The Docking Test
This is Seventh Day Of The Week with Monica Kolejnik
"Let me welcome our viewers after the commercial break. For those of you just tuning in, I have here with me doctor Damian Kaklamanis, FASTA Director Of Operations, who graciously agreed to commit some of time for an interview about the Soyuz program."
"I'd like to wish a good day to all viewers in PeZookia and abroad."
"Director Kaklamanis, we have ended the last segment with a question about the significance of the Soyuz 5 mission. It's widely known that the mission's program was changed, and several experts have criticized the very short notice of this change. Could you explain FASTA's reasoning for this move?"
"Well...you see, the Soyuz 4 incident left us without proper experience in EVA procedure, which was the main point of the mission: furthermore, on new year's, the MSA has accomplished a succesful unmanned docking in a completely automated fashion. These two matters prompted our decision to accelerate the Soyuz program. First, it was deemed unnecessary to use an entire mission just to evaluate rendezvous instruments when the MSA proved they have every chance of working on their first try ; second, since work on our docking mechanisms proceeded ahead of schedule, we could attempt an actual docking on the same mission. Third, we needed to reschedule the mission so that some EVA excercices could be squeezed in - hopefully, without sabotage this time."
"There have been concerns about the mission's crew...."
"Ah, yes, I have heard of people compaining that astronauts Grissom and Uslov would not get along due to their economic ideology, but I assure you: nothing could be further from the truth..."
Jerusalem Space Center, January 21st, T-2 hours
"Yes...", Grissom said in a labored voice seeing his partner's expression.
"Yes what, comrade?"
"Yes, she's a beauty and a shining example of Crimson engineering", he rolled his eyes. The little electric bus was carrying them towards the towering 11K59 rocket booster which would carry the Soyuz 5 capsule, named "Unity", to orbit for its rendezvous and docking test.
"What? I wasn't going to say that", Georgi Uslov grinned in a way that showed without a shadow of a doubt that yes, we
was going to say that.
"Yes you were", Grissom said, smiling.
I hate to admit it, but the bastard's right
They spent the rest of their short trip in silence, staring in awe at the rocket. It wasn't as big as the Lucrelance series, but still was impressive enough when surrounded by the cage of support machinery.
The desert heat mercilessly assaulted them as soon as the astronauts got off the bus. It was a gorgeous day in Jerusalem, hot and sunny, with just a touch of sea breeze. Not that the wind helped, what with the thick space suits...
There were no reporters here, at least, and they could ascend to the capsule in peace.
Comona Island Mission control, Soyuz T-1 hour 15 minutes
This was the most complicated mission to date ; FASTA would one-up the MSA by accomplishing a rendezvous and docking within a single orbit from launch, and that required extraordinary co-ordination and data transfer methods, especially since both launches of Soyuz 5 would be accomplished from opposite sides of the globe.
"Comona, this is Kittyhawk: we are at T-10 minutes and holding."
"Roger that, Kittyhawk. Unity has just resumed countdown at T-1 hour 15 minutes."
Comona Island would co-ordinate the entire mission. For that, an entire new, larger Mission Control room was brought online, and was chock-full of engineers from both sides of the planet.
Thank God they all speak english, thought Common Carter Connoway, Flight Director of the mission. He was nervous - far more than usual. Handling one starship was hard enough so far - he wasn't entirely sure his crew was up to controlling the ascent, orbit and a second ascent within a single hour.
Still, they would have to manage. The MSA leaped ahead in the space race with that last flight, and no goddamned Domino would trump Old Continental technical thought! Connoway had a legacy to prove, a legacy of technical innovation and manly contests in measuring one's manhood against each other - and Shroomanians always won those.
There would be no retreat, he promised himself.
"All stations report readiness, flight. Camp Kittyhawk is ready to resume countdown.", Mariah Maryanne Mariposa, Ground Communications Officer, reported dutifully.
"Make it so", Connoway commanded, gazing with a steely gaze at his kingdom, his army ready to do battle with the MSA. A battle of wits and manhoods for all to see!
"Kittyhawk, resume countdown."
"Roger that, Comona. We are at T-10 minutes and counting."
Camp Kittyhawk Rocketfields, T-2 minutes
The gigantic clock next to the launch pad counted down the seconds, and the Launch Control bunker was filled with frantic activity. This launch had to go exactly right.
"Piping disconnected. Fuel cells to internal reactants."
"Fuel at launch pressure."
"Automatic systems still go."
"Flight crew reporting they are go for launch"
As the checklist was realized point-by-point, hundreds of TV cameras were pointed at the grotesque image of a spaceplane mounted on top of a Lucrelance II booster. The ship was venting water vapor, and made for a dramatic combination with the cleverly placed giant mission clock.
"We are at T-20 seconds. Final checkpoint."
"Go for launch. Repeat, go for launch."
"Have a nice ride, major, and say hello to Gus from us."
The rocket's engines ignited, and like so many others launched to orbit nowadays, it screamed towards the sky, trailing smoke and fire.
