The Official "OneOscar" Archive

[Socraticat]

The "OneOscar" Space Program

Big Adventures Start With Small Steps!

After qualifying to begin a space program by successfully landing on top of the Kerbin Space Center Vehicle Assembly Building, Socraticat, along with some intrepid Kerbals, set forth to explore the stars and beyond.

The Design that Inspired a Purpose

The inception of the "OneOscar" Space Program began with a simple challenge: Build the smallest craft possible to land on the the Island Airfield for a photo opportunity at the Hangars. Having lack of funds for a proper rocket, and having hired an artist for a technician rather than a professional engineer, "OneOscar" veteran consultants Ken and Charley were at a loss for fulfilling lucrative contracts. They set Corey, the newly hired tech, to design and fly the craft in order to gain more lucrative contracts.

The resulting craft was a biplane. Corey, having been an artist longer than an engineer, failed to realize that twice as many wings, while looking cooler and making landing easy for anyone, would ultimately always result in having a craft heavier than lighter two-winged entries.

The "OneOscar" FGXLE+ was a fine prototype, but ultimately redundant and overabundantly fueled for the mission, so the team resorted to using fewer parts (except for the bi-wings, because they were all terrible at landing). Eventually the team settled on using one "Oscar-B" tank as the main anchor of the vessel and settled on the flagship design- "OneOscar" FG.

To minimize mass for a "best effort" using the "OneOscar" design- the team emptied the oxidizer and half of the methane from the Oscar tank, removed the stabilizer on the rear and removed the brakes. Thus was born the "OneOscar" SG Lite

It turns out that while Corey had failed to win the competition, the resultant design following the rubric of "smallest to the island" nevertheless gave the "OneOscar" program the popularity it needed to gain sufficient funding it needed to broaden its horizons. Socraticat was then tasked with documenting and distributing as much "OneOscar" media as possible.

With the moderate success of the first challenge, the team made a few modifications to the plane in order to enter it into more public displays. The idea was that the crowds that watched the island display would follow and support future ventures. 

The next Challenge the team entered was "Fastest under the Bridge": Reach a competitively maximum speed under the Training Center Bridge.

The team knew the craft wasn't capable of defeating competitors that didn't have "whittle" engines, but the idea was to build hype around the machine. In truth, Ken, Charley, and Corey had started to enjoy short trips for snacks at the Island Airfield. They started a sort of club on the island and called themselves the "Island Experts". They wanted more kerbals to join their club, so what better way than to show a phenomenal display of speed!

Ken took the limiter off of the "whittle" engine; Charley cleared the paperwork with the safety team; and Corey flew with expertise.

It was a mild success. It turns out, while the crowd did enjoy the whimsical design of the plane and the cool moves pilots would perform on them, most were just really excited to see the island on such a fine weather day.

Regardless, the support gained from entering into the bridge competition was enough for the team to start developing ways to really see the stars. While attempting to reach high speeds under the bridge, the team noticed how much higher they could fly when the limiters were off of the "whittle" engine. This gave them the bright idea to develop a "OneOscar" delivery system that was fast enough to reach orbit. 

They started with going faster under the bridge. This was the Inception of "Thread". Aptly named for it's strange test location- under the bridge.

The  development led to the death of many fine kerbals and never reached the "Fastest Under the Bridge" title, but one fine kerbal managed to get two successful passes under the bridge, both over 900m/s.

Development on "Thread" was halted due to increased pressure to produce more realistic test situations. Also, Ken and Charley resigned following an ethics probe into their reckless handling of high speed test safety. Corey quietly retired to obscurity, taking the "OneOscar" FGXLE+ prototype he was so fond of with him. Some say he put himself in exile on the north pole of Kerbin. Others speculate that he probably didn't have enough fuel to get there.

That leaves Socraticat, myself, as the remaining member of Team "OneOscar" infamy.

It is my greatest honor to carry the "OneOscar" Flag to the Stars and Beyond, walking the path paved before me by the small steps of others brave enough to venture before me.

Thanks for the read! Until the next formal archive update, you can find me sharing progress for the "OneOscar" Space Program in the daily, an odd challenge here or there, and eventually more regularly here.

Stay excellent!

Join my club to show your appreciation for the craft, the story, or the really cool screenshots and captures!

Spoiler

Edited May 11, 2023 by Socraticat
The true beginnings of "OneOscar"

[Socraticat]

A new HQ was established by random biased selection; The resulting administration was a hodgepodge of fictional and real counsel that would pop in and out of the Admin building barking orders like fresh starfleet captains. Much of it gets ignored, but once in a while these talking heads drop some wisdom. Unfortunately, the new HQ was right this time around: "How do we continue to develop the program without more turnout from supporters?"

