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NotAgain

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  1. Aridia - 5

    Mission: Get to space, and prove that in-flight staging is feasible. (And succeed, this time!)

    Launch Vehicle: Aridia 2A

    Launch Site: LC - 1, Cape Canaveral

    Date: 31/3/1951

    Spoiler

    w4oh8C5.png

    After the partial success of Aridia - 4 earlier in the month, the KSA are re-attempting the mission. The vehicle is almost identical, with the only change being to the angle of the spin-up motors to keep the Aerobee engine of the second stage ullaged.

    0AHrXlV.png

    Using the same type of A-4 engine as its predecessor, Aridia - 5 lifted off successfully from LC - 1 at Cape Canaveral.

    d32GE8B.png

    The first stage, as expected, burned for 70 seconds.

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    Then, the newly re-angled spin-up motors fired, re-ullaging the second stage, and finally proving that a multi stage, all-liquid fuelled rocket was possible.

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    And so the upper stage hurtled off upwards.

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    We didn't get any science from this flight, but we did break our own altitude record, reaching an apogee of 501km.

     

    Aridia - 6/7

    Mission: Break our own altitude record (again) and demonstrate the feasibilty of the new Block A 12 engine upper stage.

    Launch Vehicle: Aridia 3

    Launch Site: LC - 1, Cape Canaveral

    Date: 30/4/1951 and 31/5/1951

    Spoiler

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    Aridia 6, our first three-stage rocket, and our first attempt at exceeding 1,000km in altitude lifts off from Cape Canaveral.

    HEDt6sq.png

    The rocket is effectively an Aridia 2 with the top of the first stage cut off to make a new second stage, which we're calling the Block A. The Block A uses twelve Aerobee engines in order to provide another 2km/s of delta V. To ullage the second stage, we're using a revolutionary new Reaction Control System running on Cold Gas Nitrogen.

    YQJh6uU.png

    But, when we tried to ullage and ignite the stage on this flight, we realised that CGN RCS system was nowhere near powerful enough.

    IHD4IOs.png

    And then this happened.

    3UTfUGC.png

    Almost immediately we decided to try it again, but with twice the number of RCS thrusters.

    PKxEbXy.png

    The A-4 engine failed after just 24 seconds, but we managed to ignite the Block A.

    xhwavsI.png

    And then one of the Aerobees failed.

    zAomH4a.png

    And we flipped over to the side. And then proceeded to dive for the ground. This hasn't been a good month...

     

     

  2. Well, hello everyone! It would appear that I've gotten myself a copy of RSS/RO/RP-0 (in 1.1.3 for some obscure reason), and started a career mode. That may have been a mistake, but I may as well document my escapades, so, without further ado, here I go

    SCREAMING THROUGH THE COSMOS!

     

    Aridia - 1

    Mission: Provide a nice fireworks display, or maybe send back some valuable data.

    Launch Vehicle: Aridia 1

    Launch SIte: LC - 1, Cape Canaveral

    Date: 8/1/1951

    Spoiler

    NVGjA3m.png

    I figured that I ought to start off my RSS craziness with a nice, simple, hot-staged sounding rocket. What could possibly go wrong?

    INeMGZe.png

    It started off well, and went screaming away from LC - 1 at Cape Canaveral.

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    Didn't reach space, but did get more than 85km up, and transmitted science.

    9L5ITJw.png

    And then it barrelled into the floor at more than 200m/s. I'd call that mission a total success.

     

    Aridia 2 and 3 were practically identical missions (except Aridia - 3 only reached 61km due to a spin-stabilisation failure), so I shan't bore you with them.

     

    Aridia - 4

    Mission: Get to space, and prove that in-flight staging is feasible.

    Launch Vehicle: Aridia 2

    Launch SIte: LC - 1, Cape Canaveral

    Date: 6/3/1951

    Spoiler

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    After the early Aridia flights, and two months into the space program, the administrative team decided to try for an actual spaceflight. In order to achieve that, the R&D guys begged borrowed and stole some spare V2 missiles and proceeded to violate them with an aerobee-powered second stage.

    5HM5uyG.png

    The ethanol fuelled first stage ignited and burned for 70 seconds, placing the rocket on a trajectory with a 200km apogee.

    jDh7SqK.png

    Then, four little SRMs ignited to spin up the second stage.

    AMUqALZ.png

    But the engine didn't remain ullaged, and failed to ignite. But, the vehicle did, in fact, reach space, and made it 501km downrange.

     

     

    List of orbital Launch Vehicles (WIP)

    Spoiler

    Name                                     Stages           Approximate capacity to LEO           Operator                                   Total Launches          Total Successes          Total Failures           Success rate

    Citadel 1                                  2                      3.5 Tons                                             Kerbal Space Agency                 1                                   1                                     0                               100%

    Devoid 1                                  4                      0.9 Tons                                              Kerbal Space Agency                4                                   2                                     2                                 50%

    Devoid 1A                                4                     0.9 Tons                                              Kerbal Space Agency                 2                                  1                                     1                                  50%

    Devoid 1B                                4                     0.9 Tons                                               Kerbal Space Agency                1                                   0                                     1                                  0%

    Domain 1                                 2                       2 Tons                                                Kerbal Space Agency                4                                   4                                     0                                 100%

    Domain 1A                              2                     4.1 Tons                                               Kerbal Space Agency               13                               11.5                                 1.5                               88.46%

