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

[Simon_Jester]

I thought Eternal Freedom was in charge of the Murcans.

[PeZook]

No, you can schedule launches in Fall 1958, and buy the rockets in Spring 1959 when the contractors start delivering again.You can buy hardware in the same season as the launch. Yes, you can launch unmanned capsules.

I thought Eternal Freedom was in charge of the Murcans.

He was, but Sam Francisco is uh "advising" him.

Possibly in a bid to take over.

[HMS Sophia]

Oh right. Should look like this then

Sam is an advisor. He is saving Eternal Freedom the time needed to looks after astronauts and plan budgetary reports and answer phones, instead of having to deal with things like research assignments, launch schedules and worrying over explosions... After all, Eternal Freedom shouldn't have to worry about little things like that...

Fall 1958:
-continue project: Explorer satellite
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-continue project: Atlas rocket
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 10MB
-begin project: Mercury capsule
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 25MB
-Launch Explorer-Atlas combination
-----Cost: 4MB
--Schedule 2 x unmanned launch, Explorer-Atlas combination

Spring 1959:
-continue project: Explorer satellite
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-continue project: Atlas rocket
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 10MB
-continue project: Mercury capsule
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-Train astronauts
-----Cost: 20MB
-Launch 2 x Explorer-Atlas combination
-----Cost: 8MB
--Schedule 2 x unmanned launch, Explorer-Atlas combination

Fall 1959:
-continue project: Explorer satellite
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-continue project: Atlas rocket
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 10MB
-continue project: Mercury capsule
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-Build 3rd launch pad
-----Cost: 20MB
-Launch 2 x Explorer-Atlas combination
-----Cost: 8MB
--Schedule 2 x unmanned launch, Explorer-Atlas combination
--Schedule 1 x unmanned launch, Mercury-Atlas combination

[PeZook]

You forgot Spring 1958 (we are there now)

[FaxModem1]

Fax Modem overhears Sam Francisco's pitch. He brings something up.

"Uh, if we're going to be going up into space, shouldn't we have EVA suits?"

[HMS Sophia]

"Uh, if we're going to be going up into space, shouldn't we have EVA suits?"

"Don't worry. The first Mercury launch will be unmanned. Then we'll do the suits. You wont be going outside to start with anyway."

---

Bugger. I got my years mixed up. It should be:

Fall 1957:
-continue project: Explorer satellite
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-continue project: Atlas rocket
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 10MB
-begin project: Mercury capsule
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 25MB
-Launch Explorer-Atlas combination
-----Cost: 4MB

Spring 1958:
-continue project: Explorer satellite
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-continue project: Atlas rocket
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 10MB
-continue project: Mercury capsule
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-Train astronauts
-----Cost: 20MB


Fall 1958:
-continue project: Explorer satellite
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-continue project: Atlas rocket
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 10MB
-continue project: Mercury capsule
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-Build 3rd launch pad
-----Cost: 20MB
--Schedule 2 x unmanned launch, Explorer-Atlas combination
--Schedule 1 x unmanned launch, Mercury-Atlas combination

Spring 1959:
-continue project: Explorer satellite
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-continue project: Atlas rocket
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 10MB
-continue project: Mercury capsule
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-Build 4th launch pad
-----Cost: 20MB
-Launch 2 x Explorer-Atlas combination
-----Cost: 8MB
-Launch 1 x mercury-Atlas combination
-----Cost: 6MB
--Schedule 2 x unmanned launch, Explorer-Atlas combination
--Schedule 2 x unmanned launch, Mercury-Atlas combination

Fall 1959:
-begin project: EVA suits
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 23MB
-continue project: Atlas rocket
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 10MB
-continue project: Mercury capsule
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-Launch 2 x Explorer-Atlas combination
-----Cost: 8MB
-Launch 2 x mercury-Atlas combination
-----Cost: 12MB
--Schedule 2 x manned launch, Mercury-Atlas combination

---

Is that all okay?

[PeZook]

*sigh*

Get an accountant, dude

Your plan for Spring 1958 spends 40 MB, leaving you with 24.

Fall 1958 will require another 40. Whoops, doesn't add up, since you don't get any more cash until spring 1959.

EDIT: FURTHERMORE, you can't begin Mercury in Fall 1957, since we're in Spring 1958, and Mercury was not initiated, so you have to budget for that, too.

[HMS Sophia]

*sigh*

Get an accountant, dude

Your plan for Spring 1958 spends 40 MB, leaving you with 24.

