[DEFUNCT POST] "Rise, Apollo: The Continued Story of America's Capsule" | A KSP Alternate Apollo-Based Timeline

[AdrianDogmeat]

Intro 

 

I've always been intrigued by Post-Apollo concepts and alternate timelines including AAP (Apollo Applications Program) and others like  David S. F. Portree's NSOD's timeline and Eyes Turned Skywards; So I wondered what would Apollo look like in a modern setting based around mid to late 90s

This timeline won't just include Apollo (which I will have my own take on), it will also include other things like Space stations and uncrewed missions and so on

Note: This alternate timeline takes place in the Tempus System - A part of the Beyond Home mod by @Gameslinx

 

     Main Inspiration

 

 @TruthfulGnome's  Awesome No Shortage Of Dreams Skylab Alternative History                       

 @Jay The Amazing Toaster's Kānāwai: Ares To Mars 

 

 @Talverd's Chasing Dreams Alternative History Shuttle Timeline 

nik "hound" proxima on Twitter for the title name suggestion, Check out their Proxima AH as well

https://twitter.com/defconlove?t=nb89xicwfRXQ-tXG6DQ-zw&s=09

And The Mod Creators who contributed to the parts used in my builds

Edited February 13, 2023 by AdrianDogmeat

[AdrianDogmeat]

        Chapter I - Circumlunar Flights

                                                                                         

After the success of the Venerable Apollo Program from the 60s and the subsequent Apollo Applications Program in the 70s and early 80s, NASA tried to expand their efforts into other ventures such as Crewed Lunar Stations whilst leading subsequently to much higher stakes missions

For now efforts are now focused on building a permanent Lunar Station dubbed "Trinity" as a base for future lunar landings by early to mid 2000s, For now United Launch Alliance is now providing launch services for NASA whilst developing a Heavy lift launch vehicle for future use 

I- Trinity 1

Launch of Trinity atop a Delta IV-B - 1994

Max Q

Nearing Booster separation 

Booster Separation 

Second Stage Separation 

Fairing Deployment 

TLI Burn

Separation of Trinity following the TLI Burn

Mid-Course Correction

LOI - Lunar Orbit Insertion 

And the first ever lunar station is now orbiting in a highly-elliptical orbit around the moon to provide downlink back to the KSC now matter what the orientation 

Edited December 8, 2022 by AdrianDogmeat

[AdrianDogmeat]

II- Harmony Launch and Future Plans for a modernized crewed system based around previous Apollo hardware

Following the successful launch of Trinity I Space Station Core Module, A Docking Port Adapter that converts the NASA LIDS docking system to the bigger CADS (CBM) docking system to accommodate the new Apollo derivative dubbed "Apollo²" by the PR department, but after multiple suggestions the actual name that ended up being chosen is Apollo Block IV with multiple variants for various uses 

These variants include:

Block IV-A: A smaller variant for LEO which also doubles as a ferry for future LEO stations

Block IV-B: Circumlunar/Deep Space variant which will use the new CADS docking system

Block IV-C: Uncrewed Cargo variant, which could be used for LEO or modified for servicing the new Trinity Lunar Station 

Whilst the new Apollo Block IV is in development, A new launch system is now finally made (which also includes new variants but that will be later on)

Meet the Saturn IV, A modernized take on the Venerable Saturn which also happens to launch the Harmony Docking Adapter today to the moon, this launch also doubles as a test for the Block IV service module 

Saturn IV Background and Development:

Spoiler

This newer variant expands on the Saturn Family of rockets, using the much efficient low-cost F-1B engines and J2-A2 engine variant on the S-IVD Upper Stage using lighter materials (Improved SOFI)

Saturn IV also includes multiple variants like a LEO version, and a heavy-lift version.

Trinity II (Harmony) launch | T-3 seconds before liftoff 

Liftoff and Max-Q

Seconds before Engine cutoff

S-ID and S-IVD separation, followed by ignition 

Fairing Separation, revealing Harmony

Cruise

LOI - Lunar Orbit Insertion 

Rendezvous Burn

Ascent

3.2 miles/2km away from Trinity Station

And now Trinity is ready for accommodating a crew of 3 right now, and to be expanded upon later on 

Edited December 5, 2022 by AdrianDogmeat

[AdrianDogmeat]

Sorry for the lack of posting got extremely demotivated these days

I will return when the time's right 

[Royalswissarmyknife]

so that's what the American H-II was for 

[AdrianDogmeat]

28 minutes ago, Royalswissarmyknife said:

so that's what the American H-II was for 

Almost all of my recent posts on the BDB forum are part of this AH 

[Royalswissarmyknife]

