Talverd Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 (edited) Welcome back! Introduction: Almost two years ago, I began a thread titled "Chasing Dreams: A Kerbalized Shuttle Alt-history." I was proud of it at the time, but I put it on hiatus after about 6 months of work on it due to my subpar writing skills. I was also pretty bad at the game, all things considered. However, I believe at this time I am ready to restart work on CD - beginning fresh and with many new ideas and better builds to bring to the table. I've been promising and teasing this update for awhile on my twitter and here it finally is. I hope you enjoy the remake as much as you enjoyed the first one. Special Thanks: @AmateurAstronaut1969for inspiration with his Eye's Turned Skyward SSF thread. @Jackticalfor more inspiration with their Space Station Liberty thread. @Jay The Amazing Toasterfor their amazing Kānāwai: Ares to Mars @Antiperson & Marc for being huge sources of help for turning this alt-history into something I am proud of. @TruthfulGnome& @DG1for convincing me to do this originally, and thank you to Truthful especially for coming up with the name. The Space Shuttle Adventures thread & the ISS Adventures thread All of the mod developers that made this possible. Mission List: Spoiler Color Key: Green - Finished Blue - On-going Purple - Planned Red - Partially Planned Yellow - Skipped 1979 STS-1, Part II - DFI Pallet, Athena-Shuttle Docking. Jan. 8th - 11th. STS-2 - TRS Delivery to Skylab. March 7th - 9th. 1980 STS-3 - Further breaking in of the orbiter. January 27th - February 1st STS-4 - Further tests of the orbiter in space. June 13th - 17th STS-5 - First Department of War payload. November 2rd - 7th 1981 Edited February 10 by Talverd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashiepoppy Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 PEAK IS BACK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TruthfulGnome Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 Welcome back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raccourier Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 WE ARE SO BACK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rito Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 Can't wait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antiperson Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 CD is finally back!! You've put so much love and dedication into this project, I can't wait to see you release what's in store! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barleybun Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 peak is back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronDoesSpace Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 peak... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianDogmeat Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 We're so barack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordColtonOfGallifrey Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 looking forward to seeing what this will do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talverd Posted November 20, 2023 Author Share Posted November 20, 2023 PROLOGUE ALT-12, June 10th, 1977 High above the Mojave desert - history is about to be made. [...] FRED: "....Okay. Pioneer is set. Altitude looking good. Good day to do some flying. Stand by for push-up plus two." PIONEER: "Roger FRED - standing by for push-up." FRED: "Up." PIONEER CDR: "Rog. Standing by for separation." FRED: "We're all good, Willy. Separation in 5, 4, 3, 2... " A loud *thunk* is heard as the bolts are released and Pioneer spreads her wings. PIONEER CDR: "Separation!" CHASE 1: "Separation." CHASE 2: "Clear. " FRED: "Leveling off. Godspeed Pioneer." PIONEER CDR: "Banking. Controls are responsive - we're feeling good." PIONEER PLT: "Attitude is good. She's handling well - watch your altitude. " MC: "Pioneer, Houston, we're showing perhaps a slightly low L-over-D." PIONEER CDR: "Read you. Holding fine. " MC: "Roger Pioneer, you're clear to start your turn." PIONEER PLT: "Alright, lets ease her into it..." PIONEER CDR: "We're in the turn. Tighter than expected - handling better than those STAs did in the tunnels." PIONEER PLT: "Slowing a bit faster than expected. Still looking fine." PIONEER CDR: "What a magnificent flying machine." PIONEER PLT: "We're aligned - drifting a bit left, though." PIONEER CDR: "Correcting. Computers handling it a-okay." MC: "What a beauty." \ PIONEER CDR: "I think we're good." PIONEER PLT: "Sure looks like it." PIONEER CDR: "Wow." [...] PIONEER CDR: "...Okay...." PIONEER PLT: "50....40...30..20...10... Touch, okay. Nose gear.." PIONEER CDR: "Touch." PIONEER CDR: "Left of the line." PIONEER PLT: "It's okay. Pioneer, Houston, we have touchdown. " MC: "We copy your touchdown. Gosh, what a beautiful flight Pioneer. Let's do it again." PIONEER CDR: "No doubt, no doubt. We've got ourselves an incredible machine here. Let's put her to work. " Welcome back to Chasing Dreams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordColtonOfGallifrey Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 GGs well done overall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barleybun Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 god the editing of historical photos is so good!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerb24 Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 Looks amazing so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raccourier Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 PEAK IS BACK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TruthfulGnome Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 Very well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talverd Posted November 22, 2023 Author Share Posted November 22, 2023 (edited) . Edited November 22, 2023 by Talverd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaylr234 Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 peak! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talverd Posted November 24, 2023 Author Share Posted November 24, 2023 (edited) STS-1, January 8th - 11th, 1979 Part I Passing The Torch After years of delays, trouble and work - the time has finally come. Space Shuttle "Freedom" has been rolled to the pad and is being prepared for launch. Thousands of pounds of liquid hydrogen and oxygen flow into her external tank and boosters. Spectators watch as the countdown clock continues to tick down with each second feeling like ages, news reporters clamor on and NASDA managers tap their fingers with increasing ferocity. Two rockets glisten in the Florida sun, basked in rays of sunshine that reflect the brightness of Kerbalkind's hopes and dreams. "T-minus 1 hour and counting. Hatch is closed. Pad evacuation underway. Weather is holding." "Shuttle lift-off guidance computers are reporting no flaws. Vehicle is looking healthy. Booster recovery teams have arrived at the recovery site and are preparing to receive." STS-1 is a truly unique mission as it involves not one, but two spacecrafts. Freedom is the first and she will launch un-crewed to a relatively low orbit where she will wait until the second spacecraft arrives. Athena-19 is the second, a relic from the old Athena lunar program. Today, she will serve a new purpose. Athena will be launched atop the last remaining Juno IB rocket to rendezvous and dock with the awaiting orbiter. Once the crew have entered the orbiter and verified everything is working as intended, the crew will remain aboard and separate from Athena. After a few more days of drifting above the Earth the crew will land Freedom at Edwards Air Force base. "Fuel loading on the IB has been completed, J-IVB is currently being topped off. Astronauts are currently undergoing final preparations for launch. I'm told they have already been suited up." NASDA Crew Quarter post-it board, prior to STS-1. A photo of the STS-1 crew can be seen. Robert F. Youngkin, a veteran of the Minerva and Athena programs, has been placed in command of the shuttles first flight. He is joined by rookie astronaut James Stevens, a close friend. Together, both of them will participate in the greatest test flight ever conducted. If they are successful, the Space Shuttle will enter the history books as the first reusable spacecraft - and hopefully a reliable one at that. "T-Minus thirty minutes until the launch of Space Shuttle Freedom. Freedom's fuel cells have been turned on for thermal conditioning and the cabin vents have been closed. Computers have been put into launch mode." James couldn't believe it. He never thought he'd be here. Looking around at the dozens of technicians scrambling around him, he couldn't help but think that this was all just organized chaos. Every few seconds, he'd feel a poke somewhere on his body or someone would ask him a question about how his suit fit - someone even took his gum. He glanced out of the corner of his eye Robert undergoing the same treatment and he could tell he was annoyed. A worker approached him, holding the fish-dome like helmet the A7LBs had become known for. It was slipped on him with a clank and for a moment - he was able to appreciate the silence. He shared a thumbs up with the technician and turned to look out the window at his ride. Only a moment later, he was ushered out the door. The shutter of cameras was disorientating and the crowd that had gathered was loud, but he was ready. Stepping into the back of that van - he couldn't help but feel proud. Proud of the history he was about to make. "Astronauts are now boarding the transfer van and will be delivered to Pad 39B shortly. Crew ingress into the Athena spacecraft is expected within the hour. Launch timeline still looking good.” "Freedom launch countdown entering t-minus ten minutes. We are seeing the crew arm retract now. Go-no-go poll by the flight director is underway. As we currently understand, there are no holds and no issues being worked.” "James Stevens and Robert Youngkin have been strapped into the Athena spacecraft. Crew reporting it feels good. T-minus seven minutes and thirty seconds until launch. Auxiliary power units have been turned on.” "We are down to fifty seconds until launch. Guidance is internal. Gimbal test is underway. […] Thirty seconds. We are go for auto-sequence start.” [...] "…thirteen, twelve, eleven.. hydrogen burn off systems are on… eight, seven, six – ignition sequence start…” “…four, three, two, one…” “Liftoff! Liftoff of Akermia’s first space shuttle!” “..and the shuttle has cleared the tower!” Space Shuttle Freedom rolls onto the proper azimuth after tower clear callout, pressing on to orbit. “Mission control reporting she looks good. Everything appears nominal. We're coming up on booster separation as our next launch milestone. Those boosters will splashdown in the Atlantic where they will be recovered by awaiting crews. Standby for booster sep.” “We are hearing we have good sep. Freedom still on her way to orbit.” “We've just heard the callout for main engine shutdown. Freedom should be separating from the external tank here shortly.” Freedom performing OMS-1 burn, raising her perigee above the atmosphere and placing her in orbit. The Space Shuttles first launch has been a massive success! Mission control sends the command to open the payload bay doors shortly after OMS-1 completion. Freedom's primary payload - the Athena docking adapter. The RCS deflection panels allow the Athena spacecraft to dock without causing impingement damage. “We are just a few minutes away from the launch of Athena-19. Go-no-go poll returned no issues. We are go for launch. Crew reporting everything is a-okay.” “Tower clear!” The last Juno series rocket to ever fly carries her crew a-loft. Athena-19 stage separation Athena-19 on-orbit, ready to retrieve the docking module. The docking module is necessary due to both spacecraft having different internal atmospheres - Athena having a pure oxygen environment while the Space Shuttle has a mix of oxygen and nitrogen. -------------------------------------------------------- End Of Part I See you soon! Edited December 19, 2023 by Talverd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antiperson Posted November 24, 2023 Share Posted November 24, 2023 Wonderful post, as always! God speed Freedom and Athena! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rito Posted November 24, 2023 Share Posted November 24, 2023 Love the shuttle lrbs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerbalsaurus Posted November 24, 2023 Share Posted November 24, 2023 Man, these spacecraft are awesome! You managed to mix realism with some very Kerbal designs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordColtonOfGallifrey Posted November 24, 2023 Share Posted November 24, 2023 (edited) GGs well done that was amazing to see Godspeed Freedom and Athena Edited November 24, 2023 by LordColtonOfGallifrey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldForest Posted November 24, 2023 Share Posted November 24, 2023 @Talverd Love the way you've done those LRBs. Would you mind telling me how exactly they're made? I'm going have to steal borrow the design! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Its_Marc Posted November 24, 2023 Share Posted November 24, 2023 No way, the dream is being chased, who could have seen this coming?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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