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

[Eternal_Freedom]

That is an awesome idea Simon! Who needs an in-universe agreement when you can attribute it to mutual copying of the other sides idea. Ha!

[OmegaChief]

Obviously we have to spread a rumor that the cosmonaut who retires actually died in this super-secret test flight of which there are no records. Silly Murcans will believe anything, right?

But the Commissar finally wants to Execute someone D:

[Scottish Ninja]

Obviously we have to spread a rumor that the cosmonaut who retires actually died in this super-secret test flight of which there are no records. Silly Murcans will believe anything, right?

But the Commissar finally wants to Execute someone D:

Leaked rumors don't have to have anything to do with the truth.

[FaxModem1]

So, thanks to Drago repaying Sam, the space race turns to minishuttles?

[PeZook]

Young McCain goes ballistic



Shown here a couple hours after his succesful flight beyond Earth's atmosphere, young Biff McCain became the first all-murcan astronaut hero to accomplish such an act. Following hot on the heels of a similar Zenobian flight, Biff McCain beat the Zenobian altitude record and flipped the goddamned communoids off while doing so.

But who is Biff McCain?

A son of a military family, young Biff became a pilot at the ripe and tender age of 17, lying to get into the military in order to be able to kill the Japanorse who threatened our fine nation.

Fighting in the Salvation War Part Deux, Biff was shot down and ended up incarcerated as a POW at the Hanoi Hellton, an infamous Japanorse camp where prisoners of war were abused and maltreated.

What more do our readers need to know, really? First he fought for FREEDOM, and now he's a dashing well-chiseled square-jawed astronaut mang inspiring the youth of this nation and making men and women alike feel all hot and heavy and weak-kneed at the mere glance of his manly chest.

The chief editor says I should stop now or I'll faint, and I think he's totally right.

Man. Biff McCain. What a mang!

[FaxModem1]

What a guy!

[PeZook]

BTW, I have discovered there is a possibility to display astronaut moods while assigned to crews. This will ease my workload, and thus I'll be able to provide their satisfaction level in future updates.

Generally speaking, satisfaction below 50 may lead to an astronaut leaving the program ; Flying missions (especially high prestige ones) boosts satisfaction. Being assigned as a backup also boosts satisfaction, but only a little.

Later on, when you start having multi-person crews, astronauts will start having compatibility issues with their comrades. Ain't personnel management fun?

[FaxModem1]

Fox smiles at Biff McCain, despite knowing that he shouldn't. That Dick, Fisher, was still around here and he could get in trouble. But he couldn't help it, the man had been in space.

All Fox could do was manage a small wave and then ran back to hide in the barracks.

[PeZook]

Because I was bored, I went and updated the status post for Fall 1961 with mood ratings for your astronauts.

Note to Zenobians: now that you have the Voshkhod program running, cosmonauts still assigned to the Vostok program will grow more dissatisfied with each passing season, as the Vostok is now seen as an obsolete program (despite the Voshkhod being essentially a slightly larger Vostok with an ungainly inflatable airlock bolted on ).

[Karza]

Why the hell is my alter ego that happy? He hasn't gotten to do anything except lounge about and drink vodka and... nevermind.

[PeZook]

Astronaut badge approved

Awarded to those military or civilian pilots who completed astronaut training and performed a flight in space, the Astronaut Badge is a new decoration recently approved by Congress.

It will be awarded by Congress on the recommendation of the Director of MASA. The badge comes in several patterns, one each for astronauts with a background in the Army, Naval Aviation, Air Force and for civilians. Civilian badges will be awarded via an administrative decision of the Murcan Maladministration of Aviation (MMA)

Shown above is a Naval Aviator Astronaut badge, as awarded to Astronaut Biff McCain for his succesful mission beyond Earth's atmosphere.

[Simon_Jester]

Because I was bored, I went and updated the status post for Fall 1961 with mood ratings for your astronauts.

