GPO Exploration Series - Eloquent Spacecraft Systems

septemberWaves · June 14, 2017

After returning from a several-month hiatus, I'm starting a new series. I'll be exploring the incredible-looking planets added by Gameslinx's Planet Overhaul.

I have a somewhat different set of mods than my usual setup (partly since several of the ones I commonly use are not yet updated, and partly because I want to try something different). Among them is Kerbalism, which should make things interesting...

I'll be starting with fully upgraded buildings and the full tech tree unlocked, but will otherwise be using mostly Normal difficulty settings (albeit with the more realistic Commnet settings). My goals will be partly to gather science quite thoroughly (while also helping to fill out the as-yet-unfinished science definitions for the mod), and partly just to explore as many of these amazing worlds as I can (which, eventually, should be all of them).

Thanks to @Gameslinx for making the planets that inspired this series.

Contents

Spoiler

Part 1: Early Exploration of the Gaia system

Part 1 - 1: A New Home

Edited June 14, 2017 by eloquentJane

septemberWaves · June 14, 2017

Part 1 - 1: A New Home

We begin this series by launching into orbit. But not from the usual location. Gaia is Kerbin after thousands of years, and a near miss with another star system that left the Kerbol system littered with other planets (according to the lore from GPO). Though it shares similar features to Kerbin, it is a very different world.

GAIA-ORB 1

GAIA-ORB 1 is the first spacecraft designed to reach orbit around Gaia. It is a very simple device with minimal battery power and low mass, and is launched on the tiny launch vehicle known as Deneb 0.

Spoiler

Ignition.

Liftoff of GAIA-ORB 1.

Booster separation.

Fairing separation.

GAIA-ORB 1 has reached orbit of Gaia. Thus commences the new era of space exploration.

Spark 1

The next step (after a fairly extensive but relatively uninteresting technology testing program) is to send some kerbals up there. For this purpose, the Spark spacecraft was created. Spark 1 consists of a fairly basic 2-kerbal capsule atop a Deneb 1 rocket. Deneb 1 is much larger than Deneb 0, and it (as with every Deneb rocket after Deneb 0) ignites the central core as the boosters burn out. The boosters are therefore considered a separate stage.

The crew of Spark 1 are Valentina Kerman (pilot) and Lola Kerman (scientist).

Spoiler

Ignition.

Liftoff of Spark 1.

Commencing gravity turn.

Engine 1.3 experiencing a loss of thrust.

Initiating launch abort sequence.

LES fairing separation, LES ignition.

The crew are safely moved away from the malfunctioning rocket.

Parachute deployment.

Landing successful.

The failure of Spark 1 does not bode well for the future of the Deneb rockets. However, a second Spark launch has already been scheduled and will take place once the crew of Spark 1 have recovered and the failure of Spark 1 has been analysed.

Spark 2

Spark 2 uses the same vehicle design and crew as Spark 1, but the engine issues should be solved by now. This mission also the additional goal of achieving the first spacewalk in orbit of Gaia, but the primary goal is just to reach orbit in the first place.

Spoiler

Ignition.

Liftoff of Spark 2.

Commencing gravity turn. Engines are working as expected.

First stage cutoff and separation, second stage ignition.

LES separation.

First stage cutoff and separation.

OMS ignition.

Spark 2 has successfully reached orbit around Gaia.

Valentina achieves the secondary mission goal of the first spacewalk in orbit of Gaia.

After a de-orbit burn on the night side, the spacecraft prepares for re-entry.

Service module separation.

Re-entry and landing successful.

The success of Spark 2 opens the gateway to further crewed exploration of space. However, an improved spacecraft will be needed to stay in space for longer.

Edited June 21, 2017 by eloquentJane

Gameslinx · June 14, 2017

No visuals? Aww

Nah it is fine if you can't run them or don't wanna use them. I'll certainly be checking this place often!

Many thanks for doing this.

And rest in peace, spark1

Edited June 14, 2017 by Gameslinx

septemberWaves · June 14, 2017

12 minutes ago, Gameslinx said:

No visuals? Aww

Nah it is fine if you can't run them or don't wanna use them. I'll certainly be checking this place often!

Many thanks for doing this.

And rest in peace, spark1

Yeah, I wish I could use the visual mods but my computer is already very close to melting when I run the mods I already have.

You're welcome. Thanks for making the mod, I get the feeling it's going to be very fun to explore.

