NationStates Jolt Archive

Five years ago, some bored technicians working on The Silver Turtles ageing spacestation decided to start a project, involving various oinched materials from the stores. They created a 2.5m diameter disc from heat resistant tiles, added some life spport systems, a soft back and some straps.
Two years later on, after one grisly failure resulting in the death of one of the technicians and one great success, after realising they needed shock absorbers, one rich daredevil tried it out, invested several million in it and the new extreme sport took off.
SpaceDiving is essentially like skydiving, except without the parachute and from much, much higher. The capsules are dropped from the upper atmosphere, with the contestants strapped in for the ride of their life. Of course, they can't look down, seeing as how their back is the closest point to the heatshield, but instead they look up at a glorious blaze of colours as they streak through the atmosphere at speeds never before encountered by someone in such a small craft. There are various shapes of dropdiscs, which reduce air resistance, slow speed to make the journey safer, and one extreme where it is tapered to such a point that the rider is strapped by their feet only in an upright position.
The dropdiscs currently fall into special zones in The Silver Turtle and the Coalition of Evil, barren open expanses of land and ice in the northern, bleak and inhospitable landscape of the CoE.

As SpaceDiving matures as a sport, The Silver Turtle has announced that it will be hosting the first International World SpaceDiving championships in several years. Nations may enter up to two contestants, and the winners will be decided by a panel of five impartial, non-particpating nations. More details will follow, if enough support is shown.


Participating Nations:
The Silver Turtle
The Brotherhood of Nod
New Kazakhstan
The Resi Corporation
Slagkattunger
Maniaca
Autonomous City-states
Kecha
Librarian Islands
Dacian Soldiers
Kaze Progressa

How are the contestants judged?

I'll join in the Championships, any criterion the contestants must meet?

The Brotherhood is willing to join in and is also willing to appoint a drop zone inside Brotherhood territory, probably a desert, a tundra or a swamp.

Will would be contestents be given practise dives & lifts up to space (ooc:- I'm not a space nation yet)? Plus once in the atmosphere how do they slow down so as not to plow into the earth? (ooc:- you said no parachutes...surely you ment none used in space and only after they have slowed down enough do they deployed the cutes.)

We will enter 1 contestant only if you let him/her train a bit first & you have answered the third question to my satification.

ooc:- I think I read about this in a book....they used a sky lift to get upto space cheaply.

http://www.users.on.net/killerkoala/skambass.JPG
Ambassador Jade Purrlinda
The Free Land of Slagkattunger
Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed.
My Nations GDP (http://www.pipian.com/stuffforchat/gdpcalc.php?nation=Slagkattunger)

The contest shall be judged taking into account several factors, including stability of the disc, terminal velocity, etc. Extra points will also be awarded for impressive craters.
NK, as I meant to say (I thought I'd put it in, but I re-read my post and I forgot it) the beauty of this sport is that anybody can try it and become good, and champions can be born or made. However, if you wish your contestants to have a chance of survival then the WSA (World Spacediving Authority- currently five guys in a shack) recomends that the contestants be fairly fit, with no medical conditions.
Brotherhood, that would be excellent.
Slagkattunger, every contestant shall have two practice drops. The lifts shall be provided by the Ineffable spacefleet, so it does not matter if you are spacefaring or not. Practice drops will have parachutes, but the real ones will go without them. Of course there will be advanced shock-absorbing systems to ensure that your contestants do not die. If you wish, your contestant can train before the event, with either parachuted or free discs. However, this will mean that they must travel to The Silver Turtle early.
Any further application for the event?

NK will most certainly be joining the Space Diving Championships, but we have a proposal: Each nation that joins be allowed to have a official in the WSA untill they cease participation.

This sounds like an excellent sport in which to raise nationalistic support. We will join.

Also, we'd like to open up the large expanses of water between the Corporate Islands as a possible dropzone. We don't know how feasible a water landing is, but it would have a very climatic effect when they touched down.

Also, we'd like to open up the large expanses of water between the Corporate Islands as a possible dropzone. We don't know how feasible a water landing is, but it would have a very climatic effect when they touched down. We might open up some water space in NK waters if water-landings are OK.

Slagkattunger, every contestant shall have two practice drops. The lifts shall be provided by the Ineffable spacefleet, so it does not matter if you are spacefaring or not. Practice drops will have parachutes, but the real ones will go without them. Of course there will be advanced shock-absorbing systems to ensure that your contestants do not die. If you wish, your contestant can train before the event, with either parachuted or free discs. However, this will mean that they must travel to The Silver Turtle early.
Any further application for the event?