    Devoid 2                                  3                      0.6 Tons                                              Kerbal Space Agency                1                                   1                                      0                                 100%

    Devoid 2A                                3                     1.2 Tons                                              Kerbal Space Agency                 2                                   1                                     1                                  50%

    Domain 2                                 3                     3.5 Tons                                               Kerbal Space Agency                1                                   0                                     1                                  0%

    Domain 2A                              3                       6 Tons                                                Kerbal Space Agency                 5                                   5                                     0                                 100%

    Domain L                                 2                       2 Tons                                                Kerbal Space Agency                 5                                   4                                     1                                  80%

    Devoid 3                                   2                     0.8 Tons                                              Kerbal Space Agency                 1                                   1                                     1                                 100%

    Devoid 3A                                2                      0.9 Tons                                              Kerbal Space Agency                 1                                  1                                      0                                 100%

    GK - 1                                       2                     0.25 Tons                                             Kerbal Space Agency                 4                                  3                                      1                                  75%

    GK - 2                                       2                         1 Ton                                                 Kerbal Space Agency                 2                                  2                                      0                                 100%

    Tash-Murkon 1                       3                      7.5 Tons                                              Kerbal Space Agency                 3                                   2                                     1                                 66.6%

    Tash-Murkon 1A                    3                      7.5 Tons                                              Kerbal Space Agency                 2                                 0.5                                   1.5                                25%

    Tash-Murkon 1B                    3                      7.5 Tons                                               Kerbal Space Agency                 1                                   0                                      1                                   0%

    Tash-Murkon 2                       2                        8 Tons                                                Kerbal Space Agency                 2                                   2                                     0                                 100%

     

    List of Kerbonauts (WIP)

    Class 1 (The Original Eight)

    Spoiler

    Name                                                Status                                Role/Rank                                           Agency                                       Flight Log

    Jebediah Kerman                            Active                                 P1                                                        KSA                                             X - 3A Flight 1, X - 3A Flight 3, X - 3A Flight 10, Lonetrek - 6.

    Time in Space: 0d, 7h, 43m           No. of EVAs: 0                  Time on EVA: 0d, 0h, 0m, 0s

    Valentina Kerman                           Active                                  P1                                                        KSA                                             X - 3A Flight 2, Lonetrek - 7.

    Time in Space: 2d, 4h, 19m           No. of EVAs: 0                  Time on EVA: 0d, 0h, 0m, 0s

    Bill Kerman                                      Active                                  E1                                                        KSA                                             X - 3A Flight 4, Lonetrek - 8.

    Time in Space: 1d, 10h, 29m        No. of EVAs: 0                  Time on EVA: 0d, 0h, 0m, 0s

    Bob Kerman                                     Active                                 S1                                                         KSA                                            X - 3A Flight 5, Lonetrek - 9.

    Time in Space: 2d, 14h, 20m        No. of EVAs: 1                  Time on EVA: 0d, 0h, 17m, 40s

    Linda Jordan                                    Active                                 E1                                                         KSA                                            X - 3A Flight 6, Lonetrek - 10.

    Time in Space: 2d, 2h, 3m            No. of EVAs: 0                  Time on EVA: 0d, 0h, 0m, 0s

    David Bradley                                   Active                                 E1                                                         KSA                                            X - 3A Flight 7, Lonetrek - 11.

    Time in Space: 2d, 0h, 47m          No. of EVAs: 0                  Time on EVA: 0d, 0h, 0m, 0s

    Katharine Biggs                               Active                                 S0                                                         KSA                                            X - 3A Flight 8.

    Time in Space: 0d, 0h, 0m            No. of EVAs: 0                  Time on EVA: 0d, 0h, 0m, 0s

    Maya Stimson                                  Active                                 S0                                                         KSA                                            X - 3A Flight 9.

    Time in Space: 0d, 0h, 0m            No. of EVAs: 0                  Time on EVA: 0d, 0h, 0m, 0s

     

  3. Resupply Compilation 1

    So, I said a few posts back that I would start putting all the more boring missions (like re-supplies, course corrections and rover driving) into one compilation every couple of weeks to give you more exciting missions. This is the first installment.

    Spoiler

    V0gYCM0.png

    We'll start with Hamal P - 2, a resupply mission to Besstrashnyy, and the first flight of the new R - 5B lifter (look at the 'telegram' post from a few days ago for my feelings on that). It proved to be difficult to control, overpowered and had a near-failure of the core stage engine. ON ITS FIRST MISSION.

    VjWEU3w.png

    In spite of the problematic launch vehicle, the resupply ship made it to the space station. Also, I'm retiring the CADS docking port. It's just too dangerous to use. (It randomly spits ships out upon undocking, and has already broken one solar array.)

    Rs2afah.png

    We then undocked Hamal P - 1 (after emptying the remaining couple of days of supplies into the station) and de-orbited it.

    qKKx7WM.png

    The expended resupply vessel then underwent a destructive re-entry.

    RyiZrAs.png

    Or so we thought. I came back a few days later and found this in the tracking station. It would appear that the probe core from the ship survived re-entry and the crash of the remains into the water. Well, waste not, want not! This'll get put to good use on Hamal P - 4. (We'd best fish it out anyway, else we'll probably get nicked for littering. Space junk in the ocean, fancy that.)

    nUTw5fS.png

    We also launched 3.6 tons of supplies up to OrbLab 2, as the crew up there only had the seven days that they brought up onboard the KSS Lionheart. To do this, we used an OAA (Orbital Access Alliance) Lithium Mk3 resupply ship. Lithium 9, to be precise, launched on a Boron 2.0 Launch Vehicle from Central Lakes Space Operations, the OAA's launch site.

