Valley

Note: I plan to continue this story-line soon but my original account can no longer be accessed so I had to create a new one. Once I get use to the new version of the game I will have a new 'chapter' ready. Many of the craft will likely have to be redesigned. Funny enough I was able to put Jeb's new 'cheap' station into orbit without a problem. So I know some things still work.

Letters -Delivery Thirteen- To: The People of the Confederation From: F.D. Kerman Head Counsel of the Confederation Subject: Our Great Loss My fellow citizens, It is with great sadness that I announce that, around noon yesterday, we lost contact with the International Space Stations the C.J. Cherryh and the Lisanne Norman. Sensors and surviving orbital droids report no sign of the two stations. It is assumed they were lost, with all hands, when secondary solar flares hit our region of space. From what we can tell, the flares caused bends in the space-time gravity well, making the stations wobble till they broke up*. Also it had been reported that the flares caused changes in the very nature of the fabric of space. Heat build up will be harder to deal with and our nuclear tug will have to be redesigned to handle such issues. It is great sorrow that I have to report these events to you. But don't let this make you think our space program is shutting down. No. Nobody said space exploration was easy. Already we have new designs on the drawing boards. The space station Jeb designed, for example, which is already being assembled will become the new ISS C.J. Cherryh (II) and will become the basic design for all space stations. I will ask that all of you, from the youngest student to the oldest retiree, respect the moment of silence we will be having tomorrow for the brave crew who lost their lives, till they can be cloned again, to the exploration of space. Those crew members are - Bill Kerman. Hadmal Kerman . Lanemy Kerman. Bob Kerman. Donard Kerman. Munmin Kerman. Enmy Kerman. Chadfrey Kerman. Shellong Kerman. I would like to inform you also that our Ranger Station on the Mun reports to be active and the Kerman crewing it safe. Please let us all take a moment to remember the explorers, scouts, and brave people who push the envelope so that we may thrive in the future and not just exist in the past. Thank you, signed with respect, F. D. Kerman --------- * Damn you 1.0.4!!!!

I got into KSP because of One-F-Jef. He made it look easy and fun. I found out it was kind of fun (though not easy). Still, Scott Manley also helped with his knowledge and humor.

I would love to know. I am very interested in how this effects my Tugs with their nuclear engines.

While waiting for this version I was planning on a massive mobile drill platform but after reading some of these posts and their points about heat, energy required, and weight, I think the converter will be in orbit and the landers will just do the job of mining and carrying the ore.

I try career but always end up using up more money than I can create.

In .90 I made my first SSTO that worked. In 1.0 I had to redesign it - making version 2 - to make it work. And when I head over to 1.0.2 (when I am sure the mods I like are working) I am sure I will have to work on version 3. But at least this forces me to learn and learn again.

I have fuel trailers. They can be docked in with a station. Once full they can be attached to a tug/space craft. When not needed I can just place them in a orbit to pick up later. Or they can be placed in orbit to act as small fueling stations.

I am very happy he is back. Because of him I have played with space carriers, fighters, weapon systems, and so forth. Because of his series I have tried things and selected goals I would never had before. Wonder how the new equipment and such will change his designs.

Letters - Delivery Twelve To: B. V. Kerman Director of KSC From: N. V. Kerman Section 9 Subject: SSTO Testing In New Atmosphere Dude! As you know we have tested out the old SSTO in the new atmosphere using our number-crunching computers. And found it wanting. It can't handle it, it just can't. It runs out of fuel way too quickly. Nothing left by the time it reaches orbit. Dry as a rocket fuel cocktail. But all hope is not lost. For the old SSTO will be replaced with a new SSTO! The only problem is that it will be a one passenger craft. Yeah, I didn't think you would like that. Also, we know it will make it to orbit but not if it will be able to land back on planet side. More tests are needed. I was thinking maybe using it to deliver our first female space gal into orbit and then having it land empty to see if it can without, you know, exploding. signed, Let's hope nothing explodes! N. V. Kerman -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Travel Log by Matbo Karman Location: Waypoint Nine The sun is already down while I type this. This leg of the journey was about an hour long. The folks back at KSC don't seem to care what I do after that display of the sun's might. It was wonderful to watch but also scared me. Still, the equipment works and the A.I. tells me he is doing fine. It only took us about an hour to get here and I took a walk when we arrived. The moss or 'grass' outside was knee deep and I had to cut some of it out of the way to get a soil sample. I kind of enjoy the peace out here. I still hear birds ever once and a while. Or at least they sound like birds. The Buggy is still holding up well. I can see it being very useful, for example on Duna, when equipped with the proper science devices. I tried one of the orange cubes for dinner tonight. A little too syrupy for me.

Today I spent some time figuring out how heat shields work.

