Author Topic: The Final Frontier  (Read 7280 times)

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Offline Achkaerin

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The Final Frontier
« on: November 08, 2017, 04:20:04 PM »

Welcome to the Final Frontier (Yes shameless Star Trek ripoff for a name) Anyway this is where all the tales of the Achkaerin Space Agency can be found, so sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

Mission One: Science Star

Sights on a Metal World
Back in the Saddle
Virgil Departs
Preparations
First Impressions
Two For One

Mission Two: Atlantis Project

Back in Action
In Motion
First Step Complete
« Last Edit: September 02, 2019, 06:53:15 PM by Achkaerin »

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: The Final Frontier
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2017, 05:38:17 PM »
Sights on a Metal World

It was a routine day at mission control in Djana Ville, the sun was shining, the astronauts in training were on their daily exercise runs, some of the accredited astronauts were doing their exercise as well. In the main building on the floor above the control room the Director of Flight Operations Nicola Fernley was looking out of the large window of her office, it overlooked a large part of the compound she could see the spacecraft hangars from where she stood. It was a big day, Project Science Star - their big series of missions designed to build the most comprehensive map of the solar system, to explore the great unknown, to discover new things, to give a greater picture and understanding of the universe, her dream, was finally go. Mission number one on the list was Virgil, this was an unmanned mission centered around the study of the asteroid Keaclite, the asteroid was located between Nergal and Marduk in the middle of the asteroid belt, but this was no random choice this asteroid was special, this asteroid appeared to be a stripped down planetary core, made almost entirely of nickel-iron it was a great opportunity to study the collisions that created Mundus and other terrestrial planets. The plan was to launch two missions the first being Virgil this would be a satellite probe that would enter into orbit of the asteroid and do initial studies, the follow up which was subject to the results of the first was Homer this was designed to be a sample retrieval mission, in short drop some specially designed robots on the asteroid surface, have them conduct up close studies and retrieve some samples and then retrieve the sample gathering robots before bringing them back to Mundus.

"So how's Virgil coming?" Nicola asked looking around at her close friend and probably second in command Vicky Acheson, the mission strategist of the Achkaerin Space Agency.
"The satellite's ready to go, we're waiting on a launch window and a crew for the orbital delivery." Vicky said
"It's a straight up run around the block isn't it?" Nicola asked
"Essentially yes, it provides a decent routine experience gaining opportunity." Vicky said "Up into orbit, deploy payload, it goes on its way, do a simple re-entry."
"Ok I'll select a crew." Nicola said "Find me the launch window."
"Will do." Vicky said "What about Phoenix?"
"Not until it's ready I'm not about to let Kaitaine hurry our progress." Nicola said "Let's get back to doing what we do best."

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Re: The Final Frontier
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2018, 01:43:50 AM »
Back in the Saddle

Sophia Stark and David Anderson were finishing one of their regular runs around the Space Agency Complex, which in truth was something like a large village itself as it embodied accommodation for the astronaut and staff, hangers and laboratories, mission control and a launch site, though naturally the Achkaerin Space Agency maintained launch sites across Mundus. The pair wore typical exercise clothes Sophia a red sleeveless top and black shorts, David wore a pair of white shorts and a dark blue t-shirt.

"Why do I never win?" David asked as the pair stopped by the Astronaut Memorial that commemorated all those astronauts who had died in space while on missions for the Achkaerin Space Agency, there had been mishaps especially in the early days back in the 1950's and 1960's but no disasters for a long long time.
"Because you over pace yourself before agony hill." Sophia said, referring to the hill to the south that they always ran up "You slow down going up and that lets me catch up but you've used up so much energy so I win a sprint finish."
"One of these days I'll remember that." David said
"I've said that to you at least fifty times." Sophia said smiling as she was bent over her hands on her knees getting her breath back
"Here." David said handing her a sports bottle of water that Sophia drank from.
"Thanks." Sophia said
"Not a bad day is it?" David asked
"You know it's just the calm before the storm." Sophia said "Back end of storm season and then we get spring." there was something of a routine the regular Nywaln storm in August that started storm season, last year compounded by the Morris Ice Shelf, then came the first series of storms over the autumn period finishing just before Christmas, then there was something of a break before a usually more severe series of storms over a shorter period hit in January and February. At that point their phones went off - a text message.
"Nicola's office?" David asked
"Let's go." Sophia said

