sumghai's KSP fanon

[sumghai]

For the last couple of years, I mused about the possibility of creating a graphic novel based on my current savegame in KSP, with a backstory loosely based on real-world Earth history and projected innovations in spaceflight. I collected and consolidated many scraps of ideas on my computer, and I felt I'm just about ready to share it with everyone for giggles.

As such, without further ado, I present to you...

sumghai's KSP fanon

Before we begin, I'd like to make it absolutely clear that this is not official KSP lore - I just felt this particular backstory provides a logical progression for the development of Kerbal spaceflight.

I'll also emphasize that while the events of my fanon draw parallels with actual Terran (Human) history, I am in no way making any political statements. So if you disagree with how I've described a certain aspect of my fanon, that's fine - just remember to keep your comments civil. And please, no roleplay.

Finally, this is a work-in-progress, but I'll try to update this first post with completed sections as often as possible.

1) Who's Who in the World

This list focuses on Kerbals who have made major contributions to their understanding of their universe, as well as pioneers in manned flight and spaceflight.

Spoiler

Kerman, Bill (born KY 466) - Kerbalnaut and Confederate Air Force engineer. Third Kerbal to journey into outer space and walk on the Mun. Served as a chase plane test pilot for CAFRL during the Great Kerbin War, Kerbin University graduate with a BSc in Electrical Engineering.

Kerman, Bob (born KY 469) - Kerbalnaut and Confederate Air Force aviator. Second Kerbal to journey into outer space and walk on the Mun. As a test pilot during the Great Kerbin War, Bob Kerman set altitude and speed records of 25000 meters and Mach 3.1 in a S-1 Raven.

Kerman, Bobak (born KY 472) - Kashkeer-born aerospace engineer and Lead Systems Engineer at KSA. Developed guidance systems for the Kerbal and KES-MPCV spacecrafts. Known for his trademark mohawk and frequent appearances on science education TV shows.

Kerman, Cassandra (born KY 478) - Confederate aerospace engineer and Lead Electrical Engineer at KSA. Holds multiple patents for rugged electrical connectors and enclosures used in high performance aircraft and spacecraft. Alumni of Westford Institute of Technology (WIT).

Kerman, Charles “Chuck" (born KY 427) - retired Confederate Air Force Major General and aviator. First Kerbal to fly faster than the speed of sound in the experimental RX-1 rocket plane in KY 457. Became an advocate of manned spaceflight following retirement in KY 505.

Kerman, Fusty (KY 415 ~ 487) - Confederate aeronautical engineer and founder of FusTek Aviation. Developed the FusTek Dragonfly A100, a low-speed, low altitude observation aircraft. Today, FusTek Aerospace manufactures space station modules for the KSA.

Kerman, Gene (born KY 460) - KSA Flight Director and retired Confederate Air Force aviator. Injured during an early aerial engagement at the outset of the Great Kerbin war, later headed CAFRL. Oversaw the KSA's early launches of artificial satellites and manned spacecraft.

Kerman, Genefred (born KY 466) - Kerbalnaut and Confederate Air Force aviator. Sixth Kerbal to journey into outer space. Veteran of the Great Kerbin War, combat pilot with three confirmed and two shared air-to-air kills. Served as Mission Specialist in space program.

Kerman, Jebediah (born KY 465) - Kerbalnaut and Confederate Air Force aviator. First Kerbal to journey into outer space and walk on the Mun. Veteran of the Great Kerbin War, served as both combat and test pilot. Flying ace with 11 confirmed air-to-air kills.

Kerman, Jennard (KY 366 ~ 429) - Kritannian naval enthusiast who published the first definitive encyclopaedia on Kerbin's warships. His company now offers periodicals and recognition guides in all arenas of military expertise, including warplanes and ground vehicles.

Kerman, Jerski (born KY 466) - Kerbalnaut and Krussian People's Air Force aviator. Fifth Kerbal to journey into outer space and walk on the Mun. Veteran of the Great Kerbin War, combat pilot with seven confirmed and two shared air-to-air kills.

Kerman, Kalileo (KY 76 ~ 154) - Kantanan physicist, mathematician and philosopher, known as the father of modern Kerbal science. An advocate of the then-controversial Kerbolcentric model of the universe, he was later placed under house arrest by the Katanan Inquisition.

