Portfolio: 999th Test Squadron - [Comm-Links](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links) - Portfolio: 999th Test Squadron Portfolio: 999th Test Squadron ============================== Undefined Undefined Portfolio [Previous](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/15329) [Next](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/15332) Content ------- English Portfolio: 999th Test Squadron “My goal was to make a ship the 999 would be excited to fly.” So said Consolidated Outland CEO and spacecraft fanboy Silas Koerner during a press conference unveiling the Mustang. From nearly the beginning of interplanetary travel, Squadron 999 has existed in some formal capacity. Their testing of a ship’s technological limits and fearless piloting of experimental spacecraft have helped shepherd Humanity out to the stars. While Squadron 42 is home to the UEE’s best fighter pilots, Squadron 999 can lay claim to many of Humanity’s most courageous. Fearlessly Flying Forward The origins of Squadron 999 go back over 800 years. During the mid-2130s, Roberts Space Industries began testing the Zeus prototype, a short-range explorer that would eventually make history as the first commercially available spaceship. RSI’s drive to bring people safely to the stars was an expensive gamble. A little over fifty years earlier, RSI had created the Quantum Core Engine, capable of achieving 1/100th the speed of light, for the military. As time went on, civilians and various industries began petitioning to have the technology made available to the private sector. Fast forward to the launch of the Zeus prototype. RSI had been listening and worked to streamline the Quantum Drive enough to make it commercially viable. There were concerns however with the potential risk that would be involved with putting such a powerful technology into the hands of non-military trained pilots. The early test flights RSI conducted didn’t ease that concern. The main issue RSI had with the Zeus during these test flights was its hull integrity. These problems culminated on 2136-6-23 when, during a live flight that was being broadcast across the world, the hull of an early Zeus ship ripped apart as it left Earth’s atmosphere, completely destroying the ship and killing the test pilot. The disaster shook people and suddenly the horrifying dangers of space travel transcended the excitement of making it affordable and accessible. Desperate, RSI turned to the Navy and renowned test pilot Michelle Saleno for help in keeping the Zeus program alive. Saleno, affectionately called Sal by her friends, had extensive experience with RSI’s Quantum Core Engine and held the honor of being the first pilot to quantum past Jupiter. Saleno had been pushing for the training of new test pilots who would be dedicated to cutting-edge spaceships. At the time, the people of Earth were very much alone in the universe, so while the Navy’s spacefleet was expanding, there was only a small wing of active pilots. Saleno knew that as the civilian spaceflight market expanded to include quantum travel, the Navy would have to rapidly expand along with it to maintain its flight superiority. The Navy accepted Saleno’s plan and the first incarnation of the 999th Test Squadron was born. Since the Test Squadron was created outside of the normal structure, the 999 designation was just supposed to be temporary until the unit could be properly assigned, but the number wound up sticking. After the deal was struck for Navy resources to be used to help RSI develop the commercial ship, Saleno and her crew spent the first year demanding changes before she or any of her pilots would take a first test flight. She battled with RSI executives over the ship’s hull and drove RSI to completely overhaul their design. Finally, on 2137-3-19, Saleno climbed inside the Zeus for her first test flight. The new Zeus had been worth the wait. At 15:09 SET, Saleno safely touched down. It would require more testing, but thanks to 999’s hard work, the release of the first commercial quantum drive enabled ship had become an inevitability. RSI touted their success and overnight Saleno became a media sensation. She was painted as a risk-taker willing to sacrifice her life so all of Humanity could go to the stars. Privately, Saleno bristled at the portrayal and made it abundantly clear that she had all intentions of dying of old age and not during a test flight accident. As she famously said, “A test pilot’s job isn’t about taking risks; it’s about achieving results. It’s about safely landing again, just as much as it is about fearlessly flying forward.” The Wreckless For two