Collaborative Post-by-Post Universe Thread: SPACE Edition

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Invictus
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Collaborative Post-by-Post Universe Thread: SPACE Edition

Post by Invictus »

The usual rules:

- Collaborative post-by-post universe. There will be brief synopses on what there is so far now and then.
- There is no need to contribute one whole subject matter per post. You can also add detail or twists to any existing subject, or leave a skeleton for others to add to!
- You cannot post after your own post (to maintain balanced content input).
- You cannot contradict a previous poster's material (only build upon each others' stuff).

The premise:
---
It is the year 1970, one year after the United States of America, under the leadership of Captain Neil Armstrong and with the technical support of NASA, won the Space Race.

But the Soviets have far from conceded defeat. With bold technological innovations and radical new strategies, they plan to win this year's Space Race!
"This explanation posits that external observation leads to the collapse of the quantum wave function. This is another expression of reactionary idealism, and it's indeed the most brazen expression."
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REBUILD OF COMIX STAGE 1 - Rey Quirino Versus the Dark Heart of the Philippines
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Re: Collaborative Post-by-Post Universe Thread: SPACE Editio

Post by Booted Vulture »

However they are not alone. After a incident between the american President and the British PM over an attractive tealadym the special relationship has been dissolved and Britian has begun the push to unite with its commonwealth to create a truley indepedant space service.
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Re: Collaborative Post-by-Post Universe Thread: SPACE Editio

Post by Invictus »

In truth many nations share the same frustrations as Britain, for even those lucky enough to have been one of the 20 nations granted a certain baseline in spaceracing technology under the Roswell-Tunguska Treaty resent at the limitations and the patronage either the USA or the USSR places upon them. For to subscribe to the Treaty is to fall under the geopolitical sway of one of the two respective superpowers, all for a chance to participate in the Space Race.

Of course, this 'certain baseline' is far from enough to give any average subscribee a chance to usurp either superpower from their top places in every year's Space Race. Provided that they have the industrial base (and if they don't, their patron is generally willing to provide one in exchange for further concessions), the blueprints and components supplied under the Treaty is only enough to produce a spacecraft that will complete the arduous course through the Solar System - qualifying the country for a bare ranking. It takes audacious piloting skill and planning to take a Treaty-standard spaceracer through even one of the mandated special events for extra points - and it is a rare year now where the USA or the USSR does not complete every single special event.

The rules of the Space Race does not prevent countries from adding technological innovations to Treaty-standard spacecraft, but countries that lack the gargantuan R&D bases of the superpowers struggle to catch up in any case.
"This explanation posits that external observation leads to the collapse of the quantum wave function. This is another expression of reactionary idealism, and it's indeed the most brazen expression."
-
REBUILD OF COMIX STAGE 1 - Rey Quirino Versus the Dark Heart of the Philippines
"...a literary atrocity against the senses..." - Ford

REBUILD OF COMIX STAGE 2 - Advent Rey Returns: REVERGELTUNG
Coming NEVER
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Re: Collaborative Post-by-Post Universe Thread: SPACE Editio

Post by Shroom Man 777 »

The head of Captain Armstrong's Space Race pit crew is none other than Werhner von Braun, a former Master Racer, who after the demise (WW2) of the Nazi Rally (read: Nazi Germany) was picked up by the USA's Paperclip Draft and hired by Team NASA.
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Re: Collaborative Post-by-Post Universe Thread: SPACE Editio

Post by Shroom Man 777 »

Interkosmos is the principle agency by which foreign nations sponsored by the USSR can send their players to join the Soviet team, BAIKONUR ONE. Mongolians, Vietnamese, Bulgarians, Cubans and Syrians and more have been enrolled in Interkosmos, and this internationalist roster of diverse athletes gives the USSR an advantage in certain specialized areas in the Space Race, such as frigid 4x4 lunar rover off-road competitions and Venusian cross-desert rallies. Cross-training with the Soviet athletes, and playing for the USSR, gives these foreign players invaluable experience for when they return and play for their home teams after their time in Interkosmos. Interkosmos usually draws from the ranks of amateur circuit and semi-professional space racers in other countries.
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Re: Collaborative Post-by-Post Universe Thread: SPACE Editio

Post by Invictus »

