International Space Programme
| |
| Established | 2007 |
| Administrators | Dr. Mark McFlannighan (D) & Dr. Michael Smith (C&M) |
| Paid employees | Ooh, lots. |
The International Space Programme (ISP), established in 2007, is an inter-governmental agency dedicated to the exploration of space. Its headquaters (Space Command) are in Koryolov City, Descartesland. It also currently operates the National Space Facility in El din, Marquez.
ISP's primary launch sites are in Koryolov City and Agujero, Marquez. Its primary aims are to provide a politically nuetral and independent oportunity for 'emergent nations' to pool their resources into a single, egalitarian, Space Programme; and to established itself as a major player in space exploration.
ISP science missions are flown out of Korolyov City with research being split between Korolyov University and Errignore University in Descartesland (for the time being). The ISP Cosmonauts Center (ISPCC), that trains cosmonauts for future missions is situated in Korolyov City.
Contents
History and goals
Mission
The current mission of the ISP is to foster innovation in space based technologies for nations that normally do not have the resources at hand to do so. By allowing smaller nations to join and contribute only what they are able, whilst freely sharing technology with all members, the ISP fosters an environment of innovation.
Further goals and aims
The ISP’s most obvious and out-spoken aims involve humans in space, namely the establishment of permanently manned space station in orbit in the next 5 years. This will replace current platforms that are only manned for weeks at a time. The ISP also aims to have landed men on the moon by the close of this decade.
Short-term plans involve launching several more deep space and planetary probes, while in the long-term the agency expects to launch numerous scientific and research projects aimed both at the Earth and the wider galaxy.
History of independent space programs
Descartesland
Descartesland's space program was started with the rebuilding of Korolyov City after the Insurgency. Korolyov City has been held by two of Descartesland's largest neighbors in the past and was used as their staging area for space flight. After gaining independence, large numbers of scientists from Fellesenia, Moorseville, and Orason defected to Descartesland and added their expertise to the nation's science program.
Descartian space flight began in earnest in 2004 with the launch of the first Cothrom class rocket. Soon, missions were being launched quite frequently, recently being stepped up to two per month to increase satellite coverage. Descartesland manages a sophisticated satellite network of hundreds of artificial satelites in orbit. They also maintain 3 space platforms capable of housing a crew for one month at a time. Currently, platform K1 is being used for research on long term exposure to zero-g environments in preparation for a lunar mission.
Many of the nation's current technologies are based off of updated Fellesenian designs. With the addition of the ISP's resources, Descartesland hopes to boost the research and design sector of their Space Command to allow some more advanced space vessels to be built.
With the introduction of the Morev system in 2007, Descartesland entered a new era of spaceflight. With a reusable, easily modifiable space lifter, missions can now last longer and be more specialized.
Candelaria And Marquez
C&M operated a modest space programme from the 1950s to late '70s. Originally centred around the creation of a world-leading missile deterrent, a programme run in part by scientists defected to the Candelarias from Axis powers; the consensus in the country by the late '60s was that defence was no longer a funding priority. Those involved in the missile programme transferred their energies to the establishment of satellites, and their efforts were met with early success despite the relatively modest expenditure. Equipped with Patton-Carmichael, hydrogen peroxide-powered engines, and an incredibly primitive guidance system; the stainless steel Catherine rocket never the less succeeded in deploying C&M's first - and as it would turn out, only - scientific satellite, Beatrice, in 1971. However the following year, with election of a new government, it was decided that the programme was too costly in relation to its economic return and that the programme's staff's creative skill could be put to greater use in other theatres. Other long-term projects to establish various meteorological satellites were consistently shelved through lack of funds and governmental interest. A number of these designs have been resurrected and improved upon since the country’s membership of ISP, and are expected to take the major part of the agency’s ambitious near-future projects.
As part of the Rushmori Regional Defence Organisation, the Republic played its part in the upkeep and administration of the region’s limited missile defence system, as well as a small network of communications satellites. Beatrice, for the record, is still up there, peeping away every few seconds.
Foundation
The International Space Programme (ISP) was founded after President James Anderson of Candelaria And Marquez contacted the Descartians about a possible joint space programme. After a short state visit and relatively brief negotiations, Descartesland agreed to share all of their current space technologies with Candelaria And Marquez, as well as begin training cosmonauts.
Member countries, budget and organisations
Member countries
Associate members
Under the agency's constitution, certain sovereign nations may be permitted to become 'associate members'. These may be countries too small to effectively contribute to the ISP, or larger nations who wish to retain a significant degree of fiscal and operational independence from the group (or are already members of a similar entity).
As dependencies of C&M; Henderson Atoll and Ransome-Bkyki Island are considered associate members.