centuries, Saleno’s squadron was used to test ships for the military. They were the ones to put new ships through their paces and to create training protocols for those ships to be introduced into regular use. Their work was so important that when the UNE came into existence, in 2380, the squadron was incorporated directly into the new Naval structure with their 999 designation intact, one of the few squadrons that can make that claim. During the First Tevarin War, the 999 were the first to test variants of the Retaliator. Some in command demanded a rush on the needed ships going into active service immediately, but (thanks to his heroics at the Battle of Idris IV) a then Colonel Ivar Messer had enough clout to advise that the Retaliators’ deployment be held until the 999 had signed off on them. Historians credit this move with saving hundreds of pilots’ lives. A fatally flawed power transfer unit was discovered and fixed during the testing process. Today, the 999th Squadron is part of the 18th Battle Fleet and calls the Chronos System home. The squadron uses the system’s vast expanse to test the next generation of military fighters. They are reportedly putting the new Aegis Sabre through the gauntlet to see if it should become a staple of the Navy’s fleet. Aegis executives and Navy pilots alike are eagerly waiting to hear the revered squadron’s opinion of the cutting-edge fighter. For centuries, the 999th Test Squadron had a reputation as home to some of the Navy’s most courageous pilots, and the squadron’s nickname, “The Wreckless,” fed that repute. In Joyce Tuite’s history of the squadron, Fearlessly Forward, the importance of their nickname was revealed. According to former members, the first question asked when interviewing to join the squadron was “what does The Wreckless mean to you?” Most young pilots would talk about pushing ship speeds to the limit, or sacrificing their safety for the benefit of Humanity. These adrenaline junkies were weeded out and assigned elsewhere. Pilots who become part of the 999 usually understood something Saleno was fond of saying: “Details matter!” They looked at the squadron’s nickname and noticed the “W”. The 999 is dedicated to pushing the limit while being “wreck”-less, not reckless. It is recognition of these distinctions and details that has made the 999th Test Squadron one of the UEE Navy’s truly elite assignments, and a vital part of improving Human spaceflight for centuries. Portfolio: 999. Testgeschwader "Mein Ziel war es, ein Schiff zu bauen, das die 999 begeistern würde." So sagte Consolidated Outland CEO und Raumschiff-Fanboy Silas Koerner während einer Pressekonferenz zur Enthüllung des Mustang. Seit fast dem Beginn der interplanetaren Reise existiert die Staffel 999 in gewisser formaler Hinsicht. Ihre Erprobung der technologischen Grenzen eines Schiffes und die furchtlose Steuerung experimenteller Raumschiffe haben dazu beigetragen, die Menschheit zu den Sternen zu führen. Während die Staffel 42 die Heimat der besten Kampfpiloten der UEE ist, kann die Staffel 999 viele der mutigsten Piloten der Menschheit für sich gewinnen. Furchtlos vorwärts fliegend Die Ursprünge der Squadron 999 reichen über 800 Jahre zurück. Mitte der 30er Jahre begann Roberts Space Industries mit dem Testen des Zeus-Prototyps, einem Kurzstreckenforscher, der schließlich als erstes kommerziell erhältliches Raumschiff Geschichte schreiben sollte. RSIs Bestreben, Menschen sicher zu den Sternen zu bringen, war ein teures Spiel. Etwas mehr als fünfzig Jahre zuvor hatte RSI die Quantum Core Engine entwickelt, die in der Lage ist, 1/100 der Lichtgeschwindigkeit für das Militär zu erreichen. Im Laufe der Zeit begannen Zivilisten und verschiedene Industrien, Petitionen einzureichen, um die Technologie dem Privatsektor zur Verfügung zu stellen. Vorbei an der Markteinführung des Zeus-Prototypen. RSI hatte zugehört und daran gearbeitet, den Quantum Drive so weit zu rationalisieren, dass er wirtschaftlich rentabel wurde. Es gab jedoch Bedenken hinsichtlich des potenziellen Risikos, das damit verbunden wäre, eine so leistungsstarke Technologie in die Hände von nichtmilitärisch ausgebildeten Piloten zu legen. Die frühen Testflüge, die RSI durchführte, haben dieses Problem nicht gelöst. Das Hauptproblem, das RSI mit dem Zeus während dieser Testflüge hatte, war seine Rumpfintegrität. Diese Probleme gipfelten am 2136-6-23, als während eines Live-Fluges, der weltweit übertragen wurde, der Rumpf eines frühen Zeus-Schiffes zerriss, als es die Erdatmosphäre verließ, das Schiff vollständig zerstörte und den Testpiloten tötete. Die Katastrophe erschütterte die Menschen und plötzlich überwanden