Fall 1958 will require another 40. Whoops, doesn't add up, since you get more cash in spring.

Whoops. I thought money came in every 6 months, not every year. My bad... okay. Hang on. Sorry for spamming with plans, i'm confusing myself. Lets just do 58 eh? We've done all of '57 haven't we...

---

Spring 1958:
-continue project: Explorer satellite
---Assign 4 research teams
-----Cost: 4MB
-continue project: Atlas rocket
---Assign 2 research teams
-----Cost: 4MB
-continue project: Mercury capsule
---Assign 2 research teams
-----Cost: 2MB
-Train astronauts
-----Cost: 20MB

Fall 1958:
-continue project: Explorer satellite
---Assign 4 research teams
-----Cost: 4MB
-continue project: Atlas rocket
---Assign 3 research teams
-----Cost: 6MB
-continue project: Mercury capsule
---Assign 4 research teams
-----Cost: 4MB
-Build 3rd launch pad
-----Cost: 20MB
--Schedule 2 x unmanned launch, Explorer-Atlas combination
--Schedule 1 x unmanned launch, Mercury-Atlas combination

---

There we go. I think that actually all adds up and gives us a good plan, with three pads and some astronauts. When do we got those 'nauts?

[PeZook]

It adds up except it doesn't because you can't continue a program that hasn't been initiated (Mercury)

[HMS Sophia]

It adds up except it doesn't because you can't continue a program that hasn't been initiated (Mercury)

Except Mercury should have been started in the Fall of 1957.... no?

[FaxModem1]

Fax Modem watches with trepidation as the accounting negotiations go back and forth. If these are supposed to be the brain guys of the group, then he's not sure if he should trust them with sending him into orbit.

[PeZook]

Except Mercury should have been started in the Fall of 1957.... no?

Uh, no.

Also, I will totally mention Sam Francisco's struggles with addition in the next update

[HMS Sophia]

Yeah yeah. So he cant add. But he can build dammit

Ok, new plan:
Spring 1958:
-continue project: Explorer satellite
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-continue project: Atlas rocket
---Assign 2 research teams
-----Cost: 4MB
-Train astronauts
-----Cost: 20MB

Fall 1958:
-continue project: Explorer satellite
---Assign 4 research teams
-----Cost: 4MB
-continue project: Atlas rocket
---Assign 3 research teams
-----Cost: 6MB
-begin project: Mercury capsule
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 25MB
--Schedule 1 x unmanned launch, Explorer-Atlas combination
--Schedule 1 x unmanned launch, Mercury-Atlas combination

[OmegaChief]

Hrrrm, I like Comrade Pavylyvych's plan, it seems to rely less on the luck of the dice then our current one.

However, our Comrade von Evilstien does have one more screw up before I make my own recommendation to the Comittee that he be relevead from his position for a while so that we may... rensure his patriotism.

Do note that we are also watching you now Comrade Pavylyvych, do not fail the motherland.

[fnord]

Oh what the hell, sign me up.

Initially, as suicidal brave cosmonaut Nikolai Nikolayevich Nikov. Beats facing the mother-in-law.

When If Nikov's rocket goes up in smoke with him in it, can his son-who-is-so-totally-not-him-with-a-false-moustache-glued-on-and-grey-hair-dyed, strangely named Nicholas instead of good, patrotic, Zenobian, Nikolai, defect to Murca with technical info and take his chances at MASA?

[Eternal_Freedom]

Johnny von Braun sighed in despair as he reviewed Sam Francisco's botched budgeting.

"Oh this is so not good...."

He continues reading, and the plans get worse and he continues drinking to stave off utter despondency.

"Right then. Here's what we are going to do:
Spring 1958:
-continue project: Explorer satellite
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 5MB
-continue project: Atlas rocket
---Assign 2 research teams
-----Cost: 4MB
-Train astronauts
-----Cost: 20MB

Fall 1958:
-continue project: Explorer satellite
---Assign 4 research teams
-----Cost: 4MB
-continue project: Atlas rocket
---Assign 3 research teams
-----Cost: 6MB
-begin project: Mercury capsule
---Assign 5 research teams
-----Cost: 25MB
--Schedule 1 x unmanned launch, Explorer-Atlas combination
--Schedule 1 x unmanned launch, Mercury-Atlas combination"

Johnny quickly added a note at the bottom:

"Any budget screw-ups, take it out of Francisco's salary. Or reduce research teams as necessary."
Spoiler

PeZook, in case I don't manage to post anything between updates, take Barnest's most mathematically sound plan and implement it. Thinkof him as my deputy/operations guy.