Membership goals
Though the agency’s administrators have claimed that there are no immediate plans to expand beyond the two initial founding nations, it remains clear that there is the political will in both countries to do so. In the long-term, many of the ISP’s more ambitious projects are evidently reliant on financial and practical support from other nations.
Budget
The ISP budget is currently in a state of flux. Both Descartesland and Candelaria And Marquez make contributions in monetary form. Due to logistical concerns, most of the operating costs of the organization are absorbed into the budgets of the Descartesland and Candelaria and Marquez until it can stand on its own as an entity in its own right.
Currently, both nations are contributing hardware and doing construction to support the ISP.
Language
All meetings of the agency are held in English, as are all official documents. Translations to other tongues are available. 'American' spelling is used as standard, though the spelling of 'Programme' has been established in the 'British' form.
The Descartian Space Force employed the term cosmonaut (an Anglicization of the Russian космонавт) for a space traveler. This convention has been retained in the ISP, where it is considered more semantically correct than the alternative, astronaut.
Political relationships
Comparisons with other space agencies
Launch vehicle fleet
Cothrom II
Currently, no specifications have been released on the Cothrom II rocket, only images comparing it to its predecessor, the Cothrom. More information will be provided after the Cothrom II's first launch.
Morev
M.O.R.E.V. = Multi-Use Orbit and Reentry vehicle
Specifications:
Wingpan: 28m Length: 40m Width: 8m Height:18m
Crew size: 3 min, 11 max
Maximum weight: 105 tons Payload weight: 30 tons Landing weight: 82 - 87 tons Returnable payload: 15 - 20 tons
Mission duration: 2-10 days with the ability to extend to 16 and 30 day missions.
Main engines
engines: three liquid rocket motors fed external tank propellant: LOX/liquid hydrogen thrust: 1,668 kN Sl, 2,090 kN vac specific impulse: 363 s SL, 455 s vac burn time: typically 520 s
Orbital maneuvering system
engines: single jet x two pods propellant: NTO/MMH propellant mass: 10,830 kg total in two pods thrust: each 26.7 kN vac specific impulse: 313 s vac burn time: 625 s total delta v: 305 m/s
Reaction control system
thrusters: 38 x 3870 N + 6 x 106 N propellant: NTO/MMH propellant mass: about 3,300 kg specific impulse: 289 s vac total impulse: 9,355 kNs
Crew module: The pressurized crew module is an independent 90.3 m3 vessel of welded aluminum suspended within the forward fuselage. The crew module is divided into three principal areas. The flight deck (upper) provides side-by-side seating for two pilots with dual controls and a third seat for mission specialist, as well was stowable seats for up to 8 more crewmembers. On the middle deck, provisions are made for four more seats, bunks, galley, airlock, toilet and three electronics bays. The lower deck contains environmental control systems and storage facilities as well as a laboratory.
Air lock: The mid-deck houses the 5 m2, 1.6 m inner diameter, 2.1 m long airlock. The airlock is sized to accommodate two fully suited astronauts (four suits are carried on most EVA designated missions). Pressurization can be controlled from inside the airlock or mid-deck. The suits are mounted on the walls, where they are checked out/recharged. Two 102 cm D-shaped hatches open forward and down against the main pressure.
Remote Manipulator: The Morev is equipped with two 15.3 m long, 38 cm diameter graphite/epoxy Remote Manipulator System arms. They are installed along the port sill for deployment/recovery of up to 29,500 kg payloads, providing a work platform and for vehicle inspection.
Thermal protection: The reusable thermal protection system (TPS) is applied externally to maintain the airframe outer skins during reentry when temperatures on the nose and wing leading edges can reach 1,650 degrees C.
Environmental/life support: Cabin air is supplied through two independent loops from the fuel cells' cryogenic oxygen tanks and four 25 kg supplies of nitrogen in the forward bay. The cabin mixture is held at 21% O2/79% N2 normal atmospheric pressure but reduction to 0.69 atm is effected prior to EVAs. Most of the mid-deck sub-floor is devoted to environmental control. Two main 11,000 rpm fans circulate air in five major loops. In the older system, air is drawn through two replacable LiOH/charcoal canisters to hold CO2 content and remove odors. A 147 kg Regenerative CO2 Removal System is currently in place. Air is cooled after flowing through the filters by four heat exchangers. These are part of two parallel water coolant loops. The warmed water is pumped to a cargo bay Freon-21 heat exchanger as part of the main thermal control system. Two parallel Freon loops pumping 1,220 kg/h reject their heat through four pairs of radiator panels, 3 m x 4.6 m, exposed on the inner payload doors. The Orbiter's three independent 27-32 V electrical buses are supplied by three 92 kg, 7 kW fuel cells on the forward cargo bay floor. Reactants are drawn from up to five pairs of cryogenic tanks: 354 kg oxygen and 42 kg hydrogen from each pair. The 11 kg/h of water byproduct is diverted into the cabin tanks for drinking or cooling purposes. The Aft cargo bay has the ability to maintain a secondary tank system for extending the range of the Morev to 16 and 30 day mission capabilities.
