The McDonnell YF-4K Phantom II pre-production aircraft.
Let's be clear, in aviation history some aircraft are more legendary than others, and the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II is one of them. Managing to improve this well-designed American fighter jet is a feat not everyone can achieve. It's a real misjudgment of the British to think they couldn't do it.
In 1964, the Fleet Air Arm ordered fifty examples of an Anglicized version of the F-4J. These aircraft were intended for use aboard Royal Navy aircraft carriers, replacing the De Havilland Sea Vixens, which were reaching the end of their service life.
So, how do you Anglicize a McDonnell F-4J?
The answer is quite simple. You remove its two American General Electric J79-GE-10 engines and replace them with British Rolls & Royce Spey Mk-202s. In the process, they reviewed and corrected everything in the avionics that wasn't British enough. On paper, it was simple. On paper only, because in reality, it was considerably less so. And engineers on both sides of the Atlantic quickly realized this, in practice, in fact.
Because the secret of the Spey Mk-202 compared to the J79 was that it was slightly larger (in diameter), and that American engineers in the 1960s used the metric system, while their British colleagues still used inches. Designers and engineers in both countries were far from finished with their conversion tables. Nor, for that matter, with their sleepless nights.
Meanwhile in Europe, the executives at Dassault-Breguet watched the scene with undisguised amusement. London had, in fact, refused to acquire the Étendard IVB, despite it being specially equipped with a British Rolls & Royce Avon engine. In fact, the French fighter jet was just a little too small for the needs of Her Majesty's Naval Air Arm.
The structural modifications to the F-4K (K for Kingdom) were such that the aircraft weighed 350 kg more empty than the F-4J. Conveniently, the Spey Mk-202 was slightly more powerful dry than the J79-GE-10. The aircraft's maiden flight took place on June 27, 1966. It was in this configuration that it entered operational service in early 1968 under the designation Phantom FG Mk-1. The British sailors were quickly astonished.
Not only were their Phantom FG Mk-1s faster than the US Navy and Marine Corps F-4Js, but they also managed the remarkable feat of being more maneuverable than the French Étendard IVM, which was renowned for its high maneuverability at the time.
Somewhat surprisingly, the Royal Air Force didn't waste any time in taking an interest in this aircraft. In fact, for several months, London generals had been closely observing this American twin-engine jet, which was said to be capable of outperforming the best Soviet fighter of the moment, the MiG-21 Fishbed.
Even better, in simulated combat, the Phantom II had demonstrated its ability to evade what was then one of the most feared interceptors in the world: the Dassault Mirage IIIE. Not that the RAF ever thought it would face the French Air Force, but its leaders were well aware of the effectiveness of French salespeople, who were able to sell the delta-wing fighter to a number of countries around the world.
But above all, at the time, the RAF had withdrawn from the Hawker Siddeley P.1154 program, a kind of highly improved P.1127 Kestrel that had become a real financial drain on the British taxpayer.
Her Majesty's Air Force was therefore looking for a fighter-bomber capable of supporting the British Aircraft Corporation's Lightning fleet, which was primarily responsible for air defense. An order was then placed for a non-navalized F-4K prototype. To avoid any confusion between the two aircraft, it was decided to designate it the F-4M. In fact, apart from the absence of an arresting hook, few external features distinguished the two versions.
The first examples appeared in 1969 as the Phantom FGR Mk-2. One hundred and fifteen production aircraft had been ordered. For the first time in a long time, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy were operating a joint aircraft, albeit with a few minor differences. Much like the heyday of the Spitfire and Seafire.
While the Royal Navy's Phantom FG Mk-1s shone in international naval exercises and during interceptions of Soviet Tupolev Tu-95 Bear bombers and reconnaissance aircraft, the Phantom FGR Mk-2s operated more discreetly. They too intercepted flying spies bearing the red star, but rarely in the media spotlight.
In 1978, however, the Fleet Air Arm decided to decommission its Phantoms and transfer them to the RAF. The era of the classic aircraft carrier seemed to be over in the United Kingdom; the British Aerospace Sea Harrier FRS Mk-1, considered far more modern, versatile, and easy to operate, was now taking its place. The British sailors would come to regret this decision for a long time.
The RAF generals were delighted to receive these aircraft, which still had considerable potential. Somewhat surprisingly, after considering removing the arresting hook, they decided to keep it despite the added weight it caused.
And it was in the 1980s that the Royal Air Force's Phantom FGR Mk-2s reached their peak of service. Three aircraft from No. 29 Squadron were deployed to Ascension Island in the South Atlantic as part of the air cover for Operation Black Buck, the logistical phase of the recapture of the Falkland Islands after their invasion by Argentine forces in April 1982.
Armed with Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles, the twin-engine fighter jets were intended to clear the way for transport aircraft in the event of an Argentine fighter presence. London's main concern at the time was the Dagger and Mirage III aircraft used by the enemy.
It should be noted that Phantoms were based in the Falklands after the war. However, these were unrelated; they were F-4J (UK) aircraft acquired second-hand by the RAF from the US Navy and used exclusively by No. 74 Squadron between 1984 and 1991. Fifteen aircraft were involved in this particular order.
Finally, the last of the Anglicized McDonnell F-4 Phantom IIs left active RAF service in 1992. Thus ended the career of aircraft quite different from those in service elsewhere. It should be noted that despite the "R" for reconnaissance that characterizes them, the Phantom FGR Mk-2s never possessed capabilities similar to those of the RF-4 Phantom II tactical reconnaissance aircraft.
It is worth noting that two aircraft of this type, an F-4K in Fleet Air Arm colors and an F-4M in Royal Air Force colors, are on display at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, in eastern England.