Mission Control, Comona Island, T-1 hour 5 minutes
Connoway watched the graphs and video screens intently, monitoring Silver Streak's ascent. The guidance systems were performing admirably so far, but explosions had a nasty habit of happening at the worst possible times.
"Booster, how are we doing?", he asked once staging was accomplished.
"Looks good flight, right down the middle"
Several very tense minutes followed - while it wasn't all that obvious to TV crews filming the room, all mission control officers were always extremely nervous during this part of any mission. Finally, the holy words came.
"MECO!", the booster systems engineer announced, to great satisfaction of all controllers
Connoway kissed his Rock Ironbeef photo to thank Fortune for his good luck, "Confirm orbit", he said more officially. It took several minutes for an answer to arrive.
"Stable orbit confirmed, flight. Deviation within parameters."
"Excellent. Signal Jerusalem, they are go for launch as scheduled."
Jerusalem Space Center
"Roger that", Grissom said into his microphone when Launch Control acknowledged the countdown would proceed, "Well, 'comrade', let's see if your communist rocket won't explode.", he quipped to his flight engineer.
"It safely carried more astronauts to orbit than San Dorado has honest contractors. I wouldn't worry.", Uslov shot back.
"Heh. Right...check the ascent program, will you?"
"Certainly"
Both astronauts followed their checklists as the countdown proceeded. Few people talked about it, but waiting for the launch was rather anticlimatic, all things considered. The procedures were all well rehearsed, and they could pretty much follow them in their sleep. The crowd was probably more excited than they were.
"You know, Georgi, there's one thing I've been thinking about. Have you even
been to San Dorado?"
"Why do you ask, comrade?"
"Because you're awfully quick to blast the place."
"You have periodic block wars, and think it's completely normal."
The pleasant conversation was interrupted by the launch controllers.
"5 minutes 15 seconds. Flight recorders activated. Check onboard life support."
"Roger that. Life support systems nominal", Uslov answered and grinned, "Here we go, comrade."
"You know, I always thought you keep calling me 'comrade' just to piss me off."
Mission Control, Comona Island , T-20 seconds
"Jerusalem reports they are go for launch!"
"How's the telemetry doing?"
"Telemetry checks out. Final countdown initiated..."
On the massive telescreens in the mission control room, everyone could see the Soyuz launch vehicle ignite its engines and slowly pick up speed. Within moments, it cleared the service tower and blasted off, accelerating more and more rapidly.
"Comona, the vehicle is clear of the launch tower, she's all yours!"
"Copy that! All right people, I want full attention! We have to do this right, the entire world is watching!"
And it did. As the Soyuz 5 capsule rode to the heavens on top of the launch vehicle, hundreds of radar sets across the globe tracked both it and the Silver Streak circling above. Docking within the first orbit was a critical component of any lunar mission, and the MSA would not pass the chance to learn from their opponent. Minutes passed, and the mission was proceeding as planned. At T+5 minutes 22 seconds, the Silver Streak crew reported they could see the launch vehicle ascending from the atmosphere. At T+7 minutes 2 seconds, the rocket jettisones its payload, which then accelerated to stable orbit using the Soyuz Main Service Engine.
"Fido, confirm stable orbit. Signal the crew to go through their insertion checklist."
Frantic activity erupted in the mission control room, as the crew raced to complete in twenty minutes a set of procedures that normally took more than an hour to run completely. As both vehicles approached each other, tensions on the ground rose to heights unheard of - everything else was rather routine. The docking itself was a moment of truth.
Soyuz 5, low earth orbit
"Easy now...", Grissom had his head glued to the periscopes, his hands hovering just above both control sticks. The Soyuz had an automatic docking system, but it may be necessary to take manual control at any time.
Uslov monitored the flight computer's performance constantly - they even forgot their usual banter. As both spacecraft closed more and more, whizzing above the Earth, the radar system dutifully informed them of this fact via constant beeping.
"Fifty meters. Forty nine. Forty eight...", Uslov read off the relevant instruments.
"So far so good...okay, I can see the docking target..."
The capsule lined itself up and zeroed off relative velocities. Both vehicles were now hovering mere meters from each other, and the Soyuz was ready to accelerate for docking when...nothing happened.
"Uh...Comona, what the hell?"
"Come again, Unity?"
"I gave the go-ahead, but the computer won't dock."
"Stand by, Unity. We're checking it out."
Uslov uncovered the abort switch, just in case the docking software would decide to slam them at full speed straight into the Silver Streak. After ten tense minutes, Comona finally gave an answer.
"Okay Unity, it seems to be a software glitch. Switch to manual and dock, we'll try to resolve the problem later."
"Of course they will. We have a entire damn week to get this right", Uslov commented, and then hurriedly checked to see if his microphone was not set to voice-activated. Fortunately, it wasn't.
"Abort the program, Georgi."
Grissom felt a jolt as the control sticks were unblocked. He gently pushed the Soyuz capsule for a docking, applying just enough thrust.
After four tries and one jury-rigged solution to a sticky docking probe, the two spacecraft have finally docked - within first orbit from launch.
Results:
FASTA docking test mostly a success.
A week-long flight involving a communist and a San Doradoan will follow. Expect casualties.
"
- PeZook
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