Avionics/control: Full duplex fly-by-wire electrical flight control systems. The entire system is controlled through a bank of highly advanced computer systems, capable of 157063 MIPS at 6.33 GHz and capable of storing 5.4 terabytes of data from all onboard sensors. Manual control is available in the case of an extreme emergency by use of hydraulic controls, but this is not a reccomended procedure.
Landing gear: Retractable tricycle type, nose 81 cm diameter, main 113 cm diameter, twin wheels/brakes with pneumatic shock absorbers. Deployed hydraulically in about 5 s some 25 s before touchdown, with pyrotechnic backup. Rated max landing speed 415 km/h. A manually deployed 12.2 m diameter drag 'chute on a 26 m line is now incorporated at the tail base to shorten rollout by 800 m and cut nosewheel contact speed by 37 km/h to 260 km/h, reducing tire/brake wear. It also improves handling characteristics, particularly in crosswinds and on wet runways.
Human space flight
ISP Cosmonaut Corps & the ISPCC
Current cosmonauts
Cosmonauts marked with a (*) denote having served with distinction.
Major Anya Bannfshire (*)
- Captain Svyatoslav Jaye
- Captain Blaine McDonnorey (*)
- Lieutenant Michael Aleksi
Cosmonauts in training
Wing Commander F. Connolly Nygaard
- Flight Lieutenant Alex Johnson
- Pilot Officer Radmilo Ognjenovich
- Pilot Officer Damien Suazo
- Pilot Officer Louise Owen-Young
- Corporal Warren Drysdale
- Corporal Ciaran Moriyami
- Prof. Kirk Collins
- Dr. Kizzy Hilel
- Justin Barnard
- Dr. Klara McPherson
- Commander Jack Newsome
- Sub-Lieutenant Yao Bo-Min
- Dr. Conor Kachanov
- Major Aisling Amherst
- Major Grigoriy Falkovsky
- Senior Lieutenant Kaitlin Sullivan
- Lieutenant Seamus Quinlan
- Sub-Lieutenant Elena O'Callaghan
- Sub-Lieutenant Neil Badyunov
Senior scientists
Listed alphabetically. All scientists are assigned to Space Command, Korolov City, unless otherwise stated.
- Prof. Ciara Annicchero
- Dr. Joesph Brabant
- Dr. Yuhong Chen (NSF El din)
- Prof. Joe O'Dea (NSF El din)
- Prof. Fiona Godard (Korolyov University)
- Dr. Mark McFlannighan
- Dr. Marcus Odessky (New Galway Research Facility)
- Prof. Nick Patel (NSF El din)
- Dr. Michael Smith
- Prof. Aleksandra Taggert
- Dr. Michelle Vyvan
- Prof. Isobel Williams (NSF El din)
- Prof. Susan Yorke (Erringore University)
Projects
ISP Space Station
The ISP aims to begin assembly of an as-yet unnamed, permanently manned, Space Station by early 2008 for completion by 2013. As well as acting as a staging-post for a variety of future missions, a key goal of the station is to provide a place to conduct experiments that require one or more of the unusual conditions that would be present. ISP scientists hope to improve our understanding of the effect of long-term space exposure on the human body through the study of muscle atrophy, bone loss and the general effects of near-weightlessness. The latter would also involve studies on the development and growth of plants and animals.
There are likewise plans to study prominent problems in physics, the Earth’s atmosphere, and such phenomena as cosmic-rays and anti-matter in the Universe.
Current projects already launched
Descartian
C&M
ISP
Current projects to be launched in the near future
Alongside less sexy missions to, among other things, observe X-rays, study the sun, measure global winds, study the magnetosphere and measure the Earth's gravity field; there are a variety of major projects in the offing, any of which could become reality over the coming months and years.
- The POMS Network
A long-term C&M project, first mooted in the 1980s, given renewed impetus by the ISP. The five Polar Orbiting Meteorological Satellites would study global temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, the ozone layer and trace gasses in the Earth's atmosphere. Such a system would have to conform to a strict code of practise owing to its presence over international territory, though ISP administrators believe that they could provide significant economic benefits as well as environmental ones, in being able to sell information gathered to other concerned parties.
