[OOC message: This thread documents the surveying of a previously unreachable cluster - NGC 188. This expedition has been a work in progress for several months and took a lot of preparation work to put into practice. Unfortunately upon reaching the cluster, the rumours of exploited tags within it, proved to be true and we have reported this to Frontier Developments who have since acknowledged the existence of the exploited tags, and indicated they will be removing them in due course].
Operation Caldwell 1 - The first (legitimate) attempt to survey the NGC 188 Cluster.
Communique from the Galactic Mapping Project to the Children of Raxxla;
“The GMP understands that the Children of Raxxla are committing a Carrier to support the DSSA Initiative in June 3306, and that your Carrier has been assigned to the Formidine Rift region.
You helped the GMP five years ago with the Daedalus Mission which produced the first maps of the Formidine Rift, and again three years ago during the Monoceros Ring Expedition and now we are seeking your ...distinctive... modus operandi again. We are requesting assistance with a survey mission that has been on hold for many years.
The GMP would like you to survey the Caldwell 1 (NGC 188) cluster near the Wayfarer’s Graveyard. This cluster conveniently lies between the human bubble and the Rift, 6,500 LYs from Sol, and as such would not require much deviation from your DSSA mission goals when en-route to the Rift.
NGC 188 is one the the last remaining unexplored frontiers left in the Milky Way galaxy, and as such it would represent a major coup for the first faction to reach it. The cluster in question has been out of mankind's reach and is situated in a location where our technological advances in the past have been unable to bridge the gap to. But with the release of commercial capital-class starships imminent, it will soon be possible to travel distances beyond conventional starship range. The opportunity for mankind to make a leap into this mysterious nearby cluster is finally upon us.
As you may know, various theories circulate about the cluster’s particular composition of stars and its galactic or extragalactic origins. Due to the extremely remote location of the cluster none of these theories could be proved or disproved. Much like the Monoceros Ring, a manned survey is deemed necessary.
The GMP understands that CoR values the security of information - especially sensitive astronomical data - as much as you value your core principles and ethics. Therefore, the GMP chose to approach you with the assignment and ask to see it through in the name of unhindered science and the good of the galactic community.”
Andrew Gaspurr - The Galactic Mapping Project, March 3306.
In total the Fleet Carrier made 16 hyperjumps to reach the first system within the cluster. This took approx. 5.5 hours.
Once the Carrier reached PLOEA THE YQ-U D3-0, all pilots wanting to take part in the NGC 188 survey docked aboard the vessel for its final jump to NGC 188 SMV 4385.
Preparation
Purchasing and outfitting a Nautilus-Class Carrier for the mission required a significant financial commitment for the group. CoR leadership mobilized its members to begin mining operations throughout March and April 3306.
7.5 billion credits were raised. Enough to outfit the vessel with the services required to survey the Cluster (UC), as well as its essentials (Refuel, Repair, Restock, Shipyard, Outfitting).
Surveying NGC 188
Upon arrival within the cluster (NGC 188 SMV 4385), survey teams left the Carrier to begin the task of charting the cluster for the GMP.
The screenshots and timestamp logs of this survey that will be archived on this thread are proof to Frontier Developments that the survey team visited the cluster legitimately, using a Carrier, in the early hours of June 10th 3306. Any discovery tags that predate June 9th were claimed by players visiting the cluster using an exploit. Frontier have been made aware of this, have acknowledged it and have indicated that the exploited tags will be removed in due course.
Operation Caldwell 1 - The first (legitimate) attempt to survey the NGC 188 Cluster.
Communique from the Galactic Mapping Project to the Children of Raxxla;
“The GMP understands that the Children of Raxxla are committing a Carrier to support the DSSA Initiative in June 3306, and that your Carrier has been assigned to the Formidine Rift region.
You helped the GMP five years ago with the Daedalus Mission which produced the first maps of the Formidine Rift, and again three years ago during the Monoceros Ring Expedition and now we are seeking your ...distinctive... modus operandi again. We are requesting assistance with a survey mission that has been on hold for many years.
The GMP would like you to survey the Caldwell 1 (NGC 188) cluster near the Wayfarer’s Graveyard. This cluster conveniently lies between the human bubble and the Rift, 6,500 LYs from Sol, and as such would not require much deviation from your DSSA mission goals when en-route to the Rift.
NGC 188 is one the the last remaining unexplored frontiers left in the Milky Way galaxy, and as such it would represent a major coup for the first faction to reach it. The cluster in question has been out of mankind's reach and is situated in a location where our technological advances in the past have been unable to bridge the gap to. But with the release of commercial capital-class starships imminent, it will soon be possible to travel distances beyond conventional starship range. The opportunity for mankind to make a leap into this mysterious nearby cluster is finally upon us.
As you may know, various theories circulate about the cluster’s particular composition of stars and its galactic or extragalactic origins. Due to the extremely remote location of the cluster none of these theories could be proved or disproved. Much like the Monoceros Ring, a manned survey is deemed necessary.
The GMP understands that CoR values the security of information - especially sensitive astronomical data - as much as you value your core principles and ethics. Therefore, the GMP chose to approach you with the assignment and ask to see it through in the name of unhindered science and the good of the galactic community.”
Andrew Gaspurr - The Galactic Mapping Project, March 3306.
Waypoints | |
WP01 : ALCOR WP02 : (475 LY Jump) WREDGUIA RX-S C17-8 WP03 : (485 LY Jump) WREDGUIA PD-H B24-0 WP04 : (484 LY Jump) WREDGUIA LX-U D2-26 WP05 : (482 LY Jump) PLAA EURK PG-Z B1 WP06 : (483 LY Jump) OUTORST RX-L B49-0 WP07 : (489 LY Jump) OUTORST ZH-R C18-1 WP08 : (485 LY Jump) OUTORDY GV-P D5-4 WP09 : (492 LY Jump) OUTORDY JB-X D1-0 WP10 : (493 LY Jump) HEGUA FG-Z C28-0 WP11 : (490 LY Jump) HEGAA YZ-P E5-1 WP12 : (494 LY Jump) HEGAA DN-X C16-0 WP13 : (494 LY Jump) HEGAA LV-H C12-0 WP14 : (484 LY Jump) PLOEA THE WU-P D5-0 WP15 : (469 LY Jump) PLOEA THE CH-U D3-0 WP16 : (153 LY Jump) PLOEA THE YQ-U D3-0 WP17 : (480 LY Jump) NGC 188 SMV 4385 | 
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Once the Carrier reached PLOEA THE YQ-U D3-0, all pilots wanting to take part in the NGC 188 survey docked aboard the vessel for its final jump to NGC 188 SMV 4385.
Preparation
Purchasing and outfitting a Nautilus-Class Carrier for the mission required a significant financial commitment for the group. CoR leadership mobilized its members to begin mining operations throughout March and April 3306.
7.5 billion credits were raised. Enough to outfit the vessel with the services required to survey the Cluster (UC), as well as its essentials (Refuel, Repair, Restock, Shipyard, Outfitting).
Surveying NGC 188
Upon arrival within the cluster (NGC 188 SMV 4385), survey teams left the Carrier to begin the task of charting the cluster for the GMP.
The screenshots and timestamp logs of this survey that will be archived on this thread are proof to Frontier Developments that the survey team visited the cluster legitimately, using a Carrier, in the early hours of June 10th 3306. Any discovery tags that predate June 9th were claimed by players visiting the cluster using an exploit. Frontier have been made aware of this, have acknowledged it and have indicated that the exploited tags will be removed in due course.
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