ReFuel's Earth Orbiting Platform

[HiPotOk1978]

Location: Earth
Data: March 2069
ReFuel has announced to the Associated Press and Reuters today that construction of the Earth Orbiting Platform is underway and all systems are go. Orbiting the earth in an orbit that mimics that Moon, the orbital refueling station officially named Earth Orbiting Platform or EOP for short is currently in its 2nd mission. A ReFuel XR5 launched with the core elements and began assembly of the first habitat module as well as the two large solar panels that will provide the initial power to the station during the construction phase. The second mission named EOP-02 was an Delta Glider launched from Ascension Island, the current staging area of ReFuel as they prepare for the thrid installment of the mission. Carrying into orbit an oxygen cell that will be used to provide O2 to the current 3 man crew of the station as they bring the internal computers on-line and begin the inital testing of the stations various systems.
The current plan of the station is to man the station during construction as well as in its service life with one of several three man crews. They will be in charge of maintaining the station as well as providing support to the ships that dock for refueling after obtaining a low Earth orbit.
The EOP station is the first phase of the Lunar Transfer Network that promises during its launch windows to provide commuters to the Moon, safe transfers to the Lunar surface in 40 hours or less. During its deorbit burn, one of the XR5 crewmembers was able to take a picture of the fledgling station

 

[HiPotOk1978]

Mission 3

After another day in orbit, EOP-3 has completed 1/3 of their mission constructing the tunnel. The newest part of EOP is the docking platform for ships that wish to refuel before leaving LEO. It will also serve as the support structure for the fuel storage tanks. The Mission will conclude when the Solar Panel Array trusses are in place and the current solar panels are moved from their current position to one of 2 pannel trusses. This picture was taken out of the left window of ReFuel-01, one of three Delta Gliders that will be used to cycle 3 of the 9 men crew that will live on the station



Edit:

EOP-03 has concluded with the touchdown of the XR5 Vanguard at Ascension Island where ReFuel has been and will continue to launch their missions. The crew of EOP-03 was able to complete all their mission objectives ahead of schedual and before their de-orbit burn was able to do some orbital sightseeing. A few minutes before they left orbit, the crew of the XR5 was able to snap a few pictures of the current state of the station. EOP-04 will conclude the electrical and enviromental system with the installation of the final solar pannels and radiators used to dissapate heat generated by the electronics onboard and will be launched in the next few weeks after the hardware is delivered to the launch site and loaded into the launch vehicle. EOP-05 will be the first of unmanned missions launching a Dragonfly tug to the station to prepare for EOP-06

 

[HiPotOk1978]

Mission 4

After 2 days in orbit, EOP-04 has completed with the delivery and installation of the 2nd solar array and the radiators. The station's mass after the first 4 mission is about 50% of the entire mass. The activation of the station is currently being delayed as technical issues with the launch vehicle planned to orbit the Dragonfly tug that will be used to move the stations full 20,000 kg tanks into position. Talks now are considering have EOP-04 return early and assume the role of EOP-05 launch vehicle. Another idea is to launch the Dragonfly that is planned for use on the Moon's counterpart the Lunar Orbiting Platform (LOP) and use it to get the station active as soon as possible.

 

[HiPotOk1978]

Mission 5

EOP-05 goals were changed after difficulties with the launch vehicle that was chosen to orbit the Dragonfly for use as a tug for the Earth orbiting station. The 3 man crew that has manned the station for 6 days complained that there was little room on the station during downtime. Mission planners decided to use EOP-05 to solve both issues. The XR5 that has lifted all the station components was used to orbit both the Dragonfly as well as a habitation module that doubled the crew space of the station. EOP-05 has become the 2nd heaviest launch of the station program. Earth/Moon Operations Director W.A Carwahi said in a press release that he is both excited and proud of the undertaking of the station

http://www.orbiter-forum.com/gallery/showfull.php?photo=403

-----Post Added-----

Mission 6

With the 3 day mission of EOP-06 concluded, the station is now ready to take on its primary mission. With the delivery of 120 metric tons of fuel, the station is ready to receive craft for refueling operations comming from the surface of the Earth or even craft returning to the moon after delivering cargo to LEO. Plans on expanding the station at this time are on hold until popularity of the LEO refueling station starts receiving a steady stream of customers.