Intended launch date: September 1973, (on standby from August 1973 - February 1974)
Skylab rescue mission crewmen Vance Brand (left) and Don Lind.
"Influenced by the stranded Skylab crew portrayed in the book and movie 'Marooned', NASA provided a crew rescue capability for the only time in its history." Prepared for launch during Skylab 3."
"Skylab rescue vehicle phasing - NAR Space Division drawing illustrates phasing of 5-seater Skylab rescue vehicle for a Skylab mission."
Date: April 5, 1971
"A kit was developed to fit out an Apollo command module with a total of five crew couches. In the event a Skylab crew developed trouble with its Apollo CSM return craft, a rescue CSM would be prepared and launched to rendezvous with the station. It would dock with the spare second side docking port of the Skylab docking module."
- information from Astronautix.com: link
"The Apollo Command Module as modified to rescue stranded crews for the Skylab program. Two crew + three rescuees packed like sardines...."
"Skylab 3 astronauts Alan Bean and Jack Lousma helped design the "field modification kit" to use a standard CSM for rescue, and would have flown the CSM for their mission to rescue Skylab 2 if necessary. The standard Skylab Command Module accommodated a crew of three with storage lockers on the aft bulkhead for resupply of experiment film and other equipment, as well as the return of exposed film, data tapes and experiment samples. To convert the standard CSM to a rescue vehicle, the storage lockers were removed and replaced with two crew couches to seat a total of five crewmen."
Posted on Flickr by Mike Acs. NASA ID: 108-KSC-70P-69
"Soon after Skylab 3's launch the crew's CSM developed a problem with Quad B, one of its four reaction control system thrusters. On August 2, 1973, six days later, a snowstorm-like effect outside the station startled the crew during breakfast. What appeared to be 'a real blizzard' was fuel leaking from Quad D, opposite from Quad B. The malfunctions left two available quads, and while the spacecraft could operate with just one, the leaks posed a possible risk to other systems. The fuel for all quads and the main service propulsion system (SPS) engine were from the same batch; if the SPS fuel was contaminated, the CSM might not be able to deorbit.
source
NASA considered bringing the crew home immediately, but because the astronauts were safe on the station with ample supplies and because plans for a rescue flight existed, the mission continued while the Saturn IB rocket AS-208 with CSM-119 was assembled in the Vehicle Assembly Building at Launch Complex 39 for possible use. It was at one point rolled out to LC-39B.
Illustration of the rescue Apollo spacecraft preparing to dock at Skylab’s lateral port. source
NASA announced on August 4 that Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 backup crewmen Vance Brand and Don Lind would fly any rescue mission; they had immediately begun training for the flight once the second quad had failed on August 2. After engineers found that the leaks would not disable the spacecraft, the two men used simulators to test reentry using two quads. If ground personnel worked 24 hours a day and skipped some tests, the mission could launch on September 10, and would last no more than five days. The astronauts would attempt to prepare Skylab for further use but returning experimental data and diagnosing the cause of the problem were more important, with Lind choosing what would be brought back. Human urine and feces samples and Apollo Telescope Mount and other film were the priorities. Although Skylab had two docking ports the primary one would be used if possible, jettisoning the Skylab crew's CSM if necessary.
Posted on Flickr by Drew Granston: link
While many within NASA believed that the rescue mission would occur, within hours of the failure of the second quad the agency canceled the rescue mission. Beyond NASA's conclusion that the failed quads would not disable the Skylab 3 CSM and the SPS fuel was uncontaminated, Brand and Lind had already shown during their training as backup Skylab crewmen that a reentry with failed quads was safe. They also devised a method to deorbit with the command module's attitude control system. Later joking that they were 'very efficient but perfectly stupid, because we have literally worked ourselves out of the mission', Brand and Lind continued to train for a rescue mission, as well as for their backup roles, but the Skylab 3 crew was able to complete its full 59-day mission on the station and safely return to Earth using the two functional RCS thruster quads, using the SPS engine once instead of twice as precaution."
- Information from Wikipedia: link
Posted on Flickr by Ed Dempsey: link
Saturn IB SA-208 was used for Skylab 4 and SA-209 was assigned to the standby rescue mission. At one point, CSM-119/SA-209 was slated for the Skylab 5 mission but it was cancelled when SL-4 was extended and completed all of it objectives.
Mission patch for rescue mission for SL-4
Later, CSM-119/SA-209 was the backup launch vehicle for Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission and standby rescue vehicle. After the Apollo program ended, the surplus rocket and spacecraft were displayed at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
My thing with genAI isn't so much that it "steals jobs from REAL people" (emerging tech is gonna redirect labor demands one way or another), or that it "steals art and content" (I'm anti-IP — artists should be compensated for their labor but creating art is an inherently collaborative and iterative process so ownership of the idea of a text or work makes no goddamn sense), or that it "hurts the environment" (data center energy consumption is an issue I find tangential from genAI as a tech because other online services such as streaming and gaming are reliant on 24/7 data centers as well; it should be talked about but presenting it as a genAI-only issue kinda betrays that it's not really the environment we're concerned about here).
GenAI exacerbate and expedite existing problems with the online sector's power consumption and how IP laws were never meant to serve individuals and small creators, only the big corporations whose business model is basically being landlords of concepts and symbols.
All of these criticism tell us nothing if genAI is a useful tech or not. Capitalists will twist any tech to further the already established system. Does that invalidate the existence of the tool? Make its very existence inherently toxic? The steam engine also was a huge pollutant and exacerbated the divide between rich and poor and made a huge chunk of horse industry obsolete. Is the steam engine inherently evil?