    DIULvvA.png

    For some reason, the fairing ripped off both solar arrays. It's never done THAT before... But anyway, the ship made it to the station. All's well, ends well, eh? Eh?

     

    Explorer - Matchstick 5

    Mission: Go to space, and look out of the window.

    Launch Vehicle: Matchstick 1A

    Crew: S0 Moedith Kerman (Commander)

    Agency/Lanch Site: ANSEB/Great Ez Kape

    And here we are, the last flight of an Explorer - Matchstick 1, carrying Airenia's first spacefaring scientist, Moedith.

    Spoiler

    j0tlvEI.png

    This flight's been a long time coming, but I do have an excuse! We needed time to modify the capsule, and then realised that it had become too heavy for the existing lifter, so we had to extend the fuel tanks to give it the necessary delta - V to reach to desired trajectory. (Fortunately, we have thrust in abundance.)

    LxzV7ph.png

    The modified Matchstick was released and thundered into the sky with S0 Moedith nestled in the relatively cramped little capsule.

    Spoiler

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    Tell me that last picture doesn't remind you of this.

    V183ekB.png

    Onward and upwards the booster thundered.

    JPnfPSg.png

    Until the booster was jettisoned, and the capsule's own propulsion system tto over for the final push.

    7Iv2ylk.png

    Ah, yes. The view from space. It doesn't get much better than that.

    lcBYV0x.png

    And what goes up, must come down. With extreme violence and disturbing speed.

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    Also, Moedith leaned out of the capsule to grab some low-atmosphere science, and lost her grip at about 7,000ft. Thank goodness for EVA parachutes.

    xNYsu1O.png

    Good luck getting in without sinking that pod, Moedith.

     

  4. HMF - 23

    Mission: Collect Node 1 for OrbLab 2, which is adrift.

    Launch Vehicle: Prometheus III 122K

    Orbiter: KSS Lionheart (OV - 2)

    Crew: E1 Bill Kerman (Commander), P1 Malin Kerman (Orbiter Pilot), S1 Elity Kerman (Mission Specialist), S1 Jaline Kerman (Mission Specialist)

    Agency/Lanch Site: KSA/Kape Kanaveral

    Today we launch a new crew up to OrbLab 2, and finally chase down that errant module.

    Spoiler

    ZocAnDi.png

    Ya know that docking node we sent up to OrbLab 2? well, you might remember that we couldn't achieve a hard dock, so it's still floating around up there. In order to retrieve it before it floats out of physics range of the station, the KSA administration team has decided to move Expedition 4's launch up to an earlier point, so here we have the crew, comprised of (from left to right) E1 Bill Kerman (Commander), P1 Malin Kerman (Orbiter Pilot), S1 Elity Kerman (Mission Specialist) and S1 Jaline Kerman (Mission Specialist). Their mission, should they choose to accept it (actually, let's be realistic. They don't have a choice), is to retrieve the escaped Node 1 and dock it to the station before doing 200 days of science.

    YeQAfGN.png

    And the Prometheus III 122K lifter leaps from the launch pad at Kanaveral, carrying its gallent crew to their task of node-wrangling.

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    gCpq8Oi.png

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    The launch and orbital insertion were uneventful, and I'm sure the lot of you are familar with the sequence by now. The upper stage and boosters were recovered successfully, and the crew and orbiter arrived in their target orbit without incident.

    qGnXdSo.png

    The rendezvous went fine, but that was the easy bit. Now Bill stepped outside and made his way to the drifting Node 1, more than a mile away. This is, in fact, the furthest we've ever had to go from the ship on an orbital EVA. Once he reached the module, Bill used the external manual controls (read: right-click menu) to retract the docking ring, allowing a hard docking to be made.

    PCRGh35.png

    After Bill made his way back to the Lionheart, and then Malin took remote command of OrbLab 2 and chased the module down, docked to it, and returned the finished product to its proper 140 x 140km equatorial orbit.

    qUlfq77.png

    She then relinquished control of the station back to its SAS system and returned to flying the orbiter, bringing it in to a smooth docking with OrbLab 2, and allowing the scientists to get on with their primary mission.

     

    Also, Grace - XIII finally left Minmus for Duna:

    Spoiler

    3Q1yIti.png

    F5bDsuS.png

     

  5. Blue Anchor - Firedance XIII landing and unpacking

    Mission: Land at Beyrl Foster Station and deploy the verious bits of new equipment.

    It's time for BFS Ex - 1 to land, Nelrim to get busy building rovers and RTG arrays, and Tannica to do pretty much nothing.

    Spoiler

    4A41arU.png

    After a four day stay in Munar orbit, spent waiting for the base to come around into the munar morning ('cause no-one likes night landings), Nelrim and Tannica are finally ready to descend to the munar surface (first time for both of them) and set up shop at Beryl Foster Station. They'll need to assemble the Munar Roving Vehicle (Mk2 model, as the Mk1 is a single-seater), and, most importantly, the Radioisotopic Thermoelectric Generator array, which will supply 1 EC/s of power for the station during the hours of darkness, plenty enough to tide over life support and lighting, and the other functions that the base can't support a crew without.

