Roleplay > History

Ad Astra — A History of Daitōjin Spaceflight -NO LONGER CANON-

<< < (3/3)

Daitō:
Ad Astra: Chapter Eleven — Into the 90s
I. Kyuden's twilight years
By mid-1987, the first operational flight of a Crew Return Vehicle would be performed onboard UHS-32, carrying it and the first long-duration crew to the Kyuden Space Station. Over the course of the previous months following the UHS-26 mission, a number of adapters had been launched to the station, converting its APAS-75 docking ports to support the new APAS-87 standard. This docking system, though not developed by Daitō, would come to be the standard among most spacefaring nations, with even the USR making limited use of it aboard its space station, Spetsnaz, prior to its collapse. However, the DNSA would be among the first to actually the docking system, owing to its necessity in operations going forwards.

Comparison of APAS-75 and 87 docking systemsThe first crew to inhabit Kyuden long-term was, compared to crews aboard Kyokkō, relatively small, being made up of only three ūchunauts. Launched on the 31st of July, 1987, the crew would spend 217 days in orbit, a new endurance record for a Daitōjin crew, though one that would be broken well before the end of the 90s. They would ultimately return to Mundus on the fifth of March, 1988. During their stay, the Kyuden Power Module (KPM) would be launched and docked to the Shizukesa node module's zenith port. The following crew, also made up of three ūchunauts, would spend 222 days in orbit, breaking the previous record. Future "principle expeditions" would generally trend towards around half a year in orbit, although individual crew members would spend further time on missions, with the longest single flight by a Daitōjin crew member being the 1994-1995 flight of Einosuke Yagami, who spent a record of 437 days in flight. This record is, as of May 2022, the longest single flight by a spacefarer in history.

But more importantly for the station itself, it would see three additional modules launched over the course of the late 80s and 90s, all three of which were derived from the Chiheisen laboratory module that had seen service aboard the UHS spaceplane. These modules were, in order of their launch, Kōji, a materials science laboratory mounted on the port docking adapter, Seikatsu, a life sciences laboratory which provided room for an additional crew member and was docked opposite to Kōji, and Unmei, which served as both for Mundus science observation and as a new docking module, located at the bow of the station. The late 80s would also see the delivery of an object which, although not necessary for the mission, would cement its place within the psyche of many generations, that being an IMAX camera which was used most notably for the filming of the 1995 documentary Uchū kichi (Space Station), although it would see extra use for documenting some of the missions before it was returned on UHS-99 in 1998.

Ardian astronaut Anton Martel as seen in Uchū kichi, 1994Over the course of the twelve years that it saw continuous habitation, Kyuden would also see members of foreign crews visit the station, most notably by Tytorian crews in 1992, 95, 96, and 99. A Heyran astronaut would fly to the station on OE-16 in 1995, while an Ardian crew member would visit the station 1994 as part of OE-13. These early flights would serve as the buildup towards further cooperation aboard Kyokkō in the 2000s, although said station would primarily remain a Daitōjin matter. Sadly, nothing could last forever, and in 1997, it was decided that the year 1999 would mark an end to the Kyuden program after nearly twenty-five years. The last crew would depart on the 20th of November, 1999, and the station would rotate 90 degrees to allow the Teleoperator Retrieval System, or TRS, to fire its thrusters, allowing for a controlled reentry over the Western Antalin. This occurred on the 11th of January, 2000.

Kyuden burns up over the Western Antalin, 11 Jan, 2000II. TDRS and Goryū
While the Kyuden program began to ramp up, the DNSA had continued to work on other missions for the UHS program. While it would, of course, be used to ferry cargo and crew to the station, it would also be used to launch a number of satellites into Low Mundus Orbit. Most notably was the continued launch of TDRS satellites, which had begun in 1983. The second satellite, TDRS-II, was meant to be deployed on the ill-fated UHS-25, however it was lost alongside the orbiter following a failed RTLS abort. 1987 would see TDRS-III launched, followed by TDRS-IV in 1988. A brief pause in launches of such satellites, resuming in 1991. This would, in turn, be followed by TDRS-VI in 1993 and finally, TDRS-VII in 1995. TDRS-VII was meant to take the spot of TDRS-II, and would be the final of the first generation TDRS satellites to be launched. It would also be the last to be launched aboard the UHS orbiter, with future ones being launched on unmanned Sekidō-C and Tenjin rockets instead, owing to their larger size. As of 2022, there are currently twelve of these satellites in orbit, although only eight remain in operation.