Ten minutes later the two astronauts were in the office of Nicola Fernley, oh wait it was officially Dame Nicola Fernley now as she'd been knighted in the New Year honors list.
"Have a seat." Nicola said, the two astronauts sat down
"What is it boss?" Sophia asked
"What do you know about the Virgil probe?" Nicola asked
"About as much as anyone else." David said "It's a scout probe for the Keaclite asteroid."
"It's ready to be launched" Nicola said looking out of the window of her office "There's a routine Athena launch, a run around the block scheduled for a weeks time. It's nothing special just get up do a couple of orbits and then back down. However it's a two for one deal."
"Meaning you want us to take Virgil up and deploy it from orbit?" Sophia asked
"Yes." Nicola said "Do you want it?"
"Hell yes." Sophia said "Been getting a little frustrated with having to kick my heels down here."
"David?" Nicola asked
"I'm in." David said
"Ok then go see Samantha and get checked out." Nicola said

Sophia and David left the office smiling broadly it had been months since they'd been up in space
"So we get to launch Virgil." David said
"Looks like it." Sophia said "It's been so busy with SCION launches lately that I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever get a chance to get back up there."
"Well we're going back up now." David said

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: The Final Frontier
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2018, 07:06:41 PM »
Virgil Departs

Launch day came, at mission control Nicola Fernley paced around watching the green lights come on one at a time on her console, they were getting closer and closer to take off time.
"Another launch another step towards dreams?" someone asked, Nicola glanced to her right and saw her boss Gary Hale standing there
"I hope so." Nicola said
"So a two for one." Gary said smiling
"Yep." Nicola said "We get them up there, we send Virgil on its way and then get them down."
"And then?" Gary asked
"Then we wait for Virgil's results and we prep Homer." Nicola said
"That's not what I meant." Gary said "This is science star and that project has more to it than this."
"Lance and Ellen are looking over the follow up missions." Nicola said she tapped her earpiece "Athena this is control do you read?"

Aboard the Athena, the final checks were just about finished Sophia in the commanders seat and David in the pilots seat.
"Control this is Athena" Sophia answered "Final checks are completed we're green across the board, waiting the word."
"Have that." Nicola answered "Standby."
"You heard the rumors about the next batch of spacecraft being developed?" David asked
"Yep, all things point to the unknown." Sophia said
"And we get to be part of it." David said
"T-minus two minutes to launch." Nicola's voice came over their coms

This was game time, the two astronauts kept quiet concentrating, then right on time Sophia ignited the engines and a few seconds later David threw the throttle forwards and they were away.
"Clock's running." Sophia said
"I see it." David said
"Handling?" Sophia asked
"We're right down the middle." David said "SRB separation on the horizon."
"Call it." Sophia said, flicking the guards on the buttons away as she did so, David narrowed his eyes as they approached
"Mark." he said, Sophia hit the buttons and the SRB's were dropped
"Control we have SRB separation." Sophia said
"Have that." Nicola answered
"MECO in two minutes." David said
"Right on the numbers." Sophia said, she flicked another button guard away "Say when." again David kept his eyes on things and then smiled
"Now." David said, Sophia pressed the button
"We have MECO Control." she said as David pushed the Athena out into orbit.
"Copy that, you're in the driving seat." Nicola said

"Everything looks good." David said
"Good." Sophia said "Establish orbit, I'm going to run the final checklist on Virgil."
"Copy that." David said he looked out of the cockpit window "I never get tired of seeing this."
"You know considering I was never planning to be an astronaut." Sophia said as she went about her work to the rear of the cabin "I don't know what I'd do now if I couldn't do this."
"I hear that." David said "Ok we're in orbit."
"Virgil checks out." Sophia said she tapped her com "Control we're standing by to deploy Virgil."
"Proceed." Nicola said
"Copy that." Sophia said "Open the cargo bay doors."
"Opening cargo bay doors." David said, Sophia waited a few moments
"Releasing Virgil." Sophia said, she hit the button and waited
"We have Virgil control." Nicola said "You've got thirty six hours up there have fun."