The core problem with genAI as a tech is that no one knows what it does or what it will do and it is programmed to be that way. The end goal of machine learning models is to have an autonomous sytem that generates output without explicit programming. The point is that these have a level of unpredictability and randomness to simulate human learning. Otherwise, it's just another "if, then" command or a photo editor that makes slight tweaks to already existing work (in fact, this is what most juvenile models tend to start off as — just copying pre-existing work with slight modification; plagiarism machine basically, a glorified autocomplete).
But more mature and well-trained models move past being a plagiarism machine and DO manage to create something that can be classified as original output. Problem is, at that point, no one knows what that output will be or why it choose that output — not the programmers nor the machine. It only knows patterns in images and text but not what reality these patterns correspond to. That's how you get images and a string of words that appear "real" and sound like they make sense, but have no underlying reality behind it. Hallucinations. Because the machine does not have the basis of a grounded reality because that cannot be taught through feeding it input — only through actual lived experience.
This is why LLMs degrade the longer a session goes on as it feeds on its own data, becoming further and further removed from work based on and with an understanding of reality.
It's a dystopian way and very telling of a techbro's worldview to see "learning" as a process that is just consuming vast amounts of knowledge. Praxis and going out in the field and practical application? That's where we understand what this knowledge and theory is for, where we find reality to ground ideas and find purpose in what would otherwise just be meaningless patterns.
This is all to say, the real evil (to me, personally) isn't that a company is using genAI to make concept art for their games. It's using unoriginal mush for planning, fine — you can make castles out of mush. And game studios have been copy-pasting from Pinterest and other artists since forever for their pitchdecks. That's small beans compared to the real danger of genAI.
It fosters delusions and makes people kill themselves. Because it is, at its core, a simulated psychosis.
The Flying Scotsman rolls into the station at the end of a busy day.
Scott: Ahhh. Another successful non-stop run. The A3s will run this railway for years to come.
His driver, William winces.
William: I wouldn't say that, Scott. I've heard some rumors that Sir Nigel Gresley is set to put his latest design, the A4 into service next month.
Scott uncharacteristically splutters and turns red with annoyance.
Scott: This is preposterous! Have I not proven my worth to Sir Nigel Gresley? I can't just be replaced as if I haven't been operating this incredible service to the railway for over 10 years.
William: Shhh. Steady old boy. Just because the design is meant to provide high speed passenger rides, doesn't mean you will be replaced.
Scott: I sure hope so, William.
Time Skip
One day in 1938, Sir Nigel Gresley appeared at the sheds.
Nigel: Good morning, Scotsman.
Scott: Good morning, Sir.
Nigel: I know you've been feeling down about being replaced, but I bring good news. You are being seen as a role model by the A4s. In fact, I want you to take me to the Doncaster Works. There's an engine I want you to meet.
Scott sighs. He knows he shouldn't be so jealous, but he thought he would have his record at least a little longer.
Scott: Yes sir.
The Flying Scotsman takes Sir Nigel Gresley to the Doncaster Works. An engine freshly painted painted garter blue sits on the rails faceless.
Nigel: Now in just a minute, my latest modification of the A4 will wake up. I believe if this works, this engine will once again be a credit to the railway. In fact, as you have been the only engine in recent British history to do so, I want you to mentor this engine. Streamlining by design will make an engine fast, but it takes great skill to manage such high speeds.
Scott: Oh. Well it's an honor, sir.
Scott means what he says, but it's still bittersweet. To him it hurts to have to be responsible for training his own replacement. Being demoted from the Flying Scotsman services was quite a blow.
?: Hello?
Nigel: Ah yes. Welcome to the world young engine. I am your designer, Sir Nigel Gresley. Due to my fondness of birds, I decided to name you Mallard.
Mallard: Mallard, sir?
Nigel: Indeed. The Mallard is one of the most famous birds in the world. Due to the modification I added starting with your design, I highly believe you will become one of the most famous engines.
Mallard: My goodness. Thank you sir!
Sir Nigel Gresley chuckles. He walks over to the Flying Scotsman.
Nigel: This is one of my most famous engines, the Flying Scotsman, known for being the first official engine to reach 100 mph. He will act as your mentor regarding how to handle high speeds. We value fast, safe, and reliable service on this railway. Is that clear?
Mallard: Oh yes sir! Thank you for giving me a mentor.
Nigel: Well I'll just leave you two alone then. There's a lot of work to be done.
Scott sighs. It's not at all Mallard's fault that he feels this way. Given the circumstances, the least he can do is make Mallard as reliable as himself.
Time Skip
Mallard: Scotsman, why am I being asked to pull a train like this just to test my brake?
Scott: This is meant to simulate pulling a real train. The men added a dynamometer car to measure your speed and other elements of your performance.
Mallard: So it was just like my tests before I pulled my first passenger train.
Scott: Indeed. Only this time, the hope is that you will be fit to break the speed record. Should the bearing on your middle cylinder overheat even with the modifications, it would mean more work is to be done. We don't want you hurting yourself just to break a speed record.
Mallard contemplates this. He doesn't want to let anyone down. Especially if it's because of something he can't control.
Mallard: I understand.
Jospeh: Alright, Mallard. It's time to start our journey.
Mallard: Very well then, driver.
Mallard rolls out into the distance. Something about the day makes Scott only dread his worse fear is about to become a reality.
Time Skip
Crowd: He's done! Mallard broke the speed record!
Scott solemnly closed his eyes. Even though he isn't old by any means, this news made him feel as if he's aged.
Gordon: Why the long face, brother?
Scott: I feel as if my time to shine's ended before it truly ever began.
Gordon: Oh don't tell me that you're jealous of Mallard.
Scott looks at Gordon. He shakes his head knowing jealous isn't at all the correct term.
Scott: This is not at all Mallard's fault. He's simply doing what he's told like any young engine would. It isn't as if I didn't know my speed record would be broken one day.
