Prairie Union Space Shuttle Program

        The Prairie Union Space Shuttle Program, also known as Project: Challenger is a program to develop fully re-usable spaceplanes and launch systems for the UFP, FWR, and West Mendota. In addition, contracting to any members of the Prairie Union is planned, though the cost would likely be increased.  In addition, the Shuttles are planned to aid in the construction of the Sun Prairie Space Station, Military and Civilian Satellites, private and intergovernmental payloads, and to make Spaceflight cheaper and more routine in the SPN.

History

     At the opening of the Sun Prairie Nations Space Race, the United Federation did not have any operating spacecraft, nor rockets, however, it possessed the greatest technological potential of any nation. West Mendota and the FWR also had spacefaring ambitions, and so they created the Union Space Program. This prompted Crimson Dusk to attempt it's own spaceflight, and so the SPN Space Race began.

     After Despa joined the project, construction of one test orbiter, the Cosmos, the specifications were finalized and the project began.

Orbiters

     The primary starships, called Orbiters, are designed to carry out multiple military and civil operations. They have no offensive weaponry, but are able to deploy military satellites and perform high-orbit reconnaissance. 

      Every orbiter is either named by a sponsor nation (UFP,FWR, WMR, or CDR), or was chosen by unanimous approval of all three. Rules were set as well forbidding any names that were specific to any country, such as battles or especially potentially controversial people. 

Challenger - Named after the US Space Shuttle that broke up 73 minutes after liftoff. Project                            named in honor of this ship and her crew.

Intrepid - Sponsored and named by F.W.R.

Explorer - Sponsored and named by West Mendota

Adventurer - Sponsored and named by the United Federation

Defiant - Sponsored and named by F.W.R.

Frontier - Sponsored and named by West Mendota

Bonaventure - Sponsored and named by the United Federation

Launch

    The Shuttle's launch is significantly more complex than other spacecraft, as it's size is comparable to the rocket itself. It's guidance up-rod is taller, and the control surfaces on the spacecraft are large enough to guide the rocket as well. 

SLST-01 

Crew:

• John Banks-George - Commander and Pilot

• Calvin Petri - Co-Pilot and Mission Specialist

Goals:

• Launch successfully aboard Challenger and prove the launch and recovery of the ship. 

   Outcome: SUCCESS

    Motto: Godspeed Challenger

SLST-02

Crew:

• Jacob Monday - Commander

• John Banks-George - Co-Pilot and Mission Specialist 

   Goals:

• Launch successfully aboard Challenger and recover the ship. Testing of in-flight systems and tail section redesign stressing.

Outcome: SUCCESS

Motto: Ad Astra per Aspera

SLST-03

Crew:

• Luke Fischer - Commander

• John Banks-George - Co-Pilot and Mission Specialist 

   Goals:

• Launch successfully aboard Intrepid and recover the ship. Testing of Adama II rocket system's dual engines and launch two tracking relay satellites

Outcome: SUCCESS*

Motto: Godspeed Intrepid

SLST-04

Crew:

• Kyle Landerholm - Commander

• Dylan Landerholm - Co-Pilot and Mission Specialist 

   Goals:

• Launch successfully aboard Explorer and recover the ship. Launch of the first portions of the Sun Prairie Space Station.

Outcome: SUCCESS*

Motto: Godspeed Explorer

SLST-05

Crew:

• Calvin Petri - Commander

• John Banks-George - Co-Pilot and Mission Specialist 

   Goals:

• Launch successfully aboard Intrepid and recover the ship. Launch of the FWR Crew Module of the Sun Prairie Space Station.

Outcome: SUCCESS*

Motto: In Cooperation we Thrive