"Do you want to sleep first or second?" Sophia asked
"Well I could put her on autopilot and we could..." David said
"Just because Vince and Imogen got real intimate on the last project when they were up here doesn't mean we're going to." Sophia said
"You're not the least bit curious what doing that in zero-G's like?" David asked
"Not yet." Sophia said "Close the cargo bay doors."
"Closing them." David said, as he did that Sophia hit another button "That's the auto pilot"
"I know." Sophia said

On the ground Nicola and Gary were pleased, they had Virgil fully deployed and they had it heading off towards the asteroid belt
"So that's Virgil on the way." Gary said
"Yep" Nicola said "Virgil has left the planet."
"And now the forward planning begins" Gary said
"It does." Nicola said
« Last Edit: January 25, 2018, 12:02:08 AM by Achkaerin »

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: The Final Frontier
« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2018, 11:04:25 PM »
Preparations

It had been a few weeks, almost three months, since Virgil had been launched so it was back to being just another day at the office, Nicola Fernley was sat in her secondary office, it overlooked the mission control room so if anything did go wrong or if anything required her attention she was close enough to not have to run across the ASA complex. Virgil was about halfway to Nergal now so it was simply a case of monitoring that and setting other things in motion, Homer was in the early stages of preparation, tests on their latest engines were ongoing but things were about to change a little as the office door opened and in walked the mission strategist of the ASA Vicky Acheson and head of engineering Lance Rosenberg.

"Got a minute Nicola? Vicky asked
"Yes what is it?" Nicola asked, as her two colleagues not to mention friends sat down opposite her
"The funding for Atlantis came through." Vicky said, Nicola looked up
"That was fast." Nicola said "Is the Science Ministry in a good mood or something?"
"I think we piqued the Emperor's interest more than anything." Lance said
"It's ambitious." Nicola said "That usually gets the Emperor's attention."
"So do we do it?" Vicky asked
"Yes." Nicola said "We'll have to do it in stages but let's do it. Lay it out."
"We do Atlantis in stages, build each section and launch it" Lance said
"We coincide those with Luna runs, test out new equipment, give astronauts experience." Vicky said "Run ground training and get everyone ready during an intense program."
 
 

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Re: The Final Frontier
« Reply #5 on: May 28, 2018, 05:04:08 PM »
First Impressions

It was the big day, even with the Atlantis project's preparations this was a big day because the Virgil probe was on final approach to the Keaclite asteroid. Mission control was a buzz of activity as Nicola Fernley, the director of flight operations, stepped into the room
"How are we doing Vicky?" Nicola asked
"Everything looks good." Vicky Acheson the agency's mission strategist said "Virgil's on course and target's in sight."
"Remember this is just a scout for Homer." Nicola said "We stat orbiting Keaclite and we get as much information on it's topology as we can, then I guess you go and figure out a landing site for Homer."
"I did write the mission profile." Vicky said
"Of course you did." Nicola said
"Then why remind me?" Vicky asked
"Keeps me sane." Nicola said

"Boss." one of the techs said "We're locked and ready."
"Initiate burn." Nicola said
"Primed and..." Vicky said "Burning."
"Put Virgil in orbit Vicky." Nicola said, at this point Nicola's boss Gary Hale stepped into the room
"Where are we up to?" Gary asked
"Orbital establishment." Nicola said "How's your day been?"
"Meetings about the Phoenix and Atlantis." Gary said "You?"
"Forward planning the training program for Atlantis." Nicola said "It's going to be a fun few months."
"I look forward to the meeting." Gary said "Do you still want to keep Rhongomiant in the wings?"
"Can't do anything with that one until we've got a clear shot." Nicola said

"We've got orbit established." Vicky said
"Ellen?" Nicola asked looking towards Ellen Sharpe, the head of the science department.
"We're initiating the scanning down." Ellen said, Nicola smiled
"Good job." Gary said, he high fived Nicola, that was more their thing than a congratulatory handshake "Next step?"
"Vicky." Nicola said "Put Homer in motion."
"You got it." Vicky said

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Re: The Final Frontier
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2018, 08:22:17 PM »
Two For One

It had taken a while but the second half of Project Science Star, the Homer probe and its payload were now ready and sat inside the cargo hold of the Heavenrend, one of Achkaerin's manned space vessels as it in turn sat on the launch pad. In the cockpit sat astronaut Bex Bennett in the pilots seat while the command chair was occupied by Andrew Keane.
"All green we're go." Bex said
"Control we're go for launch." Andrew said over the radio "Can you confirm?"
"Confirmed." came the response.

The countdown was always probably one of the longest parts of the mission, well psychologically speaking at least, when the clocks hit five their engines ignited, when it hit zero Bex threw the throttle forwards and they were off.
"Clock's running." Andrew said
"Velocity and trajectory right on the nose." Bex said "Looks like we're good."
"Now let's make this a flawless start." Andrew said "Nail the SRB and MECO."