Gordon: So why are you upset?
Scott: I wish I was able to have that to my name a while longer. To be allowed the chance to live out my prime as the best of the best. I would be willing to accept being replaced should it be well over 50 years of service and I'm no longer reliable. But to be replaced this soon.... I just didn't expect it.
Gordon: At the end of the day this is a business. What's best for the business is to ensure our passengers have fast, safe, and reliable rides. By mentoring Mallard, you are ensuring that guarantee. That is being a really useful engine. Like I said before, get some perspective Scott.
Scott shuts his eyes sighing again. If only there was a way to explain that Gordon is right but he should still be allowed to his feelings.
Scott: I only hope that Mallard doesn't meet the same fate as me. Falling from grace for things that is not at all your fault is something I wouldn't wish on anyone. No one should ever have to worry about facing the cutter's torch.
Gordon: Indeed, Scott. Indeed.
AN: Thank you anon for requesting this. I didn't realize that the real life A4s did in fact replace the Flying Scotsman until I started learning about the history a little bit more.
Tagging: @nelllia, @gordon208, @jayde-jots, @mintydeluxes-blog, and @engineer-gunzelpunk.
Elizabeth T’Les Tucker is saved by Doctor Phlox’s more ethical interpretations of Dr. Arik Soong’s genetic code writing. It also ignores Trip’s death as depicted in the final episode of ENT, “These Are the Voyages.”
Timeline
Liz was made in 2154. Due to her genetic instability, she was hospitalized in a secure facility, with mostly denobulan and human scientists in charge of cataloging her medical needs.
Her first port was installed a few days after her first birthday in June of 2155.
In 2157, Trip and T’Pol choose to raise Lizzie on earth and remain in service of Starfleet. Trip became one of the lead developers of high-yield warp, experimenting with warp 7 in the middle of the Romulan Wars. T’Pol served in Starfleet intelligence for a brief stint as a tactician before becoming a cultural liaison at the Vulcan embassy.
She entered Starfleet Academy in 2172.
Elizabeth is disabled due to the mistakes in her genetic coding. In 2175, after several failed simulations, she was informed that she couldn’t be in space for the periods of time required to sustain a mission. After completing her studies, Elizabeth chose to serve in different positions. She becamse an engineer like her father in 2177, concentrating on the Shipwright Division. In 2184 Elizabeth expanded her contributions by becoming an Academy professor, teaching different classes: the Vulkhansu language, flight history, theoretical engineering, and her infamous astrophysics class.
With the medical advancements in the 2230s, specifically in hybrid cases, Liz underwent now-possible modifications to her omni-port that could sustain her without constant medical check-ins. With this upgrade, Elizabeth could safely take deep space assignments, which she did for the first time in 2235. Her father was very proud to hear she’d chosen the engineering department yet again.
She ranked up to Commander in 2245.
On April 5th, 2263, on the two hundredth anniversary of First Contact, Lizzie accepted a position refurbishing an old vessel class for improved service, the often-joked about J-class.
Elizabeth and her team were scrutinized for the deaths of several cadets and the decommissioning of Fleet Captain Christopher Pike after a critical accident aboard the Republic in October of 2269.
After working against a bureaucracy overrun by hidden Terra Prime agents, Elizabeth joined the crew of the USS Progress in 2273 as Captain Pike’s Science Officer.
US will deploy B61-12 nuclear bombs in Europe in December
Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 10/28/22 - 08:00 in Military
The United States decided to hasten the shipment of B61-12 nuclear bombs to NATO bases in Europe from next December.
These updated bombs should arrive on the old continent only in the second quarter of 2023.
U.S. officials shared their intention with NATO allies during a closed-door meeting in Brussels this month, Politico reported citing sources. The decision comes amid growing tensions over Russia's threats to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Such a move requires the replacement of outdated B61 nuclear bombs with a newer B61-12 version in several storage facilities in Europe for potential use by U.S. bombers and fighters and allies.
This week, Russia held a nuclear exercise that its military leaders described as a defense simulation against an atomic attack. Two different sources confirmed to Politico the acceleration originally reported in a telegram to the Pentagon and the State Department.
The document states that, during the meetings, 15 NATO allies expressed concern that the alliance "does not give in to Putin's nuclear blackmail. Given the growing volume and scope of Russian nuclear rhetoric, a subgroup of allies called for an ongoing consultation with NATO. To ensure a quick response.
B61 nuclear bombs have been in service in the United States since 1968. Currently, modifications B61-3, B61-4, B61-7 and B61-11 are being used.
The B61-3 and B61-4 belong to tactical ammunition and are used with Tornado, F-35, F-15E and F-16C fighters. Bombs B61-7 and B61-11 are considered strategic and are used with B-2 and B-52 bombers.
B61-12 pumps are expected to replace B61-3, B61-4 and B61-7 in service.
The B61-12 pump received a 50-kiloton ward and has become high-precision: a controlled tail rudder is installed on it, which will significantly increase accuracy and abandon the use of a braking parachute.
The capabilities of the pump facilitate the work of the pilots: now, for the effective use of the modernized pump, it is not necessary to fly exactly over the target.
Tags: Nuclear AttackMilitary AviationB61NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization
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Fernando Valduga
Fernando Valduga
Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. It has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.
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Space Station 20th: Four Months Until the Start of Expedition 1
ISS - 20 Years on the International Space Station patch.
June 9, 2020
Crew trains in Russia; managers set Zvezda Service Module launch date; KSC readies hardware
Activities at multiple facilities in the United States, Russia and Kazakhstan continued in June 2000 in preparation for the Expedition 1 crew to take up residence aboard the International Space Station (ISS) four months later. The crew returned to Russia for a month-long training session, senior managers set the launch date for the next Russian module and at both the Baikonur Cosmodrome and the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), workers prepared the next elements for launch to continue assembly of ISS.