More notable than TDRS, the Goryū space telescope also launched in 1987. The GST was one of many of such telescopes to fly, with further telescopes following a similar design. Over the course of its 22 year mission, it would undergo seven servicing missions, each roughly three years apart, although the first occurred two years after its launch. GST would, during its operational lifespan, serve both as both a vital research tool and a boon to public relations for astronomy, although its mission would come to an end by 2009, when it was recovered on UHS-139. It is set to be replaced in 2023.

Goryū servicing, c.1998III. UHS-Misaki
A somewhat less spoken about part of the UHS program was the UHS-Misaki program. Making use of a modified Misaki upper stage, known as the Misaki-Ka, it flew three times between 1987 and 1989, deploying a series of deep-space probes. These probes would visit Marduk, Nergal, and the sun, with the one sent to Nergal carrying a lander and orbiter, although unfortunately the lander lost contact during atmospheric entry. The Marduk probe, known as Hagihara in honour of the late astronomer, would explore the Mardukian system for roughly eleven years, ending in 1999.

Daitō:
Ad Astra: Chapter Twelve — A New Century
I. Extended Duration Orbiter

EDO Pallet for UHS-94As the Kyuden program wound down, other programs began to take shape that would fill in the gap between it and the Next-Generation Space Station Program, or NGSSP, later evolving into Space Station Kyokkō. Most notably among these was the Extended Duration Orbiter (EDO) program, which would make use of a specialized pallet known as the Extended Duration Orbiter Cryogenic kit, better known as the EDO-pallet or CRYO. CRYO was a 4.6-meter-diameter equipment assembly which attached vertically to the payload bay rear bulkhead of an orbiter, allowing it to support missions of up to 16 days. The equipment included cryogenic tanks, associated control panels, and avionics equipment. All four remaining orbiters were upgraded to accommodate the EDO. In 2004, Akaryū was given a second EDO pallet, giving it 13 pallets and allowing it to fly for up to 28 days in what was the longest independent flight of a UHS orbiter. Such modifications were undone when construction of Kyokkō kicked off.

The EDO program concluded in 2006 with the launch of the first modules of Kyokkō.
II. Assured Crew Return or Personnel Launch System
IIa. Assured Crew Return or Personnel Launch System
Although the DNSA already operated a crew return vehicle, it was felt following the end of the Kyuden program that a ballistic capsule was ill-suited for the role. After all, an oceanic landing would cost precious time during recovery, something which, in the event of a medical emergency, could prove fatal. As early as 1992, proposals were floated to replace it with a spaceplane capable of landing at commercial airports. Of these proposals, two front-runners would appear, both of which would in some form or another see "flight". Those were the XU15K and the XU16As, more commonly known as the Kasori X-15 and Aizawa-Shinoda X-16. Both were designed with the capability of launching on an unmanned rocket as cargo vehicles, which the X-16 was more capable of, as well as carrying crew. The X-15 would fly first, conducting a number of drop tests analogous to those flown for the UHS orbiter. The X-16 would follow shortly afterwards, and following issues with the X-15's development, the X-16 would be selected, being designated the Personnel Launch System, known by its english acronym: The PLS.

Left: X-15, Right: X-16The Personnel Launch System, as a class of spacecraft, would be launched aboard a man-rated version of the Sekidō-C and later -D rockets. The Sekidō-C and -D were derivatives of the Sekidō-B rocket which had carried the Taka spacecraft into Low Mundus Orbit back in the 60s, which in turn was a derivative of the Sekidō ICBM of Suzaku fame. When launched aboard the Sekidō-C, it would lack a disposable "Orbital Mission Module", or OMM, which would first fly in 2007 on an uncrewed cargo resupply mission alongside the first flight of the spacecraft by a Sekidō-D rocket. Much like the UHS orbiter, the PLS would have a number of named vehicles, with three crew and cargo vehicles built, although the six could in theory alternate between these roles with minor conversion.

First Flight of PLS Taka (US-101), c.2004
NameTypeNameTypeNameTypeTakaCrewed SpaceplaneKarasuCrewed SpaceplaneFukurōCrewed SpaceplaneSuzumeCargo SpaceplaneHatoCargo SpaceplaneHachidoriCargo SpaceplaneList of PLS spaceplanes as of 2010III. Cargo Resupply
During the Kyuden program, resupply was solely performed by UHS missions making use of the Pressurized Cargo Carrier (PCC), which was essentially a Chiheisen module filled to the brim with cargo. Missions to the station would, as a result, have to carry enough cargo to the station to hold it over for a month, after which two PCC flights would typically occur during an expedition. Going into the 21st century, such an option was deemed to be uneconomical and potentially risky, so it was decided that two additional resupply vehicles would be made. The first has already been mentioned, that being the cargo variant of the Personnel Launch System. However, the second, often overlooked but ultimately the workhorse of the Kyokkō program, was the Kōnotori resupply vehicle. Launching aboard the Sekidō-C/D rockets, it is officially designated as the Sekidō Transfer Vehicle, or STV. However, the name Kōnotori was selected by the DNSA because "a white stork carries an image of conveying an important thing (a baby, happiness, and other joyful things), therefore, it precisely expresses the STV's mission to transport essential materials to Kyokkō."

