Pipcard

1967-01-25 - First launch of the M-1A rocket with the Neginohana-2 test satellite (edit: retconned from original)

Phase 2 - 10 [note: this post has been retconned - original rocket configuration here] To launch a human into space, HASDA needed a larger launch vehicle. The M-1A rocket featured the addition of two liquid rocket boosters (LRBs) using the same LE-04 engine (without vernier engines), a larger second stage using the upgraded LE-03B engine with a larger vacuum-optimized nozzle burning Aerozine-50 and nitrogen tetroxide, and a larger fairing that all had the same diameter as the first stage. The tanks used a lighter aluminum-copper alloy. This quadrupled the mass that could be carried to low Earth orbit from 700 to 2800 kilograms. The M-1A was thus nicknamed "Thor Heavy" or "Thor Multibody" in the United States. The original military purpose of the LE-04 liquid oxygen/kerosene engine was superseded by solid-fuel motors that were easier to store and didn't need to be fueled briefly before launch. However, the M-1A did not use solid rocket boosters (SRBs) unlike its American Thor-Delta counterparts, as they could not be stopped once ignited, unlike liquid-fuel rocket engines which were deemed safer for crewed missions. The LRBs had tanks that were 2 meters shorter than the central first stage to enable an earlier shedding of weight to increase performance (as the engines could not throttle), and decrease maximum acceleration to 9 Gs at booster separation, which was nearing the limit of what a trained person could handle without losing consciousness. The M-1A could also launch without boosters, with an LEO payload of 900 kilograms. The third stage used the LE-03 engine of the Negi-2A and 2B rockets same LE-03B engine instead of a solid motor for more flexibility in mission planning and operations. It could boost payloads up to 800 900 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or 500 600 kilograms to the Moon. Conducting a flyby of Mars or Venus might also be possible. 1967-01-25 - The first M-1A lifted off carrying the Neginohana-2, a designation used for engineering test satellites. Neginohana-2 tested a new 2-meter-diameter satellite bus and parabolic dish communications system. The satellite was only launched to an elliptical geostationary transfer orbit, and did not have enough propellant to reach the circular geostationary orbit.

1966-03-20 - Sakura-4a communications satellite 1966-07-22 - Usagi-4 impacts the Moon at the Montes Apenninus

Phase 2 - 09 1966-02-13 - The Ajisai-5 navigation network, made of five satellites that were almost identical to the original Ajisai, was completed. The five satellites were in polar orbits spaced 36 degrees apart, and helped to determine the position of cargo ships traveling around the world, although it could not provide constant coverage. 1966-03-20 - A year after the launches of the Sakura-2 communications network in 1964, the solar panels turned out to be producing too little power due to the degradation of the cells. Thus, the Sakura-4 network was launched in 1966 (up to October 12) to replace the old network and ensure longer-term operations. The solar panels wrapping around the cylinder were replaced with four folding arrays to increase the maximum area exposed to the Sun while maintaining the same mass. 1966-07-22 - Three-and-a-half days after launch, the Usagi-4 probe impacted the Moon at the Montes Apenninus mountain range, near Mons Bradley and Mons Huygens.

1965-08-26 - Launch of Usagi-3, Hatsunia's first lunar impact probe (RSS/RO)

Phase 2 - 08 1965-04-01 - Jikiken-2 used a vector helium magnetometer (lighter than the previous version) to measure magnetic fields, a higher-resolution magnetic ion-mass spectrometer to determine the composition of particles in medium-high Earth orbit, and a scintillation counter to measure the energy from cosmic rays. Due to the heavier mass of the instruments, the probe only reached 90,000 kilometers instead of 240,000. 1965-06-12 - The Himawari-3 weather satellite carried a higher-resolution infrared radiometer (mounted on an extendable boom) to measure cloud and surface temperatures, and an infrared interferometer spectrometer gained insight into the structure and composition of the atmosphere. Eight folding solar panels made the satellite resemble its namesake, the sunflower. 1965-08-26 - Usagi-3 was the first lunar impact probe of Hatsunia. Because the spacecraft was designed to observe the lunar surface for only a few minutes, it did not carry a lot of specialized scientific equipment, while the TV camera was used to broadcast live images at a lower resolution so they could be transmitted quickly. The mass saved was used to give the probe additional reaction control system propellant for course corrections. The RCS could only translate forward or backward, so it could not target any location on the Moon, but it could make sure that the probe did hit the Moon. The probe arrived three-and-a-half days later (1965-08-29), impacting at over 2.5 kilometers per second in Oceanus Procellarum (the Ocean of Storms) north of Aristarchus Crater (bright white crater in the image below) and east of the smaller Väisälä crater.

