face. Well, perhaps a little bit, not QUITE enough to restart development of the N-1!"

"But comrade Chief Designer...", Vasily Mishingun held up a picture of sad, sad Jeb Kerman, holding up a sign saying 'Will work for rides on huge rockets'.

"Nyet. We have already discussed this issue thoroughly last season, Vasily. Comrade Kerman will have to wait until the lunar program is complete."

Code: Select all

Current funds: 117 megarubloids

Cosmonauts in Lapot program:

Crew III:
STREKALOV - CAP 4, LM 2, EVA 1, DOCK 2, END 1 ; MOOD: 72
YEBANOVY - CAP 2, LM 3, EVA 0, DOCK 1, END 2  ; MOOD: 47
GRECHKO - CAP 2, LM 1, EVA 0, DOCK 3, END 2  ; MOOD: 59

Crew IV:
JKERMAN - CAP 4, LM 0, EVA 0, DOCK 2, END 1 ; MOOD: 82
VOLISHIN - CAP 2, LM 2, EVA 3, DOCK 0, END 2 ; MOOD: 87
NEFARTNYI - CAP 2, LM 2, EVA 1, DOCK 3, END 2  ; MOOD: 50

Cosmonauts not assigned to programs:
KARZANOVSKI - CAP 4, LM 1, EVA 0, DOCK 0, END 3 ; MOOD: 33
KOVALYANOK - CAP 2, LM 1, EVA 3, DOCK 1, END 4  ; MOOD: 41
SAVINYKH - CAP 4, LM 0, EVA 1, DOCK 1, END 2 ; MOOD: 77
MAKAROV - CAP 0, LM 2, EVA 1, DOCK 3, END 2 ; MOOD: 36
SEREBROV - CAP 3, LM 0, EVA 1, DOCK 4, END 3 ; MOOD: 51
ATKOV - CAP 2, LM 1, EVA 3, DOCK 1, END 3 ; MOOD: 56
IVANOV - CAP 3, LM 1, EVA 1, DOCK 2, END 3 ; MOOD: 51
JAEHN - CAP 2, LM 1, EVA 0, DOCK 1, END 4 ; MOOD: 71
ZYKOV - CAP 2, LM 1, EVA 1, DOCK 2, END 3 ; MOOD: 70
ZAIKIN - CAP 2, LM 2, EVA 1, DOCK 1, END 3 ; MOOD: 75
REMEK - CAP 1, LM 0, EVA 4, DOCK 2, END 3 ; MOOD: 70

Cosmonauts in Capsule training:
GURRAGCHAA - CAP 3, LM 0, EVA 2, DOCK 2, END 3 ; MOOD: 72
BELOUSOV - CAP 3, LM 1, EVA 1, DOCK 0, END 1 ; MOOD: 61

Cosmonauts in L.M. training:
LEBEDEV - CAP 2, LM 3, EVA 2, DOCK 0, END 4 ; MOOD: 72
BEREZOVOI - CAP 3, LM 3, EVA 2, DOCK 1, END 2 ; MOOD: 57

Other cosmonauts:
LAZAREV - was retired, spring 1974
ZHOLOBOV - was retired, spring 1974
BORISOV - Retired, spring 1972
FILLYERESKI - Retired, spring 1972
SOLOVYEV - Physical washout, Spring 1972
KLIMUK - Deceased, Zond 1, Fall 1971
BRZECZYSZCZ - Deceased, Zond 1, Fall 1971
RUKAVISHNIKOV - retired spring 1972
SMIRNOFF - retired spring 1972
IVANCHENKOV - retired fall 1971
LEBEDEV - retired fall 1971
MAMETOV - joined the Red Army in 1969. 
PETROV - imprisoned for re-education in Spring 1969
FAAABIO  - retired spring 1969
BEREGOVOY - retired spring 1969
YEBANOV - retired spring 1968
ALEXANDROV - washed out in training, fall 1967
DIGADITCH - left to join the Red Army, spring 1967
NIKOV - retired Fall 1966
DOSTAROVASKI - Forcibly retired, Fall 1964
TITOV - Retired Spring 1964
IVANOVICH - Grounded due to lung cancer
VLADIMIRENSKY  - Deceased, training accident
IVANOV - Deceased, VOSTOK VII

Programs running: Sputnik, Cosmos satellite, Lunar Probe,A-Series, Proton, Booster stage, Voskhod, EVA Suits, Docking module, Lapot, Kicker-B, N-1, Duet Lander

Launch pads: 3

Scheduled missions: 
Launch pad A, Unmanned lunar pass, Lapot/B-Proton
Launch pad B, Joint Manned Earth Orbital LM Test A,  Duet/B-A series
Launch pad C, Joint Manned Earth Orbital LM Test B,  Lapot/B-A series

PHOTO RECON LEVEL: 99%

GM Notes:

Well, I don't know why Simon conceded the orbital, but I trust in his judgement, as it brough the Zenobian program this far

And of course, yeah, the Zenobian lander and docking programs are well ahead, and if they succeed in the lunar orbital LM test later...let's just say it doesn't look all that well for the Murcans. I guess the loser will be the next person to get a major catastrophe...

[Eternal_Freedom]

fuck yeah!

Those 20 prestige are going to be a godsend in the next budget.

The manly Saturn rides again.

