Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - The Galaxy Awaits ... Choose Your Path!(Aurora)

Brian Swartz · 11-16-2014, 12:27 AM

August 28, 2078
Director India Rakes, live from Sector Command

'Less than three weeks ago, the twentieth anniversary passed of the fateful, painful, and tragic day when Herbert Duling announced to all of us that the worst had happened in Epsilon Eridani. It has been a trying two decades. Deep trauma often lays bare our greatest passions. As we continue our efforts to honor those who sacrificed there as best we can, and move forward boldly into the future as a species, I am pleased to announce that today humanity has taken a major step forward in that struggle.'

'As most of us well recall, it was four years later that the broad outlines of a strategy to renew our push into the systems surrounding Sol were formulated, named the Fox Doctrine in honor of Herman Fox, one of the many both well known and virtually unknown who perished in the unprovoked alien attack. While there are some among us who still believe we should not go at all, such an approach dooms us to nothing but isolation and fear for the indefinite future at best, eventual annihilation at worst. We owe it to our children, grandchildren, and the generations who will come after them to confront the challenge of being a spacefaring people. We must act courageously and wisely. There is no quality future that involves shrinking into the shadows.'

'Recently I received word that the work of one our most accomplished scientists, Dr. Curtis Gloster, has been completed. A new jump drive, significantly smaller than the one the Pioneers used yet able to produce the same magnitude of space-time disruption, has been tested and certified ready. With this accomplishment, SPACE is finally ready after 16 long years to begin to put feet to our plans. The Fox Plan now moves from the planning stage to becoming a reality. I am pleased to be joined by Chief of the Navy Mitchell Feeser, who has served in that position for three years and many more to come. He is well known to be as talented as any naval officer SPACE has ever known. Chief Feeser will outline the ships that will conduct the first explorations beyond our system in nearly a quarter-century.''

Chief of the Navy Mitchell Feeser, live from Sector Command

At 43, Feeser is still quite a young man for his position. Only Ellie Camble stands in SPACE annals as a more respected naval officer.

'What I am about to describe to you has been dubbed Operation Renewal. Renewal will be the most complicated operation SPACE Command has ever conducted. Great care and expense has been taken to minimize the danger to the servicemen and servicewomen involved, and to maximize success of the mission. The objective of Operation Renewal is to conduct detailed surveys of any incompletely mapped star system. These surveys will include any evidence of alien life past or present, TN mineral deposits, jump point locations to other systems, and where those jump points if any lead to. '

'For this mission, five new ship classes have been designed, and they will recieve support from sixth already in use. The 850-ton Explorer-class scout will be our first entry into any system without any current human prescence. The Explorer is the tip of the spear, so to speak, and will jump in, briefly scan the area around the jump point, and then jump back out a few minutes later. In this manner minimal exposure to danger by the rest of the ships will be achieved. Slightly larger are two 950-ton vessels. The Frontier-class gravitational survey vessel will be responsible from surveying all potential jump point locations in a system, and the Prospector-class geological survey vessel will investigate any planets, moons, asteroids, comets, etc. for any mineral deposits and/or signs of alien life.'

'These three types of utility vessels will be housed in one of two new classes of carrier ships, each 10kt in size. The first is the Gearing Survey Carrier. The Gearing has over half its size devoted to hangar storage, and can maintain two of each class and their crews. Secondly, the Baltimore Command Carrier will house one Frontier and one Prospector, and will serve as the nerve center of the flotilla. It has military-grade passive sensors of the same quality as are stationed on the Nimitz and Brooklyn combat ships, the jump drive required for transit of the larger ships betweens systems, and also quarters and equipment for a command staff to oversee the operation. Finally, an Iowa fuel tanker equipped for extended deployment time, hereafter known as the Iowa XR variant, will accompany the carriers to refuel them. They carry minimal reserves in an effort to maximize hangar space. This leaves the flotilla composition at 1 Baltimore Command Carrier, 1 Gearing Survey Carrier, 1 Iowa fuel tanker, 2 Explorer jump scouts, 3 Frontier gravitational survey vessels, and 3 Prospector geological survey vessels. The Baltimore, Gearing, and Iowa XR carry enough supplies for an extended five-year deployment: the Frontier, Explorer, and Prospector have enough for a two-year sortie from their mother carrier ship.'

