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Humble Begginings


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Humble Begginings:The Early Evolution of Rocketry

Chapter 1: Loss of Vehicle

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Engeneer Carol Kerman watches over the only hangar of the EATA-1 (Experimental Aircraft Testing Area-1).

4 engeneers,  Philip, Carol, Quiana, and Helga were moved to a new division of the air force. The constant tension between countries forced the air force to start rapid development of new aircraft. One recently built commercial airfield was on sale after the company that build it went bankrupt. The dirt runway,  the abandoned hangar, and a single land vehicle to taxi small aircraft. All operations would have to be crammed here for up to a year. Experimental Plane 1B, a bomber body with modified wings and two small rotors with 2 small propellers instead of 1 big turboprop, was being integrated on the hangar. A new,  cheaper tail fin system was to be tested in a month.

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Carol went down the stairs of the Control Tower, and joined  Hanmal, a scientist who planned to use the new planes to run experiments on the upper atmosphere, was underwhelmed by the aging engines' capabilities. The scientific load would have to stay over 8500 meters for half an hour. the plane could stay over that threshold for less than a minute.

Once Carol got in, Hanmal drove the van to the hangar. 5 people would have to sleep on the hangar for a month. The engeneers questioned the tail design, but they had orders from above to keep working on the flawed design. During integration, a test pilot, Don Kerman arrived at EATA-1.

After  weeks of work, EP-1B prepared itself for its first flight.

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EP-1B, piloted by Don Kerman, prepares for lift-off

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The two turboprops, even while being old and ineficcient, were overpowered for the hollow and light body of the plane, resulting in high speed and altitude capability.

Quiana, sitting alone on the control tower, spoke: "Status?"

"Nominal, 120 m/s, 120 meters AGL, 900 ASL", responded Don.

"You can start a steep climb"

"Copied"

The overpowered engines kept a speed over 140m/s while mantaining 50° angle of attack.

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"8400 ASL, Engines choking, going back"

"Copied. You are authorized to land"

Don turned off the engines, at this point throwing black smoke, due to the unburned fuel. Pointing down, everything started to go wrong.

"Emergency, I'm unable to control roll or pitch", screamed Don.

"Eject at 4500 ASL if you don't recover"

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"Landing gear broke!"

"EJECT NOW!"-Blurted Quiana

After ejecting, Don impacted the left wing. A few tense minutes later, Don touched down and sent his approximate location.

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Philip quickly boarded the van, and drove the 11 kilometer distance between the airfield and the landing site of Don.

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This was only possible due to the new solar pannel on the van.

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After picking up Don, Philip drove to the crash site. Only part of the wing remained.

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That night, Quiana filed a mission report representing the team:

[TOP SECRET]

EP-1B Flight One Report:

Outcome:Loss of vehicle and payload. Pilot Recovered.

Cause: Aerodynamic Failure

Highest recorded altitude:8970 meters ASL

Highest recorded speed:203 m/s

Mission Data:

Engine Array: Success

Aerodinamic Surfaces: Failure

Cargo: Success

Crew Cabin:Success

Landing Gear: Partial Success

-Quiana Kerman, Flight Control

-Don Kerman, Pilot

-Carol Kerman, Lead Engeneer

-Helga Kerman, Engeneer

-Philip Kerman, Engeneer

-Hamal Kerman, Lead Scientist

[TOP SECRET]

Edited by Cerebrito Gaming
Typos
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Humble Begginings:The Early Evolution of Rocketry

Chapter 2: Change of Administration

Don, Carol and Quiana got on the van to, as an official citation said, "discuss the future of the program". The overworked engeneers were ready to go on strike if they didn't get more workers. To their surprise, the promised airport's construction was cancelled. With the new president, the experimental areas of all armed forces has been put as high priority.The wold be immeediatly moved to a new airforce base and take full control over it and would get 40 workers, and 6 aircraft designers would move there too. While overwhelmed, Carol and Quiana asked what would they work on next.

They would know once at the base.

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At the now named EATA-2 base, they were ready to recieve the workers. At the new administration, they found the blueprintsof a small propeller-driven cargo aircraft. Soon after,  3 aircraft designers, Martin, Aaron and Liz.

The next day, Workers and  material  started arriving.

Helga entered one of the warehouses alongside Mary, Felix and Aaron, designers of the EP-2 Acaema, the new project for the Experimental Aircraft Division. Inside the first 15 workers waited for instructions. Everyone was handen the blueprints of the parts to assemble. EP-2 had a month to be built, and then flown. Carol, now administrator of the division, was overwhelmed by the office she was suddenly put in. A month ago she was desperatly looking for job, ending on the EAD. Suddenly, the original team, including her had to manage a big team  with pressure from the government.

Quiana, Philip, Hamal and Don got up the control tower and watched over the two runways.A nearby town was visible by a hill. They started to work on the communications.

On the warehouses small parts were prepared to be integrated on the large hangars by the side.

20 days later the  plane was almost  ready. 

Engeneer Gordon Kerman was mounting the first turboprop, a more powerful and efficient version of the ones used on EP-1B. Hamal was inside the unpressurized cargo bay, where a chemical ozone detector was prepared for the first flight. At an altitude of 5500 meters ASL the seal would break and the instrument would be used. A week later, the plane was taxied to the runway.

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With Carol looking from the cargo ramp, Don gets into the plane, followed by his original designer, Aaron. The van struggles to pull the large plane. Philip drives the van off the runway.

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Don speaks to control, where Quiana and Hamal prepare:

[Don] Can you hear us?

[Quiana] Loud and clear,Don. You have permission for lift-off.

[Aaron]Engines starting, control surfaces nominal.

[Hamal]You'll need to climb to 7000 ASL.

[Don]Copied.

Take off was ok until...

[Don]Something broke, control's weird.

[Hamal]YOU BROKE BOTH TAIL STABILIZERS!

[Aaron]We don't really need 'em.

[Don]I can control it.

[Aaron]They're not necessary, the first design didn't have them.They're redundancy.

[Don]Ok.

[Quiana]Keep the flight plan then.

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Don and aaroon continued with a 20-30° climb.

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After going up to 7km ASL, the plane landed on the secondary runway.

Spoiler

[Top Secret]

EP-2 Flight One Report:

Outcome:Partial success, minor loss of vehicle.

Cause: Lift-off error.

Highest recorded altitude:7120m ASL.

Highest recorded speed:231 m/s.

Mission Data:

Engine Array: Success

Aerodinamic Surfaces: Partial succes.

Cargo: Success

Crew Cabin:Success

Landing Gear: Success

-EAD Team

[TOP SECRET]

 

 

 

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