As for Spark 1, it's far from the worst thing that could happen considering I have Kerbalism installed. And honestly though, it's somewhat good that it did fail because I got to show off the launch escape system (which was very effective, though it did subject the crew to a brief acceleration of over 20g).

septemberWaves · June 25, 2017

Part 1 - 2: Technology Upgrades

One of the new goals of the space program is to put a kerbal in Gaia orbit and keep them there for a while. Thirty days, to be precise, as that is about the duration of a return trip that flies by any of Gaia's moons. Since it's likely going to be extremely expensive to put a station in orbit of any moon, we have upgraded the Spark spacecraft so that it is capable (with a large enough rocket behind it) of supporting its two-kerbal crew on a journey to orbit any of Gaia's moons (or moons of Gaia's moons) and back. This has led to the addition of a new orbital module in front of the command pod, and an improved service module as well. In anticipation of future missions, the new spacecraft - named Coronet 1 - is also equipped with experimental docking equipment.

Another goal is to improve autonomous space exploration technology, because sending kerbals everywhere is expensive and not always the most practical method of exploring. To this end there have been several proposed space probe designs, which are highly versatile and capable of being easily modified to suit mission requirements. Several new rockets - named the Vega series - have also been designed and tested. These rockets are much cheaper to launch than the Deneb rockets, but are unsuitable for crewed missions due to their solid rocket propulsion.

CGO-3

CGO-3, standing for Crewed Gaia Orbit 3, is the first mission to use the Coronet spacecraft. The missions Spark 1 and Spark 2 have retroactively been named CGO-1 and CGO-2, to ensure continuity with the new nomenclature. The mission itself is to keep 2 kerbals in space for 30 days.

Crew: Wenly Kerman (Engineer), Lola Kerman (Scientist)

Spoiler

Ignition.

Liftoff of CGO-3.

The Coronet 1 spacecraft is launched on the Deneb 2 rocket. This is an upgraded variant of Deneb 1, and has a slightly shorter second stage but has an added third stage.

First stage cutoff and separation, second stage ignition. As seen from ground-based cameras.

Second stage engine losing thrust. This is not a major concern at this point.

Second stage cutoff and separation, third stage ignition.

LES separation.

Third stage cutoff as 80km apoapsis is reached.

Power and communications arrays deployed.

Circularizing.

Circularization complete.

Third stage separation. The separation motors in this case are used to de-orbit the third stage to reduce debris.

The roughly-spherical orbital module contains most of the supplies needed to support the crew for long-duration missions, as well as power storage, RCS thrusters and propellant, and the communication array.

The new service module includes RCS thrusters, power storage, power generation (solar), and more propellant than the previous iteration used on the Spark spacecraft.

While Wenly and Lola are in orbit, two more missions are to be launched.

Gaia HEX-A 1

Gaia HEX-A 1 is a mission designed to study Gaia's magnetic fields. It uses the standard HEX autonomous spacecraft core, and includes a magnetometer, a geiger counter, and RPWS (Radio Plasma Wave Sensor) equipment. It is launched on the new Vega 1 rocket.

Spoiler

Liftoff of Gaia HEX-A 1.

The Vega 1 rocket consists of two stages: a large solid-fueled first stage, and a smaller liquid-fueled stage that is kept within the fairing.

First stage cutoff.

The launch profile of the Vega 1 rocket involves coasting for a while after first stage cutoff before deploying the fairing, to avoid atmospheric heating.

Fairing separation.

Second stage ignition.

Instruments and antennae deploy once in space.

The engines of the probe itself are used to circularize and raise apoapsis into the magnetic field of Gaia.

The probe will study the magnetic field environment around Gaia as it moves between its high apoapsis and low periapsis. It will only map equatorial regions of the magnetic fields, so new probes will have to be launched to accurately map the magnetic field environment in three dimensions.

Gaia ORB-A 1

Gaia ORB-A 1 is the first communications relay satellite. It uses the ORB-series probe core, with the addition of a relay antenna. It will be vital for sending space probes to any of Gaia's moons. It is launched on the Vega 2 rocket.

Spoiler

Ignition.

Liftoff of Gaia ORB-A 1.

The first stage of Vega 2 uses liquid-fueled vernier engines for control instead of aerodynamic fins. It is quite an effective method for controlling rockets like this one.

The Vega 2 rocket consists of three stages: a solid-fueled first stage, a solid-fueled second stage, and a liquid-fueled third stage. It is capable of putting a 1 tonne payload into low Gaia orbit.

First stage cutoff and separation, second stage ignition.

The second stage fuel proves to be far more energetic than calculations and earlier tests would imply. The rocket has to be tilted downwards and is placed on a very eccentric orbit.

Second stage cutoff, fairing separation.

Third stage ignition. The orbit was so eccentric that the circularization burn was almost entirely radial.

Third stage cutoff and separation.

After a maneuver to raise apoapsis, Gaia ORB-A 1 circularizes in a 1.15MM orbit, which, according to the data collected by Gaia HEX-A 1, should be in a region of low radiation.