die schrecklichen Gefahren der Raumfahrt die Begeisterung, sie erschwinglich und zugänglich zu machen. Verzweifelt wandte sich RSI an die Marine und die renommierte Testpilotin Michelle Saleno, um Hilfe bei der Aufrechterhaltung des Zeus-Programms zu erhalten. Saleno, von ihren Freunden liebevoll Sal genannt, hatte umfangreiche Erfahrung mit der Quantum Core Engine von RSI und hatte die Ehre, der erste Pilot zu sein, der das Quantenquantum an Jupiter vorbeiflog. Saleno hatte sich für die Ausbildung neuer Testpiloten eingesetzt, die sich mit hochmodernen Raumschiffen beschäftigen sollten. Zu dieser Zeit waren die Menschen auf der Erde im Universum sehr allein, so dass es während der Erweiterung der Raumflotte der Marine nur einen kleinen Flügel aktiver Piloten gab. Saleno wusste, dass die Marine mit der Ausweitung des zivilen Raumfahrtmarktes auf den Quantenverkehr schnell expandieren musste, um ihre Flugüberlegenheit zu erhalten. Die Marine akzeptierte den Plan von Saleno und die erste Inkarnation der 999. Teststaffel war geboren. Da die Teststaffel außerhalb der normalen Struktur erstellt wurde, sollte die 999-Bezeichnung nur vorübergehend sein, bis die Einheit richtig zugeordnet werden konnte, aber die Nummer blieb hängen. Nachdem der Deal abgeschlossen war, dass Marine-Ressourcen zur Unterstützung von RSI bei der Entwicklung des kommerziellen Schiffes eingesetzt werden sollten, verbrachten Saleno und ihre Crew das erste Jahr damit, Änderungen zu fordern, bevor sie oder einer ihrer Piloten einen ersten Testflug absolvieren würde. Sie kämpfte mit RSI-Führungskräften um den Schiffsrumpf und fuhr RSI, um ihr Design komplett zu überarbeiten. Schließlich kletterte Saleno am 2137-3-19 für ihren ersten Testflug in den Zeus. Das Warten auf den neuen Zeus hatte sich gelohnt. Um 15:09 Uhr SET landete Saleno sicher. Es würde mehr Tests erfordern, aber dank der harten Arbeit von 999 war die Veröffentlichung des ersten kommerziellen Quantenantriebs, der das Schiff ermöglichte, zu einer Unvermeidlichkeit geworden. RSI warb für ihren Erfolg und über Nacht wurde Saleno zu einer Mediensensation. Sie wurde als Risikobereite gemalt, die bereit war, ihr Leben zu opfern, damit die ganze Menschheit zu den Sternen gehen konnte. Privat strich Saleno die Darstellung an und machte deutlich, dass sie alle Absichten hatte, an Altersschwäche zu sterben und nicht bei einem Testflugunfall. Wie sie berühmt sagte: "Bei der Arbeit eines Testpiloten geht es nicht darum, Risiken einzugehen, sondern Ergebnisse zu erzielen. Es geht darum, wieder sicher zu landen, genauso wie darum, furchtlos vorwärts zu fliegen." Die Wracklosen Zwei Jahrhunderte lang wurde die Staffel von Saleno genutzt, um Schiffe für das Militär zu testen. Sie waren es, die neue Schiffe auf Herz und Nieren prüfen und Ausbildungsprotokolle für diese Schiffe erstellen, die in den regulären Einsatz kommen. Ihre Arbeit war so wichtig, dass bei der Gründung der UNE im Jahr 2380 die Staffel mit ihrer 999er Bezeichnung direkt in die neue Marinestruktur integriert wurde, eine der wenigen Staffeln, die diesen Anspruch erheben kann. Während des Ersten Tevarin-Krieges waren die 999 die ersten, die Varianten des Vergelters getestet haben. Einige Befehlshaber forderten einen Ansturm auf die benötigten Schiffe, die sofort in den aktiven Dienst eintreten sollten, aber (dank seiner Heldentaten in der Schlacht von Idris IV) hatte ein damaliger Oberst Ivar Messer genug Einfluss, um zu empfehlen, dass der Einsatz der Vergelter bis zur Unterzeichnung durch die 999er gehalten werden sollte. Historiker würdigen diesen Schritt damit, dass sie Hunderten von Piloten das Leben gerettet haben. Eine tödlich defekte Energieübertragungseinheit wurde während des Testprozesses entdeckt und behoben. Heute ist die 999. Staffel Teil der 18. Kampfflotte und bezeichnet das Chronos-System als Heimat. Die Staffel nutzt die enorme Ausdehnung des Systems, um die nächste Generation von Militärjägern zu testen. Sie sollen den neuen Ägissäbel durch den Handschuh stecken, um zu sehen, ob er zu einem Grundnahrungsmittel der Flotte der Marine werden soll. Ägide Führungskräfte und Marinepiloten gleichermaßen warten gespannt darauf, die Meinung der verehrten Staffel über den hochmodernen Kämpfer zu hören. Jahrhundertelang hatte die 999. Teststaffel den Ruf, die Heimat einiger der mutigsten Piloten der Marine zu sein, und der Spitzname der Staffel, "The Wreckless", nährte diesen Namen. In Joyce Tuites Geschichte der Staffel Fearlessly Forward wurde die Bedeutung ihres Spitznamens offenbart. Nach Angaben ehemaliger Mitglieder war die erste Frage, die bei einem Vorstellungsgespräch für die Aufnahme in