'To co-ordinate these efforts, an Admiral on board the Baltimore command ship will be in overall command of the mission and all eleven ships, with two captains to assist him with operational and logistical matters. The flotilla is designed to minimize the chances of detection by hostile forces, and contains minimal defensive and no offensive weapons systems. Both carriers and, under most circumstances the tanker as well, will remain at the jump point of entry into the system being surveyed. Should any hostile act be witnessed, the command carrier will withdraw immediately through the jump. Any of the utility vessels not in close proximity at that time will be considered missing and presumed lost in action. In this manner, a catastrophic disaster such as befell us in Epsilon Eridani will be avoided at all costs.'

Director Rakes

'Thank you Admiral Feeser. I should emphasize that no firm decision has been made on what systems will be prioritized. This administration is strongly of the opinion that such a determination would yet be premature. We have committed to building two ESFs, or Exploration & Survey Flotillas such as the admiral just described. The first is estimated to be operational sometime very close to the 2081 election. It has been my duty to determine that we will proceed, and how, but the next director will decide where.'

'Thank you for time, and may God always bless our common human journey'.

ESF TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Baltimore-class Command Carrier

Size: 10kt
Crew: 284 + 48 for docked flight crews
Speed: 600 km/s
Fuel: 750k(7.5 months)
Cost: 1.42m

Gearing-class Survey Carrier

Size: 10kt
Crew: 158 + 148 for docked flight crews
Speed: 600 km/s
Fuel: 750k(7.5 mo.)
Cost: 1.17m

Iowa XR-class Fuel Tanker

Size: 9.7 kt
Crew: 53
Speed: 1050 km/s
Fuel: 6m
Cost: 642k

Frontier-class GravSurvey Vessel

Size: 950t
Crew: 24
Speed: 1263 km/s
Fuel: 250k(over 21 months of constant travel)
Cost: 191k

Prospector-class GeoSurvey Vessel

Size: 950t
Crew: 24
Speed: 1263 km/s
Fuel: 250k(over 21 months of constant travel)
Cost: 251k

Explorer-class Jump Scout

Size: 850t
Crew: 18
Speed: 1411 km/s
Fuel: 250k(over 21 months of constant travel)
Cost: 92k

Total per ESF: 11 ships with a combined 37.1 kt size, 675 crew, 9.5m litres of fuel, and at a cost to the treasury of 4.74m. This of course does not include the time and cost of shipyards dedicated to the production.

