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THEOROD KERMAN'S MISSION LOG: Y58D311 - 3H15M This mission may look like a simple tourist run, but the reasons below will explain why this is anything but. Jerdrin Kerman, a board member for Probodobodyne Inc., paid for us to take him to Laythe orbit. Even without getting on and off the surface, flying there and back home is no easy feat. We need to pick up three other kerbalnauts (two scientists and a pilot) who are going to Pol in a ring station. One of five of the same model, which will orbit all of Jool's moons. One in Laythe orbit Two on their way (one to Pol, one to Tylo) Two not yet launched (launch date depending on budget at transfer windows) This is only the beginning of a new series of missions. So far, kerbalkind has set foot on all but one of Jool's moons. If you haven't guessed already, it's Tylo. Mission Control had warned us that it's the size of Kerbin without the atmosphere, so sending a plane to the surface is out of the question. Getting on and off the surface is also a challenge, but that's for later. Right now, Mission Control is focused on an orbital reconnaissance mission around Tylo - as well as rendezvousing with another vessel in that orbit. That is what this mission is for. Below is the current crew roster for the Anubis I, a docking-capable Poseidon SSTO. CURRENT ANUBIS I CREW ROSTER NAME LEVEL (AS OF Y58D311) SPECIALTY THEOROD KERMAN 4 PILOT TED KERMAN 4 SCIENTIST MAURIE KERMAN 4 ENGINEER JERDRIN KERMAN 0 TOURIST Taking off early in the morning from the KSC. Us in Minmus orbit 11 days later. We had to stop to refuel. Our monopropellant tanks are filled to a little less than half capacity, but Maurie's still complaining that we need to lose the weight. Though I myself was skeptical about the levels as well, Wernher Von Kerman told us that we needed to dock with two stations at Jool, and we won't need to make more with the ISRU. We're now in high orbit of Kerbin, awaiting our interplanetary maneuver node. We expect to arrive at Duna's SOI for an Ike refueling in 1 year and 83 days from now. When that's over, we'll fly to Jool and refuel on Pol. By then, Pinky Finger Station - the ring station going to Pol - would already be in Pol orbit with the crew waiting for us. Our plane's head count will then increase to seven before we descend on the surface to refuel. After that, we're kind of stuck on what to do afterwards. Should we: Pol refuel --> Tylo orbit --> Laythe orbit --> Pol refuel --> HOME Pol refuel --> Laythe orbit --> Tylo orbit --> Pol refuel --> HOME Basically, should we orbit Laythe first or Tylo? This is a 26-year-old rover named Apocalypse on the surface of Tylo. Named so because Tylo is like a lifeless Kerbin; an apocalypse, if you may. We're also sending a manned (but empty) rover to Tylo's surface, but that's another story. Ultimately, our end game is a spaceplane that can refuel itself and dispatch a reusable lander down to Tylo's surface. However, that's for much, much later. For now, let's see what we're dealing with from a safe orbit. Just like with the decades-long Neptune missions to Laythe, and the Pluto saga to Eeloo before that, it will take years of research, trial and error, and persistence. Long ago, nobody had any confidence we could get an airplane to Laythe and back safely. Nowadays, spaceplanes have become the standard go-to craft for planets with larger solar orbital radii than Kerbin's. Heck, Lasel, Bill, and Val - the first crew to return from Eeloo (after Bill and Val got stuck) - are going to Duna in a Dirtblood right now. I know we can do this; it's just a matter of time. Any and all help is welcome, and wish us luck.