Kerman, Kellas (born KY 468) - Kerbalnaut and Kerimeran Air Force aviator. Seventh Kerbal to journey into outer space. Served as Mission Specialist in space program, and developed standardized methods of conducting scientific experiments in a microgravity environment.

Kerman, Kilbee (born KY 427) - Confederate electrical engineer and inventor of the first integrated circuit or "microchip", revolutionising the electronics industry. Also contributed greatly to the development of aircraft and aerospace electronics, dubbed "avionics".

Kerman, Koddard (KY 410 ~ 507) - Confederate engineer with major contributions to practical rocketry, especially for vehicle propulsion. Author of the controversial "Rocket Operation at Extreme Altitudes, in Vacuum and Near Celestial Bodies" paper in KY 460.

Kerman, Kopernicus (c. 10 BKY ~ KY 62) - Keinsbergian mathematician and stargazer, credited with the discovery through early telescopes of celestial bodies now known as the moons of Jool, and the subsequent development of the Kerbolcentric model of the universe.

Kerman, Millie (KY 398 ~ 466) - Confederate aviatrix and barnstormer. First Kerbal to cross the Wrysop Ocean in an airplane, flying from the Confederate States to the United Kingdom of Kritannia in a Buccaneer Lightning. Later became an advocate for Kerbal women's rights.

Kerman, Okle (KY 358 ~ 418) and Wilkur (KY 363 ~ 425) - Brothers and bicycle makers who developed the first heavier-than-air flying craft. Later founded the Wilko Aerocraft Company, which eventually became KerboAir Corporation, the largest aerospace company on Kerbin.

Kerman, Rochke (KY 384 ~ 472) - Keinsbergian chemist and physicist considered the father of modern rocketry, with the term itself named after him. Developed the first liquid rocket propellants, rocket guidance systems and fundamental principles of rocket nozzle design.

Kerman, Scott Manley (born KY 474) - Kerbalnaut and Kritannian Royal Air Force aviator. Fourth Kerbal to walk on the Mun. Credited with taking the famous "Kerbinrise" photograph in KY 507. Spokesperson for the KSA Office of Education & Public Outreach.

Kerman, Seangard (born KY 468) - Kerbalnaut, physician, Kritannian Royal Air Force aviator. Fourth Kerbal to journey into outer space. Served as flight surgeon and exchange officer in Confederate Air Force during the Great Kerbin War. Published 14 papers on space medicine.

Kerman, Sonda (KY 351 ~ 403) - Honko industrialist and founder of Sonda Foundries (now Sum Dum Heavy Industries), whose indigenous copies of foreign steam trains, tractors and rice threshers revolutionised the Honko agricultural industry.

Kerman, Valentina (born KY 469) - Kerbalnaut and Krussian People's Air Force aviator. First female Kerbal to journey into outer space and walk on the Mun. Originally a paratrooper, was later reassigned as a test pilot during the Great Kerbin War to fill in for a sick comrade.

Kerman, Wenkel (KY 421 ~ 475) - Keinsbergian inventor and entrepreneur who devised the first vapour-compression refrigeration system. Founded the Wenkel Refrigerator Company (now Wenkel Corporation) to market his invention for domestic and industrial applications.

Kerman, Wernher von (born KY 457) - Keinsberg-born Confederate aerospace engineer and head of KSA R&D. Developed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) during the Great Kerbin War and rockets for the Space Program. Authored 47 aerospace engineering papers.

Kerman, Whaitley (KY 409 ~ 506) - Kritannian engineer and former RAF pilot who developed the first Motor-Jet propulsion device, the precursor to modern turbojet and turbofan engines. Founded the Patger & Whaitley subsidiary of KerboAir Corporation. Knighted in KY 501.

Kerman, Yurov (born KY 467) - Politician and retired Krussian People's Air Force aviator. Served as glider pilot during the Great Kerbin War, but never saw action due to changes in strategic situation in the final years. Husband of first female Kerbalnaut Valentina Kerman, and elected as Krussian Minister of Science and Industry in KY 503.

 

2) Nations and Political Entities

https://imgur.com/a/20xhz

3) Timeline

This timeline is not meant to be exhaustive; it merely focuses on relevant history related to the development of flight, spaceflight, space exploration as well as the geopolitical circumstances that drove the associated technological innovations.