We will send 1 individual to train & we will give them a budget with which they will use to design a disc suited to individual. We are currently in the process of selecting a suitable candidate from our military personnel, as soon as you are ready our canidate will travel to your nation to train.

Interesting idea, TST.... :P

We will send 1 individual to train & we will give them a budget with which they will use to design a disk suited to individual. We are currently in the process of selecting a suitable candidate from our military personnel, as soon as you are ready our canidate will travel to your nation to train. Likewise, except we shall be sending 2 people if we can find them.

Claw Starling, or "Boy Wonder" as the Maniacan populous jokingly calls him, is a 17 year-old adventurer from Funstocky, Maniaca. He has decided to enter. If possible, he would like to travel to The Silver Turtle now and rent out a garage to build his disc. Is this possible? We can send him over as you're ready.

Several city-states in the Federation have expressed interest in sponsoring a team for this new sport. The frontrunner is Nova City, home to the Federation's burgeoning aerospace industry.

OOC: This reminds me of a sci-fi short story I read in Boys' Life when I was a kid...

We have two people now, they're Kevin "Kaboom" Hall, an ex-Air Force pilot, known for his crazy flight style, he is 30 years of age, and in excelent health, his partner is 17 years of age, would a 17 year-old girl be allowed?

Nova City is selected as the sponsor for the Federation National Spacediving Team and announces that it will be holding a private competition to select two primary divers and eight alternates. Transdynamics Consortium is also named as the lead private sponsor of the national spacediving team.

Kecha would like to join in this.

A practice landing zone is established in the eastern flatlands adjacent to one of the larger seas under Federation control. Spacedivers will launch on an aerospaceplane from Nova City, disembark from the spaceplane, then drop into the LZ.

Interesting idea, TST.... :P*Lets you figure out the link between this, my ranting about a delayed sport topic in your thread, and when this was posted...*
I've added you all to the patricpants list that you can see has appeared on the first post.
NK will most certainly be joining the Space Diving Championships, but we have a proposal: Each nation that joins be allowed to have a official in the WSA untill they cease participation.
That sounds like a great idea to boost the WSAs numbers and increase diversity. Also, due to a cash grant recently recieved a large office block is being constructed in The Ineffable Second City (Bobsville) to house the WSA. If you wish the officials need not leave after the conclusion of the competition.

Also, we'd like to open up the large expanses of water between the Corporate Islands as a possible dropzone. We don't know how feasible a water landing is, but it would have a very climatic effect when they touched down.There wou;ld certainly be impressive effects, but the discs would have to be modified to provide extra life-support systems to allow the contestants to survive underwater until a pickup is dispatched (no boats could be in the immediate vicinity due to the waves created by the splashdown). Nevertheless, I do not think this would pose a major problem, and the spectacular effects may be worth it.
Also, due to my nations proximity to the north pole (more on that later), perhaps landings on the ice-oceans could be arranged...*has Bob Minor look into it*
NK, as mentioned previously there are no binding restrictions on age or sex, merely guidelines. However, a 17 year old girl should be fine.
To all nations, the gates are now open to entrants. Co-ordinates of the airport being used for entrant influx are now being transmitted. We look forward to seeing you all.

His Imperial Majesty, The Great Ineffable Bob.

Kaze Progressa's entrants are:

1. Janae Fraring, 22. Represented the country for gymnastics for six years. Turned to diving two years ago. Greatest asset is her amazing flexibility, which she hopes to utilise in space-diving by creating many unique moves during the extra airtime the space environment allows. Here's her in training:

http://www.contortionhomepage.com/helena/P1010030.JPG

2. Anol Mawam, 26. Has been on Kaze Progressa's space programme since its inception. Has been rather bored since it was suspended owing to the country's economic difficulties, and will take any challenge.

The Librarian Islands would like to enter two contestants for the championships: Agda Cutler-Jones, 32 and Samuel Kettlemaker, 20.

Unfortunately we cannot offer any drop zone, since the island is small and the waters around it, indeed the whole Elsewhere region, hasn't been accurately mapped yet.

What we can offer though is a large active volcano into which the other participants can drop their heat resistant tiles to test them. Uhm, we hope someone has a good means of getting the tiles out again, those tiles that don't melt that is.

We have 2 entrants we'd like to send to participate, they are as follows:

Name: Christopher Blaire.
Species: Cat Human Hybrid.
Age: 24.
Gender: Male.
Notes: Just got finished with his 5 year Compulsory Military Service Period last year, after declining a further 5 years in favor of membership in the Militia, he volunteered for Genetic Transformation(GenTran), and was altered into Cat-Human form, after his Genetic Transformation treatment he volunteered to test experimental parachutes, experimental climbing gear, and experimental survival gear, he is known for being a loose cannon, willing to take allmost any risk imagineable.