[FaxModem1]

Geez, did the Zenobians have a purge or something? That's a lot of retired cosmonauts.

The quiet humility of seeing the moon was sweet PeZook. Too bad Zenobia didn't get any mooning, except from the great state of Alyeska.

[OmegaChief]

Geez, did the Zenobians have a purge or something? That's a lot of retired cosmonauts.

Looks over with hand resting firmly on the butt of his gun

There most definatly was no purge, do I make myself clear comrade?

[Simon_Jester]

I conceded the orbital because I calculated that the Murcans were likely to succeed, depriving us of the 20 prestige anyway. The mission is dangerous enough that I don't want to undertake it without a strong payoff- either lots of prestige, or progress on the Duet test program.

Only in the event of a Murcan disaster could we net the 20 prestige for a first- and in that case, we could afford a delay of a season or two anyway since they'd need that long to rebuild their program at least.

Also, Comrade Omeganski is right- we didn't have a purge. We just had two cosmonauts leave as planned, and their flight teams naturally disbanded and they went back to the candidate pool. New crews will be formed as needed.

More later.

[Simon_Jester]

[out of character]

Clarification: If me and the Murcans launch in the same month, the Murcans get credit for the first launch automatically. The only way for me to get lunar orbital credit first in that season (and thus get 20 prestige) would be to rush the launch by a month, which would be homicidal negligence on my part... or for the Murcan mission to fail, in which case I would have plenty of time to schedule another mission while they hammered out the bugs in their equipment anyway.

I can pick up the seven prestige for being second to orbit the moon whenever I like.

Whereas I need to get those Duet tests done, as soon as feasible, to take advantage of my major edges over the Murcans- having already done the docking tests, having done them cheaply, and having Duet nearly ready for prime time.

At the same time, every mission to the moon is inherently quite dangerous. If I did a lunar orbital now, with no LM test attached, I would have to do a total of three lunar missions and one earth mission, or two lunar missions and three earth missions, before planting the red banner on the moon.

By postponing the lunar orbital until I can send a Duet along with it for the ride, I reduce this to a total of two lunar missions and one earth mission. Reduced risk, same outcome. If I thought I had a good chance of getting the 20 prestige, I might well gamble on it anyway, but I didn't, so I don't.

"I am not concerned with comrade Kerman's adorable little puppy-eyed face. Well, perhaps a little bit, not QUITE enough to restart development of the N-1!"

"But comrade Chief Designer...", Vasily Mishingun held up a picture of sad, sad Jeb Kerman, holding up a sign saying 'Will work for rides on huge rockets'.

"Nyet. We have already discussed this issue thoroughly last season, Vasily. Comrade Kerman will have to wait until the lunar program is complete."

But da, da! Comrade Kerman will WORK!

[OmegaChief]

I will note somthing Comrade Chief Designer, it at any point it looks like the Muricans are about to launch thier moon mission, we will launch our own, rushing it as much as we need to, regardless of how prepared and the percentage chances.

So long as you remember this one key fact, I will not object to the approach we are taking. I trust you understand Comrade.

[Simon_Jester]

Oh, of course. There's no sense in giving up the prize without even trying.

But in this case, we don't really need more prestige to win- our budget is adequate compared to the number of missions we need to fly. We need to get the remaining milestone (lunar orbital) and the remaining tests (Duet flight tests) out of the way, as fast as possible, while minimizing risk, by combining missions rather than splitting them up and giving things more opportunity to go wrong.

The Murcans will have this same problem now that they've done a lunar orbital, unless they want to gamble on their Eagle taking a swan dive.

[OmegaChief]

Indeed, I just felt it prudent to establish our worst case scenerio plan now rather then later, so we can take preparatory steps if needed.

[Simon_Jester]

Da, da. Of course.

[Simon_Jester]

To review, for a joint launch test of Duet, to be performed in lunar orbit, with Earth orbit rendevous, we need:

-Boosted Proton carrying Duet and a Docking Module
-Boosted Proton carrying Lapot and a Comrade Module-bis

Correct? I'm trying to budget here...


EDIT: Let me also state my intent to ensure Duet is ready for tests (at max R&D) using the classic Zenobian method of throwing manpower at the problem! We will dedicate so many techneers and scienticians to readying Baikal that he cannot fail to be as prepared as we can make him from groundside! Da!

[Simon_Jester]

Ghetto Edit:
Has anyone been able to nail down exactly which stages of an EOR lunar mission rely on the kicker?

[fnord]

Looks like the TLI step is definitely kicker-powered. Still going thru the code to see if anything else uses the kicker.

[Simon_Jester]

I'm pretty sure it's just orbital insertion (immediately after launch) and trans-lunar injection.

[Simon_Jester]

Just had some ugly realizations regarding the problems with joint launches- the "orbital insertion burn" and "hardware power-on" stages for the primary launch would seem to be rolled against lunar module reliability... unmodified, which is only around 91 to 94%. That adds an extra 12-18% chance of a mission failure in those two stages alone. Ugh.

[Examines budget with an eye to going back to the historical launch plan via N-1, feels dizzy]

[LaCroix]

Suddenly, out of nowhere, comrade Jeb Kerman felt an inexplicable urge to grin.

[fnord]

Would that be because Comrade Kerman is breathing, perchance?