Well, I have to say yes. I am working on a KSP universe in the Fan Fiction area and this new version will create interesting problems to overcome. The whole reentry problem for example. I am testing to see what designs work. Not sure my old SSTO will survive but stuff happens...

Letters - Delivery Eleven To: All KSC staff From: B. V. Kerman Director of KSC Subject: Solar Event Well, folks, it has happened. Kerbol has that massive storm we get every few years. But it seems we lucked out. The A. I. units seem to be still working. But on the other hand the atmosphere has gone haywire. All our equipment suggests a thickening of the layers of air, almost as if the planet is trying to protect what is left of life here on Kerbin, which will cause some problems when traveling through the atmosphere. We have yet to try out the SSTO under these new conditions. Still, we are working on heat shields and other devices to protect our ships. And crew, of course. Crew too. Also, we have hired a female pilot. So take those showers and splash on the aftershave. I would also like to report that our research and development guys are putting the finishing touches on a generation of new technology that will allow us to find and exploit new resources. To space and BEYOND! signed, Make sure to put on lots of sun lotion, B. V. Kerman (OOC Note : Took me a few tries but it seems the new updated MechJeb 2 works (so far) with KSP 1.0 with some adjusting.)

Letters - Delivery Ten To: Bob and Bill Kerman Senior Staff of the "ISS Cherryh" From: Jebediah Kerman Senior Pilot of Kerbal space Center Subject: LMAO! Hey guys! How you doing? I'm doing okay. Sure, the desk job sucks but I get all the dough nuts I can eat and gallons of hot coffee to go with it. Did you hear the new catchphrase from the Powers That Be? Think cheap? Well, I've sent the Director a new design for our next station core. Look at it! HAHAHAHA! He'll blow a fuse once he sees that! So, Bob, still have those nightmares about ponies? And Bill, still complaining about the green food triangles tasting too much like mint? I don't know - no matter what the shape they all taste the same to me. Well, I hope they bring you down soon. Yeah, I know you guys LIKE it up there. See yourself as on the frontier of science and big things and blah blah blah. You're both nuts! signed, Having another jelly filled dough nut! "Jeb" -------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: All KSC staff From: B. V. Kerman Director of KSC Subject: Our NEW Minmus Station Folks, we have a winner! Jebediah Kerman has given us the perfect station core. It is tiny, cheap, and does what is needed. Really, nothing more then a manned core for attaching fuel trailers to. Which is what we need! Empty of fuel it should be a pinch to send to Minmus! The Public Relationships department were so impressed with his way of thinking they have decided to use it in their new campaign to show the people how effective the space program is becoming. Check out this new poster! Isn’t it wonderful? We’ll put them all over. On the side of buses, on buildings, in the bathrooms, on bill boards, in books, give them away free to kids at schools, and put them in every office in the Center. Soon everybody will know how Jeb feels about size. Think small folks! Like Jeb! signed, It’s how you use it! B. V. Kerman PS - A Space Drink company wants to put that same image on millions of cans! Isn’t it wonderful?

Letters - Delivery Nine Memory File - 1001010101 Generated By A. I. Unit 0110010 - Known As Hal I am the A. I. unit of the first Robotic Tug to be sent to Duna. I carry five other A. I. units attached to tiny landing probes. They are untested. My design has been tested in the computers, again and again. But this is the first real craft I will be piloting. The night is spent checking and rechecking my systems. The plan is simple. I will go up to 200 kilometers and be shut down. When the window for Duna is available I will be turned back on and sent on my way. The time has come for me - I launch with my special payload. Slight above 7,000 meters I do my gravity turn. I check my systems - I believe the creators have given me more fuel then I need for getting into orbit. It will be useful later on. I start to coast to the point where I will carry out the circularization burn. By T plus 16 minutes and 37 seconds I am in a stable orbit at 200 kilometers. A perfect parking orbit - nothing Kerbal made orbits this high. I will now be turned off. I ponder if I will dream. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: All KSC staff From: B. V. Kerman Director of KSC Subject: Minmus Station Okay folks - I am getting a lot of ideas and designs from you all, but I need to make something clear. This isn't going to be one of those Science Stations like we've built before. The "C. J. Cherryh" was built to test out new devices such as life support. The "Lisanne Norman" was built to try out a totally new core design. We don't have the funding we had when those cores were launched. I want this station to be designed for industrial work. No science stuff on it. Not saying we are going to neglect science - we can always land a few probes or manned missions once the station is up. BUT we need to worry about mass and fuel. So I am thinking small. No, I am thinking TINY. I want TINY. We can always add Fuel Trailers and other equipment later. Docking ports are cheap. Massive unnecessary Hitchhikers and Science Labs are OUT. Got it? Good. Also, the Orbital Tug, named "David Brin", was launched about a week ago. There were no problem with its staging. Everything went perfect. It picked up one of the Fuel Trailers, number three, and docked with the "Cherryh" today. It did so unmanned because we are trying NOT to overwhelm the station's life support systems. The A. I. units, named by Section 9 "Fred" and "Ethel", handled it without a problem. And let's think of a few things to add to the To-Do List, right? Get the public excited about space again. Oh, and the station will need more RCS and snacks. So we need to send a supply ship up soon. signed, THINK CHEAP! B. V. Kerman