Though the rules of the Space Race do not forbid non-national parties from entering teams, few have the technology or resources to make an impressive showing. There is only one consistent exception: the formidable and apparently completely private-funded FANTOME team. Back by a shadowy collection of international interests, it employs extremely highly paid mercenary pilots and athletes from many nations and large amounts of seemingly classified technology. FANTOME frequently outscores the NAM-aligned teams at the bottom of the rankings and even the teams of some Treaty nations. Such a track record has naturally invited suspicion on FANTOME's conduct both on and off the spacelanes, but the team's spokesmen attribute its excellence to the manifest potential of private enterprise and the will of a few great men. Nevertheless, the team is dogged by a record of controversies ranging from aggressive poaching from first-tier national teams to outright cheating in the cold depths of space.
"This explanation posits that external observation leads to the collapse of the quantum wave function. This is another expression of reactionary idealism, and it's indeed the most brazen expression."
-
REBUILD OF COMIX STAGE 1 - Rey Quirino Versus the Dark Heart of the Philippines
"...a literary atrocity against the senses..." - Ford

REBUILD OF COMIX STAGE 2 - Advent Rey Returns: REVERGELTUNG
Coming NEVER
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Re: Collaborative Post-by-Post Universe Thread: SPACE Editio

Post by Booted Vulture »

As do all large Space Teams the Commonwealth is constantly planning and building new space racers to try increase performance in speed and maneuverability which are key to the long haul cross solar system rallys that form the core of the space race.

Their current prototype under study is the Anderson-Tracy Thunderbird MkIII. A large and powerful single stage rocketship, with incredible acceleration capacity but with three subsidary engines mounted on booms to increases it's maneuvering capability.

Rumours of testing of this prototype at a private island in the South Pacific have thus far gone unconfirmed by other teams and race enthusiasts.
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Re: Collaborative Post-by-Post Universe Thread: SPACE Editio

Post by speaker-to-trolls »

The Man in the Silver Suit, The Man with the Golden Gun

Each year's space race begins with the firing of the Gold Starting Gun, a device which to all appearances is a normal golden revolver, but has in fact been hand crafted with advanced Roswell-based technology so as to be able to produce a spectacular pyrotechnic flash visible across thousands of miles of space. To protect himself from blindness, burns and radiation poisoning, the man who fires this gun wears an equally advanced silver space suit, which perfectly reflects any of the light from the flash which touches him.

The position of holding the Golden Gun and wearing the Silver Suit is one of great prestige, and is traditionally given to scientists, explorers, pilots and pioneers of great renown, but it is not just the man who fires it, but the country he represents which is honoured by his position. Traditionally the Man with the Golden Gun has been chosen from the great and the good of one of the Racing Comission Nations which is not able to enter the Race itself, some have said, as a consolation prize.
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Re: Collaborative Post-by-Post Universe Thread: SPACE Editio

Post by Booted Vulture »

Lords Of COBOL

The Lords Of COBOL is a self-applied nickname used by NASA's computing wing. Headed by Rear Admiral Grace Hopper on loan from the USN, this group is responsible for programming every peice of bleeding edge computerised equipment on the American Racer from fuel gauges to complex navigational gear. There is a long standing dispute between the Lords of COBOL and the pilot corps about who is more responsible for the recent race victories.
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Re: Collaborative Post-by-Post Universe Thread: SPACE Editio

Post by Shroom Man 777 »

MIR Stop Crews

Perhaps the most vital asset to any Soviet Space Racer save for his or her own Soyuz, the MIR Stop Crews are some of the most experienced refuelers, repairers and spacecraft maintenancers in the Space Race inner system circuits. Whenever a Soviet Space Racer needs a quick tune up, he or she can dock with one of the many sprawling space stations dotting the cosmos and the skilled hands and armatures of the MIR Stop Crews will fix all woes in a jiffy, and the cosmonaut will be ready to get back into the race with his or her Soyuz as good as new in no time.

The crews of the MIR Stops have years of experience in maintaining spacecraft of all kinds, and over time the facilities of the MIR Stops have been continuously upgraded, growing into sprawling cosmostructures capable of meeting all needs. And while at times they may not be all that adequately supplied, particularly for those stations on the fringes, the experienced crews have perfected all manner of ingenious innovations in jerry-rigging and makeshift maintenance in true Soviet style. After all, they themselves have had to rely on the rugged construction of their crafts and their own quick wits to survive months-long tour of duties in the MIR Stops.
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"Sometimes Shroomy I wonder if your imagination actually counts as some sort of war crime." - FROD
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