"Why do this schweinhunds expect me to manage a budget? I've got an accounting guy for that for Thanas' sake! I only make the decisions, I don't do the maths!"

[Simon_Jester]

The von Evilstein plan for 1958 is proceeding; Syrgy Pavylyvych has some profound misgivings about the wisdom of recruiting cosmonauts for a program that won't be ready when they graduate from basic training, but the urgent need to achieve manned space successes is a factor, and he has retreated from his extremely forward position of denouncing von Evilstein in favor of a more passive-aggressive campaign of grumbling.

At the same time, he labors diligently to fix the inevitable bugs in his beautiful Semyorka- most of which he blames on von Evilstein, not without reason. He considers it a miracle that the rockets von Evilstein launched in 1957 didn't blow up on the pad and take the laboriously constructed launch sites with them.

Therefore, von Evilstein's Plan 1958 will be implemented without any substantial resistance from Syrgy. To recap:

Von Evilstein Plan 1958

Spring 1958
Recruit Cosmonaut Cadre I (20 MB)
Max Research on A-Series Rocket (10 MB)
Max Research on Sputnik Satellite (5 MB)
Schedule 2 A-Series/Sputnik Satellite Launch Attempts for Fall 1958
Total Cost: 35 MB

Fall 1958
Purchase 2 A-Series Rockets (6 MB)
Purchase 2 Sputnik Satellites (2 MB)
3 Teams Research on A-Series Rocket (6 MB)
1 Team Research on Sputnik Satellite (1 MB)
Schedule 2 A-Series/Sputnik Satellite Launch Attempts for Spring 1959
Launch 2 A-Series/Sputnik missions
Total Cost: 15 MB

If some event occurs which would drastically affect Fall 1958 policies, such as, I don't know, construction workers at the Cosmodrome suddenly striking oil and causing an unexpected boom in our budget, we may need to backtrack and revamp the plan for Fall 1958. I will try to react quickly in that case and come up with a revised plan before PeZook goes to bed, even if Doomy cannot.

The sole addendum which Syrgy insists on is that Comrade Badenov must receive his Hero of the Zenobian Onion, First Class, for surely had the Murcans been able to purchase more Atlases this year, they would have beaten us into orbit.
______________________

Below is my first stab at a plan for the beginning of 1959. Unfortunately, I don't know how much money we'll have in hand, or what the satellite launch situation will look like. Very much a work in progress. This is just to get something out there so other people participating in the Zenobian space program can discuss.

To get such a plan right, I'd need to see the status flash-cards for the systems we've been developing in 1958, and know the budget for 1959, which is contingent on events, obviously.

Pavylyvych Plan Preliminaries Spring 1959 (Work in Progress)
On the von Evilstein Plan 1958, we will have hopefully launched a satellite by Fall 1958, and have two more launch attempts scheduled for Spring 1959.

We will have a class of cosmonauts in training, who will emerge from training in Fall 1959 (three seasons after being hired in Spring 1958) and be ready to fly missions in Spring 1960... but I find it difficult to imagine that we'll have a working capsule to fly them on by then at this rate.

Spring 1959 Priorities:
1) Buy hardware for two satellite launches (8 MB)

2) Unless reliability of A-Series rocket has nearly reached max R&D, press ahead with research into rocket reliability. Maximum R&D is 85%; if reliability of rocket is approaching this figure, fund research to the following levels, as a function of reliability figure X:

Code: Select all

      X ≥ 85% -> 0 teams, 0 MB
85% > X > 80% -> 1 team,  2 MB
80% ≥ X > 76% -> 2 teams, 4 MB
76% ≥ X > 72% -> 3 teams, 6 MB
72% ≥ X > 68% -> 4 teams, 8 MB
68% ≥ X       -> 5 teams, 10MB

3) We must also perfect our satellite technology, both for defense of the Motherland and for future space missions which may include complex spaceborne hardware.

Unless reliability of Sputnik has nearly reached max R&D, press ahead with research into satellite reliability. Maximum R&D is 95%; if reliability of Sputnik is approaching this figure, fund research to the following levels, as a function of reliability figure X:

Code: Select all

      X ≥ 95% -> 0 teams, 0 MB
95% > X > 90% -> 1 team,  1 MB
90% ≥ X > 86% -> 2 teams, 2 MB
86% ≥ X > 82% -> 3 teams, 3 MB
82% ≥ X > 78% -> 4 teams, 4 MB
78% ≥ X       -> 5 teams, 5 MB

So far, this addresses only the legacy von Evilstein policies.