    KXuXmiZ.png

    And so, our intrepid crew begins their descent, rolling the inclination correction and de-orbit burns into one for the sake of simplicity and efficiency.

    z5XH9uv.png

    Now decellerating, the lander approaches the area where Beryl Foster Station landed more than two years ago.

    luohg2o.png

    Not far to go now...

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    Nearly there, and we can now see the base.

    1p9FoVM.png

    And touchdown! Blue Anchor - Firedance XIII has landed! We are on the [REDACTED FOR FAMILY FRIENDLINESS] Mun!

    nG5F4vn.png

    Our two explorers clamber out and survey the beautiful desolation of the munar surface, and spot the base that'll be their home for the next 80 days.

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    While Tannica takes it all in, Nelrim gets out his electric screwdriver and starts pulling parts out of the lockers on the lander's descent stage, and starts building the Munar Roving Vehicle.

    rsP5c9a.png

    The two Kerbonauts then drive over to the base, getting their first good look at it. It's fairly simple, with a cupola, hab and airlock, and solar arrays for power. The eagle-eyedamongst you may have noticed that the jack that Nelrim built the rover on is still attached. He couldn't figure out how to get it off. (Certainly not the way he put it on, with an electric screwdriver!)

    948DmS4.png

    Oh, wait, there was a button to do that all along.

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    Now comes the naming ceremony for the area where the base sits.

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    I decided to continue my trend of naming geographic features of other world after real life astronauts (for the KSA) and cosmonauts (for Metkosmos).

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    Now Nelrim gets on with his other task: putting together the RTG array. Thanks to KIS/KAS, I don't have to fly it out attached to the base.

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    And it's finished.

    u1T0W3V.png

    And there we have it, folks, one largely functional Mun base. I'll send up a lab and a proper pressurized rover at some point in the future.

     

  6. To: General Secretary of the Kommunist Party and Benevolent Tyrant of the Metarian Union, Irina Kerman.

    From: Director Sergei Kerman, Metkosmos.

    Re: The new R-5B and R-3A Launch Vehicles.

     

    Good morning, General Secretary.

    I'm sure that you're familiar with the new launch vehicles that my agency have been operating recently, namely the R-5B and R-3A (you certainly should, you signed the authorisation papers). Anyway, we're having some serious issues with them. I have practically every department of my agency (apart from finance) cursing them to high heaven for some reason or another. Even Yuliya from Public Relations is complaining! She says that they're uglier than a Lelreg's behind (whatever that is), and the she presented me with a letter from a two-year-old kerblet asking what she'd done with the "nice, old rockets". Honestly, I have to agree with the bloody kerblet. The new boosters are too big for the old umbilical towers, too powerful for their own good, are giving us trouble with the core stage engines, they're unwieldy in flight, and nowhere near as cost-effective as they're supposed to be. They are, also bloody ugly. Nasty, squat machines with no elegance to them.

    I've written to you directly because I'm hoping that you'll listen to your old friend Sergei, and because I know you have the power to requisition the funds and raw materials to continue operating the R-5A and R-3 lifters from somewhere. Those boosters may have been more expensive than the new ones, but they were far more useful, not to mention controllable and sleek.

    Your childhood friend,

    Sergei.

     

     

    To: Director Sergei Kerman, Metkosmos.

    From: GenSec Irina Kerman.

    Re: Your rocket troubles.

     

    I can't begin to tell you how happy I was to hear from you old friend, I was beginning to think that you'd been quietly transfered to a salt mine. At least your letter gives me an excuse not to read about the latest conspiracy our lovely head of intelligence has come up with.

    I can certainly get you the materials to re-enstate your old lifters, but not without an excuse. After I took power from old Vlad, the party have known that they have the power to destroy their leader if it suits them. I know that some of our more conservative friends can't bear the thought of me, a woman, in charge, and they're just waiting for an opportunity to bring me down. I won't make it easy for them, but if they suspect me of cronyism, everything will go to mulchville pretty quickly here, so I can't help you without an excuse.

    Making up an excuse isn't a particular problem, but I know you, and whatever I tell you to do, you'll do. You're not the sort to quietly shelve a project. The only way I can get you the resources, though, is through a BIG project. I know that the DPK missions are still on the drawing board, but, if you want those rockets, I'll need you to throw caution to the wind, and put Metarian Kosmonauts on Duna before Greenwood 3's DAV lifts off from the surface of Duna. I know this is asking the world, but it'll keep both of our butts out of the salt mines.

    Good luck, my friend. I hope to speak to you soon.

    Irina.

  7. OrbLab 2 Node 1

    Mission: Expand OrbLab 2 in such a way that I can finally make it worth the money we spent on it.

    Launch Vehicle: Firestorm V

    Agency/Launch Site: KSA/Kape Kanaveral

    [Insert witty remark here]

    Spoiler

    meBhBCm.png

    It has come to the attention of the administrators of the KSA that OrbLab 2 is seriously useless compared to its predecessor, OrbLab 1A. For this reason, we're launching a new docking node, in order for us to dock new and interesting modules to the station, and make it worth what it cost us to launch.

    Actually, this is just an excuse to use the biggest SRB I've ever flown.