Letters - Delivery Eight Travel Log by Matbo Karman Location: Waypoint Three Only took us about 40 some minutes to get to our new location at Waypoint Three. It is Latitude 3 04' 51" North, Longitude 7 03' 33" West, at about 540 meters above sea level. The A.I. unit says we are 33 kilometers away from KSC. I have asked permission to continue to another waypoint, this time heading inland and going for at least an hour or more. After some debate my superiors at the Center agreed but only if I kept our travel time to within an hour. Location: Waypoint Four We are now at 5 22' 48 North and 74 42' 43" West. Took a little more than 50 something minutes at 10 meters per second. Just grassland as far as the eyes can see with some larger hills to the north. We are 680 meters above sea level. On the way here we transmitted all our data and the soil sample were destroyed (as the A. I. had to break it down for study). According to orbital maps, if I head a tad west, then northwest, I could slip through a passage between two mountain ranges. I could explore where no Kerbal has gone before. Of course, there is a debate but in the end the folks at KSC agree to allow me to try. After all if something happens I am the one who has to walk all the way back. Maybe I could find some new soil samples? Should take us about 20 minutes to get to the next Waypoint. Here we go! Location: Waypoint Five Okay, here we are, at 5 26' 20" North, 75 23' 09" West. We are about 800 meters above sea level and, yes, we are in the Highlands. Of course, I pick up some dirt for the A. I. to poke at while I check out the Buggy and enjoy the fresh clean air. Ha! Little joke there - the air is deadly no matter where we go. Now to try to navigate the passage. If I can get beyond the mountains I bet I could get the folks at KSC to allow me to continue. To explore in the name of the Confederation and all that jazz. Wish me well! Location: Waypoint Six Just one thing before I continue with my report. I transmitted again during this leg of the journey and the battery easily handled both sending off the data and keeping the Buggy going. The power system is overkill and I love it. Location 8 12' 24" North, 77 07' 25' West is grasslands again. 427 meters above the sea level and, of course, I took a soil sample. Took us about an hour to get here. After walking about a tad I returned to the cabin to have a pink food sphere. A tad spicy for my tastes but what can you do? I figured that Kerbol was low enough in the western sky to call it a day. We're just under a 100 kilometers away from the Center. Where to go now? -------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: B. V. Kerman Director of KSC From: Jebediah Kerman Senior Pilot of Kerbal space Center Subject: You kidding me? You gave me a desk job? A DESK JOB? You have me reviewing reports from some scientist driving about in some Buggy for Section 9? You have got to be kidding! I spent seven years in space! I am due back up vacation - almost a year of it! I should be back in the Capital, drinking, partying, and bragging! And you have me in front of a voice-speak, reading reports to the audio archives. And the rest of the time I am filing data from the R&D Department about their darn Duna projects! I don't even understand half the terms they use and they haven't even launched a probe yet! Then there is all this security! I can't even run around with a lampshade on my head without being tackled, pepper sprayed, and tossed into the drunk tank. I can’t even go out joy riding because of those Confederation soldiers won’t let me near their armored cars. This is some kind of punishment, isn’t it? signed, I hate DESK JOBS! “Jebâ€Â

