The Nowan space program is built around a number of basic concepts. The most importance of these are simple, inexpensive, reliable, modular components; a long term view and plan; and no risk to human lives when unmanned launches can do the same job. They have not avoided sophisticated technology, on the contrary, they use some of the most advanced technology in space. But the technology is kept in its place and used where it is both necessary and reliable.

The Nowans have only a single operational launch facility. There are several military and private test sites for smaller weapon systems, but all space launches and larger missiles are tested from this site on the central plateau of the Hangetetnin (the Humm Peninsula). This compactness of operation allows them to keep costs down.

The Long Term Plan, covering a period of 20 years, is the basis of Nowan space planning. They are now in their second LTP, the first having been made possible in 1971 when the Nowan public approved an earmarked tax for it. This has allowed the program to grow in a steady and planned manner that assures long range vision. In July of 1991, the nation renewed the mandate of the earmarked tax for the SED-APARB and increased it by 25%. The increase is designed to allow Nowapan to begin serious work toward a mission to Mars during LTP II.

The Nowan space program dates to its origin to 1961. In May of that year, less than one month after the USSR's launch of Yuri Gagarin, Parliament approved the creation of a Space Exploration Division of the All-Pan Aeronautics Research Bureau (SED-APARB) and authorized it to begin work toward developing manned and unmanned spacecraft.

On June 30, 1964 Nowapan launched its first satellite, dubbed Lerhin I, a test vehicle largely intended to check tracking, communication and reliability procedures. The launch had been delayed for 3 monthes due to miscellaneous mechanical problems but the flight went well and the satellite functioned for 14 days until its batteries were depleted. Unmanned, Earth-orbiting satellites were launched at relatively slow pace initially but eventually the launch rate rose to 1 per month.

The first manned launch took place on April 15, 1967. This space capsule, Mirtí I (Comet I), was designed to carry a two man crew, but for this mission only, carried only one crew member who made 16 orbits before returning to a landing on the Humm penninsula. A second flight with a two man crew was made in September, this time orbiting for 3 days. The Mirtí series was launched at a rate of 2 launches per year through 1969. Mirtí IV was the first mission on which a Nowan walked in space. The astronaut leaving his spacecraft for a period of some 30 minutes. The last two missions of the Mirtí series also included space walks lasting up to 90 minutes. The Mirtí spacecraft consisted of a large service module and a smaller crew module. The crew module had approximately 50% more cubic capacity than the American Gemini spacecraft. Endurance with a two man crew was up to 10 days, although none were flown longer than 8 days. Power was provided by solar panels and batteries.

A new spacecraft, the Welming (Nebula) series was initiated the following year. This craft, whose design reflected some Soviet inspiration if not influence, was larger, carrying a crew of three. Like the smaller Soviet Soyuz, it a had a detachable orbital module, in which was usually housed scientific equipment. Flight duration on internal consumables was still 10 days. The service module was considerably larger than for the Mirtí. This included additional fuel for a larger engine, and more battery capacity. A total of 12 Welming missions were flown, 2 each year during the period 1970-75. The last 6 missions were made to the Qultí series of orbital labs with missions lasting up to 48 days.

The successor to the Welming was the Tákum (Fiery Arrow) series. This design was based upon the Welming, differing in having a more rugged structure and heavier heatshield. These improvements allowed the Tákum spacecraft to be reflown after relatively minor refurbishing. On the negative side, the extra weight resulted in a reduction of flight time to a maximum of 36 mandays. In practice this was of little consequence as these spacecraft rarely flew independent missions. The orbital module of this spacecraft was used to carry supplies and or experiments to be transferred to the Qultí or space station. It was not used for onboard experiments. A total of 4 Tákum were built. They were launched during the period 1976-82, still at the rate of two per year.

The construction of Qultt'ití II required a new and larger spacecraft to carry crews up to it. This spacecraft, the Qóqol (Thunderhawk), was a completely new design. It is a 5 seat reuseable capsule which is launched with a partially reusable (1st stage and strap-ons) booster. These spacecraft use the standard service module which in its upgraded version has 42 man-days of consumables which when combined with the limited internal provisions gives the vehicle a maximum duration of just under 10 days although they are never flown that long. Most missions last 3 days and are simple up to the space station and back flights.

The spacecraft is as simple (and therefore cheap) as possible. Other than life support systems it carries only those electronic suites that are necessary for its job as taxi between earth and the station. A total of 8 have been built. They are currently launched at the rate of 6 per year.

A new manned spacecraft is underdevelopment. It will be similar to a much scaled down Space Shuttle. It will carry a crew of 2 plus 8 passengers. This spacecraft is optimized as a space bus and will not be utilized as a cargo vessel. It is planned to build 8 of these by 2005 and eventually they will launched at a rate of 1 a month.

One other system must be mentioned. This is the Yarpí Orbital Transfer Vehicle. Entering service in 1984, this spacecraft is used to retrieve damaged satellites and to perform routine maintenance on undamaged craft, including refueling propulsion, maneuvering, and stabilization systems. Included in its missions are maintaining spy satellites, whose launch rates have dropped dramatically as a result. Satellites in need of repair are usually brought back to the repair hanger at the Qultt'ití III station.