Spoiler

Kerbal Year	Events
c. 1500 BKY	The Karimos Empire defeats an armada of triremes from the rival state of Balos by spraying the ships with an oily incendiary fluid, the "Essence of Duna"
c. 600 BKY	An alchemist is tasked by Emperor Shenlong of the Kingdom of Hon to distill an alleged Elixir of Immortality from various substances; one of the mixtures, consisting of charcoal, sulfur and saltpeter (potassium nitrate), ends up blowing up the alchemist's house Despite the alchemist's failure to produce the Elixir, Shenlong recognises the utility of the "fire medicine" and rewards the alchemist for his efforts anyway
c. 590 BKY	First documented use of "fire medicine"-based weapons by Hon soldiers, including "arrows of divine fire" (powder-filled bamboo culms tipped with arrowheads) While individually inaccurate, large numbers of these "fire arrows" easily overwhelmed and subjugated the barbarian hordes threatening the Kingdom of Hon
c. 300 BKY	The last of the northern barbarians threatening the Kingdom of Hon are subjugated, and the Kingdom of Hon becomes the Honko Empire (Honko: "Middle Land")
1	The United Kingdom of Kritannia adopts Kodism as the country's sole official religion The Church of Kritannia is founded, and at its behest, the Royal Observatory is compelled to redefine the current year as the first in the new Kerbal Calendar
37	The Kantanans invent the first cannon by inverting the operation of the Honko "fire arrows" and replacing the wood and bamboo firing cylinder with cast iron After decades of observation and contemplative study, Keinsbergian mathematician and stargazer Kopernicus Kerman concludes that the Kerbincentric model of the universe is flawed, and instead proposes the controversial Kerbolcentric model
94	A Honko merchant introduces firecrackers to the United Kingdom of Kritannia
118	The Kantanan Armada discovers and quickly conquered a small string of islands in the Great Ocean, naming them collectively Isla Muna (Lit. "Island of the Mun")
145	The Kantanan Inquisition charges scholar Kalileo Kerman with heresy for promoting Kopernicus Kerman's Kerbolcentric theory, in contradiction to the established Kodist belief that Kerbin is at the center of the universe
152	Honko official and seafarer Shengde Kerman returns from a disastrous trade expedition sent to Kritannia Blessed Heavenly Emperor Tianlong issues an Imperial Decree banning its citizens from any contact with outsiders, and closes the Honko Empire's borders
203	To escape persecution from the Kodist Church of Kritannia, a group of Rationalist pilgrims embark on a perilous sea voyage to the Great Western Continent; the six ships, led by the Intrepid, makes landfall seven months later, the passengers from each ship eventually establishing six separate settlements
274	The Kritannian Royal Navy defeats the Kantanan Armada in the Battle of the Opal Sea, establishing the Kritannians as the undisputed ruler of Kerbins ocean for at least another century
276	The weakened Kantanan Armada loses its hold on several colonies, including Isla Muna, the main source of tropical spices and fruit
351	On the Great Western Continent, the city-states founded by descendants of the Rationalist pilgrims become embroiled in border disputes; after months of brief skirmishes between militias, the conflict is resolved when the city-states' leaders jointly announce the formation of a "great confederacy" - the founding of the Confederate States Kodism and all other religions fall out of favor with the increasingly progressive Kritannian and Kantanan states embracing Rationalism
353	Following its last service to its dwindling membership, the Church of Kritannia effectively ceases to exist as an entity King Wilfor II of the United Kingdom of Kritannia officially apologises to descendants of the Rationalist pilgrims for the persecution of their ancestors in KY 203
374	Whilst digging a well to water his desert melons in the Kashkeeree Khanate, a farmer accidentally discovers crude oil several meters below the surface
386	The Kritannian Royal Navy's First Fleet arrives off the shore of the Eastern Continent, spurring a series of events that would lead the Honko Hegemony to end their two-hundred-year-long isolationist policy From their aunt's barn in Kompton Fields, Confederate States, bicycle shop owners and brothers Okle and Wilkur Kerman begin experimenting with kites modified to carry Kerbals; they call their eventual invention a "glider"
388	An Imperial Decree issued by Blessed Heavenly Emperor Wonglong marks the beginning of the Honko Hegemony's first attempt to modernize Sonda Kerman establishes a small forge in a village within the Honko Hegemony
