SimNASA Closed

[Brad]

After nearly ten years on line, SimNASA the first virtual space agency has officially closed. Initially formed in late 1999 as the Simulated Air and Space Organization (SASO) with the then Simulated Air Traffic Control (SATCO later VATSIM) organization, SimNASA was officially formed in February 2000 as the first virtual space agency with Keith Stein as its first administrator.

Since it inception the organization has flown a number of simulated space mission using first Microsoft Flight Simulator and then Orbiter. During the organization hay-day it boasted over 400 active members recreating active NASA mission in aeronautic studies as well as recreating the US Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Space Shuttle, and its own spaceflight design missions.

In 2000 the organization flew the first known virtual rocket live on the Internet with broadcast provided by the Virtual Airline News Flash (VANF). This, along with other firsts, secured SimNASA as the premier virtual space agency by end users and even recognition by corporations, universities, and even Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt.

Since 2001 the organization was lead by Brad Hodges along with the help of many volunteers. Of notable mention is Chuck Boudreaux, Frank Inkaar, Chris Trott, Kieth Stein, Tim Calloux, Neal Pizik, Kieth “Kilo” Watts, Jeff Parker, and many many others.

Plans are currently underway to make a static historical site with space provided by an anonymous donor. Dates for the launch of the historical site have yet to be determined.

It was a great ride! Thank you everyone!

EDIT: I did forget to mention António Maia. Thank you António Maia!

 

[n72.75]

And I almost had my wings...

 

[mjanicki]

Thank you to both you, Brad, and the rest of the staff. I'm honored to have been part of the organization if only for a short time.

-- Mike

 

[Zachstar]

I am extremely saddened to see it close but I know it was not an easy decision for you so I know it likely was the right one.

VSAs in Orbiter just are not working lately. And it does not help that most people that are seriously interested in Orbiter have jobs with many hours and families to support.

SimNASA led the way tho Brad. Thanks for all the hard work yall did!

 

[simcosmos]

I'm so sorry to hear about that Brad: would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize to you and to SimNASA Development Team for being in radio silence / 'away mode' for all these past months (several external constraints + work are not leaving much time for several Orbiter projects as once had).

I wish to thank you and to all other fellow SimNASA members with whom I collaborated either flying ('BOTA2003 – Battle Of The Airlines – Mission Moon' will always be on my heart for the flying stunts, the custom SimNASA repaints / briefings that made and the team mates), either as part of Live Mission Events (with Ventrilo, Virtual Mission Control, LivePics or Live Video) or as part of my SimNASA contributions with the ongoing development / alpha stuff here, for a future NASA VSE SC addon version (custom versions of AresI, AresV, Advanced Centaur, etc, etc). Some of that can be seen here or here.




To conclude, and taking the reference of an historical site, perhaps it would be nice to also (re)consider that old proposal that have made about the idea of perhaps building an 'all-in-one' SimNASA historical package (or a set of packages for each SimNASA key Orbiter Simulator Projects, after Apollo) with all the missions, documentation and files organized and, if needed, revised + corrected + upgraded (meshes, textures, performance implementation, spacecraft interactions, etc) for overall coherence here and there.

I know, I know, it would be a BIG Project and would need to be done right in order to be usable but, in the very end, it would certainly result in a very nice final SimNASA contribution to Orbiter Community and would also be a nice opportunity to update so many good past addons in a more coherent implementation (we all know that the realities of a Virtual Space Agency sometimes leads to files being scattered and needing a number of patches while missions are being prepared / run).

I could volunteer for such effort, at very least to package some of the stuff that have contributted into a single zip file (what I can't do is provide deadlines... I gave up of announcing expected release dates... very hard to predict Orbiter development time).




Ending as started: very sorry to hear about SimNASA closing! Have been following it since the beginning (before the moment I joined it for the first time): Brad (and to every SimNASA members that actively contributed in a way or another for the VSA), thank you again very much for all the nice moments.

Cheers ,
Best wishes
António

 

[MJR]

I know somebody with the name of Chuck Boudreaux from when I lived in Fort Riley. Where is he from?

 

[Brad]

I know somebody with the name of Chuck Boudreaux from when I lived in Fort Riley. Where is he from?

Not from Kansas, The Chuck Boudreaux mentioned was the same review editor at AVSIM.

 

[MJR]

But that was years ago so he probably moved. Was he ever in the Army?

 

[Brad]

But that was years ago so he probably moved. Was he ever in the Army?

Nope... journalist, independent..

 

[MJR]

Man. I though it was this one guy my dad used to know. Used to be my neighbors and had the exact same name.

 

[Brad]

Man. I though it was this one guy my dad used to know. Used to be my neighbors and had the exact same name.

Nope.... nice try...Chuck is a great guy. Miss him alot. Like a BIG brother.

 

[MJR]

Cool. What position in SimNASA were you again?

 

[Quick_Nick]

Cool. What position in SimNASA were you again?

:lol: :rofl:

 

[MJR]

Hey, I am not too familiar with it. I think he is the head of command?

 

[Brad]

I was a nobody....

 

[Voyager_VI]

I miss Chuck...

 

[Zachstar]

I was a nobody....

Biggest Understatement EVAR!!! :rofl:

 

[thammond]

As a SimNasa pilot, I am surpised and sad to see it end. Not sure what happened as there was no talk that I was aware of potentially closing it down, although I had been away from the site for a month or so. I hope a historical web site can be established.

 

[Kodiak]

I googled SimNasa only to find this post

I'm sorry to see SimNasa close its doors, I also must apologize for leaving Simnasa hanging on the Orion 2 program. I needed a break from Orbiter (turned out to be a rather long break)

Did you use Pegasus with a re-paint for orion 2, or did you use something else?