NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: Instead of announcing in separate threads, all events related to the Space Project, except major RPs, will occur here. Expect new modules, mission plans and other news to appear here.

The Research Division of the RKSP effort today announced four new concepts for space modules that will replace the "Ark" A1 series of experimental spacefarers:


"Archangel" A2 Cargo Transport Ship
(This will supercede the A1 for cargo deposition)

A small cargo ship with streamlined, curved sides, a dedicated cargo bay with a rail-deployment system to eliminate the need to land and a hot-fusion reactor, the A2 is designed to restock Colony missions.
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"Ranger" C/R1 Exploration Ship
(This will supercede the A1 for small-crew shuttle missions)

Built for two to four people, the Ranger Class C will be used for scouting and system-mapping. Fitted with a liquid-fuel engine (oxygen)
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"Shadow" B/S1 Troop Deployment Ship
(This will supercede the A1 for large-crew shuttle and deployment missions)

Built for eight to sixteen people, the B/S1 is nearly identical in plan to the A1B, but is streamlined, fitted with a Universal Fuel-Burning Device (can accept a variety of combustible liquids, at the trade-off of bulk and cost), and is fitted with 3-part flexible reclining seats to account for gravity and other requirements.
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"Momentum" A/M1 Modular Ship
(This will be the direct successor to the A1)

Similar to the vanilla A1, but divided into three sections instead of four: a core, bottom and wing/EPD section, and assembled in gravity.

The RD are also looking into HTOL (horizontal takeoff/landing) to reduce the problems of gravity during VTO.

Major researcher Anita Simmonds today uploaded a document to the Spatial Bifrost arc suggesting a move from humans to unmanned missions, or even robotic humanoids, in long-distance exploration shuttles.

The report contained an example AI program, capable of plotting an orbital course using gathered data, setting a launch sequence, calculating approximate star distances using brightness, size and Earth data, and storing them on a hard disk.

A robot, "Dr. Feelgood" has already been constructed in a cybernetics project spearheaded by the Core research team, that can learn from both hardcoded information and experience. It has been found to be able to walk up and down sets of colour-coded stairs (of variable length), not by calculating distance and elevation, but by recognizing the stairs from a "memory" database, and recalling hardcoded instructions on how to climb them.

Simmonds believes that "soon the memory system will replace repeating lines of code for each similar event", and that "artificial intelligence is coming into its prime".

The streamlined module skimmed through the darkness, following a programmed path across the skies. Inside, the crew reclined back in their chairs, slowly floating back in the weightless environment. The aerated atmosphere rang out loud with the computer's synthesized voice:

"Detected destination on sensors. Adapting autopilot algorithm."

The pilot, the synthetic geckoid Rolan, reached for the crew-converse device on his right ear and flicked it on to "External". The console in front of him flickered for a second, and an invisible wave fired from the ship, onto a receiver on the asteroid.

Rolan was greeted with a message from below:

"Acknowledging the arrival of Space Observation 1 to Colony NE-M1. We are out of supplies. Something has intercepted the EPP arrivals."

Rolan flicked the device to "Internal" and singled out the frequency for Corlean's device.

"What?"

"Switch your device to External 492. Now."

Corlean reluctantly tuned into the colony.

"Corlean here. What's going on?"

"Something is blocking the extra-propulsed packages. Hope you've got some supplies, we need re-stocking."

"You're in luck, Terra called yesterday. Seems we're doing a team swap instead of just a check-up."

The human on the other side spluttered. "I hope you've brought the user manual for that thing."

Corlean sighed. "We're dropping off supplies first, then circling and then swapping. Plenty of time for light reading. And, yes, we have been basically trained for mining device operation, using scouting robots, and..."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Better open the cargo bay."

Corlean idly flicked at her ear, finding Rolan's signal.

"Prepare the cargo for speedy deployment."

"You mean dump the load, right?"

"Uh... yeah, I suppose. Is it me or is wearing space-suits in an aerated environment totally pointless?"

Rolan took a sharp breath, and reciting from heart the Basic A1B Training lecture he'd had a week before, chanted: "The aerator requires at least two days of charging before it can be safely used. During this period protective suits must be used."

Corlean sighed heartily. "Typical Random Kingdom, always too good to be true."

Due to the success of the first shuttle mission, Space Observation 1, the RKSOIA have decided to allocate the A1B used to transport civilians, for a price of around O/25,000 per head when full, to pay for both maintenance and the construction of the Second Generation concepts. This will probably drop as the concepts finish and new technologies are applied on the A1B.

This will enter a testing phase next year, and if the programme is good, will continue for at least five years, when a dedicated civilian shuttle concept will hopefully be available.