    AbfA5Q5.png

    The launcher we're using today is the KSA's new Firestorm V. The rocket consists of two stages, made up of a single huge FS - V Solid Rocket Boooster for the first stage that gets recovered by parachute after its mission for re-use.

    tHvC9GK.png

    The second stage is an S-IVD, a little development project that the KSA has had on the back burner since early Year 5. It's a cyogenic stage, powered by a Dnoces - S engine, and it handles most of the ascent for the Firestorm V, as the first stage burns out at about 8 - 12km up.

    psoNg2E.png

    Operating as the third stage for this mission we have the ACUSS, which you'll be familiar with from the launch of Grace - IX. This varient, however, is the low orbit varient, and is designed to be re-usable. As such, it has a guidance unit, RTGs, parachutes, airbrakes, a heatshield and an RCS system.

    L9U2r6C.png

    It was at this point that I realised that the only probe core on the vehicle was the ACUSS's one. Good luck to me trying to dock this to any station.

    v2lKkFA.png

    I decided to release it anyway, and remotely pilot an entire space station in to pick it up. And then I realised that I couldn't get it to retract its docking ring. Mulch.

    Wy5s9ZZ.png

    Ah, well. I can send a crew up to fix the situation. For now, I'll de orbit the ACUSS, and hope it survives.

    QQuToBx.png

    Spoiler alert: it did.

     

  8. Blue Anchor - Firedance XIII

    Mission: Fly a crew out to our Mun base.

    Launch Vehicle: Firedance IIIC

    Crew: Commander E1 Nelrim Kerman and Mission Specialist S0 Tanicca Kerman

    Agency/Launch Site: KSA/Kape Kanaveral

    It's been several months since the KSA have been to the Mun. It's high time we went back.

    Spoiler

    oAQfTbf.png

    About two and a half years ago, we launched a Mun base for a contract, Beryl Foster Station. It's been sitting uncrewed on the Munar surface since then. We've been wondering about how we can keep a crew alive on the surface of another world for weeks at a time. Until now, the longest we've managed is two and a half days on Blue Anchor - Firedance XI. Greenwood 3 will be spending 50 days on the surface of Duna, and we don't know anything about running an off-world base.

    PycLixQ.png

    So we're sending up a crew to Beryl Foster Station in order to:

    A) Find out some stuff about stranding two Kerbals in a tin can in 1/6 gravity for 80 days.

    B) Actually make use of a very expensive station.

    Our Kerbals for this little exercise are (from left to right) Mission Specialist S0 Tanicca Kerman and Commander E1 Nelrim Kerman.

    hd6egAH.png

    The FIredance IIIC lifts off without issues, as it's done every time before.

    qKKDdAK.png

    I've never had a failure on ascent of a Firedance - IIIC. Today is no different. I'm sorry to disappoint you all.

    UGQUNu8.png

    The hypergolic boosters seperate, and the next Munar landing pushes on.

    LhBBMsd.png

    I suppose that I should discuss the crew a little bit. Nelrim's a relatively experienced Kerbonaut, having flown on several missions. Tannica, on the other hand, is brand new, a part of the new Kerbonaut class and has never flown to space before. The higher-ups are a little bit nervous about sending a total rookie to play around with expensive hardware and Plutonium on the Munar surface. Wernher is confident that she won't break anything, though, so he's vouching for her.

    pyW3muO.png

    Also, I've occasionally run into a bug with this engine that tweakscales it up way too far. I forgot to do the little work-around that counteracts it this time, so I'm left with an overly large Dnoces - S engine.

    WVKYEU2.png

    Having set the 25 ton combined spacecraft on a trajectory to fly by the Mun, Nelrim and Tanicca ditch the fairing and start the transposition, docking and extraction maneouver.

    Bb6pEDV.png

    The S-IVB stage is then ditched on a trajectory to impact the Mun and the Blue Anchor Block III makes a small RCS burn to put it on a flyby course, and not slam into the Mun at 800+ m/s.

    7AV37RN.png

    About a day after lift off the Service Propulsion System ignites to place the spacecraft in orbit around the Mun. This shot also gives us a nice view of the Block III lander's landing lights, which are a new addition to the design. They shouldn't be necessary on this flight, but it's nice to know they're there.

    KZ0Qy1t.png

    And now, we wait for four days until Beryl Foster Station is in the ideal position for a landing attempt.

     

  9. Bonus update!

    HMF - 22

    Mission: Launch two new Geostationary communications satellites (and succeed this time).

    Launch Vehicle: Prometheus III 122K

    Orbiter: KSS Dauntless (OV-7)

    Crew: Commander E1 Pepe Kerman, Orbiter Pilot P1 Duddas Kerman, Mission Specialist E1 Wensie Kerman and Mission Specialist S1 Ludvey Kerman

    Agency/Launch Site: KSA(On Behalf of the Kerbal Space Exploration Council)/Kape Kanaveral

    Today, we jam amongst the stars. And launch a couple of geostationary commsats.

    Spoiler

    bHwD2Xk.png

    On this morning's flight, we have our four victims entirely willing participants, (from left to right) E1 Wensie Kerman (first Kerbal on the Mun, and tired of all the attention, also Mission Specialist), S1 Ludvey Kerman (Mission Specialist), P1 Duddas Kerman (Orbiter Pilot) and E1 Pepe Kerman (Commander). We're also carrying Serena X and XI (yes, again). The orbiter for today is the KSS Dauntless (OV-7).

    qTXtVpi.png

    With its usual worrying enthusiasm, the Prometheus III 122K leaves the pad on the insane thrust of the twin SRBs, and our second attempt at launching these satellites begins.