1965-06-12 - Himawari-3 weather satellite

1965-04-01 - Hatsunia launches the Jikiken-2 magnetospheric probe with the Scintillation Counter Cosmic Ray Telescope, Helium Magnetometer Boom, and Magnetic Ion-Mass Spectrometer (modified RSS/RO)

Phase 2 - 07 1964-09-21 (09-22 local) - The Usagi-2 was launched in the early morning to align with the Moon's orbital plane, and with better timing of the M-1 kick stage burn, achieved a closer flyby to the Moon at just over 1000 kilometers, two-and-a-half days later. The probe was equipped with a television camera with enhanced picture quality, the data from which took several days to transmit due to low antenna bandwidth, high power consumption, and multiple battery recharging cycles. The next lunar mission was planned to be an impact probe. 1964-11-02 - The Sakura-2 communications network in Medium Earth Orbit, with four satellites spaced 90 degrees from each other, was completed. This was mostly intended as a telemetry and data relay for most satellites in low Earth orbit. The altitudes of the satellites were just enough to not be blocked by Earth's horizon. The distance between each satellite (almost 13000 kilometers) was approaching the limit at which they could communicate with each other, but the effective data transfer rate remained the same as direct communication with a ground station.

1964-07-01 - Sakura-3, the first geostationary satellite

Phase 2 - 06 1964-07-01 - After being launched by a three-stage M-1 rocket, Sakura-3 became the world's first geostationary satellite. This meant that it orbited over the equator at an altitude (about 36000 kilometers) at which the orbital period was the same as Earth's rotational period (23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds), so that it could effectively remain over the same area of the Earth and appear stationary when observed from the ground. The third kick stage accelerated the satellite to an elliptical and inclined geostationary transfer orbit, in which it waited for the Earth to rotate until the apogee was over the Pacific Ocean, near the International Date Line. Then, the satellite used its small thrusters to simultaneously circularize and reduce the orbital inclination from 26 degrees to 0 degrees. Sakura-3 had hinged solar panels that were folded up during launch, which then unfolded when in space to provide maximum solar exposure. The satellite was used to transmit messages between Hatsunia and the United States, and broadcast the 1964 Olympics in Miraito three months after launch.

1964-04-09 - M-1 launches the first Information Gathering Satellite for a reconnaissance mission [modified RSS/RO]

Phase 2 - 05 1964-02-12 - The Sakura-2a was launched as the first of a four-satellite communications network. This and the future Sakura-2b, 2c, and 2d satellites were planned to be spaced 90 degrees apart from each other to enable almost-constant communication relays in low Earth orbit. This required them to be at an altitude of about 2700 kilometers to preserve line-of-sight contact. The satellite needed to use a more efficient propellant compared to hydrazine (specific impulse of 198 s) to be able to achieve such an orbit after separation from the M-1 second stage. Thus, a bipropellant composed of Aerozine-50 and nitrogen tetroxide (specific impulse of 282 s) was used in the satellite's thrusters. Aerozine-50 is a a half-and-half mixture of hydrazine and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine originally developed by Aerojet. 1964-04-09 - IGS-1 (Information Gathering Satellite), the first reconnaissance satellite of Hatsunia, was launched by an M-1 with a larger-than-usual fairing. The launch and on-orbit operations were not managed by HASDA, but by the Cabinet Intelligence Office, which intended to perform reconnaissance checks on the Soviet bloc. The wider fairing accommodated a camera and film storage mechanism, and solar panels on one-half of the satellite. The payload remained attached to the M-1 second stage for orbital maneuvering, similar to the Corona/Discoverer satellite attached to the Agena upper stage. The film recovery capsule, nicknamed "Coconut," had its own small engine and some propellant to de-orbit and re-enter. The satellite was launched into a sun-synchronous polar orbit, meaning that it could pass over a certain point of the Earth's surface at the same local solar time every day. Launching a satellite this large to a slightly retrograde orbit (against the rotation of the Earth) pushed the M-1 to its limits. The first generation IGS program remained top secret until declassification in the 1990s.