1 hour ago, AdrianDogmeat said:

Almost all of my recent posts on the BDB forum are part of this AH 

I love the American H-II I would love to see more of it 

[AdrianDogmeat]

15 minutes ago, Royalswissarmyknife said:

I love the American H-II I would love to see more of it 

I will use it again on the next post 

[Royalswissarmyknife]

3 hours ago, AdrianDogmeat said:

I will use it again on the next post 

That means I have to wait 

also

Spoiler

Will there be a H-II Heavy

 

[AdrianDogmeat]

27 minutes ago, Royalswissarmyknife said:

That means I have to wait 

also

  Hide contents

Will there be a H-II Heavy

 

Spoiler

mayhaps

 

[AdrianDogmeat]

III-Prosperity Science And Logistics Module (PSLM) Launch, With a revision of the current Lunar Station Program

Following the creation of the Trinity program, it became inevitable that NASA should open its lunar program to International space agencies such as Interkosmos and JAXA

Interkosmos - an European-Russian Based Space Agency that was formed in 1993 following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, which aims to expand the combined efforts of both the former ESA and Roscosmos into a joint program based around LEO flights and beyond. The agency includes the aforementioned ESA and Russia alongside other countries in the former Communist Bloc

The first Non-American Module Prosperity will be delivered to the station in August 1995 using Apollo Block IV-C, after an agreement between Interkosmos and NASA in mid-1994 to provide a station-expansion program for future joint Lunar landing missions no later than 2000 by increasing the current planned 5 crew capacity to 12. This agreement also includes the renaming of the station From Trinity station to International Lunar Orbiting Platform (or ILOP for short)

And as usual ULA will provide the launching services for NASA for the planned 5-year station servicing program using the new Delta IV series of rockets

Prosperity Science And Logistics Module (PSLM) Launch - August 2nd 1995

Liftoff

Max-Q

Nearing SRB Burnout

SRB Burnout and Separation

Fairing Separation with a perfect view of PSLM 

BECO Followed by Stage Separation 

Circularization

TLI - Trans-Lunar Injection

PSLM on the way to the moon

Cruise

LOI - Lunar Orbit Insertion, Followed by Rendezvous Burn

100m away from ILOP

Final Docking Procedures

Successful docking of PSLM to ILOP

Crew selection process will start on August 31st 1995, ending in January 4th 1996

Edited December 10, 2022 by AdrianDogmeat

[AdrianDogmeat]

@Royalswissarmyknifemore american H-II

[Royalswissarmyknife]

22 minutes ago, AdrianDogmeat said:

@Royalswissarmyknifemore american H-II

Nice also love the Station its really coming along excited for when its crewed 

[AdrianDogmeat]

24 minutes ago, Royalswissarmyknife said:

Nice also love the Station its really coming along excited for when its crewed 

It will be crewed soon on the next mission, which is still TBD

[AdrianDogmeat]

IV-First Crewed Lunar Expedition

By the start of January 1996 the crew selection process is closed and 5 members from 3 different agencies are chosen for the first crewed lunar expedition to ILOP on Block IV-B | Serenity

The crew members that will fly on the first long-duration lunar expedition since the Apollo program are:

Vassily Bortnik - Russia (Interkosmos)

Salvatore Moretti - Italy (Interkosmos)

Aleksander Balinski - Poland (Interkosmos)

Daiki Ito - Japan (JAXA)

Kenneth Johnson - United States (NASA)

A targeted launch date is now chosen, targeting NET June 1996 after training, launching on Saturn IV+  A crew-rated variant capable of sending 20 tons to Lunar Orbit

5 months later...

June 24th 1996 - 1300 UTC, Saturn IV+ sitting on LC-39A with all 5 crew members aboard Serenity 

Liftoff of Serenity - 1420 UTC

Max-Q | Crew reporting that everything is nominal 

T+ 2 mins, Nominal Ascent Profile

T+ 2 mins 30 seconds, Nearing SRMU Burnout

T+ 3 mins, SRMU Burnout and separation

T+ 3 mins 25 seconds, Nearing MECO

T+ 3 mins 40 seconds, MECO and S-IVE Separation

T+ 3 mins 45 seconds, S-IVE ignition

T+ 6 mins, S-IVE cutoff and crew preparation for TLI

T+ 20 mins, Evaluating spacecraft systems in preparation for TLI

T+ 45 mins, S-IVD relighting for TLI

T+ 50 mins, SECO-2

T+ 53 mins, Transposition and Docking

T+ 55 mins, Separation of Serenity from S-IVD

T+ 4 days, Lunar Orbit Insertion

T+ 4 days 2 hours, Rendezvous burn

T+ 4 days 3 hours, 190m away from ILOP

T+ 4 days 3 hours 10 mins, 95m away from station

T+ 4 days 3 hours 18 mins, 20m away from station

T+ 4 days 3 hours 18 mins, soft docking is confirmed, moving on to hard-dock

T+ 4 days 3 hours 20 mins, successful docking on the port side of ILOP

And that marks the first ever crewed lunar mission since Apollo in the 60s, the crew will spend the next 6 months abroad the station collecting valuable scientific data that could help future missions