Name: Tully "TJ" Johansen.
Species: Human Snake Hybrid.
Age: 30.
Gender: Female.
Notes: A risktaker like Blaire, she was born a Hybrid, as where both of her parents, she is known for seeming to be angry with everyone all the time, and she always looks very intense, though some of her family claim she's actually a nice person to be around when she likes you.

Uhm, we hope someone has a good means of getting the tiles out again, those tiles that don't melt that is. Sure, there are cables that can be used, made strong enough to withstand a few minutes of volcanic heat.

It is great to see such support. I shall keep updating the entrants data, along with adding my own.
Though it is not a requirement to provide dropzones, they are nevertheless appreciated, and will add an interesting diversity to the types of craters created.
More entry places are still open! Sign up, sign up, you know you want to!

It is great to see such support. I shall keep updating the entrants data, along with adding my own.
Though it is not a requirement to provide dropzones, they are nevertheless appreciated, and will add an interesting diversity to the types of craters created.
More entry places are still open! Sign up, sign up, you know you want to!

Transdynamics Consortium announces that is developing its own drop suit, with practice parachutes and heavier, reusable practice heat shields.

The Kingdom of Dacian Soldiers could earn much prestige in this activiy, we would like to paticipate if at all possible.
~King Burubista II.
http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:wwZHs8lsmKQC:www.daciasview.com/dacia.1.jpg

We have selected a candidate, she is now travelling to TST.

Name: Linda Swiftrunner.
Species: Slagkattunger (Catperson).
Age: 21.
Gender: Female.

Kaze Progressa have created a new drop zone. It, like those of New Kazakhstan and Resi Corporation, is a water-based landing, into the great lake partly surrounding central Quarua, the country's second city:

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-9/395015/QuaruaSpacediving.GIF

OOC: Bump.

Kaze Progressa, do you wish to enter a contestant?
Any more entrants? Training must begin soon, so entries will be after then.

Kaze Progressa, do you wish to enter a contestant?


Check bottom of page one.

Oh, sorry. Added you.

OOC: bump

It's certainly an interesting sport, but I fail to see how it could be a competitive one. If the participant cannot see, I presume the object is not to attempt to guild the dropdisk as close as possible to a specific target point. How would the event be scored?

Shyri T'kla
Minister of Trade

(*bump*)

Bump
I've not forgotten 'bout this, I've just been busy with The Dominion disbanding. I'll continue this soon...

ooc:- Are you starting a new thread for it or are you going to continue it here?

ooc:- Are you starting a new thread for it or are you going to continue it here?
*lets you work it out from his post here*
OOC: Sorry, I had an unexpected trip to Aberdeen, which is why I haven't been here. To continue...IC:
Andrew put on his helmet. Even though he'd done this a hundred times, he still considered himself unworthy of the title of World Champion, which he had held for two years, when SpaceDiving was confined to The Silver Turtle. Now, he was preparing for the first international contest, against competitors from all over the globe. He would be defending his title against foreigners and his rival Augustus. Sure, Augustus could afford a better disk, but Andrew preferred his own self-built ones. WMD Manufacturers, Sports Division had even offered him a sponsorship, which he was currently thinking about taking. If he did, he could afford the best tech, but he wasn't sure he wanted it.
Oh well. He strapped himself in, and the new launch system was tested. A series of strong magnets round the rim of the disk interact with a modified railgun launcher on board a Jupiters Pride class frigate. This builds up te disks speed immensly before it even reaches the atmosphere.
Or, it should...
It hadn't been tested at all, nevermind with a human occupant, but Andrew had insisted on it. Too late to tun back now...
The straps engaged, and he was bound at the forehead, chest, ankles and wrists. He felt the acceleration, his body was straining against the straps. He could tell this was already faster than anything he'd done before. His helmet display activated. According to the readings he was already entering the atmposphere, and his speed was approaching 3 kilometers a second. Behind the readouts on his visor he could see a trail of plasma behind him now as he streaked through the atmosphere. The straps were really beginning to hurt now, he'd have to reccomend cushioned ones...Ground based tracking reported he was on target, with two seconds till impact...Two seconds he thought...
Throwing up a great cloud of dirt the disc ploughed into the landing zone in the Coalition of Evil. As he lay on his back, he realised from the time on his visor that he'd been knocked out for a good ten minutes already. This disc was definatly faster...Behind the readouts he could see the ground crew arriving to pick him up. After they cooled the landing site, they freed Andrew and took him to the newly built WSA headquarters to recover then report. He only had one thing to say;
"Can I do it again?"

ooc:- Here then...good trip? (not a unhappy one I hope :? ) Ok Resi Corporation drop zone is out on the account of hostilities..

ooc:- I'm going to assume you have an airport.

