#tantares

Our VRN’s newest launches, bearing specialized transcievers for relaying signals, have finally paved the way for our most ambitious plan yet: to send our first manned craft into orbit, and recover them safely.

Above-Left: The Prototype Gyrinus mk1 Orbiter, undergoing tests at thw launch facility.

Above-Right: Initial concept art of Gyrinus Orbiter (cir. 1961)

Before we send up explorers to perform complicated missions in orbit, our first priority is to test how the body responds to low-gravity environments.  Therefore, over the course of three launches, our team of N.E.R.D.’s managed to develop a simplistic spacecraft which would run a test mission: - launch into orbit - perform simple maneuvers and exercises - return safely

To this end, the Gyrinus-class orbiter was crafted. The vehicle is divided into two sections: a service module, with a fuel tank and rocket engine as well as basic hardware, and a habitation module which houses the pilot and life support systems. During reentry, the habitation module decouples from the service module, thereby ensuring the pilot is not at risk from any debris caused by the module breaking apart. It is by no means a perfect ship, but it is sufficient for a test vehicle.

The initial tests of the Gyrinus vessel, unmanned, were to determine the stability of the vessel in flight as well as determine the need for separation and the vessel’s overall performance. While the first launch did land with both sections still attatched, the design team felt that a separation sequence should be installed, in case of emergencies. Considering the results of our first launch, this was a wise choice in hindsight...

Above: View from Gyrinus orbiter, credited to Val. Kerman.

The pilot chosen for this experimental flight – one Valentina “Val” Kerman, a renowned pilot and aviation enthusiast – was launched with a 3rd generation Gyrinus orbiter yesterday morning. The launch, using an updated version of the Q8 launch vehicle, was successful, and Val was able to enter orbit safely. As part of her in-flight operatiosn, she recorded her condition and even managed to test our first-generation Extra-Vehicular Activity spacesuit! Though she was tethered to her craft with a safety cord, she noted that the weightlessness she experienced was not a hindrance at all. Designs are being explored to making a more elaborate Reaction-Control suit, which would allow for actual spaceflight.

Above: Val performing the first successful spacewalk outside her vehicle.

After returning to the vehicle, Val’s vessel entered a radio dark zone, during which she noted that the orbiter’s thrust controls began malfunctioning, threatening to fling her into deep space. She managed to perform a successful deorbit maneuver, but as the vessel began to reenter, the service module began to break apart from stress. The kosmonaut’s capsule managed to separate, but the parachutes failed to deploy properly; thinking quickly, she grabbed a parachute and ejected herself from the falling module. Both Valentina and her orbiter crashed into the sea off the coast of Clover Bed spaceport; Val survived the impact, but as of this moment remains in intensive hospital care. It is undetermined as of yet whether she will remain as an active kosmonaut or not.

A momentous breakthrough! For the first time in history, an artificial moon is currently in orbit around our planet! The satellite, designated “Probe 1” during construction, was a comparatively complex design using several experimental ideas for its creation. However, the mission profile has exposed some rather serious concerns for future missions.

Above: Probe 1 in assembly building.

Probe 1 was built, quite simply, as an experiment to see how an object in orbit would behave; as the atmosphere tends to restrict how freely one can build, the only real way to test these effects was to launch something and see what would happen. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, Probe 1 was built with several simple experiments:

A geiger counter, to take a radiation reading above the atmosphere.

A container filled with blue ice cream. We don’t know where it came from, or who wanted to eat it, but we figured it would be safer to send it as far away as possible.

A built-in reaction-control system, using a hypergolic fuel formerly used in rocket-powered aircraft. This would test the probes ability to maneuver and orient itself.

A camera, with which to take the first pictures from outer space, as well as visually record the experiments.

Simple transmission-and-reception antennae, to test the capability and effectiveness of radio communications.

Above: Q7 on the Woomerang launchpad, moments before launch. Probe 1 is housed in the bulbous fairing atop the rocket. The yellow grids at the base are clamps in place to hold the rocket steady until launch.

With the probe ready for launch, we assembled a new Q7 rocket as our launch vehicle. This rocket, larger than any assembled before, was set to test both a more efficient dual-motor rocket engine as well as our first attempt at building a 2-stage design. With a 2-stage rocket, there are essentially two different rockets built into the same frame; the bottommost rocket launches the vehicle on an escape trajectory, while the upper stage would put the payload - the probe - into orbit.

