Orbit of Alpha Centauri B 1(Planet Chiron)
The discovery of a life-bearing world is cause for jubilation among the scientists, as until now extraterrestrial lifeforms had just been a theory(though one that was very probable). There are those who want to land immediately and begin studies on how life has evolved differently here in the Alpha Centauri System, but cooler heads eventually prevail, and calm, reasoned study of the landing site from orbit is decided on. To that end, the machine shop is spooled up for production of a small weather satellite(Manufacturing roll:
107), which with the investment of some of the advanced parts and a bit of the basic parts, goes smoothly(-0.25 advanced and basic parts). It is eventually deployed out the airlock and begins gathering data on weather patterns at the Plateau and around the planet.(1 Weather Satellite online: 3 Chiron Day weather forecast available) Eventually, after a few orbits, the crew decides ona name for their new home; Chiron.
Over the course of a 20-day Chiron month, the local topography and weather for the proposed landing site is carefully mapped out. Some good news is that the plateau appears to be on the lee side of the mountain range from the prevailing wind currents, shielding it from the worst of the weather patterns; this appears to be one of the reasons it tends toward grasslands and scattered ground cover rather than the omnipresent jungle(the higher altitudes being another) as the mountains prevent a lot of the rainfall from falling over the plains. However, it appears to be early fall, and a shift in the wind patterns is bringing rains and the occasional storm around the southern edge of the range.
One more interesting fact gathered is that AC A is currently approaching stellar opposition from AC B, turning night into more of a deep dusk than true night. Combined with the fact of the shifting wind patterns and the changing seasons, and a very rough calendar can be mapped out using these reference points(given the roughly 5 month year, stellar convergence and opposition should process through different seasons).
At the end of the month, the decision is made. The weather looks like it'll cooperate, and forecasts show the next three days is clear. With that in mind, in a carefully programmed maneuver, the ship drops into low orbit, the drop pods are released on a reentry vector, and the ship pulls back into a stable orbit.
"Telemetry looking in the green, captain! Tracking says they are on target to the landing site and are approaching retrorocket burn point Alpha....there we go, retrorocket activation confirmed! velocity slowing down to 600 km/s at a deceleration of 20 km/s. Approaching chute deployment point... Telemetry confirms shoot deployment! Pods now slowing to 20 km/s! Captain, we're about to broach the horizon, so we're going to loose telemetry in a sec, but all systems appear functioning correctly and the pods are on projected course. I guess we just wait for the next orbit now..."(pod roll:
110)
After the next few orbits, it's confirmed that the pods are on the ground with tracking beacons funtioning perfectly, and it doesn't appear that anything has been broken. Final preparations are made to dscend to the surface with the ship; Ready or not, landing awaits!
>>Final orders/preparations before Landfall
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Topic: Outpost Delta Turn 13 (Read 33791 times)