New VSA, the Union Space Command (USC)

[Eli13]

Hello all,
I've created a new VSA that will have goals as any VSA does, but will do other things that have not been done quite yet.

First off, it will tell a background story in the future.
Here is a basic timeline:
2013- Coup de'etat in Russia brings communism back to power
2015- NATO is disbanded, the Western Union is formed, unifying Europe, The Americas, Australia, Japan and Africa
2016- The ESA and NASA are merged to form the USC (Union Space Command)
2017- Russia signs a treaty with China and North Korea, tensions are extremely high
2023- After years of research, the Western Union rolls out it's newest creation, The Delta Glider. Tests begin immediately.
At the end you see that I mention the Delta Glider. This is something else I'm doing. I'm telling about the beginnings of the Delta Glider in an alternate future.*
So today, the Delta Glider was rolled out and shown to the public.

You see that it was named "Monitor". It was named after the USS Monitor of the US Civil War. It brought about a revolution in the way ships were built just as the Delta Glider will bring about a revolution in space flight.
Tomorrow, we start the ALT program for the Delta Glider. There will be three taxi tests at KSC.
We are accepting pilots, but to fly a mission, you must be able to fly that mission proficiently.
If you are interested or want to see the full ALT schedule or just to see the site, go to http://unionspacecommand.webs.com/.

We will keep you updated from there. I'm open to any and all suggestions.
Thanks, and cheers
-Eli
* I did not make the Delta Glider and claim absolutely no credit for it's creation, development and any add-ons that pertain to this fictional space craft. I only strive to give it a story.
†Credit to Diogom for all the custom textures you see here.
‡If you look at the T-38, you will see it has a different texture also.

 

[garyw]

Have you given up your committment to VOSSA?

 

[Eli13]

No, but right now, they are training, and none of times that have been given, have worked out for me.
This i can do, when i can and want to, not at certain times, unless i'm flying a mission my self.

 

[Kveldulf]

So you say you're going to do things that "have not been done quite yet". Care to elaborate?

 

[garyw]

So why not spend more time helping develop VOSSA rather than going off and doing your own VSA? Kevin580 has gone off and done his own VSA so it looks like the whole thing is fragementing. You previously said that you don't have the time to commit to VOSSA yet here you are not helping develop VOSSA but going off and doing your own thing.

It's rather confusing and can't help any of these three VSA's.

 

[Eli13]

So you say you're going to do things that "have not been done quite yet". Care to elaborate?

I did. Read it again. No one (that i know of) has put in a background story or tried to explain the beginnings of the delta glider.

I now have the time, but i have a errrr... odd schedule at home. Please don't ask me what that means, its rather personal, but the times for the training do not work for me. I can not develop it if no one is being trained. It seems to be at a stalemate at the moment.

 

[garyw]

You could write training documentation for the other trainers. You could help out with the website administration, you could help out with developing procedures and processes for VOSSA missions. Just a few ideas.

 

[Eli13]

I can't develop missions if they would be shut down as soon as they're submitted. I can't help with the website, beyond writing a report for a mission. I can't write training documentation for other 'trainers' if there are none.

 

[Eli13]

Now, any suggestions that pertain to this VSA?

 

[fireballs619]

I do seem to recall some VSAs that have tied in backstory, but I may be wrong on that point. Is that the only 'new' aspect to this VSA?

As for suggestions, I actually recommend not opening this one to other pilots. Keep it private, as there seems to be a lot of work put into this which would be a shame to see wasted on another failed VSA. Keeping it private basically ensures that you are successful.

 

[kevin580]

But, talking about the VOSSA, here's a quote(from VOSSA Forums)

eli13 has left, ky has lied (said he would be there and wasn't), kevin580 has his own VSA.

Game over. Ding Dong VOSSA is dead.

So, VOSSA is almost at the end. I think because of that we are making that here. Nice ideas. BTW, Nice DG-IV textures!

 

[garyw]

Advice for this VSA - learn from the failures of all the other VSA's:

• VOSSA
• Artemis Space Agency
• VASO
• ISASO
• ASA
• Orbiter Space Aerounatics

All wanted to be the next best thing. all failed.