389	After experiments with spring-loaded launching mechanisms prove fruitless, Okle and Wilkur Kerman attach a custom-built motorcycle engine and a modified ship's propellor to one of their manned gliders, creating the first true heavier-than-air flying craft; by the end of the year, the Wilko 389 Flyer is capable of up to ten minutes of sustained flying
400	Sonda Foundries introduces the first steam tractors, rice threshers and trains to the Honko Hegemony
410	The first annual Kompton Air Show is held at the birthplace of the aeroplane; in addition to incredible feats of aerial acrobatics by intrepid Kerbal pilots, the nascent aviation industry uses the Air Show to promote and market its products and services
411	Large deposits of Lithium ore are discovered in Keinsberg Eccentric Kritannian showman Wilton Kerman attempts to fly by riding in a tall barrel filled with gunpowder; his contraption reaches a height of fifteen feet, before the subsequent explosion kills him instantly; debris from the conflagration maims hundreds of onlookers and burns down several blocks of houses
413	The Kashkeeree Khanate refuses access to their oil wells by Kritannian entrepreneurs, and stations troops along major roads leading to the wells to enforce this policy A Kritannian pilot flies his Albatross V biplane over the wells and conducts a number of surveys, sidestepping the ground troops On his third flight, the Kritannian is surprised by a Kashkeeree Nassar powered glider, whose pilot fires a crossbow and inflicts cosmetic damage on the Albatross V's wood-and-canvas fuselage The following day, the Kritannian fends off his Kashkeer counterpart with a revolver This incident is the first known case of air-to-air combat between belligerent parties
414	To defend Kritannian interests, the monarchy authorizes the formation of the Royal Air Service, outfitting two squadrons of Albatross Vs with light machine guns, and stationing one just outside Kashkeeree borders Khanate calvary attempts to mount an attack on the Kritannian remote airstrip; however, Kritannian aerial scouts spot the Kashkeer troops making their way up the Khyber Pass, allowing the airstrip's garrison ample time to prepare The Kritannian aircraft strafe the calvary with complete impunity, decimating the troops and forcing the Khanate to concede to foreign access to Kashkeer oil wells
415	At the 5th Kompton Air Show, The Wilko Aerocraft Company upstages its competitors by introducing the first closed-cockpit monoplane aircraft, the Wilko 415 Aero-Liner; critics are impressed by the increased passenger comfort and engine noise reduction Citing the Khan's failure to modernize the country and remain attuned to the needs of his people, a group of Kashkeer military and civilian officials successfully overthrow the Khanate in a bloodless coup to form the Kashkeeree Republic While preparing for a chemistry class at Müldfurt University, Keinsberg, Professor Rochke Kerman accidentally mixes compressed oxygen and hydrogen into a platinum metal cylinder sealed at one end, causing it to fly violently out a window and land over two hundred meters away in the campus athletics grounds
416	The Krussian Empire's Kzar Nikolas I purchases a Wilko 415 Aero-Liner to serve as his Royal Transport for use during annual inspections of his territory A marketing executive (whose name has been lost to history) advises the aging Okle and Wilkur Kerman to rename their company to Kerbal Aircraft Corporation The Confederate States Congress authorizes the formation of the Confederate Army 1st Aviation Division
418	Angered by the increasingly decadent monarchy and aristocracy ruling the Krussian Empire, and in part triggered by the perceived frivolous purchase of the Royal Aero-Liner in the midst of a major famine, a group of Krussian steelworkers go on strike; when police tasked with arresting the strikers side with them instead, the Imperial Krussian Army is sent to disperse the protesters, with disastrous results - in the Red Gramund Revolution that followed, the Kzar is deposed and a new Krussian People's Republic is formed
421	One of the leaders of the Red Gramund Revolution, a steelworks superintendent named Yazkov Kerman, is elected General Secretary of the Krussian Workers' Party's Central Committee Under the guidance of Professor Rochke Kerman, the Müldfurt University Rocketry Club successfully launches a single-stage 15 cm diameter LOX/LH2 rocket to an altitude of over 500 meters
423	Confederate aviatrix and barnstormer Millie Kerman becomes the first Kerbal to cross the Wrysop Ocean in an airplane, flying from the Confederate States to the United Kingdom of Kritannia