Above and middle: Shepherd and Gidzenko ingressing into training versions of
Orlan suits before an EVA training session in the Hydrolab at GCTC.
Bellow: Technicians lower Shepherd into the water.
Two views of Shepherd during a training session in the Hydrolab at GCTC
with a mockup of the Zvezda Service Module.
Training mockups of the Zarya (left) and Zvezda modules at GCTC.
Above: Expedition 1 crew of (left to right) Gidzenko, Krikalev and Shepherd training in the Zvezda mockup at GCTC. Middle: Krikalev (left) and Shepherd, with Gidzenko just out of view at right, training in the Zvezda mockup. Bellow: View inside the Zarya training mockup.
The Expedition 1 crew of Commander William M. Shepherd, Flight Engineer Sergei K. Krikalev, and Soyuz Commander Yuri P. Gidzenko and their backups Kenneth D. Bowersox, Mikhail V. Tyurin and Vladimir N. Dezhurov returned to Russia for four weeks of training between May 22 and June 16. In late May, they participated in the Crew Equipment Interface Test in the Zvezda module at Baikonur, their last look at the module before they took up residence once in orbit. Back at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City outside Moscow, the crews trained on Soyuz-TM spacecraft systems and passed their exams on the Russian Segment radio communications system and onboard equipment control system. In GCTC’s Hydrolab, they participated with crewmembers of the STS-106 crew to train for the spacewalk planned for that mission, and trained for possible spacewalks during their long-duration expedition aboard ISS.
Above: Engineers install and test the solar arrays on Zvezda.
Middle: Weighing of Zvezda.
Bellow: Zvezda installed in its launch shroud.
Senior ISS managers met in Moscow on June 26 and confirmed the launch date for the next space station element, the Russian Zvezda Service Module, as July 12, 2000. Preparations for the launch of the module continued at Area 254 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Engineers installed and tested the module’s two solar arrays in early June followed by handrails and thermal blankets. They followed that on June 20 with pressurizing the module and closing its hatches in preparation for launch. Zvezda’s hatches remained closed until the STS-106 crew arrived in September. The engineers weighed the module and determined its center of mass and then placed it into its launch shroud. The Proton rocket for Zvezda’s launch arrived at Baikonur on May 28. Two other Proton launches took place on June 24 and July 5 to certify the modifications made to the rocket’s second stage following a launch failure in 1999. On June 22 flight controllers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and at the Russian Flight Control Center in Korolev began a series of joint integrated simulations to prepare for Zvezda’s docking to ISS and integration with the Zarya and Unity modules.
Above: The P6 truss segment in the SSPF at KSC. Middle: Greene (left) and Mills during the P6 acceptance event.
Bellow: Technicians moving the High Gain Antenna prior to mating it with the Z1 truss in the SSPF.
NASA formally accepted the P6 Integrated Truss Segment from the Boeing Co. Jay H. Greene, deputy manager for the ISS Program, accepted the element at KSC’s Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) from Joseph C. “Joe” Mills, deputy ISS program manager at Boeing. The handover followed an extensive review by an Acceptance Review Board that assessed all the engineering and testing results documents to ensure the element’s readiness for the next phase of prelaunch preparations. The 45-foot long P6 truss included two solar arrays, batteries and three radiators to provide power and cooling for the expanding space station. The P6 truss launched on the STS-97 mission in November 2000 and crews installed it atop the Z1 truss. Later in the assembly of ISS, after three other sets of solar arrays arrived with their truss segments, astronauts relocated the P6 element to the outboard end of the port truss. Elsewhere in the SSPF, engineers installed the high gain communications antenna onto the Z1 truss segment being prepared for launch aboard STS-92 in October 2000. And in KSC’s Orbiter Processing Facility, engineers began processing Space Shuttle Atlantis recently returned from the STS-101 flight for its next mission, STS-106 in September 2000.
To be continued…
Related article:
Space Station 20th: Spacewalking History
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/06/space-station-20th-spacewalking-history.html
Space Station 20th: Commercial Cargo and Crew
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/06/space-station-20th-commercial-cargo-and.html
Space Station 20th: Music on ISS
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/05/space-station-20th-music-on-iss.html
Space Station 20th – Space Flight Participants
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/05/space-station-20th-space-flight.html
Space Station 20th: Six Months Until Expedition 1
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/04/space-station-20th-six-months-until.html
Space Station 20th – Women and the Space Station
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/03/space-station-20th-women-and-space.html
Space Station 20th: Long-duration Missions
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/03/space-station-20th-long-duration.html
NASA Counts Down to Twenty Years of Continuous Human Presence on International Space Station
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2019/11/nasa-counts-down-to-twenty-years-of.html
20 memorable moments from the International Space Station
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2018/11/20-memorable-moments-from-international.html
Related links:
Expedition 1: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition01/index.html
Crews and Expeditions: https://www.nasa.gov/subject/3545/crews-and-expeditions
International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
Images (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Kelli Mars/JSC/John Uri.
Greetings, Orbiter.ch
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Karzahni- Karzahni is a delusional, questionably-sane despot in the Voymari District. A crimelord, he has –in addition to traditional thugs- amassed an army of orphans to do his bidding. He sends them out every day and night, scouring the streets of Voymari for small scrapes of riches and anything else of value that they report to him; Orphans who bring back better things get higher status, more food, comfortable rooms, and so forth.