Down at mission control in Djana-Ville, Nicola Fernley was watching the missions progress intently, their Virgil probe was already orbiting their target and had been for months, Homer was the second and last probe it would drop some robots on the surface of Kleaclite and then join Virgil in an opposing orbit, the whole mission designed to gain insight into this spatial body.

"They're rolling into delivery position." Vicky Acheson, the mission strategist, said
"Good." Nicola said "Let's have them do it."
"Heavenrend this is control." Vicky said over the radio "You are clear to deliver payload."
"Copy that." Andrew answered "We're opening the cargo doors." Nicola glanced at the telemetry all according to plan for now.
"Come on." Nicola muttered
"Cargo doors open...releasing Homer." Bex said
"Have that." Nicola said "Get the doors closed and continue with your Luna run."
"Copy that." Andrew said

Nicola smiled and looked at Vicky
"Not bad for a two for one." Nicola said
"Yeah." Vicky said
"Let's get Homer on its way." Nicola said
"No problems there." Vicky said "Homer is on program, engines firing and we're on schedule."
"Good." Nicola said

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Re: The Final Frontier
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2019, 09:42:02 PM »
Back in Action

The silent peaceful skies of the Northern Ocean was shattered by the roar of the engine of the Tempest Trainer, the new training aircraft used by the Achkaerin Space Agency, sitting at the controls of this one was Danielle Sanders, today was a big day for her because it was her first time flying since an accident she'd had about a year and a half ago, she'd been flying and had experienced a failure and she'd ended up crash landing on Hrothgaer of all places, she still wasn't quite sure how she'd managed to survive that one but survive the impact she had and survive the cold she had. She steered the Tempest into a banked turn smiling as she did so her legs and back felt good which was what she'd hoped for.

"Tempest 14 this is control." it was the voice of Matthew Cunningham the senior flight instructor at the Achkaerin Space Agency.
"Tempest 14 receiving." Danielle said
"Return to ground DFO wants to see you." Matthew said
"Copy that coming in." Danielle said

Half an hour later Danielle was stepping into the office of the Director of Flight Operations Nicola Fernley, also in the room was the ASA's mission strategist Vicky Acheson the two of them were engrossed in a discussion but looked up when Danielle stepped in.

"You wanted to see me?" Danielle asked
"Yes." Vicky said "What do you know about the Atlantis Project?"
"The same as everyone else in the training program it's a two prong project, one prong being orbital construction around the Moon the other being Moon landing missions and other assorted training runs. Stepping stones." Danielle said
"Well we're launching our first Luna run codename Falcon I." Nicola said "And Thomas Court was the scheduled pilot for it except he's come down with something so we need a replacement and you're up."
"You're putting me in space?" Danielle asked
"It's well and truly overdue." Vicky said "Matthew says you've fully recovered and that you've got your eye in with the flying again so we want you to fly the orbiter."
"I'm game." Danielle said
"You're taking Jason and Tyson up there." Nicola said "Jason's running the show. You know the drill."
"Yes boss." Danielle said
"Go and get on with it then." Nicola said

After Danielle left Vicky and Nicola exchanged glances
"What's next?" Nicola asked
"Waiting on Lance for a few things." Vicky said "And also waiting for an ideal opportunity."
"We've been waiting for that opportunity for a few months though." Nicola said
"We're going to hold onto it though aren't we?" Vicky asked
"We always do." Nicola said


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Re: The Final Frontier
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2019, 08:35:48 PM »
In Motion

It was finally here, launch day for Falcon One, Nicola Fernley, the Director of Flight Operations for the Achkaerin Space Agency stood in place at mission control watching the monitors that displayed the rocket sat on the launchpad. It was an odd feeling because Nicola had doubted a fair few times that they'd get this far. It went without saying around the ASA that the Atlantis Project was without question the most sophisticated and challenging in the Agency's history which was why there was an awful lot of preparatory mission work built in before they even dared to look at the endgame. The Falcon program was a series of missions looking at the Moon with a view to establishing a scientific operations base on the surface, they wouldn't be able to actually get that far for a while but that was the Falcon program's purpose and even that was the dress rehearsal for the Atlantis Project's real aim which was to replicate that on Nergal, it was certainly a lofty ambition but all ambitions were lofty at some point.