 

[HiPotOk1978]

Mission 7

March 19th, 2069

ReFuel's 6th launch to the station known as Earth Orbiting Platform (EOP) will see the station taking on a 2nd role as a science platform. EOP will be receiving a delivery and installation of a new module named SCI-Module 1. This new module will be the work area for experiments dealing with the continued expansion of the Sun. ReFuel LLC released that they hope to expand on the instruments directed at study of the Sun to better predict solar activity for not only Earth/Moon travels, but other manned missions to the planets. The module will also serve as the foundation and connection module for further expansions that to date do not have a launch date and time yet set. An additional two 20 ton fuel tanks will also be delivered and installed on this launch. Launch for this mission is scheduled for March 21st.

--Edit--
After long debates about the future of EOP, the final expansion plans for EOP-07 are in place. Connecting to the second hab module, will be a 6 docking port hab module that will serve as the backbone for an additional 3 new hab modules. The first to be installed on EOP-07 will be SciLab-1. This will be the first of two modules that will be delivered and installed adding the first of two laboratories to the station. The second module will enhance living quaters of the station giving the crew even more room to relax during their off duties. The third will be a dedicated living quaters and sleeping area. The first crew to man the station has complained there isn't anywhere on the station to get away from the noise so the addition of this module will hopefully give the crew a place to relieve stress. The modules are currently being loaded into Enterprise for a launch window that will be opening up for the station in the next few days

--Edit--
EOP-07 has concluded with the safe landing of Enterprise back at Wideawake International. Delivery and installation of the new modules has expanded living space on the station as well as providing storage space and a science module. The 3 man crew is wrapping up the internal work of bringing the hab modules. The crew of EOP-02 that has manned the station since it has been in orbit will be returning back to Earth soon as EOP-08 is finalizing their training and prepairing to main the station for their 30 day rotation. The mission pictures of the construction of EOP, you can visit

http://www.orbiter-forum.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=559

 

[HiPotOk1978]

Mission 8

with the launch of EOP-08, EOP-02 has returned home. The launch was uneventful with the ReFuel-02 establishing a 180km circular orbit around the earth and working its way up to the EOP. Once hard dock was established EOP Engineer Brian Doug performed an EVA loading the Life support module that has provided EOP-02 with breathable air back into the cargobay, and installing the new module for EOP-08's mission. The two crews spent time together on the station until EOP-02 launch window opened. EOP-02 reentry was also uneventful until touchdown where a very strong crosswind made the first and second landing attempts turn into aborts. The third attempt was flight computer assisted using the hover engines on the DGIV to approach the runway at very low speeds. After touchdown, ReFuel-01 taxied to the ReFuel hangar and the mission was ended and marked as a success. As of the beginning of EOP-08 the orbital refueling station has celebrated its one month birthday.

Talks about EOP-09 will begin in a few days. ReFuel has not comitted EOP-09 at this time to a science payload delivery via ReFuel-03 or another 120t fuel payload.

"Fuel load of the station is being depleted but at current consumsion from craft going from LEO to the moon the level of fuel is not critical." said EOP flight director in an interview yesterday. "We are expecting to launch Morning Star most likely on EOP-12 or EOP-13 to top off the tanks"

 

[HiPotOk1978]

Mission 9

EOP-09 has been completed and almost ended in disaster during reentry, the XR5 named Enterprise entered into a flat spin. Pilot was able to recover the craft but was not able to make it back to Wideawake falling short and having to ditch the ship a mere 3.2km from the shore. Enterprise was recovered before she sank into the ocean and plans are to have her towed for inspection and feasability of being repaired and returned to service

---------- Post added at 02:44 AM ---------- Previous post was Yesterday at 04:06 AM ----------

After a little over 2 hour supersonic flight from ReFuel's Corporate Headquarters to Ascension Island. The Edmund Fitzgerald or "The Fitz" as her ground and flight deck crews refer to her as will be performing the last of the construction missions of EOP.

"EOP-09 greatly improved on the fuel load that the station can hold, but construction is not quite done." EOP Flight director at Ascension Island released during a press conference related to the crash of Enterprise. "Thankfully the loss to ReFuel was not in the form of lost lives, but in the damage of replaceable equipment" he was quoted saying near the end of the interview

One, and maybe two more Vanguard flights will be missions to add even more capasity but as of now, no mission dates and times have been released so the station is open as of now for orbital refueling.

Talks are still open as to when the first science delivery mission will take place to the new science labs aboard the station. Several companies including Paradox Shipyards have placed bids to be the first companies to take advantage of the microgravity enviroment that the station offers. ReFuels offical word on the science division is that it will allow companies that do not have the resources or wish to develop their own stations to perform key and important testing on new equipment before it goes into production allowing them to save time and money by utilizing rented space for their testing of new materials and products in space

 

[HiPotOk1978]

EOP-10 Fitzgerald's first visit to EOP

Three hours after a flawless launch, Edmund Fitzgerald has docked with EOP at an altitude of 400km. The mission goal is to deliver and install four 20t fuel containers to the station boosting its refueling capabilites to 320t of fuel.