Their answer, after hours of deliberation behind closed doors, was to charge 50 snack coupons for access to demonstrations. This announcement did not go over well with the base.

In the early days of the "OneOscar" Space Program, much time was spent on the ethics of gaining fan support for future missions. Should a fledgling space program ask for money? If asking for money, how much is expected to be delivered? Will the fans even enjoy the newest "OneOscar" achievements? The answer is simple, yet complicated.

The answer is yes, the "OneOscar" Space Program was in dire need of funding, so the main consideration was how to make sure the fan's investment was worthwhile.

The answer is also no; Asking for money from fans that wanted the exhibitions for free, or at least a discount, would ultimately result in continued harassment and protestors at launch sites (at least, that's what the focus groups have said). Ironically, HQ said this outcome was also acceptable, since it still resulted in increased turnout.

Since there could be no program without funding, but no funding without great disdain, a compromise was made: If fans could spend money earned at the "OneOscar" program to fund the "OneOscar" funding issue, all of the problems surrounding lack of funding would go away! The economics of it don't have to make sense, they just need to appease those kerbals that want more. Hence, the "OneOscar" Space Program commissioned me, Socraticat, to develop the newly minted "OneOscar" Fan Club Coin!

But something was still missing... there were holdouts to the rollout of the new currency. It may have been the particular KSC2 launch site, but just in case, the "OneOscar" Space Program launched an OG "OneOscar" Zero-G Coin for veterans and the old guard, or new recruits learning the ropes on more familiar training grounds:

The currency rollout was a massive success. All coins distributed have increased the directly measured interest of the "OneOscar" Space Program by %400- Great numbers for people that don't look very close, which is exactly the kind of mentality at "OneOscar" HQ.

With the vague success of the new currency, development again began on "Thread", leading to the "OneOscar" Space Program's first foray into both orbital and SSTO tech:

Spoiler

SSTO Tech:

And the development of "OneOscar" integration:

 

 

While development continued, exhibitions maintained their position as the "OneOscar" fanbase's favorite media presentation; Much energy was put into developing real hype around the well-developed arial programs growing within KSC2's boundaries.

Some fans requested daring feats, others wanted educational programming, corporate asked for some ridiculous balloon animals (to the surprise of both fans and critics), and one friend asked for a rover. The rover went into quiet development while I jumped on some "OneOscar" cherries and one experimental build to fuel the "OneOscar" Hype!

The Upside Down Flying Tiger (Earns Flair):

The Cobra Maneuver (Educational):

And the amazing experimental "OneOscar" SG Konami through the garage!

 

Development of Interplanetary vessels was the "OneOscar" Space Program's next big milestone. The goal: Develop a "OneOscar" delivery system that would give the masses of fans the ability to take their dream craft anywhere on Kerbin, or beyond should they so desire. The end goal is to put a "OneOscar" Biplane on every Kerbol celestial- and even better if we can get more Kerbals to join the "OscarEverywhere" mantra of the program.

During the final test before longer more ambitious "OneOscar" missions, the team put the Interplanetary Tranfer Vessel into orbit, only to find themselves with a choice- Keep to the mission of testing orbital capabilities, or shoot for the Mun on a presented opportunity- after all, if the pilot has enough fuel and the courage to go, why not let them? Planning was reasonably certain there was enough fuel for at least a fly-by...

HQ quickly signed off (But only on the condition that parachutes be involved- per legal's orders).

While interplanetary development continues, a rover seems to be taking shape in the VAB. It may be time for a new type of "OneOscar" demonstration- The fans are starting to spread rumors that the "OneOscar" Space Program is a one-trick-kapybara (a totally uncool and unfounded claim).

Team "OneOscar" is well on it's way to the celestials, but it has it's ultimate sights on the stars beyond and into the hearts of it's followers.

Until the next update,

Be Excellent and Fly Safe!

Edited May 22, 2023 by Socraticat
Grammar and Punctuation

[Socraticat]

Realizing that Mun doesn't have an atmosphere left the "OneOscar" Program Speechless...

... for approximately 30 seconds...

• "What if we have the only atmosphere?"
• "What if we have the only ocean?"
• "What if we can't get funding because all we do is biplanes!?!"