424	Narrowly surviving an assassination attempt, Yazkov Kerman orders a manhunt of the Kzar Loyalist resistance cell believed responsible; this quickly devolves into a political witchhunt, and ultimately, the first of many purges of dissidents, critics and other "undesirables" The deposed Kzar Nikolas I and his family are executed by a Krussian firing squad; a sympathetic KPR solider spirits the Kzar's youngest daughter, Kristina, away to safety The Confederate States, United Kingdom of Kritannia and Keinsberg Republic officially condemn the purges, and threaten to recall their ambassadors to the KPR
427	Coup attempt against Blessed Heavenly Emperor Wulong (son of Wonglong) crushed by Honko Hegemony Imperial Forces The Krussian People's Revolutionary Army acquires decommissioned Kritannian Royal Air Service Albatross V fighters from an unscrupulous Kritannian scrapyard owner
431	Millie Kerman attempts to circumnavigate Kerbin, but crash-lands her Buccaneer Lightning in the Krussian People's Republic; due to her much-publicized friendship with the late Kzar's daughter Kristina, the Krussians refuse access to Confederate rescuers The Confederate Army 3rd Aviation Division, equipped with the experimental gyrokopters and supported by a Confederate Navy cruiser modified with a wooden landing platform, trespass into Krussian territory and successfully extract Millie Kerman In response to the intrusion, Krussia recalls its ambassadors to the Confederate States
432	Kerbal Aircraft Corporation is rebranded as KerboAir, and maintains its majority market share in the civilian aviation market The Confederate Army 1st, 2nd and 3rd Aviation Divisions are reorganized into the independent Confederate Air Force Confederate engineer Koddard Kerman collaborates with Professor Rochke Kerman of the Müldfurt University Rocketry Club to develop practical applications for rocketry
436	Kritannian Royal Air Force Pilot and Engineer Whaitley Kerman proposes (and later demonstrates) a working proof-of-concept for his Motor-Jet engine - the precursor to modern-day Turbojet and Turbofan engines On the twentieth anniversary of the Confederate Air Force's founding, a squadron of CAF aircraft successfully circumnavigate Kerbin, pioneering mid-air refueling The KPR Military Directorate authorizes the creation of Design Bureau No. 6, which would focus on improving Krussian aerial supremacy in light of the embarrassment resulting from Millie Kerman's rescue and the CAF circumnavigation achievement
447	Winters Academy of Sciences and Mading Laboratories merge to become the Winters-Mading Institute of Theoretical Sciences, and move into their new purpose-built premises on the outskirts of the Confederate States capital, Kerbin City
449	Kilbee Kerman, a Confederate engineer interning at an electro-valve instrument company, invents the first integrated circuit Krussian state-sponsored metallurgists proposed that a new Aluminium-Lithium alloy would dramatically improve the performance of Krussian-made aircraft; however, the lack of Lithium ore deposits in the KPR renders this proposal infeasible for the time being
450	Keinsbergian inventor Wenkel Kerman founds the Wenkel Refrigerator Company to market his patented vapour-compression refrigeration system
452	Frustrated with the cavalier attitude of the Kritannian government towards his research, Whaitley Kerman resigns his commission from the RAF and establishes a small aeronautical consultancy firm in Kerbin City to promote his ideas to venture capitalists KerboAir quickly recognizes the potential of the new Motor-Jet technology and gives Whaitley Kerman seven years and a fully-equipped research facility to develop a commercializable version of the engine; Whaitley Kerman manages to deliver a robust pre-production design in seven months
455	The KPR's Ministry of Production attempts to source Lithium from Keinsberg; the Keinsberg government considers the terms of the negotiation unfavourable and refuses, instead selling their Lithium to the Confederate States and Kritannia. In response, the KPR places an embargo on Keinsbergian goods and services
457	Wernher von Kerman is born in Keinsberg CAF pilot Capt. Chuck Kerman breaks the sound barrier while flying the experimental RX-1, powered by a LOX / ethyl alcohol rocket engine developed by a Winters-Mading Institute research team supervised by Dr. Koddard Kerman