"This mission will be the last of the large lifts to the station" EOP Flight Director said in a written press release. "At the moment, there are docking berths for Delta Glider craft as well as XR5's, but we plan on installing two docking ports for Ravenstars. Docking with EOP occured just a few minutes before orbital sunset which will give the two crews enough time to work out the logicstics of the installation. Most construction missions have taken place with a Dragonfly moving the modules and tanks into final place with astronauts doing the final connections. Not since EOP-01 has an RMS been used and expecially not with this much mass.

Mission Notes:
April 11 2069 11:42:00 UTC

After final pre-launch checks of the spacecraft, Edmund Fitzgerald began its taxy out to runway 12R. After the selfpowered taxy from ReFuel's hangar on the island spaceport, the craft was fueled up and waited for the station launch window.

At Apr 12, 00:14:15 Main engine start occured and was a flawless liftoff, at 00:13:11 into the mission the main engines where shutdown after a SCRAM assisted ascent to an apogee of 600km was establish. The ships radiators, retro engines and docking port were all extended while the Fitz coasted to it max altitude.

00:37:34, the main engines were restarted to circulize the orbit and allow EOP to catch up to the Fitz as the station was a mear 1800km behind the craft at a lower orbit

01:49:39 orbit perigee was adjusted intercept EOP estimating interception in about 1/3 of an orbit around earth

02:29:03 orbit apogee was adjusted. Fitz now ~20km from EOP

02:39:54 Mission CMDR and PLT both aquire Visual on the station, RCS thruster correction burns applied, station now less than 10km distance according to EOP and Fitz docking radars
02:58:27 Hard Dock with EOP

**EDIT* after 24 hours in orbit, Edmund Fitzgerald has safely returned back to Ascension Island. The XR5 will remain at the island for the next several months for any additional missions that may be required to the now fully functional station

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Cool stuff HiPot, nice to see your home away from home is suiting you well! Good luck with the rest of the missions!

 

[HiPotOk1978]

My own EOP missions will of course continue such as adding an airdock to the station to store tugs (as soon as I find one that is based on the magical DGIV/XR engine tech). The addition of additional modules and reconfiguration of the station as the role of the station will continue to grow. Much like the simNASA missions that involved Skylab-Columbia, the station has many uses...

I plan to use EOP not only as a refueling platform for quick transfers but as a staging area for the construction of the Lunar Orbiting Platform (LOP) which will be the major backbone for the "20 hour or less" lunar/earth transfer network, the large lunar lifting project (400t in one flight to the lunar surface via XR5), the frequent light cargo transfer network, where all you have to do is deliver your payload to EOP and pick it up at LOP, or the other way around which would be an excellent way for ReFuel to save money and time with its He-3 export.

You think that is all cool? how about a DLL driven EOP station currently being developed by myself (not so much) TNeo and EscapeTom. Currently in the early alpha stages, your be able to operate your own LEO refueling station.

Current features that will be included in the first release (subject to change, what we are hoping to have, maybe even more, maybe less. We are still in the EARLY alpha stage and the station being developed is what the station looks like at the end of EOP-10)

320 metric tons of fuel in 20t fuel containers just like the SSBB version: Actually worry about maintaining your own LEO refueling station where you can use FuelMFD. Station supplies get low you can use the Morning Star Orbital refueler to resupply the station

Virtual Cockpit: Where you can explore the inside of the station and see what life is like working for ReFuel LLC

UMMU support: A manned station with crew

2D/3D control panels: Operate the various systems to maintain your orbiting gas station such as load balancing in the fuel tanks, maintaining proper orientation, monitor docking port usage

 

[HiPotOk1978]

EOP-11 Station Recovery

In my missions of the station I am building I decided to build a random event table similar to what game or dungeon masters would use for random events on their role playing tabletop games. This is the result

April 29th, 2069
Near the end of the 2nd manned mission to the station a serious problem occurred that allowed fuel to leak into the cabin. The crew having dinner at the time quickly responded and tried to isolate the leak. Being unsuccessful, the crew quickly manned the DGIV craft that ferried them to the station and began neat 2 hour descent back to Ascension Island. The crew in excellent health with minor damage to their craft during the emergency were debreifed about the accident. Mission control detecting dangerous levels of gasious fuel in the cabin vented the atmosphere and shut down all unnecessary electronics aboard.

