With design and prototyping of key vessel systems well advanced, attention is being turned to the skills and training Endeavour’s crew will need to carry out our deep space mission. The most fundamental skills are maneuvering the ship and maintaining full operational awareness of the surrounding space.

System development has advanced far enough in propulsion and tactical sensor systems to allow them to be simulated in detail, providing opportunities for crew to put their training to the test in competitive hunt/kill scenarios. This will allow crew to accrue tactical experience and will provide valuable feedback to system designers on early improvements.

Hunt/Kill Simulations

A hunt/kill simulation pits two vessels against each other, each attempting to track and achieve a ‘hit’ against the other. The simulations cover a subset of vessel systems including fully operational impulse navigation and EMDAR consoles. The crew for each vessel is made up of a helm operator (quartermaster), tactical operator and a commanding officer.

The crews are given conflicting mission goals that will inevitably draw them together, typically requiring one vessel to protect an asset and another to compromise it. But the ultimate goal is each other’s vessel. The defender won’t want to leave themselves a sitting duck waiting for the attacker to make their move, while the attacker will want to be sure they don’t maneuver into a trap.

These simulations will provide valuable hands-on experience for operators, allowing them to get a feel for how their systems will respond and to develop operational techniques. Aspiring officers can gain valuable tactical and command experience. Recruiters for key crew positions for Endeavour’s launch will also be keeping a close eye on these simulations.

Who Should Take Part?

Anyone with an interest in vessel flight operations, tactical or operations management would benefit from taking part in these simulations. Even if you don’t plan on becoming a quartermaster or EMDAR operator, you’ll gain early service experience and useful insights into how these systems work.

Basic training in these areas will be available soon which will prepare you for the simulations. In the meantime, you can look through overviews of these systems here:

If you’re interested in taking part in the simulations, register your interest here (including which system interests you) and we’ll update you on availability of training and when the first simulations will be run.