The earliest Nowan space stations were the Qultí series of orbiting labs. A total of 4 were launched between 1972- 1978. Each was dedicated to a different scientific research program and was visited twice. The first two were capable of supporting a single mission for up to 48 days (in practice, less than half of this was flown by each flight). The second two had a total of 90 days consumables on board. The first three were flown with the Welming spacecraft. The rest were visited by Tákum spacecraft.

The Qultt'ití I, launched in 1979, was similar in many respects to the early Salyuts of the Soviet Union and the Skylab of the United States. It was in fact intermediate in size between the two types. It was designed for automated refueling and was used for numerous missions before it was shut down in early 1983.

In 1982-83, Qultt'ití II, the first modular station was constructed. This was done with a series of three launches over a period of 3 monthes. This was the first permanently manned station. A status that it gained in 1983, a three man crew being in place for the rest of the station's useful life. Crews were rotated every 90 days. The station was shut down when the Qultt'ití III was ready in 1988.

Qultt'ití III was constructed over a period of about 2 years beginning in 1987. It consists of 2 large science modules, 4 smaller crew modules, an engineering module and a satellite repair hanger. All of these are attached to a combination strut and access tube, which also holds the solar panel array. This system normally operates with a crew of 6-8 on a permanent basis. They are rotated back to Earth every 90 days. Near the station is the large hanger for the Lehónngán lunar shuttles

Nowapan landed its first crew on the moon in September, 1986. This followed a circumlunar mission flown in April of that year. Landings were made at the rate of 2 per year in the period 1987-89. In 1990, a small lunar base, Tt'ilengór, was erected and used by visiting crews. In 1993, this base was manned on a permanent basis and has a complement of 3 at this writing although it is scheduled to be increased to 6 by 1999.

The primary vehicle is the Lehónngán lunar shuttle (LS). The LS is similar to a Salyut space station in size and weight. The normal crew capacity is 4 although 7 can be squeezed in if necessary. The LS has only small engines of its own and originally relied on a seperate, non-reusable booster for propulsion to and from the moon. A seperate booster was launched for each mission. Since 1994, they have used a reusable nuclear engined booster which is refueled for each mission. Three lunar shuttles have been built. One is usually being refurbished, one is in use or ready to use, and one is in lunar orbit as an emergency haven should something happen at the lunar base. The 3 shuttles are served by 4 nuclear boosters.

The Lunar Landing Module (LLM) is similar conceptually. It consists of a large, shirtsleeve environment, command module to which is attached a non-reusable Landing Module (LM). The LM consists of little more than engines, fuel tanks and landing gear. This too must be replaced at the end of each mission. The LM for each mission is normally carried in the nose shroud of each booster as it is launched.

An unmanned cargo vessel made its first flight in 1992. This consists of a small, simple landing stage equipped with an off the shelf terrain reading radar. On top of that is a simple, cylindrical cargo module, designed to be toppled off and then towed behind a lunar 'truck'.

The Nowans land all their lunar spacecraft at a single site about 5 miles from Tt'ilengór. It was extensively mapped and numerous radar beacons allow for very exact triangulation during the approach. After the cargo has been off- loaded, the remaining fuel is used to put the spacecraft into a ballistic trajectory into a preselected area, keeping the landing site itself clear for landings.

Mars is to be the next target of the Long Term Plan. A landing on Mars is planned for the period 2010-2015. The asteroids are cited as the next probable target and a sophisticated spectral analysis device was carried by an asteroid probe launched in the year 1991. A manned landing on an asteroid, probably Ceres or Vesta, is probable before the end of the current LTP, i.e. 2025.

Nowapan funds 2 Deep Space missions every year, a rate that they have maintained since 1966. Nowan probes have visited the moon and every planet except Pluto.

Nowan probes, especially those to the inner planets, tend to be simpler and smaller than their Soviet and American counterparts. This reflects a number of things. First and foremost is the view, that it is not necessary to "do it all" in a single mission. What is not gotten with one mission, will be done with another and with the Long Term Plan, that assurance is indeed there. Partly it reflects a policy of keeping probes smaller so that smaller, cheaper boosters may be used. And partly it reflects a long held policy of using the same basic spacecraft whereever possible. Thus the standard shell and propulsion system has been used for a large number of flights, with progressive upgrades in electronics and power systems.

As part of the Long Term Plan, the planet Mars has been a steady target of these probes, at least one being launched at almost every available window.

The Nowans settled on a policy which avoids developing entirely new boosters. Their course has been to develop a series of 1st stages and a complementary set of upper stages which, within the bounds of size and weight, may be mixed and matched depending upon the payload. Further, they have developed a series of strapon solid fuel boosters which may be attached to 1st stages for extra thrust where needed. In practice, this is not as flexible as it sounds because each combination does need to be flight tested and some do not work well together, but overall, it has been both cost and mission effective policy.

Certain combinations are used fairly often and may be considered somewhat standard. These are detailed below and followed by a table showing the standard rocket engines used by Nowapan.

Revised August 29, 2001

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