An STV in 2006Kōnotori is comprised of four segments, those being as follows:

* Pressurized Logistics Carrier (PLC) — Located at the front of the vehicle, the Pressurized Logistics Carrier is attached to the station by a Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM), which allows for larger payloads to pass into the station. Using this passage, the crew of Kyokkō can enter and work within the PLC.
* Exposed Pallet (EP) — The Exposed pallet carries unpressurized payloads and other equipment.
* Avionics Module (AM) — The Avionics Module is essentially the "brains" of the vehicle, running commands while it is in flight and directing its trajectory to the propulsion module. It contains navigational and electrical equipment and is vital for the spacecraft's survival.
* Propulsion Module (PM) — The Propulsion Module contains the vehicle's main thrusters as well as fuel tanks. Without it, the vehicle is practically dead in the water, so to speak.The spacecraft's upper half is covered in solar arrays, allowing it to collect power while it is in flight.

Daitō:
Ad Astra: Chapter Thirteen — Shuttles Old and New
I. Getting an upgrade
Following the 1986 Sōryu disaster, Daitōjin engineers working on the UHS program immediately put into motion long-standing plans to upgrade the UHS orbiter or to create a new class which could compliment it. This vehicle, later dubbed the Hikōtsuru-class for its first production orbiter, would add a number of features both for safety and to upgrade its capabilities, ranging from stretching the cabin so that the entire crew could fit on the flight deck, thus allowing, with regards to safety, the potential reintroduction of ejection seats to, for added capabilities, stretching the payload bay to allow for larger payloads and removing the tailplane and replacing it with vertical winglets on the wings, giving the vehicle greater yaw authority with the tradeoff of adding slightly greater drag, thus necessitating a modified reentry trajectory, not to mention improvements to its heat shield to give it better protection against foam-strikes. Most notably, however, would be the vehicle's ability to fly autonomously, which would primarily be used during its test flights in the mid-1990s.

UHS Block IIThe Block II orbiter would see just four vehicles built, the first of which, Hikōtsuru, would fly on the 19th of August, 1997, spending six days in orbit while uncrewed before landing at Shiroi Shakyū AFB. It would fly again in January 1998, visiting Kyūden, where the crew of Kyūden 98A would take their Crew Return Vehicle and dock to the orbiter, spending three days aboard before returning to the station. Hikōtsuru would return once more to Shiroi Shakyū AFB less than a week later, being cleared for full operation. The vehicle, as well as its siblings, would serve an important role in the construction of Daitō's next space station, as would a familiar face.
II. An old friend in all but name
The Zenshoen Program officially dates to 1992, however, in reality, plans for it had existed since the early days of the UHS program as a potential replacement for Kyūden. Sure, initially it was meant for a fully modular space station, however, a number of companies proposed designs that would take the Shirotsuru orbiter, now no longer in service since testing in the 70s, and converting it into a sort of "wet workshop", a space station whose habitable volume would partially be comprised of its fuel tanks, or at a bare minimum to use the orbiter as the core module for it. The design would evolve over the years until it would be selected in 1989, at which point Shirotsuru would start undergoing conversion, being renamed Zenshoen to fit with the program. The name Shirotsuru would later be possessed by Daitō's first Interplanetary Transfer Vehicle starting in 2021.

A preliminary design for Zenshoen, c.1985Zenshoen would feature an early inflatable "module" nestled into the external tank's intertank structure. Known as the Intertank Crew Access Tunnel, or "ICAT" for short, this would provide access for the crew between the "lower" half of the station, the LOX and LH2 tanks, and the "upper" half of the station. It would prove troublesome initially to inflate, taking three attempts on the first mission to the station in 1998 before it could actually be used, however, since then, it has served the crews of the station admirably. What didn't, at least initially, do so was the LH2 tank, which took until 2017 to be completed. The LOX tank was far simpler, being fully outfitted for the first time in 2000, although it would undergo regular upgrades to its systems over the years. The same could be said for much of the equipment aboard throughout the spacecraft, as the station was designed to be internally heavily modular.

Zenshoen launched in August of 1998.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[*] Previous page