[mild panic ensued}

I reminded the Kerbals of the wise words of Commander Taggart: "Never Give up, Never Surrender"

While the crew thought the general rhetoric to be a bit dramatic, they understood the sentiment. At the very least, many of them had become accustomed to the particular snacks afforded to the program for their minor success at keeping personal atmospheric crafts aloft. They decided that it was time to reveal- "GarageMonster".

The team had started a secret underground racing league in the garage, totally unsanctioned by HQ, but totally fun. The prototype rover "GarageMonster" was a Socraticat design intended to be a personal vessel for ground based transport on a number of celestials- the program was approaching munar testing, but had apparently already been tested out extensively by myself and the camera crew.

"Well" jumped in on the action with a 2 seater craft that ultimately took the top spot for the "Garage Tops" course. I, recieved a Crabe MK1 as a gift- It was hurriedly turned into a hot-rod-esque speed demon and It has since met no challenger. It remains the King of the Garage.

Since the vessel had proven itself capable of managing uneven terrain and high speed involuntary redirects, HQ said it was time to go big or go home. Accounting reminded HQ that there wasn't enough funding to reach the biggest celestials, as simulations had shown, but there was enough for a munar trip near Kerbin. They shouted for the Mun, but again, accounting reminded HQ that Mun's gravity was more expensive, both in DV and legal liability.

HQ sat with legal for hours debating whether or not they should continue on, despite the challenges... They ultimately put on their lemon powered thinking caps and settled on the new mission motto

Minimus-Go Big

That was it. Bill and Bob were off to Minimus to test Rovers, because there was no need for a biplane on a moon, despite many counterarguments made otherwise. 

Bill and Bob were meant to test the rover, dock it with the return vessel, and return to LKO. Frustrated by leading such an Ironically named mission, the pair decided to make the most of it by being the first members of the "OneOscar" Space Program to Circumnavigate Minimus.

They are still rolling to this day...

 

Edited June 8, 2023 by Socraticat
I didn't like some of the words.

[Socraticat]

Bill and Bob had discovered they had made a huge mistake. Minmus (which they had been calling Mini-mus) was not a small as the name they had been calling it would have implied. They had a great course plotted, but they decided to abandon the mission in favor of a more "OneOscar" appropriate target- Gilly. If Small Steps lead to Big Adventures, then the Small Steps on Gilly should equal Giant STEPS anywhere else!

The scientists all agreed- Eve would be easy for Bob and Bill to navigate to. Also, Gilly was small enough that Bill was certain he could circumnavigate the celestial before the ran out of snacks on the rover (totally not what happened on Minmus). And thus the "OneOscar" Program said with resounding noise from very far away "We Can Make More Than Biplanes!"

Bob and Bill had made wondrous headway in gaining followers for the Space Program- the demonstrations of arial prowess would continue to amaze while the wrinkly brained kerbals put in effort in the VAB to fulfill the next most highly criticized component of the space program- Return missions. Bob made a point to record Bill on both Minmus and Gilly, but failed to record the trip home. Come to think of it... I'm not sure how they got home either... anyway...

Feeling bold about the trip to Gilly, I imagined many scenarios of Kerbals on celestials, claiming a space as their own and photosynthesizing snacks as necessary, but It was not the the wish of all of the Kerbals. While some wanted to stay, others wished to return home. So the practice began...

With a need for more experienced pilots, I decided to train more Kerbals into the program, but since time is limited I graduated them all at once- by having them fly under the bridge tied together:

The ceremony was so effective in enlisting pilots that I decided to write into the schedule more regular graduation ceremonies; There will be a graduating class for every update greater than a Hotfix. This should fill the ranks fast enough to populate the Kerbolar system with "OneOscar" Planes and "OneOscar" Pilot scouts, ready to lead their similarly intrepid brethren to colonize every celestial, even if it is just to set up an inconvenience shop that sells novelties and trinkets.

As was promised by PR, a flight to the Mun provided the Program with all of the practice it required to write an adequate S.O.P. for return trips, should Kerbals Desire them. There was a little bit of an argument between the two friends, but once the flag was planted, Bill and Bob were completely reinvigorated and resolved to return to KSC and beat on their chests in a show of force for more snacks. They did get home, but they were laughed at for trying to pull some primitive scare tactics on the lunch lady.

The trip also provided the footage necessary for another one of the "OneOscar" Program's new mottos:

"Dude, chill out..."

Not many people were impressed with the new Motto, although many did enjoy seeing Bob and Bill finally follow through with their return footage. 

The "OneOscar" Space Program is currently working on a mission to Jool. Data has indicated that Jool's five moons are highly sought after real estate. While the "OneOscar" program does not have the resources to buy entire celestial bodies, HQ has come up with the brilliant idea to set up a showroom on each of those 5 moons- legal is currently sorting out who stays, and who returns as the official Jool Ambassador.