die Staffel gestellt wurde, "Was bedeutet The Wreckless für dich"? Die meisten jungen Piloten sprachen davon, die Schiffsgeschwindigkeit bis an die Grenze zu bringen oder ihre Sicherheit zum Wohle der Menschheit zu opfern. Diese Adrenalin-Junkies wurden ausgemerzt und woanders eingesetzt. Piloten, die Teil des 999 wurden, verstanden meist etwas, was Saleno gerne sagte: "Details sind wichtig!" Sie betrachteten den Spitznamen der Staffel und bemerkten das "W". Der 999 widmet sich der Grenzüberschreitung und ist gleichzeitig "wreckig" - ohne, nicht leichtsinnig. Es ist die Anerkennung dieser Unterschiede und Details, die die 999. Teststaffel zu einem der wirklich elitären Aufgaben der UEE Navy gemacht hat und seit Jahrhunderten ein wichtiger Teil der Verbesserung der menschlichen Raumfahrt ist. Portfolio: 999th Test Squadron “My goal was to make a ship the 999 would be excited to fly.” So said Consolidated Outland CEO and spacecraft fanboy Silas Koerner during a press conference unveiling the Mustang. From nearly the beginning of interplanetary travel, Squadron 999 has existed in some formal capacity. Their testing of a ship’s technological limits and fearless piloting of experimental spacecraft have helped shepherd Humanity out to the stars. While Squadron 42 is home to the UEE’s best fighter pilots, Squadron 999 can lay claim to many of Humanity’s most courageous. Fearlessly Flying Forward The origins of Squadron 999 go back over 800 years. During the mid-2130s, Roberts Space Industries began testing the Zeus prototype, a short-range explorer that would eventually make history as the first commercially available spaceship. RSI’s drive to bring people safely to the stars was an expensive gamble. A little over fifty years earlier, RSI had created the Quantum Core Engine, capable of achieving 1/100th the speed of light, for the military. As time went on, civilians and various industries began petitioning to have the technology made available to the private sector. Fast forward to the launch of the Zeus prototype. RSI had been listening and worked to streamline the Quantum Drive enough to make it commercially viable. There were concerns however with the potential risk that would be involved with putting such a powerful technology into the hands of non-military trained pilots. The early test flights RSI conducted didn’t ease that concern. The main issue RSI had with the Zeus during these test flights was its hull integrity. These problems culminated on 2136-6-23 when, during a live flight that was being broadcast across the world, the hull of an early Zeus ship ripped apart as it left Earth’s atmosphere, completely destroying the ship and killing the test pilot. The disaster shook people and suddenly the horrifying dangers of space travel transcended the excitement of making it affordable and accessible. Desperate, RSI turned to the Navy and renowned test pilot Michelle Saleno for help in keeping the Zeus program alive. Saleno, affectionately called Sal by her friends, had extensive experience with RSI’s Quantum Core Engine and held the honor of being the first pilot to quantum past Jupiter. Saleno had been pushing for the training of new test pilots who would be dedicated to cutting-edge spaceships. At the time, the people of Earth were very much alone in the universe, so while the Navy’s spacefleet was expanding, there was only a small wing of active pilots. Saleno knew that as the civilian spaceflight market expanded to include quantum travel, the Navy would have to rapidly expand along with it to maintain its flight superiority. The Navy accepted Saleno’s plan and the first incarnation of the 999th Test Squadron was born. Since the Test Squadron was created outside of the normal structure, the 999 designation was just supposed to be temporary until the unit could be properly assigned, but the number wound up sticking. After the deal was struck for Navy resources to be used to help RSI develop the commercial ship, Saleno and her crew spent the first year demanding changes before she or any of her pilots would take a first test flight. She battled with RSI executives over the ship’s hull and drove RSI to completely overhaul their design. Finally, on 2137-3-19, Saleno climbed inside the Zeus for her first test flight. The new Zeus had been worth the wait. At 15:09 SET, Saleno safely touched down. It would require more testing, but thanks to 999’s hard work, the release of the first commercial quantum drive enabled ship had become an inevitability. RSI touted their success and overnight Saleno became a media sensation. She was painted as a risk-taker willing to sacrifice her life so all of