Letters - Delivery Seven To: B. V. Kerman Director of KSC From: F.D. Kerman Head Counsel of the Confederation Subject: Generating Public Awareness As you know not everybody in the Capital, or among the outlying provinces, is a hard-die member of the "Kerbin First" movement. The discovery that the planet had not recovered from our harmful existence weakened their position greater making their environmentalist founders look, for lack of a better word, like idiots. There was a backlash and then a counter-backlash and no doubt more backlashes to come. Right now, there is a ripple among the populace. They want to see something great, somewhat wonderful, not just a few space stations, not just a moon mission once and awhile. And there are some among them willing to give their all to help the Kerbal Space Program create something wonderful. I am, of course, talking about the "Duna Direct" crowd. Now, no, I know they sometimes come across as a tad strong. But their numbers are growing and, more importantly, they have become willing to fund any Duna related projects. So today I will announce, to the public, the formation of the Duna Space Program, under the control of the Kerbin Space Program of course, whose goal is to explore and develop Duna. Our PR guys even made a flag for those craft and crew going to Duna. KSP Flag - DSP Flag - Okay, they only took a few minutes, but it looks good. What I need you to do is get the people to notice the space program. Thank you, signed with respect, F. D. Kerman -------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: All KSC staff From: B. V. Kerman Director of KSC Subject: FYI - Update Okay folks, as you may have heard over the vision channels or the audio stations, we now have a baby brother called Duna Space Program. Now, getting to Duna can be a problem - as the next window for launching to it is something like a year and a half. Which gives us a ton of time to develop some packages to send to it. The R&D department, with help from Section 9, has already designed a simple Robotic Tug with five tiny landing probes. We have also been asked to get the populace's attention. So, after some debate among my own scientists and engineers, we have decided we need to go to Minmus. Now, while it needs somewhat more Delta-V to get to its lower gravity means landing and taking off requires less fuel. And it is our belief that we should not put all our eggs into one basket. In other words - having two future sources of fuel is better then one. Also, exploring Duna may be exciting but will happen in very short bursts with long periods in between. We need projects to keep the public interested during those periods "in between". Putting a station around Minmus and maybe placing a Ranger Station on it may help our public relations. We also have another project in the works. We're thinking of a "mother" ship, designed to carry probes and landing craft to other planets. A manned ship not just a large tug. Of course I mean after the other planets have been scouted out and developed. I see no reason to endanger such an costly piece of equipment by stranding it in some backwater part of the system. We're still working out all the problems and issues with such a monster. It isn't as hard as you would think - in some ways it is just a space station with more fuel tanks and nuclear engines. Once in orbit we could add more craft and drones to it, refuel it, and crew it. Who ends up as its crew depends on how well you all perform in the next few years. Due to the nature of these new developments the Confederation has sent us extra security in the form of Confederation soldiers. PLEASE don't cause problems. They are here to protect and serve us, not spy on us or get in our way. Just show them your IDs and try not to get impatient. signed, Let's all get along, B. V. Kerman PS - "Jeb" - Stay away from the soldiers. Stay away from their barracks. Stay away from their mess hall. And stay AWAY from their military equipment.

After reading all your mission reports I realize, besides using Mech Jeb, I may wish to start using Kerbal Alarm Clock if I wish to start going to the other planets.

I don't really care much about gender in a sandbox game. Like Dwarf Fortress - whoever can do the job gets the job. Female warriors with babies? Babies make good shields. Female Kerbal? If I need an Engineer and she is an Engineer, then she is the person for the job. Now, if I am role playing in Skyrim or Fallout, the gender of my character may interested me...for about five seconds.

I am designing a true space ship for travelling the planets, once 1.0 comes out. I know it has to have a ton of docking ports and use nuclear engines. But what else should it carry? And what should I leave out as worthless or something that attending ships will handle? It is sandbox but I am taking a science lab, because I still like science, even in role play. But what is the "Needed" list of equipment and what is "That's nice to have" list? Remember, the mother ship will likely only visit a planet after the target planet has been slightly developed (at least a refueling station in orbit or fueling ships already waiting for it). And what would you think of as the Max. crew number?

When 1.0 comes I picture every moon in the system will become a mine, every orbital station a rest stop where my craft can top off, my Kerbals get to check their email for the interplanetary news and load up on snacks. Local landers, tugs, and SSTO craft will always be able to refuel and getting out of gravity wells, such as from Duna, will just be a question of fueling up, having your chutes repacked, and windows cleaned. The KSC will become a ship factory and Kerbin just a source of new crew members.

I have done today something that almost everybody else has done but I have tried and failed to do. I landed a unmanned lander on Duna. I have tried before with a ram-jet (one of those mods that allowed you to collect fuel in space) and failed, as Ike got in the way of the manned ship - they were forced to land and when I sent another ship to save them...it failed. But this time, after having designed a few tugs with nuclear engines for my sandbox game I tried it out in a test game - I figured a unmanned tug could take a lander to Duna. No fancy mods, outside of Mech Jeb. I put the tug in high orbit so I could time warp it to the nodes. And it did. It worked. Landed - did some science for the fun of it. So I sent the tug back, still with enough Delta-V to get it back, at least into orbit around Kerbin. And on the way out the tug slammed right into Ike. Bad moon! BAD!

I prefer realistic if I can get it. Fact is somethings stranger, and more interesting, than fiction.

I also want electric motors and propellers (but for different reasons - I suck at flying but would like to design sun-powered paddle boats for long term exploration of planets with oceans).

Wow. It works AND looks very clean and nice. Great work. Also, such a booster should prove useful in 1.0, when you need to lift large mining and processing platforms.