"It's not like you to be nervous Nicola." Gary Hale, Nicola's boss and Director of the ASA said
"This is a project that's been years in the planning stages, practically everything we do for the next two decades minimum is going to be on this at least as far as manned stuff goes." Nicola said "It's a huge investment and not just money wise but time and manpower as well."
"Then we'd better make this work hadn't we?" Vicky Acheson said, she was the mission planner for the ASA and probably the main person without whom this wouldn't be happening."
"Falcon One this is Control do you read?" Nicola asked over her com

Aboard Falcon One the three person crew sat in their seats, the command seat belonged to Jason Renshaw, sat next to him in the pilots seat was Danielle Sanders, further back in the cabin sat the mission engineer Tyson Dodd.

"Roger that Control reading you loud and clear." Jason said "We're at t-minus five minutes and counting."
"How does everything look?" Nicola asked
"Everything reads green across the board from here." Tyson said, back at mission control Nicola was probably going around the room getting the final go or no go.
"Danielle." Nicola said "You are go for launch."
"Copy that." Danielle said, she glanced across at Jason and nodded
"Everyone remember this is just a standard orbiter run, no landing, nothing fancy we're doing the pioneer work on the new rocket." Jason said
"Copy that." Tyson said
"We're at t-minus ninety seconds." Danielle said now gripping the controls a little bit firmer than she had been seconds earlier.
"A wise man once said that all journey's begin with a single step." Jason said "First step to Nergal is right here."

On 'zero' Danielle hit the throttle and the rocket shot towards the heavens.
"Altitude climbing steadily, speed on course, angle right on the numbers." Danielle said
"Keep it going." Vicky said.
"Orbit in one minute." Jason said
"Stand by to dump the engine." Danielle said, Jason nodded and put his finger close to the switch to cut the main engine
"Call it." Jason said
"On my mark." Danielle said "Three...two...one...mark." Jason hit the switch and the spacecraft dropped its main engine
"We have MECO." Jason said
"Confirmed." Nicola said "We have you in orbit."
"Orbit confirmed." Danielle said
"Ok Control I think we're going to get changed out of these suits and then we'll line up for the burn." Jason said
"Understood Falcon One." Nicola said

At Control they were all smiles.

"I'd say we're well on the way." Vicky said
"So would I." Nicola said "But this is the easy part, this doesn't really get tricky until we start testing stuff on the lunar surface."

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Re: The Final Frontier
« Reply #9 on: September 02, 2019, 06:52:36 PM »
First Step Complete

The journey from Mundus orbit to the moon's general vicinity had taken the expected time, now came the delicate part of the mission profile getting the spacecraft into lunar orbit. Danielle Sanders was back in the pilots seat. She lightly gripped the joystick and carefully made the corrections one after the other.

"How am I looking?" Danielle asked
"You almost got it." Jason Renshaw the mission commander said "Adjust two degrees starboard and even out."
"Copy that." Danielle said, she made the corrections and sighed as Jason gave her the thumbs up
"We have orbit." Jason said "Ok then lets enjoy the ride."
"So this is where it all starts huh?" Danielle asked "All the projects, all the missions geared towards Nergal it all starts here with a simple orbital flyby."
"All great things start from humble beginnings." Jason said
"I just wonder if we're still going to be in the job when this ambition is realized." Danielle said
"I don't know about you but I'm not planning on going anywhere." Jason said
"Neither am I." Danielle said

"Looks like we're through the slingshot part." Jason said "Time to go home."
"Yeah." Danielle said "Next stop Mundus." 

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Re: The Final Frontier
« Reply #10 on: September 27, 2020, 06:37:40 PM »
Remembering a Titan

If there was one thing that Nicola Fernley was proud of it was that she hadn't ever had to go to a funeral associated with her job as Director of Flight Operations for Achkaerin's Space Agency, there had been no disasters on her watch, a couple of close calls but nothing that had resulted in loss of life. Today however was a funeral day but it was a little different, it was the funeral of Jerry Bauer the man behind Achkaerin's space program, he'd created it, run it and defended it, the man was the space program, every achievement was in some way his. Nicola could still remember the day she'd taken over as DFO and the whole speech he'd given her about what she was letting herself in for but that it was alright because 'my office is just down the hall from yours and I'll back you'. Jerry's death had been a shock to everyone at the agency and they'd all turned out for today and while the media circus positioned outside of the crematorium didn't know it yet this was just the first step of what was possibly set to be one of the most remarkable funerals that Mundus had ever seen. She took her seat next to her boss Gary Hale.
"Hard to believe he's really gone." Gary said
"I know." Nicola said
"You remember the meeting we had with him a few years ago about the Atlantis Project planning, back when we first floated it?" Gary asked
"Yeah." Nicola said "Full flow, no questions just the daring."