While HQ and Legal sort out  the roster for the trip, engineering is hard at work developing the newest vessel in the "OneOscar" Fleet- "Jewelies"

The vessel is still in development- there is debate about the final arrangement of the center segment meant to hold both a return vessel and extra-fuel (HQ needs to determine the number of Kerbals requesting return trips). Some say it's too uncomfortable to travel to other planets outside of a cabin in a grumble seat. Others respond with the flabberghasted retort, "DV doesn't go on treed, you know?!". Every candidate is currently on the schedule to be briefed about the mission and its... ethical considerations.

In the meantime, while some Kerbals decide their fates, the rest are testing subassemblies for the trip and practicing maneuvers around Mun and Minimus. If you care to join in the practice, these tutorials were made just for you and your friends- From you friendly "OneOscar" Emcee, Me, Socraticat.

Speaking of E=Emcee funk, if you're into that underground radio vibe, look no further than the Wizard's Broadcast- Be warned, the sights in that link may spoil your worldview that we are alone... it is... anomalous... 

[TwoCalories]

The OneOscar is awesome and it did the Weekly Challenge #19 much better than my Super Hornet. It can even do a Cobra!

By the way, who is the "Rival" space program that did the high-speed bridge pass? With the yellow plane?

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

And what about Bill after the inverted flying tiger? Did he survive?

 

 

 

[Socraticat]

@TwoCalories Thanks for the appreciation!

The "Rival" was the "OneOscar" Program's response to the "Fastest under the Bridge" Challenge- the resulting vessel was named "Thread"

While the OneOscar was fast without the limiter on the Whittle engine, the program couldn't compete without expanding both fuel and thrust options. The program focused on high-speed milestones with "Thread", a "Rival" so-to-speak, of all of the other challengers in the F.U.tB. Challenge.

"Thread" is a "OneOscar" prototype support vessel for the program. By itself, the vessel does not meet "OneOscar" criteria, but the lead scientists all assured us that the vessel would make a fine delivery vessel for the "OneOscar" Program's future.

The delivery vessel was made, tested, and is awaiting HQs approval for public release.

As far as Bill is concerned, he is fine. "OneOscar" Biplanes are known for their high rate of survival at sub 40 m/s collisions. It turns out Bob had simply toggled fine control when he meant to cut engines, resulting in an embarrassing tumble and a few bruises.

If you post a submission of yourself in a "OneOscar", you too can be part of the Fan Club! If you flew it for Weekly #19 why not post some of your awesome acrobatics here:

 

Spoiler

BTW, I'm a big fan of F-18s. Probably because they're always practicing overhead where I'm from. I've never gotten over my boyish glee watching them fly.

 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Socraticat
Link

[dsplaisted]

Nice

[Socraticat]

As it turns out, it doesn't matter what legal says... If the kerbals want to do something, they do it. While many have put down their flight suits until better safety measures become standard, other have signed a waiver stating that they just can't live without embracing the sky while facing the Kraken as the Kerbol Gods intended... 

In order to fight the Kraken, one has to know the Kraken... so R&D put serious effort into understanding the Kraken. These are the experiments that followed:

Spoiler

 

By the time they were finished, the Scientists put KSC on lockdown after revealing their secret masterpiece- A Krakenborn Vessel. It frightened KSC employees so much that they demanded it be rehomed to the Island.

Meanwhile, at KSC headquarters Tim Kerman was nominated to represent the "OneOscar" program's "Blue Angel" tribute. He's a fantastic pilot, and his hair is great too. The airshows are less popular than they used to be, but the "OneOscar" team understands how important it is to stay mission ready and well practiced. Besides, it's super fun!

Speaking of mission ready, the "OneOscar" Program recently spent time testing out delivery methods and vehicles. Among them was a great prospect for future missions- Presenting the ESA Argo-Not:

Good fun. No kerbals were harmed in this particular mission, but the "OneOscar" Space Program still advises against the use of multiple craft in one mission, as well as advising agains the use of cubic struts and hubs in the Truss department.

Still awaiting departure is Jewelies- the Jool 5 vessel slated to deliver a "OneOscar" to each of Jool's moons while establishing a "OneOscar" home base on each celestial via flag marking. Once the program has reached an appropriate maturity the "OneOscar" program looks forward into colonizing, or at least outfitting the entire galaxy with rad little biplanes, because who doesn't want one?

[Little 908]

Oh man I havent been here in a long time.