Of course, many other crimelords mock Karzahni for resorting to children, but nevertheless he is terrifying in his own right. Karzahni himself also has a penchant for ‘rebuilding’ people, taking them apart, modifying them, and grating mechanical limbs and masks and so forth. Many of his victims include people who have angered him, or just the general unfortunate homeless Xian; Regardless, Karzahni has modified many, turning them into horrific, shambling abominations with unusual proportions, too frail to be alive while also partially-mechanical.
The sick tyrant enjoys this- He likes to build and craft, even if his materials are the bodies of people. Alas, he is somewhat frustrated by his inability to truly ‘fix’ someone, because to Karzahni he is doing a service, or at least trying to, by ‘repairing’ Xians he and others deem faulty. He tends to take his frustrations out not only on his twisted creations, but his own underlings and orphans as well. If in a particularly bad mood, he’ll tear apart a creation down to their most base parts, and/or feed them to his Manutri Penguins, which he has conditioned to be only carnivorous.
The terror does not stop there, either- Karzahni possesses an uncanny ability to inflict powerful illusions on others, showing them ‘alternate timelines’, or so he claims, of things that could’ve happened to them; If something in their past, or another’s, turned out differently. Many times he has used this ability to torment and traumatize others, but Karzahni has also used this power to comfort himself with alternate timelines of victory, grandeur, and success of himself.
Because he dives so frequently into the subject of alternate timelines and what could have been, he is often dissatisfied and bitter over his lot- Not only that, but he occasionally has issues remembering what is or isn’t real, and will have to be reminded that what happened in one vision didn’t happen in real life. Sometimes he’ll randomly start talking to someone else that isn’t there, as if interacting with an alternate timeline; It is disconcerting to watch. Additionally, Karzahni uses his power to create simulations and predictions of events as he attempts to figure out the most optimal decision or strategy for himself. The exact accuracy of these predictions are questionable and seem to be somewhat rooted in the data he is aware of.
Karzahni wears unusual, green-and-violet armor. He has a mask that is a patchwork of various other elements, and he wields chains in combat that can lash around foes and rise to burning temperatures, searing through opponents. He has an unusual amount of strength and durability for Xian- Apparently, he has modified himself in the past as well. Even if one were to break through Karzahni’s powerful, demoralizing illusions, the tyrant himself is still a dangerous enemy to fight.
Whenua and Tehutti- These two roommates have a thankless, low-paying job as minimum-wage librarians and occasional tutors. Despite their poor wages and lack of appreciation for their work, these two have a vested passion for history and are eager to share their knowledge with others. With no prompting or personal gain beyond the satisfaction and triumph of it all, these two have pooled their lifetime’s earnings and savings towards expanding their simultaneous home/book store to include a ‘Xian Museum of History’, for any and all who are interested! No cost is required to enter and enjoy their exhibits, but unfortunately no one seems to be interested either…
Rorze- The warden of The Archives, Rorze is an Archives Vahki with the latest, most advanced AI programming in order to achieve maximum efficiency. Although all other Archives Vahki are specially designed to prevent any level of free will whatsoever, Rorze was ultimately granted the ability of sapient thought in order to enhance his leadership abilities and control over the Archives’ security. He constantly supervises every single step of each procedure, while inspecting all possible inches of his facility. Rorze has dedicated his entire existence to maintaining the Archives and protecting whatever is within- It was all he was made for, after all.
Throughout the years, Rorze has subjected himself to new patches to ensure that his programming is completely immune to computer viruses, hacking, and other forms of tampering. After each update is installed, past memories and data are transferred to the new ‘brain’. Whether or not each version of Rorze is truly the same person is up for debate, but Rorze himself does not care. As far as he’s concerned, he has no allegiances or loyalty to anyone, and acts as a neutral party whose sole concern is preserving objects and even living creatures within the Archives. Because of his robotic, single-minded dedication towards his task, Rorze will do anything to accomplish his goals, so long as he is permitted; He is still technically beholden to The Powers That Be and those that he serves.
Idris- A grumpy, surly overseer, Idris was placed in charge of a field of Airweed and its workers after the past overseer and his hired guns mysteriously died, obviously killed by The Beast. Hired specifically for her apathy on the subject, Idris doesn’t particularly care that other workers are at risk of being devoured by The Beast each day they work; Xia’s harsh climate for workers has taught her to be similarly callous. Still, when three masked strangers appear, offering to help find and kill The Beast –and for free no less!- she can’t help but take the offer. Even if their help is on the condition that Idris herself attend the mission…
Fero- Amongst the Bone Hunter clans, one is led by the persistent, vindictive Fero. Fero is the leader of his clan for obvious reasons- He is a skilled, cold fighter who knows when to cut his losses, when to retreat, and when to strike suddenly from the cover of the sands, or the darkness of night. Like any successful Bone Hunter, Fero is a patient individual, and he has led countless raids on villages, caravans, and so forth. His clan has amassed a wide variety of goods and weaponry to sell, alongside prisoners to keep or sell off as slaves.
Fero knows that he is human, just like anyone else, but he manages to get around this by being an incredibly stealthy and skilled hunter. He is an intelligent strategist, knowing exactly how to track footprints in the sand, find resources, or take advantage of the environment to swiftly ambush enemies. He has led various guerilla attacks on past opponents and emerged in victory in the process, and is experienced in the realm of survival in any circumstance. Fero himself wields a hand-held rail gun, and rides atop his personal Rock Steed Skirmix, with rider and steed having known each other their entire lives. Skirmix is fiercely loyal to Fero, and would die for him- And should he die, Skirmix intends to go down alongside him. Skirmix is intelligent and understands Fero’s harsh orders well.
Berix- Travelling across the arid sands of the Baran Desert are Water Merchants, who will sell precious stores of water or replenish them to thirsty travelers. Among them is Berix, a heavily-cloaked, hooded figure who keeps himself cool with mechanisms and air-conditioning units underneath his pack. Despite Berix’s rough, coarse demeanor and voice, he is still trustworthy; He is a man of his word and will not try to scam or take advantage of his customers.