Across the aisle from Nicola and Gary sat Jerry's daughter Mia Bauer her husband Kenneth and their own daughter Sabine. While most would remember Jerry as a man who pioneered Achkaerin's voyages to the stars they'd remember that and the family man who was always there, every parents evening, every school sports day, they'd remember the man who broken his arm the morning of Mia's wedding and despite being on plenty on morphine for the pain still got to the temple on time to walk his daughter down the aisle. They stood as the priest walked down the aisle followed by the coffin which was appropriately carried by six astronauts. The coffin was laid at the front of the room and the ceremony began.

The ceremony itself took just over half an hour but under the watchful eyes of his friends and family, the next to last journey of Jerry Bauer took place the coffin moving into the flames. Then as the mourners headed outside to gather and talk, some sharing their own memories of the great man Mia, now holding the urn of her fathers ash's made her way over to Nicola.
"Thank you for coming." Mia said
"Of course." Nicola said "Thank you for letting us do this."
"It's fitting for the man he was." Mia said "He'd complain about the expense of course..."
"He would." Nicola said grinning as Mia handed her the urn "But there's no one more deserving of this than him."
"Just don't start a trend." Mia said
"Not planning to." Nicola said "You'll be there when we do this?"
"Absolutely." Mia said "We may call today the funeral but it was more just the start wasn't it?"
"Yes it was." Nicola said

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Re: The Final Frontier
« Reply #11 on: May 19, 2022, 10:38:24 PM »
Stranger Than Fiction

Djana-Ville was the home to all things Achkaerin Space Agency, mission control, launch pads, hangers, laboratories, training facilities and residences. This was where to use the phrase of a well known science fiction show "boldly going where no one has gone before" got planned. There was also a weird atmosphere hanging over the astronaut training facility, not since the 1960's and more recently 2000's had there been a real competitive scrap within the astronaut ranks to get a shot at being a pioneer, in the 60's it had been the moon, in the 2000's Pegasus and now all the astronauts knew they'd spent nearly all of the last five years vying for one of the seven seats on the Enterprise. And now that the spacecraft was being assembled in orbit module by module each and every one of the astronauts knew that it was about the time that crew decisions would be being made. The most coveted seat was that of the mission commander for a whole lot of reasons most notably the knowledge that if Achkaerin was able to win this space race then the mission commander would be the first person setting foot on Nergal, it wasn't a long list of candidates relatively speaking but a lot of them had their hats in the ring, one of them was Sophia Stark, she was considered perhaps an outside bet for the seat but she was without question capable of doing the job, she had a decent amount of hours under her belt, she loved being up there and she did her homework.

Sophia was currently out for a run, yellow top, black shorts, running shoes pounding the ground and her music pounding her ears she came to a stop outside her house and was slightly surprised to see the agencies director of flight operations Nicola Fernley standing there.
"Sophia." Nicola said
"Boss." Sophia said, it wasn't a formal requirement or anything but the astronauts had taken to calling Nicola that.
"Good time?" Nicola asked
"Knocked a few seconds off my personal best." Sophia said checking her watch "Is there a reason for the house call?"
"Yes." Nicola said "Mission Commander of the Enterprise is yours if you want it." it took a moment or two for the words to register with Sophia
"Wow." Sophia said somewhat speechless "So if..."
"Yeah." Nicola said "You want it?"
"I do." Sophia said "The crew?"
"They're finding out over the next few days." Nicola said "I'll have the mission information biked over in a couple of hours."

Sophia didn't live alone she shared the house with her friend and fellow astronaut Maisie Alleine, the two were on different training tracks - Sophia was command, Maisie was science. Maisie came in and found Sophia lying on the sofa reading a book.
"Enterprise mission manual..." Maisie said reading the title "No... you got it?" Sophia rested the book on her chest and looked up at Maisie grinning like a cat
"Yep." Sophia said "I got it."
"So this is it?" Maisie said
"This is just the mission manual." Sophia said "All the box's in the hallway are the detail."
"Already doing the homework so like you." Maisie said
"Never been done before." Sophia said
"So who else is going?" Maisie asked
"I don't know yet." Sophia said "But I'm looking forward to finding out."