Also read this thread and then work out why those goals and ideas were never met. If you don't understand why it failed you run the risk of repeating the mistakes especially if this is an open VSA.

Good luck to you but the track records of VSA's is very poor with only one public VSA managing to keep any sort of mission flow going. They generally fail due to other committments and eventually the boredom of the management of the VSA itself.

 

[Eli13]

I do seem to recall some VSAs that have tied in backstory, but I may be wrong on that point. Is that the only 'new' aspect to this VSA?

As for suggestions, I actually recommend not opening this one to other pilots. Keep it private, as there seems to be a lot of work put into this which would be a shame to see wasted on another failed VSA. Keeping it private basically ensures that you are successful.

I have a more limited pilot program. I only let people who can fly missions proficiently actually fly. The second 'new' aspect of this VSA is telling about the beginnings of the Delta Glider. I thought it deserved some sort of story.
I've tried to take into account the failures of those VSA's and learn from them. Just for example, I've planned before my VSA was released, and I have mission goals, and I communicate with my pilots and management often. I have more planned missions but i will not release them until my pilot works out the dates that will be good for him. And he has quite a bit of time on his hands to do it.

EDIT: I do understand why VOSSA has got where it is now. But I'm not letting the number of failed VSA's bring us down. I only accept people i know can fly and will fly the missions.

 

[fireballs619]

Unfortunately, you are not the first to try to limit your pilots to those who are talented, or to even plan your missions out beforehand.

About a year ago I tried to start my own VSA (VASO), that basically had the same goals as yours right now. I planned mine out even more in depth however; I had chains of command, mission outlines, and was developing my own website (not one of those free template ones). Do you still see VASO around having flights? No. I hate to be harsh, but you're going to have to have more than some backstory and ideas to be successful by any standard.

 

[Eli13]

Never said those would make me successful, i just said i was going to do them. I do not want a over complicated chain of command. It can cause confusion, and arguments can start.
I can't pay for a good website, so can you truly expect me to have a great site?

 

[fireballs619]

You can find sufficient webhosting for ~$8/mo if you look hard enough. If you have a job, you could pay for an entire year with a day or two of working. And you need a chain of command, but I never said it had to be overly complicated. If you don't have some sort of ground rules or order, everyone is going to want some sort of position so that they feel important, regardless of whether or not they have the skill for that spot. I took a look at your site, and there is currently seven other member- and three of them are moderators. Why? There's no one else around to moderate. You should be able to moderate all the members until it gets too big, maybe 20+. You also shouldn't really need department specialist or some other strange construct for 'specialized' areas (like manned spaceflight, training, unmanned). Until it grows too large, there's really no reason why you shouldn't be able to handle those spots yourself. Otherwise, the whole VSA is going to be caught up pinning badges to themselves and feeling good about accolades for non-existent jobs to actually get things done.

 

[ky]

. I took a look at your site, and there is currently one other member- and he is a moderator.

Yes im a moderator

. Otherwise, the whole VSA is going to be caught up pinning badges to themselves and feeling good about accolades for non-existent jobs to actually get things done.

Yes this is true in some VSA's.Also a question what was the first VSA for orbiter?

 

[fireballs619]

Note that I miscounted members and moderators and have since edited my post. The idea still applies though.

As far as I know, simNASA was the first VSA.

 

[Eli13]

But i don't have a job, 8$ a month is not a lot, and i could pay for it, but no bank account. Besides, you are not here how to tell me how to live my life, (saying this so you don't tell me to get one) and don't tell me how to run my VSA. I appreciate that your are trying to help, but I made them moderators because those are people i know fairly well and can trust in case i can't do something due to real life.

And BTW: A day or two of working? At minimum wage, thats like one month per day. And I'm not supposed to really have a job at my age. And if i did it would only be for the summer. That leaves out 3/4 of the year.

 

[fireballs619]

I fail to see how I was telling you to run your VSA. I was merely offering suggestions and criticisms as you had asked. Since it is clear you are unwilling to accept these things, I will stop offering them.