Edited December 20, 2022 by AdrianDogmeat

[AdrianDogmeat]

(small update)

The reason why the post above is incomplete is due to irl problems and stuff

Maybe I will repost it again in 2 days

[AdrianDogmeat]

On 12/15/2022 at 2:28 PM, AdrianDogmeat said:

IV-First Crewed Lunar Expedition

By the start of January 1996 the crew selection process is closed and 5 members from 3 different agencies are chosen for the first crewed lunar expedition to ILOP on Block IV-B | Serenity

The crew members that will fly on the first long-duration lunar expedition since the Apollo program are:

Vassily Bortnik - Russia (Interkosmos)

Salvatore Moretti - Italy (Interkosmos)

Aleksander Balinski - Poland (Interkosmos)

Daiki Ito - Japan (JAXA)

Kenneth Johnson - United States (NASA)

A targeted launch date is now chosen, targeting NET June 1996 after training, launching on Saturn IV+  A crew-rated variant capable of sending 20 tons to Lunar Orbit

5 months later...

June 24th 1996 - 1300 UTC, Saturn IV+ sitting on LC-39A with all 5 crew members aboard Serenity 

Liftoff of Serenity - 1420 UTC

Max-Q | Crew reporting that everything is nominal 

T+ 2 mins, Nominal Ascent Profile

T+ 2 mins 30 seconds, Nearing SRMU Burnout

T+ 3 mins, SRMU Burnout and separation

T+ 3 mins 25 seconds, Nearing MECO

T+ 3 mins 40 seconds, MECO and S-IVE Separation

T+ 3 mins 45 seconds, S-IVE ignition

T+ 6 mins, S-IVE cutoff and crew preparation for TLI

T+ 20 mins, Evaluating spacecraft systems in preparation for TLI

T+ 45 mins, S-IVD relighting for TLI

T+ 50 mins, SECO-2

T+ 53 mins, Transposition and Docking

T+ 55 mins, Separation of Serenity from S-IVD

T+ 4 days, Lunar Orbit Insertion

T+ 4 days 2 hours, Rendezvous burn

T+ 4 days 3 hours, 190m away from ILOP

T+ 4 days 3 hours 10 mins, 95m away from station

T+ 4 days 3 hours 18 mins, 20m away from station

T+ 4 days 3 hours 18 mins, soft docking is confirmed, moving on to hard-dock

T+ 4 days 3 hours 20 mins, successful docking on the port side of ILOP

And that marks the first ever crewed lunar mission since Apollo in the 60s, the crew will spend the next 6 months abroad the station collecting valuable scientific data that could help future missions

Post is now complete.

[AdrianDogmeat]

UPDATE:

This thread isn't dead by any means, it's just that I got demotivated and haven't touched ksp in over a month

Maybe I will return to it (I have pictures for 2 more posts, waiting to be posted)

[Royalswissarmyknife]

Good to see its not canceled 

[AdrianDogmeat]

Final Status update

It's hard to do it but I'm giving up on this post, there's no point of posting anymore

KSP2 is just around the corner, and I don't really have the motivation to open ksp these days

I want to keep this as some sort of memorial for anyone to see through it

To anyone who was following this, I want to say thank you

And thus, this is the end I guess 

[Royalswissarmyknife]

17 hours ago, AdrianDogmeat said:

Final Status update

It's hard to do it but I'm giving up on this post, there's no point of posting anymore

KSP2 is just around the corner, and I don't really have the motivation to open ksp these days

I want to keep this as some sort of memorial for anyone to see through it

To anyone who was following this, I want to say thank you

And thus, this is the end I guess 

Sad to see it go it was my favorite mission report series. But I hope you will have success in other things. 

[wefightforpeace]

This was really cool - hope you do some KSP2 stuff as well!

[AdrianDogmeat]

On 2/14/2023 at 4:38 PM, wefightforpeace said:

This was really cool - hope you do some KSP2 stuff as well!

For sure, although you will have to wait for a couple of months for me to get accustomed to the game and its mechanics

Edited February 17, 2023 by AdrianDogmeat