Note to Zenobians: now that you have the Voshkhod program running, cosmonauts still assigned to the Vostok program will grow more dissatisfied with each passing season, as the Vostok is now seen as an obsolete program (despite the Voshkhod being essentially a slightly larger Vostok with an ungainly inflatable airlock bolted on ).

I thought there was a grace period before that started happening? Of at least a few seasons?

And I assume Karzanovski is just a good comrade who doesn't make trouble for the program with his prima-donna ways. Stout fellow!

[PeZook]

I thought there was a grace period before that started happening? Of at least a few seasons?

I am not sure ; I decided to play it safe and warn you beforehand

And I assume Karzanovski is just a good comrade who doesn't make trouble for the program with his prima-donna ways. Stout fellow!

He can't make trouble if he spends most of the time passed out in the Launch Pad A ground crew bunker, now can he?

I guess he's happy because not only did he survive the rocket explosion but wasn't shot for surviving it. I know I'd be.

[Simon_Jester]

So when does the Baris air show take place?

[PeZook]

Uh...right about...now?

[Simon_Jester]

Hah. Thought so.

Just checking so I don't feel guilty about not coming up with another turn plan. Let's play that out before we proceed with Fall 1961, guys, OK?

[FaxModem1]

Fox Modem's feelings of admiration in Biff McCain turned into jealousy in the fact that he hadn't gone up there yet. He wanted to see what Earth looked like from above. And until he did, he was going to get more and more unhappy.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Sounds good. I am really busy the next couple of days so I can't do a season plan anyway.

[PeZook]

Feel free to start goofing off any time now.

Although I am really eager to get the manned programmes going,so I hope it doesn't take too long.

[Eternal_Freedom]

I should be able to throw a plan together tomorrow evening or so.

[Simon_Jester]

While EF can't be a major writer for it, I'd appreciate it if someone else would do the first "Baris Air Show" goofery post. Then I'll throw mine in, and have the critical point where the Zenobians decide to go the minishuttle route.

[FaxModem1]

Baris, July of 1961



"They got the sign wrong." Fox noted as he looked at the MASA logo which had a wrong letter. Most people weren't paying attention to the sign however as Barisian girls were on everyone's table, and after taking their orders, danced on the tables of the astronauts and cosmonauts.

They were wearing the same orange that came in the flightsuits, as a nod to the progress made by the pioneers of space. Scientists, government men, politicians and pilots filled the room, all of them wearing their tuxedos.

Fox sat at his table, and although the waitress was trying, he was utterly bored.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Johnny von Braun was packing his suitcase, ready to jet off to Baris for the air show. There was the natural excitement of course, even for an adoped Murcan Baris held an impossible glamour.

But even more so, the chance of meeting his opposite number, the mysterious Chief Designer. Of course he wanted the Zenobians to crash and burn (literally if possible) but still, the chance of meeting like minded individuals, the men willing to put everything to the touch to chase a dream.

It would be an enticing opportunity.

[Simon_Jester]

I'll get to my post in a few hours.

Also, PeZook, when we do go minishuttles, as a request that I suspect will resonate with all the former SCRAMming Up! players... could you do one or two posts, at some point, in the general style of those?

I can see it now:

You are: IVAN IVANOV SENIOR, I. I. IVANOVITCH, NIKOLAI NIKOV, and FUCKER NEWTONSKI.

You are in a NOT SO MAGNIFICENT SPACEPLANE. There are BIG RED STARS on the wings. It is very cramped...

(This is not the crew I especially want to send to the Moon in the Lapot, but glancing over my selection of Group 1 cosmonauts it's about the best I could come up with, assuming nobody in the alliterative-name group decides to strangle anyone)

[PeZook]

Let's have the show be in July, shall we? It won't be affected by Murcan manned launches in the Fall, which are going to be pretty high profile whatever happens to them.

And yeah I was planning to do just that, Simon. Stop ruining my surprises! ARGH!