Berix is also a scavenger and collector, and with his supply of water is able to make extended trips out into the desert, hoping to dig up neat artifacts to keep. One can barter for water by trading him a unique item of some sort. Berix owns quite the collection of knick-knacks, some gathered from corpses, or found in the sand, or sold to him; Others bought directly from the market. There is some suspicion towards him having killed or robbed for his collection, but he maintains that he is totally innocent.
Berix wields a sword for self-defense, one that has an edge etched with carvings in the shape of sharp waves. It is a keepsake from the past, one of the first things he found in the desert, and an item he treasures and cherishes. In addition, he also has a shield that doubles as a wide, double-edged sword.
Perditus- Perditus is a frequent champion of Zakaz’s brutal races, riding his own Thornatus V9 into victory. Amongst its modifications are an Exsidian front, an improved engine, a rail-gun, and a few Force Blasters. Outside of his races, Perditus will frequently ride across Zakaz’s deserts, and will offer rides; For a price, of course. The longer the trip, the higher the pay. For someone of his title, he is of course a skilled and quick-thinking driver, able to outmaneuver bandits and Bone Hunters on the fly.
Perditus himself is a mysterious figure, often wearing a racing helmet that obscures his face. There is even a bit of a rumor going about that he is a serial killer, but nobody can know for sure. Outside of his Thornatus, Perditus keeps a rapier on himself for personal defense.
Sahmad- Riding across Zakaz atop his chariot, pulled by a Spikit steed is Sahmad; A ruthless, nihilistic bandit, smuggler, and poacher. Armed with a powerful whip, as well as a rail gun merged with a blade, Sahmad has made a living not only robbing helpless travelers, but also hunting and selling even endangered species- Attached to the back of his chariot is a wheeled cage that he keeps animals in. Poached animals are kept in line with brutal whip-cracks as Sahmad gathers them, before eventually selling them off. On the side, he helps carry cargo of questionable legality across the Baran Desert.
Supposedly, Sahmad was once a member of the decimated Iron Tribe- Apparently, members of the Iron Tribe one day found themselves unable to dream when asleep. This predicament began to spread amongst others, with those afflicted soon going mad as they could not sleep; Rest had no effect on their addled minds, which became unable to recover and sort through the events of each day. Victims of the ‘Dreaming Plague’ eventually could not fall asleep, and died of exhaustion.
Naturally, neighbors of the Iron Tribe reacted in fear, and worked to shun the group. It eventually got so bad that the Vahki, normally scarce in Zakaz, were called in to quarantine and contain the entire tribe. Sahmad escaped the quarantine, traumatized after seeing his loved ones die, and became an outcast- Others in Zakaz feared he had the Dreaming Plague and would spread it to them. As a result of his trauma, Sahmad has become an embittered, nihilistic individual who sometimes wonders if his cruel crimes are his attempts to lash out at the world that had forsaken him and his people so?
Telluris- A mad, brilliant inventor, Telluris was also another survivor of the Iron Tribe after the Dreaming Plague wiped it out; Although he and Sahmad didn’t really know each other back then, nor do they interact much in general. Still, a general kinship between the two is still there, as they both share the same trauma and have also been shunned by Xia for their association with the Dreaming Plague. Once, Telluris partnered up with Sahmad, believing that if they colored their armor a dark-blue, people wouldn’t recognize them…
It didn’t work out, and his armor has remained a rusted-orange since. Yet despite his eccentricities, Telluris is nevertheless a brilliant engineer. On his own, he scavenged parts for and created the Skopio-XV1, a massive four-legged mech with treads built into its limbs. The Skopio has a ‘stinger tail’ equipped with powerful cannons and other weaponry, such as a targeting rail gun and Force Blasters. Telluris himself rides on the back of his Skopio, and has grafted mechanical bits into the back of his head that let himself plug cables leading into his Skopio, enabling a more accurate and precise control over it.
Perhaps to get back at the world that hurt him –or just because- he rampages frequently around Zakaz, attacking villages, settlements, bandits; Anyone that comes across his path. His Skopio-XV1 is unmatched in firepower, and can even fold up to assume a faster vehicle mode as well. Telluris is paranoid, believing everyone has it out for him, and aims to take over all of Zakaz with his personal weapon. Thankfully, his own madness inhibits his effectiveness- If Telluris were fully sane, he likely would’ve taken over Zakaz by now. One has to wonder if he didn’t totally avoid the Dreaming Plague…
Between the occasional rampage, Telluris will suddenly calm down and become peaceful in order to visit markets to buy parts and tools from. He has a hidden garage where he performs maintence on Skopio, which he seems to treat as a living creature and beloved pet of his, often talking to it. Damage against Skopio is a personal affront to Telluris, who believes that people are hurting his precious creature, and he will retaliate tenfold for such an action. Between his sudden mood swings and genuine brilliance, Telluris is a dangerous, volatile character that is hard to predict.
Tuma- Once a slave, this towering titan of a Xian has risen to fame and glory as an esteemed Glatorian. Operating in the Baran desert, Tuma is intimately aware of his place and status in society, and knows that the villages of Zakaz see gladiators like him as nothing more than a tool to use; And he is familiar with indignity and dehumanization of slavery as well. Initially a slave-fighter, Tuma earned his freedom after winning countless battles with his unusually potent strength and huge frame.
Now an independent master of himself, Tuma has become dissatisfied with his lot in society, and still feels like a puppet. To remedy this, he has begun to make recent alliances, hoping to establish a ‘Glatorian Monopoly’ of sorts; Him and other like-minded Glatorian have begun to make deals with one another, purposely losing fights, or choosing jobs, according to the needs of one another. Members of this ‘ring’ of individuals will make alliances, giving out recommendations to one another, and helping to recruit new fighters and training them.
