Royal Manticoran Astro Control Service
| Royal Manticoran Astro Control Service | |
| |
| Commander: | RADM Garret Bitker |
| Area of Operations: |
Worldwide |
| Reporting to: | Office of the Home Secretary |
The Royal Manticoran Astro Control Service (abbrev: RMACS) is a component of The Royal Manticoran Navy, and is one of the three uniformed civilian branches of TRMN. Members of this branch hold military-designated ranks and job titles and may wear the various orders of RMACS uniform. Members of this component tend to focus on the Astro-Control related aspects of the stories.
Honorverse
Within the context of the Honorverse canon, Astro Control Services is a uniformed civil service responsible for manning the Junction and Termini Control, for Search and Rescue in the Junction and Termini areas, and for providing Customs enforcement in liaison with RMMC and Royal Customs personnel.
Commander Honor Harrington’s relationship with RADM Reynaud of Astro Control and the way she turned around the efficiency of operations in the Basilisk Station area was one key aspect of the beginnings of her career success.
The Manticore Wormhole Junction is the busiest location in human space. In 1905 PD, the ACS was directing a wormhole transit through the Junction once every three minutes. By 1920 PD, following the discovery of the seventh terminus, it was handling one transit every eighty-five seconds. (SI1)
RMACS Survey Command is also responsible for conducting junction and terminus beacon surveys. Until the Royal Manticoran Astrophysics Investigation Agency was established by the High Ridge government, Survey Command also conducted research into the existence of the seventh terminus of the Manticore Wormhole Junction, eventually discovering the Lynx Terminus.
Real Life Connections
Members of the RMACS are often interested in real world Aviation, and the RMACS Aerospace Wings program is designed to foster that interest. Aerospace Wings can be earned either through aviation activities, or by participating in online learning or flight simulation activities. For more information, see Aerospace Wings. RMACS members also often have Coast Guard or lifesaving backgrounds that play into their interest in this part of the TRMN.
History within TRMN
List of RMACS Commandants
| # | Name | Assumed | Relieved |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RADM Sir Garret Bitker | unknown | Incumbent |
Senior staff
- RMACS Commandant: RADM Sir Garret Bitker, KCE, MC, KR, SC, OGL, OG, CGM
- Chief of Staff: RADM Sir John Brice, RMACS
RMACS Regional Organization in TRMN
RMACS is organized into chapters affiliated with regional fleets.
Chapters
| Chapter | Attached to | Unit # | Commissioned |
|---|---|---|---|
| HQ-Manticore Central Control | Government House | ATC-01 | 13 Sept 2018 |
| Beowulf Control | 1st Fleet | ATC-11 | Inactive |
| Matapan Control | 2nd Fleet | ATC-02 | Inactive |
| Trevor’s Star Control | 3rd Fleet | ATC-03 | 21 May 2020 |
| Hennesy Control | 4th Fleet | ATC-04 | Inactive |
| Gregor Control | 6th Fleet | ATC-06 | 15 Sept 2019 |
| Basilisk Control | 8th Fleet | ATC-08 | Inactive |
| Lynx Control | 10th Fleet | ATC-10 | Inactive |
(Chapters with links are currently Active)
Chapter types
There are four types of RMACS Chapters.
- Main Termini: (RMACS command staff, crew any branch)
- Tugs: (same as a LAC: CO —LtSG, Bosun—CPO, one other crew)
- Survey Ships: (same as a LAC: CO —LtSG, Bosun—CPO, one other crew)
- Forts: (CO—LtSG and Bosun—CPO from any Naval branch —RMN, GSN, RHN, IAN)
RMACS Ranks
| Rank | Paygrade | TITLE |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 | C-1 | Recruit |
| E-2 | C-2 | Trainee |
| E-3 | C-3 | Candidate |
| E-4 | C-4 | Petty Officer Third Class |
| E-5 | C-5 | Petty Officer Second Class |
| E-6 | C-6 | Petty Officer First Class |
| E-7 | C-7 | Chief Petty Officer |
| E-8 | C-8 | Senior Chief Petty Officer |
| E-9 | C-9 | Master Chief Petty Officer |
| E-10 | C-10 | Senior Master Chief Petty Officer |
| O-1 | C-11 | Ensign |
| O-2 | C-12 | Lieutenant (jg) |
| O-3 | C-13 | Lieutenant (sg) |
| O-4 | C-14 | Lieutenant Commander |
| O-5 | C-15 | Commander |
| O-6 | C-16 | Captain |
| F-1 | C-17 | Commodore |
| F-2 | C-18 | Rear Admiral |
| F-3 | C-19 | Vice Admiral |
| F-4 | C-20 | Admiral |
| F-5 | C-21 | Transportation Minister |
| F-6 | C-22 | Home Secretary |
The Royal Manticoran Astro Control Academy
The Royal Manticoran Astro Control Academy offers a full range of rank exams, from trainee to Admiral, and the Admiral Stephania Grimm Honor Society recognizes outstanding achievement in those exams. RMACA also offers specialty schools in aviation, communications, customs, search and rescue, and traffic control.
Awards
RMACS Personnel are eligible for many of their own awards: For a full list, refer to Admiralty Order 1703-02.
RMACS award ribbons are shown at Royal Manticoran Astro Control Service Awards
References:
Aerospace Wings Awards