Lodamun

[imperialpearl]

Although the agency governs over what is increasingly becoming one of the largest budgetary allocations for a singular government entity since the creation of the Civil Projects Administration, the Lodamese Space Administration and its recent 30 billion LOD budgetary allocation is said to be in the openings of what could be a fundamental milestone in the scientific development and research within Lodamun. At a press conference held at the LSA’s headquarters in Kensington, LSA Administrator Dr William Redman speaking alongside Secretary of Science and Technology Dr Lloyd Gilmore, confirmed that the Department of Science and Technology had approved the ceasing of public and private land for the construction of what will be the agency’s future space centre. In building out much of the infrastructure necessary to house the various sections of the Lodamese Space programme, Redman and his predecessors envisioned a singular, expansive piece of real estate wherein they could house a research and development centre, vehicle/shuttle assembly, conventional landing facilities, etc. Since the programme had been initially announced years prior, there have been numerous considerations related to the space centre’s location. It is often proposed that where space ports of launching rockets are constructed that they be closer to the equator as this provides the rocket with the ability to take advantage of the planet’s rotation. Additionally, access to unpopulated bodies of water or open land is necessary as rockets launch and undergo the various stages of separation, it is safer/more feasible that these separated parts fall back/crash into the ocean or an unpopulated landmass. It is these considerations which were essential in the selection of Venfield, Barrington as the site for the “Venfield Space Flight Centre”. According to Dr Redman, the proposed site, which rests on the southernmost coast of the state, has numerous advantages. “The site is a safe distance from Venfield, and allows for boosters and other elements of the rocket to be jetisended into the Anantonese Ocean for recovery. Additionally, it is the southern-most point for which we can construct such a site, as our natural limitation remains that we are not Kalistan, whereby we are geographically closer to the equator.” Redman explained.

Technical advisors for Dorvik, Kalistan and Hutori are reportedly being flown in to assist the LSA in building out numerous facilities. According to Secretary Gilmore, the Bureau of Land Use and Reclamation (BLUR) has initiated discussions with a local cattle rancher whose ranch is against the property line earmarked for the space centre. The BLUR is a subordinate agency of the Department of the Interior, primarily responsible for the management of idle federal lands. It is also the quasi-responsible authority for eminent domain claims for lands parallel/adjacent to federal land. “I have had numerous discussions with Secretary John Riley [The Secretary of the Interior], who has made guarantees to both the DoST and the LSA that the site will be surrendered to the LSA via the usual, legal channels. It is my understanding that the rancher has responded positively to the proposal made by the BLUR,” Secretary Gilmore explained. Construction of the site is expected to cost in somewhere around 20 billion LOD in real dollar terms. The surprising price tag primarily relates to the logistics required to construct the various sections of the centralised space centre. Not only will the site house much of the LSA’s operations, but it will also house the future operations of the Strategic Defence Agency (SDA) and the Lodamese Air Force (LAF), which are expected to contribute in massive portions towards its construction as two entities will be granted their own separate “quadarants” to conduct their often secretive research and development.