459	KPR General Secretary Yazkov Kerman is deposed in a coup by political rival Golov Kerman, who proceeds to purge the Politburo of Yazkov's supporters, and creates the position of Premier Soviet of the KPR for himself Representatives of the KPR Military Directorate attend a demonstration in which Krussian aircraft drop modified artillery shells onto dummy targets with notable accuracy; the Keinsberg government files a protest as the demonstration took place near their borders
460	FusTek Aviation founded by engineer Fusty Kerman The KPR and the Honko Hegemony sign a non-aggression pact Dr. Koddard Kerman publishes a controversial paper in which he describes the potential for rockets to operate in the upper atmosphere of Kerbin and beyond, and even suggests that such a rocket could reach the Mun; his work is derisively sensationalized by the media and he is ridiculed by his scientific peers
462	The KPR issues an ultimatum to Keinsberg - allow them exclusive access to the Lithium ore deposits, or face annexation Concerned with increased tensions between Keinsberg and the Krussian People's Republic, the Wenkel Refrigerator Company relocates to the Confederate States
463	Wernher von Kerman's family flee to Confederate territory as the Krussian People's Republic annex Keinsberg as the new Special Administrative Region of Keinsberg The Confederate States declares war on the KPR The opportunistic Honko Hegemony has troops advance into disputed territory between themselves and the KPR, breaking the non-aggression agreement The Great Kerbin War begins
464	The first aircraft instrumentation based on the new integrated circuit technology is fielded aboard experimental Confederate Air Force aircraft; the manufacturer dubs them "avionics", a portmanteau of the terms aviation and electronics
465	Jebediah Kerman is born in the Confederate States
466	Jerski Kerman is born in the Krussian People's Republic Bill Kerman and Genefred Kerman are born in the Confederate States
468	Seangard Kerman is born in the United Kingdom of Kritannia Kellas Kerman is born in Kerimera
469	Bob Kerman is born in the Confederate States Valentina Kerman is born in the Krussian People's Republic
470	A seven-year-old Jebediah Kerman visits the 60th Annual Kompton Air Show, where he watches a mock dogfight between CAF fighters and obtains an autograph from Capt. Chuck Kerman; this eventually inspires him to become a pilot
473	KerboAir establishes two new subsidiaries: Patger & Whaitley (Aircraft engines) and B9 Special Projects Division (Military airframe development)
475	The deposed former Khan of Kashkeeree dies in exile
476	A ten-year-old Jerski Kerman takes part in the annual Young Revolutionaries Speech Competition run by the Krussian Ministry of Education; his speech on duty and loyalty to the Gramund Revolution wins his class the opportunity to visit the Klavidosk air base, where an active duty pilot allows Jerski to sit in the cockpit of a KiG-7 Motor-Jet fighter A nine-year-old Genefred Kerman relocates with his family closer to Beaufort Bay AFB, where his father works as Early Warning Radar technician. Genefred would spend his after school hours watching CAF aircraft take off and land
480	For his eleventh birthday, Bob Kerman receives a copy of Jennard Kerman's Fighting Aircraft of the World
482	Wernher von Kerman begins Doctorate studies at the University of Kerbin in the Confederate States
483	Jebediah Kerman completes high school, and is accepted into the Confederate Air Force Academy A fifteen-year-old Seangard Kerman takes his girlfriend to the local cinema, where they watch The Eagle and The Vulture, a dramatization of the Kritannian RAF's exploits in the Kashkeeree Khanate Concurrently, Kellas Kerman inherits an old flying cap from his late grandfather, a Kerimeran Air Force pilot who shot down many aerial pirates preying on cargo ships
485	Wernher von Kerman completes Doctorate in Aviation Engineering at the University of Kerbin Dr. Wernher von Kerman starts working at the Winters-Mading Institute Whilst working as an apprentice electrician, Bill Kerman is encouraged by his mentor to consider joining the CAF instead for additional hands-on experience, so that he can "gain seniority" when he comes back The Confederate Army begins fielding a new type of rocket artillery with onboard radio guidance, allowing non-line-of-sight stand-off attack - this is the first modern missile
487	Dr. Wernher von Kerman dismissed from Winters-Mading for spurious reasons Dr. Wernher von Kerman offered and accepts position at Confederate Air Force Research Laboratory (CAFRL) Jebediah Kerman graduates from the CAF Academy with a rank of Lieutenant Whilst working on Collective Farm No. 83, an eighteen-year-old Valentina Kerman is recruited into the Krussian People's Army 26th Parachute Regiment, as part of an all-female paratrooper unit that was created purely for propaganda reasons
