Dark side of moon photographed

One of SARSA's Interplanetary Satellite has successfully returned photographs of the side of the moon that always faces away from the Earth this month. The probe, one of three launched by the same three stage rocket, had a brief software problem. However the new wiring installed in the probe in 1960 meant that the satellite was quickly rebooted by a special radio sequence and the mission was able to proceed normally.

The far side of the moon presents a very different view to that of the moon as seen from Earth. There are no major seas leaving the far side to present a very rocky and cratered view. Scientists are still debating the causes of the difference and why (or even how) the differences could have arisen and the implications for the early history of the Earth and the Moon (and, indeed, for the early history of the entire solar system)

Also launched on the same rocket were two other interplanetary satellites - one sent to Mars and one to Venus. The Mars probe, unfortunately, did not fire its own thrusters once released by the rocket, failed to achieve Earth orbit and then burnt up in the Earth's atmosphere. The Interplanetary Satellite heading to Venus is operating normally and is on its way.

Smaug Inc joins ASA in orbit

On the 20^th of December, Smaug Inc's intrepid crew of Anna Rivetti, Ben Mereza and Caroline Freberg became the fourth, fifth and sixth humans to enjoy earth orbit. Their manned orbital mission¹ launched on time and the only worrying moment came when it was time for their three person capsule to leave earth orbit. The engine burn needed to slow the craft down did not fire on schedule, but after a few seconds delay the engine fired up and continued for the required four minutes and merely meant that the landing site was about 560 miles to the east of the intended landing zone - requiring the fleet monitoring the landing to move as quickly as possible to the new location. Apart from this hiccup, the re-entry and recovery phases of the mission proceeded smoothly².

Could SHADO have a satellite?

It is still unclear what happened to the latest orbital satellite mission from SHADO. The launch was perfect, with no unexpected fireworks and telescopes trained on the launch all claim that the satellite separated from the rocket with no problems. The observers even claim that the satellite entered earth orbit. However as no radio signals have ever been detected from the satellite all these claims are just that: claims³.

ASA goes even bigger

Dr Matt and his team's delight has become stratospheric. Even Steve Zodiac has become affected by the enthusiasm, expressing his view of the research into XL2, ASA's new Mega Stage Rocket Program as Yaaay! Bigger! Louder! Faster! as he wiped a strange cream moustache from his upper lips.

Zodiac's compliance with the Amber Liquid Ban has been surprisingly complete and much easier than expected - too easy for some observers. Harold's Bar has denied that its move to a greater focus on spirits and that the sale of its new whisky reinforced Irish Coffee and Rum based Jamaican Coffee in the Mess had nothing to do with them. When asked if she knew anything of the development Dr Venus simply rolled her eyes and walked away.

SHADO interested in Tracy Island?

Rumours are spreading that the large cash surplus in SHADO is not being saved, as claimed, as a rainy day fund for the next set of launches but are being diverted into a new fund. Suggestions that the head of SHADO is looking at islands in the south pacific in which to base their next launch and research facility are being denied. However eager estate agents hired by several islands in the south pacific, including the recently converted Tracy Island have been seen at the reputed headquarters of SHADO.

Smaug Inc's new astronauts

There was heated debate within Smaug Inc. as the Science team argued for the completion of the second launch facility this year. However things changed when the members of the team where inducted into the astronaut programme so that they could more closely assess the impact of the sabotage. As a result of the investigation and repair work, the second mission launch planned by Smaug this year has been scrubbed.

SARSA planning ICBMs?

SARSA was forced last month to deny that its three stage rocket program was in any way linked to suggestions that it could be re-purposed as an intercontinental ballistic missile and further suggestions that the rocket could carry multiple warheads was firmly denied by the agency.

Stamp Scandal hits Smaug Inc.

Shortly after Smaug Inc's successful manned orbital and just in time for the late Christmas shopper several auction halls successfully sold authenticated, but definitely unauthorised, first day cover envelopes and franked stamps from the the mission. Investigations into the sales revealed a conspiracy between two of Smaug Inc.'s astronauts, Caroline Freburg (who flew on the recent successful manned orbital flight) and Kathy Wilson (one of the scientists recently moved to the astronaut program and who organised the sale). As a result of furore Smaug Inc has been forced to sack the two astronauts⁴. Apparently the last straw for Smaug Inc.'s senior management was the revelation that the two astronauts had initially sold the stamps to Smaug's major competitor Drogon&co.