    TZhrFzI.png

    The twin Kerolox engines then ignite at T+32 seconds, and the boosters are jettisoned, later to be recovered by parachute from the sea.

    WkhIXnC.png

    The rocket continues to rapidly gain speed, and crew fight against the G-Forces.

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    We then ignite the reusable upper stage and head for orbit.

    WKlsYej.png

    The aforemention stage then goes "to hell with this, I'm going home", and promptly does so. (This one was also recovered successfully. The new method of actually burning all the remaining fuel in order to slow down to a speed where the stage won't disintegrate seems to work.)

    dD5NrOs.png

    And we finally make orbit, and Ludvey takes a moment to exploit our copious supply of sick bags.

    eOVigxg.png

    We're now in orbit, and have opened the cargo bay. The next step is getting Pepe and Wensie out on EVA in case the satellites need a bit of help leaving the orbiter and deploying. Pepe appears to be upholding his tradition of bringing his guitar on every single mission.

    In space, no one can hear you, uhhh, play the guitar?

     

    *There's a star-kerb waiting in the sky/*

    *He'd like to come and meet us/*

    *But he thinks he'd blow our minds...*

    Spoiler

    xK8Aeog.png

    The whole 'Pepe doesn't go into space without a guitar' thing's been going on since we recruitied him, back in late Year 1, and he took the guitar up on Felsto - Fenris VII, which was his first flight. (Pictured)

    uRD05we.png

    Wensie then steps outside too, and Ludvey releases the twin commsats, and, once Pepe and Wensie have confirmed that they're clear of the orbiter, Mission Control gives the remote deployment command, and, one at a time, Serena - X and XI unfurl their solar arrays and power up their main antennas.

    qY0IGkB.png

    These satellites will make up 50% of a new Geostationary network, accesible to all space agencies, for any purpose. It's one of the new 'Kerbal Space Exploration Council's new programmes, like the multi-national LV-909 engine and the KSA/ENSA JOint Mapping Orbiter (JOMO) Minmus probe.

    Aerlkxu.png

    I'm seriously impressed at the design of these satellites. They're capable of placing themselves in a Geostationary orbit from a 160km x 160km parking orbit on just their onboard engines and fuel supplies.

    bs5s6Su.png

    So after a (finally) succesful mission, the crew return home, streaming through the atmosphere, leaving a trail of ionised air in their wake.

    hU2M2yZ.png

    Duddas has done this before, and has no problem guiding the orbiter down to the space centre.

    5iEpuGL.png

    Where he safely lands Dauntless (this time, without parachutes!)

     

  10. Blue Anchor - Black Lancer X

    Mission: Launch a new crew to Munar Surface Operations Control in anticipation of the upcoming Mun landing

    Launch Vehicle: Black Lancer 2

    Crew: Commander P1 Matdred Kerman, Mission Specialist S0 Karen Kerman (and more?)

    Agency/Launch Site: KSA (with a transfer from the OAA)/Kape Kanaveral

    Matdred and Karen head out to MSOC.

    Spoiler

    NDc91G8.png

    Today, our intrepid Kerbonauts are heading out to the Mun again (this is getting comfortably routine for me, something I never thought I'd say when I started playiong this game) to become the second crew for Munar Surface Operations Control. They'll be respponsible for keeping an eye on the crew of Blue Anchor - Firedance XIII when they visit Beryl Station (named after one of my grandmothers), our Mun base. On the right, we have Commander P1 Matdred Kerman (who is finally returning to space after some serious mental reconditioning. The less said about that, the better.) and Mission Specialist S0 Karen, a transfer from the Orbital Access Alliance, and a total rookie.

    hhuRNKX.png

    We're seriously hoping that the Black lancer 2 maintains its perfect safety record from last time, as, if this mission doesn't go to plan, we can't launch our next Mun landing on schedual.

    aatZxzg.png

    The little docking camera mounted on the capsule captured this image or the Launch Escape Sytem during ascent. The sheer amount of plasma in this image is seriously unnerving.

    5RCpfhY.png

    Fortunately for us (and our wallets, we're a bit strapped for cash right now) the rocket carried the Block IVC Blue Anchor and the Inon B second stage safely into orbit, where it gets cut off and cut free.

    WYPLkj3.png

    One point in Matdred's favour is that he doesn't mind cramped spaces and long periods of microgravity. Why? It certainly wasn't MY fault...

    ly2fDSb.png

    The Inon B cryogenic upper stage kicks into action and propells the little spacecraft out to the Mun.

    wbRNuhL.png

    After a day of cruising, the spacecraft and its crew arrive safely in orbit around the Mun, and align the orbit of Blue Anchor - Black Lancer X and Munar Surface Operations Control, and Matdred maneouvers to rendezvous with the station.

    9J0jQ0r.png

    TRANSCRIPT:

    CMDR: Well, there it is, one of the greatest pieces of kit in the 'verse, all stocked up and ready for us, and now with enough room to swing a kat.

    MS: A kat, eh? funny you should mention that...

    CMDR: What?

    MS: Nothing...

    *meowing from biological experiment crate*

    CMDR: Please tell me I didn't hear that.

    At this point, the Mission Specialist pulled a small, mottled kat out of the experiment crate.

    MS: I couldn't find anyone willing to take care of her for a quarter of a year!

    CMDR: So you smuggled her aboard a spacecraft!? MY spacecraft!? Wherner has kats, he'd have taken care of her!