Above: The first picture of our planet and the Sun from space, taken by Probe 1.

Q7’s launch profile, while adequate enough to reach orbit, exposed a serious problem: the probe and rocket were so far away, radio control was lost because the probe had moved out of range. For almost half the time inbetween liftoff and orbit insertion, the rocket was almost completely uncontrolled, save for engine activation. Unfortunately, most of Probe 1’s fuel reserves had to be used to further push itself into a properly stable orbit around the planet, so the maneuvering tests were unable to be performed; however, the probe did successfully enter orbit, and was able to transmit pictures from space when it came back in range.

This leads to problem number two: power and battery life. Probe 1 had enough electrical charge to stay active for a day, at most, but had simplistic solar panels installed on its sides to keep it active for longer. While these panels functioned adequately, they did encounter problems when passing behind the planet. With no sunlight, the probe came dangerously close to shutting down before ti was able to enter sunlight again. Further missions will need a much better reinforced power supply, to maintain activity and radio communication for longer periods.

A world without communication is indeed a crippled world.     

- Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

Above-Left: 1st-gen comsat, the third of 10 deployed.

Above-Right: Original Prototype Concept, cir.(1962)

In accordance with the recent discovery that radio communications will be much more important than previously expected, our New & Experimental Research and Development team has begun collaborating to develop a series of Communications-focused satellites, which should in theory help us maintain steady signal strength for any probes in orbit, wherever they may be. The teams first design, lovingly nicknamed “Telestar”, was slated to be part of the codenamed Vigil Relay Network, planned to be a series of relays in orbit, bouncing signals off one another as part of a massive web of communication. These simplistic satellites, with only rudimentary trans-recievers and power networks, are designed to be launched in vast numbers and easily replaced, should they break down. However, the team is quickly looking for more hardy and long-lasting designs, able to operate for years if needed.

Above-Left: Liftoff of Q7 rocket carrying cluster of Mk1 Virgilis comsats.

Above-Right: View from parent spacecraft as comsat cluster is being deployed.

In other news, while the team has been slowly building our communications network, we have also taken the first tentative steps towards the Hunt for Santa: the first polar lander probe.

Above: The NoPE lander.

The NOrth Pole Explorer, or “NoPE”, lander is a rather simplistic design. Utilizing an experimental set of retractable landing legs for stability, its goal is to be carried down from a suborbital trajectory over the North Pole, touch down, and then record observations of the surrounding area, hopefully finding any sign of activity. Amongst the newest features part of NoPE’s arsenal are radially-mounted cameras and parachutes, as well as a new materials study bay, carrying various compounds and components to see how they respond to temperature extremes.

NoPE’s journey began atop our latest iteration of launch vehicle, the Q-8. As its booster-mounted cameras recorded, Q8’s twin Solid-Rocket Boosters aided in carrying it upwards into a northbound trajectory, being jettisoned over the gulf coast roughly 1 minute after launch. The rocket carried its payload upwards, utilizing both its main launch stage as well as its upper orbital booster stage to carry NoPE over the North Pole.

As recorded by the onboard cameras, NoPE successfully reached the North Pole, and was able to safely land on the icy surface! For the first time, we were able to witness the land where Santa may be hiding his elusive workshop!!!

Unfortunately... NoPE didn’t see anything.

While the simple images and recordings NoPE recorded prove that it did indeed land (note the silhouette of the landing legs in the final picture), there was no real sign of the elusive workshop, or of much else for that matter. The control team did try to coax more data from NoPE’s sensors, but once more, the lack of decent signal strength limited what information could be gleaned from this first tentative landing.

While we continue to reinforce the VRN in hopes of recieving more of NoPE’s data, our researchers have begun trying to forge explanations regarding this most recent discovery. Some suspect that perhaps Santa’s workshop is not directly at the North Pole, and that he may be hiding in a slightly lower latitude. Others think that perhaps NoPE’s sensors may be faulty, and a second mission may need to be sent to be sure. There are even some radical thinkers that have begun to spread rumors that, just maybe, Santa is actually from another planet, and the supposed North Pole site is not a workshop, but in fact the landing site where his spaceship first touched down on our world; these thinkers also believe that Santa, having somehow heard of our plans, has relocated himself to another celestial body until our search has concluded.

Needless to say, further data is needed before a decision can be made.