R&D bonus for SARSA

South Africa has instituted a major industrial trainee program for its space industries. The program, which claims to be open for all with the relevant qualifications, is expected to add a major boost to the research efforts of SARSA and allow its programs to make significant improvements in the coming year⁵.

Major Engineering Advance for SHADO

It appears that the engineering divisions of SHADO are also eyeing up the large cash balances that have built up in SHADO bank. They have announced that they believe that they have been able to make significant advances and savings in their production facilities and are able to offer, for one year only, a 50% cost saving to the rest of the organisation. The engineering division was unable to comment if their head had joined SHADO's chairman in his window shopping trip across the South Pacific⁶.

Espionage row between ASA and SARSA

The Australian Space Agency has claimed to have uncovered an espionage program from SARSA aimed at its Interplanetary Satellite. ASA says that the reportedly high safety factor of SARSA's program is a fabrication as the actual satellite bears a remarkable similarity to ASA's model which has a much lower safety factor. SARSA, whilst denying that it has any espionage program, states that Having seen the plans, we wouldn't touch the Australian Satellite with a barge pole!⁷.

Nobel announces production difficulties

GOSsiP's main rocket manufacturers, Bofors (founded by Alfred Noble), has announced that production difficulties mean that it will be unable to provide any new rockets to GOSsiP during 1963. Bofors has denied that the recent focus by its board members on boosting the size of the famous Nobel prizes (including, in particular, the Nobel peace prize) has had any impact on the delays, claiming that the delays are purely down to the discovery of significant impurities in the titanium ingots used in the early stages of the construction of the structural elements of the rockets⁸.

Launch Calendar

The provisional calendar for launches planned in 1963 (assuming none of the missions are rushed or scrubbed) is as follows:

6^th Dec

GOSsiP

18^th Dec

SHADO

27^th Dec

Smaug Inc.

29^th Dec

Smaug Inc.⁹

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Last updated: December 21, 2021 at 19:38 pm

27^th July 2017

Clarified that the Mars Probe launched by SARSA failed to achieve Earth orbit. Removed planned launch from SARSA (I misread the orders 🙁 )

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Smaug Inc. mourning loss of 4 astronauts

Following the successful launch on the 27^th of December by Smaug Inc. of Lawrence Fields, Eric Zevery, Frederick Hagiwara on a Manned Orbital mission, hopes in the organisation were high that the mission would be a complete success. The capsule easily attained its planned orbit and the astronauts engaged in checking out the capsule's systems which were proving to be working fine. At the end of the planned set of orbits the capsule left earth orbit on schedule. However once the capsule started the re-entry phase all contact was lost with the capsule and was never re-established. Telescopic observations, together with appearance of a fireball, have led ground observers to believe that the capsule's heat shield must have some kind of design flaw which led to a failure of the heat shield and the total loss of the capsule. As a result of this disaster Smaug Inc.'s capsule will need to be redesigned.

One other very unfortunate side effect of the loss was a car accident involving another of Smaug Inc.'s astronaut corps. Margaret Reynolds was driving to the first meeting of the committee called to investigate the tragedy when her vehicle was involved in a collision with a tourist bus which had been speeding. Investigators into that accident have denied that the bus had been looking for Smaug Inc.'s launch facilities and have also denied that the tourists were from South Africa¹.

As a result of this accident, Smaug Inc. scrubbed its second launch that had been planned to launch just a day after the failed re-entry attempt.

First pictures from Venus

SARSA has posted pictures from its successful fly-by of Venus (the planet, not the noted Australian Scientist and Astronaut). Disappointingly the satellite revealed that the cloud is as complete as low resolution pictures from Earth based telescopes. On board sensors report that the clouds seemed to be highly acidic with concentrations of both carbolic and sulphuric acids.