    MS: Well, I didn't know that!

    *several seconds of silence*

    CMDR: Kanaveral, did you get that?

    FLIGHT DIRECTOR: Yes, every word.

    CMDR: Should I abort the docking and prepare for contingency return?

    MS: Sorr-

    CMDR: Shut up.

    FD: Uhh... Hmm... No. We probably haven't got the biological experiments anymore thanks to, wait, what was the kat's name again?

    MS: Umm... Well...

    FD: Spit it out, you can't possibly get into even more trouble.

    MS: Her name's Valentina.

    FD: I was wrong. You've managed to dig yourself deeper.

    MS: Sorry, she's my idol!

    *Silence*

    FD: Alright, Commander, proceed with the docking. Karen, I think that K0 Valentina Kat can become a long-term study on the effects of microgravity on the physiology of kats.

    MS: Thank you, Flight.

    CMDR: (Unintelligable).

    4ApycIO.png

    So, after that not insignificant bit of drama, the crew are here, our new feline crew member has been added to the roster, and Gene's bought the entire stock of asprin at the kampus pharmacy.

     

  11. Looks like Tuesday evening updates may become a thing...

    Grace - XI

    Mission: Investigate Duna's poles for the first time.

    Launch Vehicle: Firestorm III - MHUSS

    Agency/Launch Site: KSA/Kape Kanaveral

    Another Duna probe is sent aloft on a Firestorm III, this time it's a stationary lander.

    Spoiler

    FHjoZkp.png

    We're finally coming to the end of the Year 7 Duna fleet, and it's time to investigate the planet's polar regions for the first time. (Not counting that upper stage we accidentally-on-pupose crashed there last year.) For this task, we've come up with the imaginatively named 'Duna Polar Lander'. In other news, we're looking to employ someone to name our future missions.

    aCTFowN.png

    Once again the performance-limited KS-25s perform flawlessly, launching the latest 'Grace' into the early morning sky over the KSC.

    6TsWj1a.png

    You may be thinking "NotAgain old chap, those engines are ridiculously expensive! Why are you using them on such a small lifter?" Well, the Firestorm III has a party trick. It's got eight large parachutes mounted around its base that allow us to recover...

    TdXsSST.png

    ...oops. Scratch that.

    v8iSD0U.png

    Well, it looks like the costs involved with this mission just skyrocketed (pun intended). Mort's not gonna be pleased. The spectators, on the other hand, love a good explosion. (This little mishap is remarkably similar to the Apollo 15 staging anomaly. http://gwsbooks.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/apollo15-staging-anomaly.html)

    aQtPAce.png

    The second stage here is an MHUSS (Modular Hypergolic Upper Stage System), a single high-thrust 'Skipper' engine and a fuel tank, simply put.

    rIB8IAY.png

    It would appear that I haven't included any clear images of the lander in this update. Well, I guess that it'll have to remain a mystery until it arrives at Duna.

     

    Grace - IX

    Mission: Send a new rover to Duna to unlock yet more of its secrets.

    Launch Vehicle: Firedance IIIA (ACUSS 3rd Stage)

    Agency/Launch Site: KSA/Kape Kanaveral

    We finally launch Intrepidity's sucessor, Tenacity. (I swear, @Hotaru, I'm not stealing your names! This was, believe it or not, a coincidence!)

    Spoiler

    6svSUbJ.png

    Grace - IX is the long anticipated successor to our highly successful Duna rover, Intrepidity. There are a few crucial differences between the two rovers, but I'll explain those in a moment. For now, let's focus on the launch.

    Also, I have no idea why there's a Metarian flag flying. Maybe I need to have words with the pad team.

    6WcIBtd.png

    Well, actually, let's test the instruments first.

    Actually, maybe that's not such a good idea.

    rLJQbFW.png

    Okay, here we go. It would appear to be another sunrise launch. Nothing wrong with that. The old, faithful Firedance IIIA rumbles into the sky again, carrying the car-sized future of Dunan exploration.

    BeOp7Zg.png

    As I said, Tenacity is an improvement on Intrepidity in a few ways: First of all, it's larger, being about the size of a small car. Secondly, it's far better equipped in terms of scientific instrumentation, with a far more extensive compliment than its predecessor. Thirdly, Tenacity is powered by an array of RTGs, providing a constant supply of power for the rover, day and night, allowing the rover to drive and transmit at night, or during eclipses, which are a real pain for Intrepidity's controllers.

    agIJH67.png

    Whoops. It would appear that I didn't check my staging properly, and I jettisoned the fairing at the same time as the first stage. Looks like Tenacity could get a bit hot.

    cmFAF1i.png

    Well, it would appear that our rover survived the, uhh, toasty ride to orbit. Like I was about to say, these improvements come at a cost. Tenacity weighs over a ton, while Intrepidity tips the scales at just over 200 kilos.

    O4PqjZ9.png

    The ACUSS (Advanced Cryogenic Upper Stage System) has now finished its job, and has been jettisoned. The rover is now on a course for Duna. When it arrives in a few hundred days, we'll attempt our first ever skycrane landing on Duna.

     

    Grace - XII

    Mission: Return some really valuable rocks.

    Launch Vehicle: Firedance IIIC

    Agency/Launch Site: KSA/Kape Kanaveral

    We embark on our most ambitious Duna mission yet: an attempt to discover rocks.

