Commander's Log: Julian Date 2928322.690
17 May 2019Urania Minora
Spent most of the morning working off a hangover in the SRV simulators and watching GalNet archives of an old Earth driving competition called "Rally" racing. Of course, SRV's have six wheels instead of the four found on traditional racing vehicles. Much of the concepts are similar, such as turning INTO skids, and handbrake turns.
One fascinating aspect of "Rally" racing - how the drivers execute high speed manuvers on loose dirt, sand, or gravel.
The front of the vehicle continuously points at the apex of the turn and the rear of the vehicle breaks traction, allowing the rear of the vehicle to "sweep" out during the turn.
Being the scientist I am, I had the station workers add a Planetary Vehicle Hangar to the Sagan, and purchased the cheapest SRV they had.
Partly because I've never actually driven before, and partly I knew by the end of the day it would be wrecked on some backwater moon.
Flew about 1,200 light years to a small mineral rich moon I charted a while back. Remote enough to not worry about my ship getting stolen or shot at.
Spent time during supercruise reading the operating manual - all 800 pages of it. Ugh. Did better driving than expected. Didn't flip or wreck the SRV.
Even stumbled upon a crash site, and shot down some pirate drones guarding an escape pod. Don't like violence towards people, but a flying toaster can eat a bullet.
Guess I'll be doing what the other explorers do, and keep an SRV hangar equipped when doing long distance expeditions. Break up the monotony with some surface recon.
Speaking of long distance expeditions.... Had one all nice and lined up this evening, but rich people get PISSY about ship scans.
Picked up the passenger, and got scanned on our way out of space dock. Passenger hollers at me on the com "I said to avoid scans! Take me back, I'll find someone else".
Seriously?!?!?!? You are in a HIGH SECURITY space port, and don't want to be scanned? Go find a low security smuggling center if you want to be incognito.
I might try to find another passenger for a long duration trip, we'll see.