Orionis

[Day 203, 8 PU] Launch of Zirka I After 7 years of development, the Moho I launch vehicle has finally been certified to launch the first satellite into orbit around Kerbin. The rocket is rolled out to Launch Complex 14 at the Unity Space Centre, clamped down, and fueled, ready to go. The countdown begins. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, Engine Ignition, 2, 1... The Moho I launch vehicle zips off the pad with a thrust to weight ratio of 2.14. On top of it is Zirka I, Kerbalkind's first artificial satellite. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing development of a solar array for spacecraft, Zirka I is destined to run out of battery and become debris, and in the future, fall out of orbit. Zirka I begins it's gravity turn, putting itself on a trajectory to have an inclination of around 20 degrees. Below the rocket is the old Sidwin Aerodrome, which operated military aircraft of a Pre-Unification government. In the upper atmosphere, Zirka I's side boosters are jettisoned and pushed away from the craft using small, built-in solid rocket motors. The Moho I continues it's ascent. Nearing stage separation, a Vernier thruster, one of the four used to turn the rocket, flames out, causing a minor disbalance in thrust. However, soon after the fuel of the first stage is depleted, and the upper stage decouples. Following the stage separation, the upper stage cruises to it's apoapsis where it puts Zirka I into orbit successfully. The probe is released. The probe captures two interesting pictures of Kerbin, one being a generic picture of the Kerbin terrain, but the second one shows the shadow of the Mun as it eclipses Kerbin. Both of these pictures go viral among the Kerbal populace, and support for KASA grows.

Background Details The Kerbal race was in a time of economic and political turmoil, and the times, known now, 68 years later, as the Era of Darkness, created a sense of unity and harmony amongst the Kerbal population. As the economy slowly began to recover, Kerbalkind as a whole came together and formed the Kerbal Federation, a world government leading the planet as one. Now, as Kerbin begins to advance in science, the only way Kerbin can continue advancing is to go up- to the stars, to the Mun, and Minmus, and Duna and Eve. There's nowhere to go but up! Current Situation The Kerbal Federal Government has funded the creation of the Kerbal Aeronautics and Space Administration (KASA) to begin the exploration of the stars. Using a pre-existing ICBM design from Pre-Unification, KASA begins the Moho program, which intends to begin Kerbalkind's voyage into the stars.