1963-07-30 - "Usagi" lunar flyby [modified RSS/RO]

Phase 2 - 04 1963-07-27 (1963-07-28 locally) - In this decade, Hatsunia was not developing huge mega-rockets to land humans on the Moon, but had enough of a budget to send small probes. The "Usagi" probe, named after the mythical rabbit that the dark markings ("seas"/"mare") on the Moon resembled in East Asian cultures, was launched by an M-1 rocket and sent on a lunar-bound trajectory. Like Jikiken, the probe was integrated with the third stage, but contained less instruments as it was only meant for short-term lunar observation. The antenna was built with a stronger signal gain to be able to transmit data from the Moon. The trans-Lunar injection maneuver, which accelerated Usagi by over 3.1 kilometers per second, was performed automatically while the spacecraft was not in range of any tracking stations, and it took several minutes until a signal could be confirmed. The timing had to be just right so that the probe would pass close to the Moon without hitting it. Two days after launch (1963-07-30), Usagi entered the Moon's gravitational sphere of influence and became the first Hatsunese spacecraft to visit another celestial body, transmitting pictures and basic data about the Moon and the space environment around it as it passed as close as 4486 kilometers from the lunar surface. The orientation of the solar panels was not ideal for gathering power, but was sufficient enough to accomplish the mission goals. [context: In our timeline, the first lunar probe not from the Soviet Union or United States was from Japan... in 1990.]

Phase 2 - 03 1963-01-29 - "Jikiken" (magnetosphere) is the first Hatsunese spacecraft to go past a low/medium Earth orbit. Launched by the three-stage variant of the M-1 launch vehicle, the third stage was integrated with the spacecraft and surrounded by solar panels. As its name suggests, the primary mission of the spacecraft was to measure the strength of Earth's magnetic fields using a magnetometer between 300 kilometers above Earth's surface to over 240,000 kilometers, over half of the distance between the Earth and the Moon. The magnetometer was placed on an unfolding boom on one side to avoid interference from the rest of the satellite's electronics. A counterweight was added to the other side to avoid imbalancing the craft during the spin-stabilized third stage burn. Several other previously-used instruments were included to test their usage high above Earth. The omnidirectional antenna barely had a signal when transmitting from the maximum altitude. 1963-06-03 - Tanpopo-2 is the first mission to send an animal (a macaque) into orbit, further paving the way for human flight after the initial systems testing of the previous mission. The macaque was trained to handle the higher g-forces associated with launch and re-entry. The scientists were careful to give the passenger enough food, water, and oxygen to survive the one-day trip, and managed the on-board environmental control systems so there was no overheating or freezing. The macaque safely returned to Earth after Tanpopo-2 performed its automated de-orbit maneuver, with the return capsule splashing down just dozens of kilometers away from Negishima. Still, the mission came under some criticism from animal welfare advocacy groups. Tanpopo-2 in orbit, with the biological life support container

1963-01-29 - The Earth Magnetosphere Observation Satellite "Jikiken" is launched (modified RSS/RO)

1962-09-03 - M-1 launching the Tanpopo recoverable satellite [modified RSS/RO]

Phase 2 - 02 1962-04-01 - "Himawari" (sunflower), the first "proper" weather satellite and the successor to Aozora (which was made for basic atmospheric analysis), was launched by an M-1 into a polar orbit. It was capable of observing cloud cover using small cameras [which I forgot to include in this KSP depiction], and measuring air temperature using infrared sensors in a more refined manner, transmitting vital data for meteorologists on the ground to make more accurate predictions and prepare for severe weather events such as typhoons. 1962-06-16 - "Ajisai" (hydrangea) was the first test of a navigation satellite system, also placed into a polar orbit, but slightly higher. By measuring the Doppler shift of the radio signals of a passing satellite with a known orbit, the position of a receiver on Earth could be determined. The US had a similar system, called Transit, meant for nuclear submarines (being adapted for civilian use later on). Hatsunia was reliant on international trade, especially via shipping. Better knowledge of a cargo freighter's position on the globe would result in more economically efficient paths between ports. The system would also be used by the Hatsunia Maritime Defense Force. Several more satellites would be needed to provide effective navigation coverage. Geodesy, or the measurement of Earth's shape and gravitational field, was another purpose for the satellite as it detected slight changes to its orbit. 1962-09-03 - "Tanpopo" (dandelion) was the first recoverable satellite of Hatsunia. Re-entry technologies such as heat shields were already being used by the two main superpowers to return people from low Earth orbit, and HASDA did not want to fall behind too much. Like the superpowers, the Hatsunia Ministry of Defense also saw the applications for reconnaissance, being able to return captured film from orbit. However, this was only a technological demonstration mission for now. HASDA provided a civilian and scientific purpose to this mission, planning to send animals and other organisms into orbit on future missions. It was also preparation for Hatsunia's first crewed spacecraft, which would take several years to develop due to lower budgets, and would require a larger launch vehicle. The satellite was divided into a return module, which was the only part which would survive the heat of re-entry, and a service module which contained avionics, a small hydrazine engine and RCS thrusters, and enough battery power for a few days of operation. Tanpopo spent a day in orbit before using its engine to de-orbit, re-entering and splashing down near the Nankai island chain west of Negishima and Minamikushi. More images of the Tanpopo mission:

1962-01-16 - Hatsunia's M-1 rocket launches Sakura, the first communications satellite (modified RSS/RO) First/second stage separation Payload fairing separation Sakura was placed in a low-medium Earth orbit with a perigee of 860 kilometers and an apogee above 6000 kilometers. It provided the first trans-Pacific television signals, as well as wireless telephone transmissions, but could only do so for short periods of time due to the rotation of the Earth underneath the satellite.

Phase 2 - 01 The beginning of a new era. The M-1 launch vehicle was a major leap in capabilities compared to the Negi-2B, as it was derived from an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) rather than a relatively large sounding rocket. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the United States collaborated with its British and Hatsunese allies in the development of IRBMs because they had the range from those locations to be a deterrent to the Soviet Union. The US had developed the Thor missile, which used a single Rocketdyne LR79 engine, while the UK was developing the Blue Streak missile, which used two Rolls-Royce RZ.2 engines (a native-built version of the LR79). The Blue Streak would turn out to be too big and costly for the UK and was cancelled as a missile program, but would later find use in a future European launch vehicle. However, a Thor-like vehicle was considered effective enough for Hatsunia. Thus, the Y-1 ballistic missile (Y for Yokushi, or deterrence) was designed using Mikubishi's version of the LR79, called the LE-04, supplemented by two LE-04-1 (LR101-like) vernier engines for roll control. It was not an exact copy of the Thor, as the fuel tanks were shaped like a straight cylinder rather than tapering at the top. The Y-1 was converted into a non-offensive satellite launch vehicle with the addition of the second stage, a stretched version of the one used on Negi-2B. The LE-03A engine had slightly higher thrust and efficiency compared to the LE-03, but the most important aspect was its ability to restart (previous engines could only ignite once). The reaction control thrusters now used hydrazine monopropellant instead of nitrous oxide. With both stages, up to 700 kilograms could be carried to Low Earth Orbit, and with the addition of a third kick stage, it could send up to 175 kilograms to a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (in which the satellite could raise its orbit and stay at the same place above the Earth) or 100 kilograms in a Trans-Lunar Injection maneuver. This rocket was called the M-1, with M standing for Miku/Mirai (future) or Mikubishi (thirty-nine diamond logo), and was similar to the Thor-Ablestar launch vehicle. [context: The first orbital launcher of the National Space Development Agency of Japan was the N-I (not to be confused with the ill-fated Soviet N1), a license-built Thor-Delta rocket. While critical components of the N-I were built in the US and imported, the details of which were hidden from Japanese engineers in "black boxes," the M-1 was almost completely manufactured in Hatsunia.] 1962-01-16 - First launch of the M-1 carrying "Sakura" (cherry blossom), Hatsunia's first communications satellite. A larger launch pad was needed to handle the vehicle. Sakura was placed in a low-medium Earth orbit with a perigee of 860 kilometers and an apogee above 6000 kilometers. It provided the first trans-Pacific television signals, as well as wireless telephone transmissions, but could only do so for short periods of time due to the rotation of the Earth underneath the satellite.

Is there any way to add more fonts than the few that are available or are they hard-coded? It seems to be the latter considering that there is a ".decalfont" file.

My config is here, and you can look in the folder for examples.

Historian (you can customize it by editing the .cfg files in GameData\Historian)

1960-12-15 - Negi-2B launches to a polar orbit [modified RSS/RO] Engineering Test Satellite "Neginohana," using solar panels for the first time, along with a small camera 1961-04-01 - Another launch carries the "Shinsei" satellite for cosmic ray and micrometeorite observation 1961-07-15 - Launch of the atmospheric analysis satellite "Aozora"