Humanity could go to the stars. Privately, Saleno bristled at the portrayal and made it abundantly clear that she had all intentions of dying of old age and not during a test flight accident. As she famously said, “A test pilot’s job isn’t about taking risks; it’s about achieving results. It’s about safely landing again, just as much as it is about fearlessly flying forward.” The Wreckless For two centuries, Saleno’s squadron was used to test ships for the military. They were the ones to put new ships through their paces and to create training protocols for those ships to be introduced into regular use. Their work was so important that when the UNE came into existence, in 2380, the squadron was incorporated directly into the new Naval structure with their 999 designation intact, one of the few squadrons that can make that claim. During the First Tevarin War, the 999 were the first to test variants of the Retaliator. Some in command demanded a rush on the needed ships going into active service immediately, but (thanks to his heroics at the Battle of Idris IV) a then Colonel Ivar Messer had enough clout to advise that the Retaliators’ deployment be held until the 999 had signed off on them. Historians credit this move with saving hundreds of pilots’ lives. A fatally flawed power transfer unit was discovered and fixed during the testing process. Today, the 999th Squadron is part of the 18th Battle Fleet and calls the Chronos System home. The squadron uses the system’s vast expanse to test the next generation of military fighters. They are reportedly putting the new Aegis Sabre through the gauntlet to see if it should become a staple of the Navy’s fleet. Aegis executives and Navy pilots alike are eagerly waiting to hear the revered squadron’s opinion of the cutting-edge fighter. For centuries, the 999th Test Squadron had a reputation as home to some of the Navy’s most courageous pilots, and the squadron’s nickname, “The Wreckless,” fed that repute. In Joyce Tuite’s history of the squadron, Fearlessly Forward, the importance of their nickname was revealed. According to former members, the first question asked when interviewing to join the squadron was “what does The Wreckless mean to you?” Most young pilots would talk about pushing ship speeds to the limit, or sacrificing their safety for the benefit of Humanity. These adrenaline junkies were weeded out and assigned elsewhere. Pilots who become part of the 999 usually understood something Saleno was fond of saying: “Details matter!” They looked at the squadron’s nickname and noticed the “W”. The 999 is dedicated to pushing the limit while being “wreck”-less, not reckless. It is recognition of these distinctions and details that has made the 999th Test Squadron one of the UEE Navy’s truly elite assignments, and a vital part of improving Human spaceflight for centuries. Links ----- No links available. Images ------ 3 image/jpeg [ ![](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/zujf3qgdir6esr/source/Zeus.jpg) ](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/zujf3qgdir6esr/source/Zeus.jpg) Zeus.jpg [Details](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/4884) Last Modified 9 years ago Size 218.73 KB [Source](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/zujf3qgdir6esr/source/Zeus.jpg) [Info](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/4884) image/png [ ![](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/xoh0h57yqhmror/source/TRAVEL_WARNING.png) ](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/xoh0h57yqhmror/source/TRAVEL_WARNING.png) TRAVEL_WARNING.png [Details](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/22318) Last Modified 9 years ago Size 18.25 KB [Source](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/xoh0h57yqhmror/source/TRAVEL_WARNING.png) [Info](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/22318) image/jpeg [ ![](https://media.robertsspaceindustries.com/weozjmuuh3hwh/source.jpg) ](https://media.robertsspaceindustries.com/weozjmuuh3hwh/source.jpg) source.jpg [Details](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/26463) Last Modified 6 years ago Size 823.29 KB [Source](https://media.robertsspaceindustries.com/weozjmuuh3hwh/source.jpg) [Info](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/26463) Metadata -------- CIG ID 15330 Channel Undefined Category Undefined Series Portfolio Comments 116 Published 9 years ago (2016-05-11T00:00:00+00:00) [RSI Article](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/spectrum-dispatch/15330-Portfolio-999th-Test-Squadron) [API](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/api/comm-links/15330)