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: The Final Frontier
« Reply #12 on: June 04, 2022, 07:24:01 PM »
The Pilot

For the pilots of the Achkaerin Astronaut Academy, whether they be Achkaerinese or Alander, Kaedwen, Vaguzian or Seaforthian such was the breadth of nationalities and personalities, there was one thing they all enjoyed and that was getting into the flight simulators, closely followed by tearing up the skies in training aircraft. One of the best pilots in the program was David Anderson, reliable, calm, steady, he was meticulous always prepping for any eventuality no matter how remote, he'd flown simulations of various spacecraft, the orbiters, the ones that went to Luna, but none of that had prepared him for the simulation he was getting to run now - he was the named pilot for the Enterprise stepping into the simulator he found Sophia Stark sat in the commanders seat.
"So if I'm Picard does that make you Wesley or Ro?" Sophia asked as David settled down into the pilots seat
"You didn't think you were going to get to go to Nergal without me did you?" David said "Always preferred Wesley. So shall we? I assume you're as keen as I am to try out this simulation."
"You bet I am." Sophia said "All theoretical for the moment."
"Ok guys." David said putting on his head set "Let's have Enterprise sim two please."
"Coming right up." came the response.
"This is the run around the block." David said "It's the flight sim for the Enterprise's first test flight, depart Mundus orbit, establish orbit of Luna, detach lander, maintain orbit until picking up lander and then head for home."
"Straightforward enough." Sophia said
"You thought about what you're going to say yet?" David asked
"A little bit." Sophia said "But we've got to get there."
"She'll get us there." David said

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Re: The Final Frontier
« Reply #13 on: July 05, 2022, 02:14:05 PM »
The Engineer

Lucas Murray walked through the Research and Development complex on the Achkaerin Space Agency campus, this was where the fun stuff happened, where the wild imaginings of geeky brains took form and where scientific leaps forward were made, Lucas's destination today was the propulsion laboratory, the place that had been at the heart of quite a lot of hype lately why? Well it was here that the engine for the Enterprise had been developed and while the actual engine was now up in orbit connected to the vessel that it would propel to Nergal and hopefully beyond a model of the engine could be found down in this laboratory. For Lucas this was probably going to be his second home for a while, he was assigned to the Enterprise as the engineer which meant that he had to keep the thing working, the lights on and the engine operational his job was to negate the biggest risk in this whole undertaking which was that there was no rescue in space, this wasn't Thunderbirds if something went wrong out there it was going to be down to him to figure it all out. Settling down opposite the engine model Lucas opened up the manual he'd brought with him and began studying the engine, nuclear thermal rocketry, if this was going to happen then this was the only way it was going to happen. It had more than enough power and would have enough fuel the unknown's were the issues and just thinking about it there were plenty of them.

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Re: The Final Frontier
« Reply #14 on: April 06, 2023, 03:54:06 PM »
The Lander Pilot

When it came to the crew choices for Enterprise there were a lot of difficult decisions to be made but in the midst of all that there was one very easy decision - who was going to have the job of flying the lander? Who was going to have the responsibility of the last leg to the surface of Nergal? There was only one candidate this time Danielle Sanders, she had the gig for very obvious reasons, she was the only astronaut in the pilot program who had taken this lander design out on an actual mission, albeit a Daitojin one, and had landed it on a celestial body specifically speaking the surface of the moon, so it had come as no surprise when her name had gone up on the Enterprise mission crew list. She was presently sat on a bench in the grounds of the academy complex, her eyes closed, right hand gripping the water bottle at her side as if it were a joystick, left hand moving occasionally as if to press buttons and flick switches she was visualising the descent to the surface of Nergal, her muscle memory of where everything was in the lander doing everything else. It had gotten her a few weird looks and 'by the water cooler' comments but she was the best at what she did and there was no getting away from that.

"Another happy landing?" David Andersen said putting his hands on Danielle's shoulders and giving her a start "It's just me."
"You keep giving people frights like that..." Danielle said
"How's your Enterprise knowledge?" David said sitting down next to her "You ready to be my backup?"
"I have the best memory in the program." Danielle said "I'm ready."
"So I get us to orbit and then..." David said
"And then I put us on the surface." Danielle said "It's going to be special."
"Yes it is." David said
"And as long as Lucas keeps the engines purring it'll go off without a hitch." Danielle said
"Oh he will." David said "Have no doubt of that."