3) Now we must decide what to do with the remaining funds, which depends very heavily on what funds we have to work with, which is in the hands of the Kremlin and Comrade Murphy, not me.

Logical priorities are to begin the Vostok program and to work on probe technology. I will be more able to make decisions on these matters when the 1959 budget is known.

[PeZook]

Warning! Mein herren!

Because of the way the game works, I am henceforth closing the rolls for Class I astronaut/cosmonaut recruitment.

Any further candidates that apply will have to wait until Murca and Zenobia recruit the second class of nine brave space pioneers/conquerors.

Current rosters will be posted during the update.

Always faithful,
Hans von Smallhausen

[PeZook]

One more question for Zenobians: if the first satellite does go up, do you scrub the second mission, or launch it?

[PeZook]

Another thing: Murcans want to schedule two missions (Mercury and Explorer-II), but only have one launch pad.

So...do you initiate Mercury, or build a new launch pad?

[Eternal_Freedom]

We build a new launch pad. Given we are unable to build boosters in 1958, we should build up our infrastructure whilst we can.

So sayeth the Director!

[OmegaChief]

One more question for Zenobians: if the first satellite does go up, do you scrub the second mission, or launch it?

Is there any mechnical advantage in a second mission after the first is successful? Like improvingrocket reliability? If so then yes, if not then no.

Or that's the Commissars recommendation anyway, for we must always press forwards, not one step back and defnatly no running on the spot.

[PeZook]

yes, a successful flight improves reliability of the hardware used

An unsuccesful flight costs you prestige, though, and may REDUCE reliability

[Simon_Jester]

One more question for Zenobians: if the first satellite does go up, do you scrub the second mission, or launch it?

Is there any mechnical advantage in a second mission after the first is successful? Like improvingrocket reliability? If so then yes, if not then no.

Or that's the Commissars recommendation anyway, for we must always press forwards, not one step back and defnatly no running on the spot.

As Director Of Operations of the Baikonurek Cosmodrome, I respectfully submit to Comrade Commissar Omega that there are technical considerations which make scrubbing the launch... inadvisable. My reasoning is as follows.

1) The A-Series rocket needs to become a workhorse of our space program in the future. All our hopes for orbital manned space flight in the near future hinge on the A-Series. We need many successful tests of the rocket, not just one, if we are to improve reliability. Based on experience with past missile designs, I doubt we could get the reliability of the rocket better than one failure per seven launches with R&D alone... whereas extensive field testing offers the possibility of improvement to something more like one failure per twenty, thirty, or fifty launches. Therefore, we need to launch many rockets, and an opportunity to improve reliability with an unmanned test like this is not to be sneezed at. Since we will already be committed to paying for the hardware, we might as well use it.

2) There is a prestige cost for scrubbing the launch*, which will harm our Baikonurek's reputation roughly as much as trying to launch the satellite and failing would.*

3) Conversely, there is a prestige advantage to successfully launching both the first and second satellites into orbit,* leaving the Murcans in, at best, third place with their Explorer program, and denying them any scrap of credit for their own satellite launches.

4) There is the risk that the fourth launch would fail, I admit. This depends so heavily on the projected reliability of the rocket and satellite at the time of launch that I'm unsure what to say about the matter. I might need to see what the situation looks like in Fall 1958 with respect to reliability.

In any case, these are the technical and strategic arguments in favor of not canceling the fourth launch should the third launch succeed. The risk mentioned under (4) is the only counter-balancing factor, and it is not to be taken lightly, but I believe on balance that come November, we will be well advised to take a calculated risk on the launch of Sputnik-4** should Sputnik-3** succeed.

There is, I repeat, a risk, but the rewards are not to be despised.
__________

*Am I right about this, PeZook? If I'm substantially wrong about any of those assumptions, I'd appreciate it if you could tell me, because I would not want to make such a blunder due to ignorance of the rules.

**Historically, the Russians did not assign mission numbers to failed satellite insertions or rockets which blew up on the pad, and would never publicly admit to having tried and failed with their first two Sputnik launches. However, because of the way the game works the planned Fall 1958 launches will be recorded in-game as Sputnik-3 and Sputnik-4, and for internal purposes of discussion within the Cosmodrome, I imagine Pavyl referring to those launches accordingly.

[OmegaChief]

Very well, I alter my recommendation to going through with both launches regardless of the success or failure of the first.