- The H20 Projects
With serious concerns in C&M over rising global water levels - the islands themselves, whilst far from flat, do not possess a particularly comfortable average elevation - a long list of environmental projects are in the advanced planning stages. The most notable, perhaps, is Unnamed Project Seven, a mission planned to observe variations in the Earth's ice sheets.
- Unnamed Telecommunications Satellites One-Eight
Whilst the ultimate aims of the ISP involve the advancement of pure science in its member states, the burden of C&M's financial input into the programme requires the presence of private investors and industry. It is unknown at the present time which media companies are involved in the UTS1-8 missions, but their involvement is expected to play a key role in the ISP's future. The satellites are expected to be the first to be formally launched from the NSF in El din.
- Unnamed Project Twelve
Designed to measure changes in the temperature of global oceans and clouds, this infrared radiometer and microwave sounder is notably for being the first major scientific project created entirely by C&M and Descartian scientists and engineers working alongside each other at Space Command.
- Unnamed Project Fourteen
Another long-term mission of C&M design, an observatory to simultaneously observe objects in gamma rays, X-rays and visible light. One for the back burner, one feels.
- The Mars Missions
A primary long-term goal of the ISP; its Descartian design is effectively finalised though its realisation will present rather more of a challenge. In the short term, the aim is to send an orbital satellite and ground rover to the planet. In the long; ambitious plans for manned exploration of Mars, and possibly even a permanent presence on the planet, remain firmly in the planning stages.
- The Safety Net Projects
A series of missions, most likely to be established alongside other space agencies, to help protect the Earth from a range of threats, from asteroid deflectors to alien attack.
Future projects
- The Beanstalk Project
Sssssh...
Construction
Descartesland
Construction of space based vessels is the direct responsibility of Space Command out of Korolyov City. Various components are built around the country in places such as New Galway and New Dublin and then transported to Korolyov City for final inspection and assembly.
Efforts are currently underway on the ISP-X01 Morev's (Formerly DSF-X01 Morev) sister ship, a yet to be named Morev class vessel. Construction on Cothrom class rockets has all but stopped in Descartesland, in favor of construction of the newer Cothrom II system.
Candelaria And Marquez
The cheapest (if not necessarily simplest) equipment is designed and assembled in the country’s two main universities in Albrecht and Onwere. Most of the rest is the responsibility of two state-owned companies; C&M Motor Vehicles and the recently-established C&Mstellar. The manufacture of the country’s own Morev has been largely out-sourced to Patton-Carmichael, the large domestic automobile company, and assembled at plants in Arrigo, Bove and Ransome-Bkyki Island.
Facilities
Space Command
Space Command was once the center of Fellesenia's space-based weaponry program. When Descartesland was formed, the facility was converted to launch less controversial payloads. While the facility still maintains a military presence it is currently run by a civilian, Dr. Kathy Wehyr.
Currently Space Command serves as Primary Mission Control for all ISP launches, jointly manned by Descartian and Candelarian scientists and engineers.
NSF El din
C&M’s National Space Facility was opened in 1973, principally as the home of the National Observatory. Today, it is subordinate to Space Command in reguards to the ISP’s ultimate aims but remains responsible for the administration of C&M-built and –launched equipment and the Agujero Spaceport. It remains administered by Dr. Milo Bailey.
Military implications
Currently, most of the cosmonauts in training have a military background. They were chosen for the program due to the rigorous training they have already received.
The ISP maintains military hardware in the form of surveillance and Early Launch Warning (ELW) satellites. These are purely defensive measures. The ISP's mission still stands to foster peaceful exploration.
Critisms
- A citizen’s rights group in Agujero has raised concerns over the use of the town and nearby land for the launch of rockets and other projects.
- The United Space Programme Act (2007) was comfortably passed by C&M’s House of Representatives on its second reading. Concerns were raised in the House over the Programme’s cost, long-term effectiveness and environmental impact, as well as the implications of such a close relationship with Descartesland.
- In August 2007, the House's all-party committee for the ISP released a report condemning elements of the agency's long-term plans as "ridiculously ambitious", in particular drawing attention to previously undisclosed ISP aims to establish an "extra-solar presence" in space within the next forty years. The report also suggested that the government's commitment to funding science aimed directly at benefiting C&M's citizens had been seriously undermined by what it described as the "rapid siphoning" of funds away from the country's Universities.
- The ISP Funding Provision (2007) was signed into law by President Cailean Adair shortly following the C&M State Visit. Funding was diverted from military sources, primarily resulting in a decreased standing army. Military officials in Descartesland have voiced concerns that doing so leaves them vulnerable to attack.
- A citizen's panel questioned the motives of the ISP as perhaps drawing Descartesland into unnecessary foreign alliances, leading to a lack of neutrality. The matter is currently under advisement.
