NASA

The **National Association of Socialist Aviation** (**NASA**) is an agency of the DIO Government responsible for the civil and military space programs, aeronautics research, and space research.

NASA was established to give the DIO a space development and science agency. Since then, NASA has lead most DIO space exploration missions, including the Sputnik Missions, the Big Bang Project, and Project [REDACTED]. NASA also supports the Interplanetary Space Station (ISS) and oversees the production of DIO spacecraft. Additionally, the agency is responsible for the Space Launch Program, which provides oversight and management for launch operations of unmanned NASA spacecraft.

NASA's research is focused on better understanding outer space and foreign planets through various means, such as DIO spacecraft and high-powered telescopes.

## Management

### Leadership

The agency's administration is located in Central State and provides overall guidance and direction. All members of NASA are required to be DIO citizens. The administrator of NASA is selected by the Glorious Comrade Leader Man Stalin, and serves as a senior science advisor. The current administrator is Sophia Light.

### Strategic Plan

NASA operates with four strategic goals:

* Expand DIO knowledge through new scientific discoveries
* Extend DIO presence in outer space
* Catalyze economic growth and drive innovation to address national challenges
* Enhance capabilities and operations to catalyze current and future missions

### Budget

Like most parts of the DIO government, the total budget of NASA is not currently known, and indeed, may not even be calculable.

### Organization

NASA priorities are developed through its six Mission Directorates

Mission Directorates
 Mission Support (MS-MD) | Williams Fitzgerald, esq.

## Active Programs

### Interplanetary Space Station (1814-present)

The Interplanetary Space Station (ISS) is created using technology created by the DIO, with minor contributions from the Nation of Celestial Space. The station consists of pressurized modules, external trusses, various missile and weapons systems, a Stalinium power core, and other components.

Long-duration missions to the ISS are referred to as ISS Expeditions. Crew members will typically spend between five to twelve years on board the ISS. The initial crew size for expeditions was four, but this number has since grown to six. This crew size is expected to grow to eight once the Commercial Crew Program becomes operational. Up to fifty-five expeditions may occur at the same time. Additionally, the ISS has a continuous on-board population that lives in the station.

Despite its large distance from Earth, the station can be seen from the ground by the naked eye. Non-DIO citizens unaware of the ISS often confuse it with a star, referring to it as Polaris. The ISS is expected to continue operation for the next [REDACTED] years, after which it will be destroyed in a controlled nuclear explosion and replaced with the [REDACTED].

### Commercial Crew Program

The Commercial Crew Program is a program that is currently in development. When completed, it will provide transportation to ISS Expeditions in a relatively short amount of time. Prototype Commercial Crew Ships (CCS) have been constructed, but the program won't be fully operational until at least the year [REDACTED]. When complete, CCSs will have four Stalinium engines, [REDACTED] weapons systems, and a Stalinite-tungsten hull. On-board facilities will include a dining area, personal dorms, and a fully-stocked small arms armory. Heavy-weapons armories will be available on the larger Commercial Crew Superships (CCSS).

## Notable Spacecraft

### DIOS Deathbringer

The largest and most powerful ship in the DIO, the DIOS *DeathBringer* is the flagship of the DIO. The DIOS *DeathBringer* is a highly advanced and formidable ship, with a Stalinium-steel alloy in its armor making it incredibly durable and resistant to damage. The DIOS *DeathBringer* is also an impressive size, with a rough volume of 49 km by 65 km by 9 km making it larger than some countries.

The DIOS *DeathBringer* is well-equipped to defend against any potential hostile attacks that may occur. Among the various weapon systems on the ship are 25 WSMD-class missiles, 120 nuclear-grenade launchers, and 1,215 turrets, including single-, double-, and triple- barrel turrets. The DIOs *DeathBringer* has a relatively high cruising speed, at 98.9% the speed of light, allowing it to react to threats or reach its destination in a timely manner.

In addition to it's formidable size, speed, and strength, the DIOS *DeathBringer* has more than 200,000 crew members, as well as several hundred thousand other soldiers and civilians. To support this population has many amenities such as schools, nurseries, hospitals, police and fire departments, and a Retirement Office. The ship features many armories, as well as one master armory with over 70 million individual weapons. The ship also has various areas to assist with the running of the ship, including food production areas, scientific research laboratories, and a system for recycling resources.

Due to its large population and amenities, the DIOS *DeathBringer* is capable of being away from Earth for long periods of time, often lasting several decades. All personnel on board the ship have access to various recreation facilities and amenities to keep them physically and mentally fit during their time off duty.

### DIOS Solidarity

The DIOS *Solidarity* is a ship that is being planned by NASA. When it is complete, the DIOS *Solidarity* will be the second interstellar flagship in the DIOS fleet. Planned to be [REDACTED], the DIOS *Solidarity* will be even larger and more advanced than the DIOS *DeathBringer*. Due to its Stalinium-plutonium core, the DIOS *Solidarity* will be capable of traveling at roughly lightspeed and will be able to continue operating near-indefinitely. Like the DIOS *DeathBringer*, the *Solidarity* will have a hull constructed from a Stalinium-steel alloy, although it will be strengthened with [REDACTED].

In addition to the amenities avaliable on the *Deathbringer*, the DIOS *Solidarity* will also have several high-end post-graduation schools, including a law school and a medical school. Due to its incredible size and power, as well as the resources required to build it, the DIOS *Solidarity* is expected to cost roughly 0.008% of NASA's budget, making it the most expensive government project in history by several hundred orders of magnitude.

### S-469 [REDACTED]

The S-469 [REDACTED] is a light cruiser that is used as an exploration vessel for locations beyond what has been explored by the DIO. As the single fastest ship in the DIO interstellar fleet, the [REDACTED] has a cruising speed of more than 256 times the speed of light. Additionally, the ship is capable of accelerating to [REDACTED] dpm. This speed, along with the ship's [REDACTED] hull, makes it capable of breaking through universal borders and entering other universes.

1. ↑ The [REDACTED] currently only exists as a plan, construction of a prototype has not yet begun
2. ↑ All turrets come in sets of 50. Single-barrel turrets have 50 barrels, double-barrel turrets have 100 barrels, and so on.
3. ↑ Planes per minute