Mike Mackowski has released a revised version of SIM #1.1 - The New Scale Spacecraft Primer. It is available in both hard copy and a color PDF digital version. Mackowski has retained some fourteen pages from the original edition with some of the older material having been updated, notably the Ariane, Mars Lander, and the Space Operations Center review. The remaining twenty-four pages are new or recycled from some of his old IPMS Journal columns (The View From Space City).

Since the original was published in 1990, this new version is essentially celebrating the 25th anniversary of the initiation of the SIM series. Notable new content includes the scratch-built Curiosity Mars rover that Mike took first in category at the 2014 Nationals. Also included are articles on updating the Revell Astronaut with MMU and the DC-X.

The Chapters include:

The Kit

This review covers the Battlestar Galactica Viper Mark II (2 Pack) 1:72 Scale Moebius Model Kit #957. A new release, this model should be readily available at most outlets. These are resized versions of the original 1:32 scale model. Moebius designates this as a Skill Level 3 kit for modelers 12 years and older. It includes two main trees containing most of parts for each craft. It is molded in white styrene with a transparent canopy, display stand, waterslide decals and an extensive instruction manual.

There are markings for different craft in the decal sheet. I have to give Moebius Models credit for releasing this model and to IPMS for providing the review sample.

Introduction

The original Star Trek TV series, in the 1960s, set the stage for TV science fiction drama in many, many ways - too many to go into here. Suffice it to say, that TV show, while great science fiction on the surface, hit all of the major political topics of the time including the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. In one particular episode “The Balance of Terror”, the crew of the Enterprise was forced to respond to attacks on Federation outposts along the Romulan neutral zone, made by a new and unseen enemy with sophisticated, as yet unknown weaponry. The enemy ship could electronically cloak itself from sensors and from being visibly seen. Because of the power required by the plasma weapon however, the ship had to un-cloak before they could fire. When the ship became visible, the image of a great orange bird of prey could be seen on the lower hull of the ship.

The Satellite

Planning started for the Vanguard program in 1955. Both the launch vehicle and the satellite were to be named Vanguard, the only time that has happened in the U.S. space program. There were several "marks" of the satellite varying in size from 20 inches down to 6 inches in diameter with varying instrumentation on board and the first was slated to go up during the International Geophysical Year of 1958. The Martin Company developed the rocket and the Naval Research Laboratory developed the satellite.

Introduction

"…roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need any roads…"

-Emmitt "Doc" Brown

The "Back to the Future” (BTTF) movie franchise began in 1985 with the release of the first movie. The film series featured the adventures of Marty McFly as he traveled back and forth in time in a Time Machine built by wacky scientist Emmitt “Doc” Brown. Brown had built that first plutonium-powered Time Machine creation from a vintage DeLorean sports car. At the end of the first movie, just when you thought the timeline had been restored and all was well, Doc Brown pops out of a worm hole in a newly modified, flying Time Machine, digs through the trash to find vegetable remains and banana peels to fuel the new ‘Mr. Fusion’ power cell and tells Marty that the timeline of the future has been disturbed and that “…something has to be done about your kids!”