May 1st 2069
Edmund Fitzgerald flight returning a refurbished Dragonfly to the station that was slotted to fly as EOP-11 bringing up a fresh crew was slotted as the recovery mission for the station. Flying to approx 2km from the station, the mission commander opened up the cargobay doors and loaded two mission specalists into the Dragonfly. After the power up procedures were completed the Dragonfly ferried the two specalists to the top airlock which is used to berth support craft and allowed them into the station. After about 15 minutes of inspection, the Fitz flight crew moved the Vanguard into position at the lower docking port. At this time the crew is inspecting the station to identify the problem onboard that forced the 3 man crew to abandon ship.

May 3rd 2069
After 2 days in orbit docked to EOP, the repair crews have discovered the cause of the problem. Faulty O ring seals in the piping that allows the flow of fuel from the tanks to the hard piping in the area of the station called the neck began to break down.
"Early visual inspection of all the O ring seals to all the fuel pods that are connected to the station have begun to break down. We believe at this point that the synthetic rubber material that they were made from was faulty, the constant exposure to fuel then caused them to become hard and brittle." ReFuel Spokeperson David Cost stated in a press release. At 12:20 this morning, the replacement crew which according to the EOP-11 mission breifing were to meet up with the station with EOP-08 breifing the new 1 month crew before undocking and returning home. Now they are working together with the repair crew by delivering new seals to be installed before their mission offically begins and they bring the station back up to working order. ReFuel's Operation of the station should continue back at full capacity by Monday May 6th and start receiving craft for refueling operations.

May 5th 2069
The 4th day in orbit of EOP-11 was one full of cheer and praise for the two crews docked to EOP. EOP-11 mission commander reported that all fuel system O rings were replaced and the faulty rings were bags and ready to transport back to Earth for analysis. EOP-12, the new three man crew that also transported the new seals up to the station have been working with the Edmund Fitzgerald crew to clean the station of fuel debris has almost completed.
"Our reopening date of Monday is on schedual and even with the troubles of all the connections that had to be inspected, and every one of the seals replaced, we are confident that the repairs are completed and we will have no more problems with that system" Mission Commander Michael Samuel said during a live interview in orbit aboard the XR5 craft.

EOP-11's reentry window will occur about 30 minutes after all the final checks of the station syste]ms are completed and will end the longest mission for a XR5 in orbit docked to EOP of just over 5 days in orbit. If there is another malfunction aboard the station, EOP-11 can remain docked to the station for another 6 days before water and food supplies are exausted.

May 5th, 2069
10:27:33 UTC
Edmund Fitzgerald performs undocking and deorbit burn. Docking port retracted and secured, retro engines retracted into the hull to protect from reentry heat. Due to orbital altitude of EOP, radiators remain extended to bleed off heat. Reentry is textbook dead stick landing at Ascension's longest runway. Wheel brakes are reserved for taxyway braking back to ReFuel's hangar and excess velocity on the runway is reduced by retro engines firing. Under her own power the Fitz is backed into the hangar where engines are shutdown at 11:45:22 and EOP-11 is considered a success. With traffic to the station at a minimum due to it's position relative to the moon, traffic to the station is projected to be its lowest since it first opened. This will give ReFuel a perfect chance to resupply the fuel onboard EOP with a flight of Morning Star. This will be the first mission to the station by the refueling craft and quite possibly the most complex as far as navigation due to the fact that Morning star can not fly directly into the orbital plane of the station and will require additional manouvers to meet the station in orbit.
EOP-13, the flight of Morning Star is schedualed to occur sometime in the last part of may or the early part of June to refuel the station and bring up supplies for the third crew to man the station since its construction

 

[HiPotOk1978]

EOP-13 Science Payload and VIP visit

March 6th
EOP-13
with approx 500kg of science experiments loaded into the passenger section of ReFuel-07, the first science experiments will be transported to EOP.

This will be the first flight to EOP by the company from the corporate headquarters. Since the station does not cross over the companies spaceport, a series of turns also called plane change burns will need to occur once the craft is launched into a parking orbit. The crafts cargobay will include a 2 ton fuel container that once the craft is in orbit, will eject from its bay, dock to, and transfer fuel. The container is designed to be disposable and will abandoned in orbit where it is planned to burn up in the atmosphere over the Atlantic ocean. The flight is scheduled to launch from Tucson, at approx 08:10 UTC. Among the pilot, and the mission specialist the 3rd passenger onboard will be ReFuel CEO William Gilliam where he will inspect the companies most expensive object in low Earth orbit.

Hard dock with the station occurred at 11:06 UTC with the CEO crossing over into the station first to shake the hands of the men that are on the station. The CEO will supervise operations onboard the station for his 5 day stay on the station.