IC:- Linda Swiftrunner was restless as the private jet approched The Silver Turtle airspace, she wondered what it would be like there. She could hardly wait to try the new sport, the idea of entering the earth atmosphere with only a disk between her and death somewhat thrilled her.

Crimson and orange flames continually lick out into space, filling the diver's peripheral vision. The digital heads-up display on her helmet continually ticks down the altitude as it rapidly decreases. Pressure and heat sensors within the dive shield and gyroscopes linked to a guidance computer on the chest of her suit ensure that the diver is able to keep her bearings during the fiery plummet and avoid a fatal tumble.

With a slight turn of her head, the diver is able to see another descender following not too far behind her... the eruption of ionized gas around his dive shield appearing almost like a jellyfish made of fire. During this phase of the dive, communications are virtually impossible. This leaves the diver truly in her own world for the moment, a true communion with the universe in its primal state.

Before too much longer, the soft blue of the upper atmosphere begins to outshine the sharp black of space and the wisps of fire give way to a faint glowing halo from the edge of the jump shield. Air density is really picking up now and the diver can hear the wind whipping around the shield and rushing up against her suit.

The diver pulls the ejection handles on the shield at the designated altitude and the electromagnetic lock keeping her securely fastened releases. A fraction of a second later, the drogue chute located above her center of mass releases and pulls her away from the free-falling shield about twenty feet before detaching automatically.

For the first time, the diver is able to see her counterpart... also now separate from his rapidly descending, brightly glowing dive shield. It is almost a strange sight for her... watching a man in a vacuum suit, even one as light and flexible as the type they use, in high altitude free fall on his back. Almost only because it's not the her first time.

The guidance computer in the diver's suit then gently coaxes her out of her reverie and begins to countdown the seconds until flip. Once the danger of ionization or shield debris passes, divers conduct a graceful aerial flip onto their stomachs to continue down to planetside in the same manner of countless men and women before them.

The diver waits until her heads-up display color changes from yellow to green hues, indicating the change to safe free-fall, and then arches her back just slightly - using her head to direct the flip. It is over in a second... but that second can spell disaster for a diver not paying attention to their physical orientation.

The remainder of the dive is uneventful... a rather boring event compared to the fast, low altitude releases done by the Federation military and professional sports divers, to be honest... but every moment spent in space and in the air is time - and money - well spent for the diver. The main chute opens at the proper altitude to make a safe descent and leaves her essentially free to watch her partner make his own way down.

Without much ado, the diver - and her partner, only moments later -touches down on the nondescript dry lake bed and, once she has her footing, releases the main chute. She releases the seals on her helmet and takes in a breath of the dry, cool desert air before walking over to her partner. The grin on his face matches hers as he takes off his helmet to greet her.

Two smoldering craters a few hundred yards away indicate where the shields came down and a quick glance notes that this lake bed is pocked full of such craters on the far half of the grounds. The divers embrace each other and stand together while they wait for the electric SUV operated by the dropmaster to come pick them up. It's an expensive hobby, they realize... but a damn good one.

I allmost let this slip my mind.

Bob Minor rushed to greet the arriving contestant. As she stepped off the plane he ran up to greet her.
"Er, greetings, Linda! I am Bob Minor. If you'll just follow me, there's a limo waiting over here. It will take you to the hotel we've booked for the contestants. After that, you'll be told where to go for training. Our champion Andrew will be there to instruct you. He's currently the best in the world, but that may change!"

I'll have to read through to see what all is here, I remember signing up for this, didn't I?

Bob Minor rushed to greet the arriving contestant. As she stepped off the plane he ran up to greet her.
"Er, greetings, Linda! I am Bob Minor. If you'll just follow me, there's a limo waiting over here. It will take you to the hotel we've booked for the contestants. After that, you'll be told where to go for training. Our champion Andrew will be there to instruct you. He's currently the best in the world, but that may change!"

Linda Swiftrunner gave a small bow towards Bob Minor, her tail twitching as she straighten up (ooc:- She's a catgirl :) see my flag for a hint). "Thank you Mr. Minor Sir, I am pleased to meet you and I look forward to meeting this Andrew." Then she almost purred as she continued speaking "I can hardly wait to start training in this exciting new sport."