GOSsiP fire crew earn their keep

The launch on the 6^th of December of a lunar satellite fly-by mission ended up being a good test of the effectiveness of the fire crews at Julianehåb. The attempt to ignite the two stage rocket which was to have lifted the interplanetary satellite on its way appears to have been overly successful. Instead of igniting the first stage of the rocket, the ignitors appear to have cut through a major portion of the solid fuel propellant, which then fell down out of the rocket and started to burn fiercely. The fire crews based at the launch facility immediately acted to implement their emergency plan to basically dowse the rocket with large chunks from the nearby glacier. Although the rocket and satellite were destroyed the quick actions of the fire crews saved the facility itself from any major damage and the facility remains available for use.

SHADO loses another satellite

Serious doubts over the gung ho attitude of SHADO are being expressed by the organisation's superiors after another satellite (this one an interplanetary satellite aimed to pass by the moon) failed to achieve its initial orbit. The launch had already been delayed twice by problems with the rocket, both resulting from last second aborts in the countdown procedure. After the problem was tracked down to the countdown timer itself, the rocket lifted off perfectly. However once the satellite was released by the rocket at a height of 97 miles all contact with the satellite was immediately lost and its whereabouts remain unknown. Experts suggest that the satellite probably re-entered the Earth's atmosphere within minutes and only small fragments will have made back down to the Earth's surface, probably somewhere over Antarctica.

Astronaut Linnea Larsen of GOSsiP dies in training

Linnea Larsen, who was only hired by GOSsiP a few months ago has been killed in a training accident in the hot pools near Julianehåb. The Scandinavian governments that fund GOSsiP had ordered the organisation not to launch any manned missions until full details of the investigation report has published later this year. While the circumstances of the accident remain murky it is apparent that the safety of the hardware that is actually sent into space has not been questioned, but only the training methods being used have been called into question².

Smaug Inc. discovered to be using Australian EVA Suits

Experts have been forced to re-evaluate the safety factor of Smaug Inc.'s EVA Suits after the discovery of a spy ring within the Australian Space Agency. Smaug Inc. had apparently been using the Australian research as the basis of their own EVA suits and hence the safety factor of Smaug Inc.'s EVA suits has been reduced to match that of ASA's suits.

ASA has claimed that the discovery of Smaug Inc.'s espionage was the result of beefed security at its launch facility and the related civilian areas of the base including Harold's bar. Apparently Harold's suspicions had been raised when the sales of his Nuclear Fireball cocktails had overtaken those of his more traditional liqueur coffees and had started to approach those of the Amber Nectar.

Trainees hit South African Production

The focus on industrial trainees for the South African space program during 1963 has apparently resulted in problems in the plans for factories to build capsules for the South African program. Although it is expected that the factories themselves can be built next year, contractors say that it will be impossible to run them at full speed³.

Dr. Von Graun moves back to Hawaii

Having discovered that even the Greenland climate is not to his taste, Dr. Von Graun has returned to Hawaii and rejoined SHADO. SHADO expressed their hope that his travel experience will assist him (and SHADO) in their future research efforts⁴

South African officials deny first strike orders

In a rare statement South African officials have officially denied reports that they ordered SARSA to build and launch a volley of missiles all armed with multiple nuclear armed warheads - It's a complete fabrication and anyway if we did have any such missiles we would need them to deter the Martians that shot down our probe last year.... As this is first time that Martians have been mentioned by the officials suspicions are rising that perhaps something has been discovered by South Africa.

All are welcome to use the new launch facility on the island of Lenur in the Vanatu Islands. This brand new launch facility has been constructed and is managed by SHADO, the premier independent space agency. Rental includes use of the facility and the adjacent beaches (including the beach huts).

Price on application. SHADO accepts no responsibility for any accidents or problems with the use of the facility. Insurance is the responsibility of the user

Launch Calendar

The provisional calendar for launches planned in 1964 (assuming none of the missions are rushed or scrubbed) is as follows:

5^th Dec

GOSsiP

10^th Dec

SHADO

15^th Dec

SARSA

20^th Dec

Smaug Inc.

22^th Dec

Smaug Inc.

29^th Dec

ASA

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Last updated: December 21, 2021 at 19:38 pm

8 Aug 2017

Fix typo

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