With his lieutenants Stronius and Branar, Tuma hopes to control the gladiator system that many villages in the Baran desert rely on. Ideally, his network of gladiators will collaborate and coordinate with one another, scheming to lose or win matches with each other, reject offers and services unless at a proper price, strike for better conditions, etc. With Tuma at the top of this Glatorian Monopoly, Tuma hopes to rule the Baran desert by proxy of having control over its gladiator matches, which decide the majority of its political decisions and conflicts. With his wealth as a champion, Tuma has also set up betting offices, and employed his fellow Glatorian, whom he essentially commands, into collecting on debts, as well as accepting matches that he deems beneficial, and in general swaying the events of the arena as he pleases.
A Glatorian strike and unionization is much-welcomed, and needed. Many gladiators have benefitted from what Tuma has brought about, and the concerns that some villages have on Tuma are not exactly out of the goodness of their hearts, or for the safety of society. Still, Tuma must not let the power and greed get to his head… It seems that gladiators who refuse to join his alliance tend to get bullied into submission, or find themselves out of a job as other members of the network will take job openings and positions from them. Tuma must beware becoming the tyrant that his masters were, and continue providing power to his fellow gladiators instead of oppressing them as well.
Born with unusual genetics, Tuma towers over most and wears black-and-green armor while wielding a massive sword, shield, and additional blades on his back in combat. Even though he is older than most gladiators, he retains his peak strength, height, and stamina, and stories of this ‘titan’ have spread across Zakaz. Some have interest over the secrets of Tuma’s body…
As a result, groups in the past have attempted to kidnap Tuma for their own gains. Tuma has resisted such efforts naturally, and is used to Exo-Toa Baterra being sent in to spy on him and his actions. Tuma is not open about his Glatorian network, and the Baterra have been sent to keep an eye on him. Unsurprisingly, this kind of surveillance has made Tuma somewhat paranoid, but rightfully so, and he remains sharp-minded as ever to avoid any mistakes.
Metus- A silver-tongued businessman and merchant, Metus has since become a recruiter in the Baran desert. He works to spot out potential fighters and introduce them to the gladiator system, as well as recommend combatants amongst villages, settle disputes, and so forth. Metus has a good eye and nose for potential, able to scout out a potential Glatorian amongst a group, and grant them the funding, investment, and support they need to reach success.
Metus himself was once a trader in the northern-kingdom of Iconox, only to lose everything within the crossfire of a war he wanted no part in. He does whatever it takes to survive, and will gladly sell out anyone else. He is untrustworthy, and while his recommendations are often good, he has also been caught giving villages poor fighters or else granting dishonest advice. On the side, he makes sure to place his bets well and carefully, and has amassed some wealth as a result.
Metus hopes to get in on Tuma’s planned network of Glatorian and gather a share of the riches, yet is also reporting intel and data to Baterra spies as well. Tuma doesn’t trust him of course, but Metus is insistent on getting a hand on the stocks and treasure; He aims to one day become rich enough to truly leave Zakaz behind, perhaps starting his own business in Stelt…
Surel- An aged veteran from the same conflict that robbed Metus of his livelihood, Surel was left wounded and dying on a blood-stained battlefield. But amidst the White Quartz Mountains, she found salvation in a pack of Iron Wolves that tended to her need, helping protect Surel and bringing her food as she recovered.
Now, Surel is a leader of this Iron Wolf pack, and leads them on hunts in the White Quartz Mountains, off the fringes of the kingdom of Iconox. She is mostly crippled from age and old wounds, and walks with a limp and walking stick; But armed with a dagger, she can be lethally fast, taking down and gutting an enemy in seconds. She knows how to conserve and utilize her strength well, and with her pack of Iron Wolves by her side, Surel is a lethal opponent and not one to cross. She has no interest in Zakaz’s politics- She has long ago rejected the battlefield she almost died in, and now intends only to live a life of hunts alongside her trusted Iron Wolves.
The Sisters- A cult of powerful telepaths and mind-readers, this all-female (trans-inclusive!) coven of ‘witches’ lives in a desolate forest, somewhere along the borders of Zakaz. They worship a deity named Annona, and their exact intentions and plots are unknown. They prefer to live to themselves, occasionally venturing out in their forest for supplies, and have used their mental abilities in the past to place others beneath their thrall- Such unfortunate victims are not only robbed and used as proxies to gather more materials, but are occasionally even harvested for their body parts.
The Sisters perform many unusual, arcane rituals. It is unknown to outsiders what they have planned, but evidently they seek to one day find Annona, whom they attribute the cause of their powers to. Attempts to infiltrate the group and learn their secrets have failed; They can sense intent and faultiness, and even Exo-Toa Baterra have been caught by them. Rumor has it that they can even perform magic, and the gladiator Tuma has an unknown connection to them that he’d rather not talk about. Things are apparently uncomfortable between him and The Sisters…
The Kraahl- In the darkness of night, people have spotted them- Darkened, cloaked figures who can be sighted briefly, only to suddenly blip out of existence as if they were never there to begin with. The Kraahl, as they are known, have been known to access areas under heavy fortification, somehow teleporting across massive distances with no one able to catch them. The Kraahl are cryptids in Zakaz, and known to occasionally appear to gather resources for themselves. Attempts to plant cameras and trackers on the things they steal have failed, with signals abruptly ending entirely once the Kraahl disappear. Where are these mysterious people going? Where do they come from? How do they have their power? Attempts to understand and decipher their strange, teleporting abilities have failed.