    Spoiler

    sSk4y8J.png

    All joking aside, this is our most important Duna mission to date, as it'll test our ability to return something from the surface of the red planet back to orbit. (We already know that we can put something on a trajectory to return to Kerbin from Dunan orbit, thanks to Grace - VI, currently cruising home.) If this mission fails, we may actually have to postpone our crewed Duna landing attempts in order to actually get it right, as a working Duna Ascent Vehicle is totally mission critical.

    kfDoaeW.png

    For this mission, we're using a Firedance IIIC, a lifter usually reserved for crewed Munar landings and station launches.

    WofSCM5.png

    Boosters jettisoned.

    bmf5HtK.png

    Good to see that the fairing stayed on this time around. *Grumble grumble Grace - IX grumble grumble*

    lFBOwz4.png

    Grace - XII is the largest spacecraft that we've ever launched out to Duna by a long shot. In theory, it's capable of launching a couple of kilos of rocks and dust, and a few goo samples, back to Kerbin for analysis. In theory.

    KZnMNoI.png

    Right then, everyone, cross your fingers. We'll see you on the other side, Grace - XII.

     

  12. Ike 2

    Mission: Experience some serious de ja vu, and launch another Ike lander.

    Launch Vehicle: R - 6(O)

    Agency/Launch Site: Metkosmos/Kaikonur Kosmodrome

    In the (disturbingly likely) case of emergency, there's a second, identical ship a few days behind.

    Spoiler

    Dg2smbR.png

    Due to whole 'we've never been to Ike, and it might be a ball of death' thing, Director Sergei Kerman of Metkosmos has decided that it would be a good idea to send two identical missions to Ike, in case of failure, Kraken or the weirdness that is daily life in the Kerbol system.

    B8k7Zkv.png

    Once again, we're using an R - 6(O) as the lifter, as it worked perfectly well last time and, well, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

    96xo4Dp.png

    As per usual, the booster performs admirably, and our intrepid little lander gets flung into the inky void.

    WQaxTqP.png

    I'm getting a weird sense of de ja vu about this.

    odFH41l.png

    Also, here's a shot from one of the lander's cameras in LKO, showing the magnetometer (retracted), one of the solar arrays, the colour camera and the hi-gain antenna.

     

    Grace - X

    Mission: Probe Ike in an explosive fashion.

    Launch Vehicle: Prometheus III 050

    Agency/Launch Site: KSA/Kape Kanaveral

    We're going to deliberately crash a little probe with a lump of Plutonium aboard into a moon for science and funds. It doesn't get much more 'Kerbal' than that.

    Also, for those wondering where Grace - IX is, we discovered a problem with her on the launch pad, and had to roll the mission back to be fixed.

    Spoiler

    Cz2pZ8z.png

    As the description would suggest, we're going back to the fundamental values of Kerbal Space Program, and crashing something into something else.  In this case, we're crashing a tiny impactor into Ike for a contract.

    NxEyAGw.png

    The launcher we're using today is a Prometheus III, an old but highly reliable booster design that we used to, among other things, put the first lander on Minmus and the first orbiter around Sentinel.

    39iA7aF.png

    For the first time ever, though, we're using a Perseus cryogenic upper stage as the second stage of a Prometheus III. Should be interesting.

    Oh, please disregard that suspicious-looking puff of smoke. It's nothing to worry about.

    4az5DXR.png

    Exactly like last time, on Grace - VIII, the Perseus performs beautifully, placing the probe into Low Kerbin Orbit.

    M8IkPXl.png

    So, this is it. The main probe is the bit covered in gold foil, science and solar arrays. The impactor is the bit on the cone at the front. It consists of a tiny RTG, a tiny fuel tank, a tiny engine, a tiny control core and a tiny reaction wheel.

    GpDgnPu.png

    So, the Perseus re-ignites and starts the Trans-Dunan Injection burn.

    3Yhsfry.png

    Ooh, pretty sunset. It's moments like this that I look at my screen and can't help but forgive the game for all of the blasted bugs that I have to contend with (including the one one that killed my SSTO program before it was born). Catch it at the right moment, and KSP can be really beautiful. This is one of those glorious moments. Praise be to KSP.

    2B2WFL4.png

    Moment of sentimentality over, the probe separates from the upper stage and begins its long cruise through the empty, lonely void.

     

    Also: Whoop! 300 rep! Thanks, everyone!

  13. StrutCo 2

    Mission: Send another commercial space exploration probe out to its destination (Duna).

    Launch Vehicle: Etoh Heavy B

    Agency/Launch Site: KSA on behalf of StrutCo/Kape Kanaveral

    StrutCo make another interplanetary foray.

    Spoiler

    Sa6cYTV.png

    After the success of the StrutCo 1 Eve orbiter, StrutCo have contracted another mission, this time to Duna. The probe in question is relatively small, equipped with a microwave-based water detection thingummy and uses an argon-fuelled ion engine.

    KTaODEq.png

    The Etoh Heavy B lifts off from Kanaveral again, carrying another probe out to Duna.

    umktxMp.png

    That's pretty.

    MQ3To02.png

    So's that.

    t1W4kLo.png

    The probe acheived orbit without incident. I decided to use those Gigantor arrays as we'll be at Duna (where solar intensity is lower), and operating a power-hungry ion engine.

    TH8xruI.png

    And so, it headed off to Duna. StrutCo is really becoming a very well-travelled agency.

     

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