11-16-2014, 12:27 AM	#285
Brian Swartz Grizzled Veteran Join Date: May 2006	August 28, 2078 Director India Rakes, live from Sector Command 'Less than three weeks ago, the twentieth anniversary passed of the fateful, painful, and tragic day when Herbert Duling announced to all of us that the worst had happened in Epsilon Eridani. It has been a trying two decades. Deep trauma often lays bare our greatest passions. As we continue our efforts to honor those who sacrificed there as best we can, and move forward boldly into the future as a species, I am pleased to announce that today humanity has taken a major step forward in that struggle.' 'As most of us well recall, it was four years later that the broad outlines of a strategy to renew our push into the systems surrounding Sol were formulated, named the Fox Doctrine in honor of Herman Fox, one of the many both well known and virtually unknown who perished in the unprovoked alien attack. While there are some among us who still believe we should not go at all, such an approach dooms us to nothing but isolation and fear for the indefinite future at best, eventual annihilation at worst. We owe it to our children, grandchildren, and the generations who will come after them to confront the challenge of being a spacefaring people. We must act courageously and wisely. There is no quality future that involves shrinking into the shadows.' 'Recently I received word that the work of one our most accomplished scientists, Dr. Curtis Gloster, has been completed. A new jump drive, significantly smaller than the one the Pioneers used yet able to produce the same magnitude of space-time disruption, has been tested and certified ready. With this accomplishment, SPACE is finally ready after 16 long years to begin to put feet to our plans. The Fox Plan now moves from the planning stage to becoming a reality. I am pleased to be joined by Chief of the Navy Mitchell Feeser, who has served in that position for three years and many more to come. He is well known to be as talented as any naval officer SPACE has ever known. Chief Feeser will outline the ships that will conduct the first explorations beyond our system in nearly a quarter-century.'' Chief of the Navy Mitchell Feeser, live from Sector Command At 43, Feeser is still quite a young man for his position. Only Ellie Camble stands in SPACE annals as a more respected naval officer. 'What I am about to describe to you has been dubbed Operation Renewal. Renewal will be the most complicated operation SPACE Command has ever conducted. Great care and expense has been taken to minimize the danger to the servicemen and servicewomen involved, and to maximize success of the mission. The objective of Operation Renewal is to conduct detailed surveys of any incompletely mapped star system. These surveys will include any evidence of alien life past or present, TN mineral deposits, jump point locations to other systems, and where those jump points if any lead to. ' 'For this mission, five new ship classes have been designed, and they will recieve support from sixth already in use. The 850-ton Explorer-class scout will be our first entry into any system without any current human prescence. The Explorer is the tip of the spear, so to speak, and will jump in, briefly scan the area around the jump point, and then jump back out a few minutes later. In this manner minimal exposure to danger by the rest of the ships will be achieved. Slightly larger are two 950-ton vessels. The Frontier-class gravitational survey vessel will be responsible from surveying all potential jump point locations in a system, and the Prospector-class geological survey vessel will investigate any planets, moons, asteroids, comets, etc. for any mineral deposits and/or signs of alien life.' 'These three types of utility vessels will be housed in one of two new classes of carrier ships, each 10kt in size. The first is the Gearing Survey Carrier. The Gearing has over half its size devoted to hangar storage, and can maintain two of each class and their crews. Secondly, the Baltimore Command Carrier will house one Frontier and one Prospector, and will serve as the nerve center of the flotilla. It has military-grade passive sensors of the same quality as are stationed on the Nimitz and Brooklyn combat ships, the jump drive required for transit of the larger ships betweens systems, and also quarters and equipment for a command staff to oversee the operation. Finally, an Iowa fuel tanker equipped for extended deployment time, hereafter known as the Iowa XR variant, will accompany the carriers to refuel them. They carry minimal reserves in an effort to maximize hangar space. This leaves the flotilla composition at 1 Baltimore Command Carrier, 1 Gearing Survey Carrier, 1 Iowa fuel tanker, 2 Explorer jump scouts, 3 Frontier gravitational survey vessels, and 3 Prospector geological survey vessels. The Baltimore, Gearing, and Iowa XR carry enough supplies for an extended five-year deployment: the Frontier, Explorer, and Prospector have enough for a two-year sortie from their mother carrier ship.' 'To co-ordinate these efforts, an Admiral on board the Baltimore command ship will be in overall command of the mission and all eleven ships, with two captains to assist him with operational and logistical matters. The flotilla is designed to minimize the chances of detection by hostile forces, and contains minimal defensive and no offensive weapons systems. Both carriers and, under most circumstances the tanker as well, will remain at the jump point of entry into the system being surveyed. Should any hostile act be witnessed, the command carrier will withdraw immediately through the jump. Any of the utility vessels not in close proximity at that time will be considered missing and presumed lost in action. In this manner, a catastrophic disaster such as befell us in Epsilon Eridani will be avoided at all costs.' Director Rakes 'Thank you Admiral Feeser. I should emphasize that no firm decision has been made on what systems will be prioritized. This administration is strongly of the opinion that such a determination would yet be premature. We have committed to building two ESFs, or Exploration & Survey Flotillas such as the admiral just described. The first is estimated to be operational sometime very close to the 2081 election. It has been my duty to determine that we will proceed, and how, but the next director will decide where.' 'Thank you for time, and may God always bless our common human journey'. ESF TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Baltimore-class Command Carrier Size: 10kt Crew: 284 + 48 for docked flight crews Speed: 600 km/s Fuel: 750k(7.5 months) Cost: 1.42m Gearing-class Survey Carrier Size: 10kt Crew: 158 + 148 for docked flight crews Speed: 600 km/s Fuel: 750k(7.5 mo.) Cost: 1.17m Iowa XR-class Fuel Tanker Size: 9.7 kt Crew: 53 Speed: 1050 km/s Fuel: 6m Cost: 642k Frontier-class GravSurvey Vessel Size: 950t Crew: 24 Speed: 1263 km/s Fuel: 250k(over 21 months of constant travel) Cost: 191k Prospector-class GeoSurvey Vessel Size: 950t Crew: 24 Speed: 1263 km/s Fuel: 250k(over 21 months of constant travel) Cost: 251k Explorer-class Jump Scout Size: 850t Crew: 18 Speed: 1411 km/s Fuel: 250k(over 21 months of constant travel) Cost: 92k Total per ESF: 11 ships with a combined 37.1 kt size, 675 crew, 9.5m litres of fuel, and at a cost to the treasury of 4.74m. This of course does not include the time and cost of shipyards dedicated to the production.