488	During his first combat mission, Lt. Jebediah Kerman's flight leader and fellow wingmen are killed in a mid-air ambush by Krussian KiG-9s; Jebediah manages to shoot down all but one of the attacking Krussian fighters In recognition of his bravery and achievement, Jebediah is promoted to Captain and assigned as the replacement flight leader A week before the KPA 26th Parachute Regiment is due to embark on a nationwide morale-boosting tour around Krussia, the pilot of one of the KL-02 Slon Heavy Gliders falls ill from food poisoning; the glider's co-pilot and Valentina Kerman's lover, Yurov Kerman, convinces his superiors that he could train her to fill in for the sick pilot
489	Flying F-25 Sparrow Interceptors refitted with updated engines, Capt. Jebediah Kerman and Lt. Genefred Kerman's fighters encounter similarly upgraded Krussian KiG-9s led by Senior Lieutenant Jerski Kerman; due to the high speeds involved, neither side manages to score any hits, resulting in a draw The CAFRL concludes that fighter engagement speeds have grossly exceeded the ability for pilots to train their machine guns on the enemy, and begin developing new air-to-air weapons
490	Junior Lieutenant Valentina Kerman successfully test flies the Krussian KB-10 Kula Bomber, a troublesome design that previously claimed the lives of other test pilots Modified versions of F-25 Sparrows are deployed aboard Confederate aircraft carriers
491	Klockheed Martian unveils its new two-seater F-47 Ravenspear Multirole Fighter, powered by two Patger & Whaitley F105 afterburning turbojets Capt. Jebediah Kerman transfers to the 42nd Test and Evaluation Group at Beaufort Bay AFB, testing the new F-47 Ravenspear fighter with Lt. Bob Kerman and evaluating the first air-to-air missiles
492	Dr. Wernher von Kerman forms Long-Range Ballistic Munitions Agency under CAFRL Capt. Jebediah Kerman is returned to combat duty following a spate of disastrous losses in the CAF's ranks Capt. Jebediah Kerman is the first pilot to shoot down an enemy aircraft using missiles; the enemy wingman (Jerski Kerman) once again escapes unscathed
493	2Lt. Bill Kerman is assigned to CAFRL During a interception mission against Honko aircraft trespassing on Confederate-held regions of Krussia, the missiles on Lt. Genefred Kerman's F-47 Ravenspear fighter fail to launch, leaving his aircraft defenseless; he convinces the CAFRL that both missiles and guns should be part of an combat aircraft's standard arsenal The CAF hastily retrofits machine guns onto all F-47 Ravenspears Lt. Bob Kerman sets altitude and speed records of 25000 meters and Mach 3.1 in a prototype S-1 Raven High-Altitude Reconnaissance aircraft CAFRL-LRBMA successfully launches the Javelin I Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from the rocket range at Beaufort Bay AFB
494	With the KPR losing territory in the war, the ostensibly propaganda-oriented KPA 26th Parachute Regiment is ordered to reinforce a besieged Krussian position Moments before Yurov and Valentina's towed glider reaches the drop point, they are ordered to turn back because of a lack of Krussian fighter escorts Maj. Jebediah Kerman's unit is tasked with an air strike on the Krussian capital itself; moments before reaching the target, his flight of fighters is also recalled when Kritannian intelligence informs the Confederate military of unguided barrage rocket batteries hidden throughout the capital Alarmed by the Confederate forces' development of the ICBM, the Krussian Military Directorate orders the construction of a test range near Klavidosk air base, and begins a crash program to develop its own ballistic missiles.
495	The Confederate States begins deploying the Javelin II ICBM against Krussian and Honko targets, taking over many roles previously filled by combat pilots Maj. Jebediah Kerman reassigned to a non-piloting role; he resigns from the CAF soon after to raise his family and take over his late great uncle Jeremiah's junkyard
496	Krussia unveils its own BM-1 Grom ballistic missile at the Klavidosk Test Range, reverse-engineered from a crashed Javelin I; despite having a conventional warhead with a yield one-and-a-half times as great as the Confederate Javelin II, the Grom's poor accuracy often causes them to fall short of both primary and secondary targets KPR Premier Golov Kerman is critically wounded when a Javelin II strikes a Krussian forward military base his entourage is visiting The Soviet Republic of Balur declares its independence from the KPR, the weakened Krussian Military Directorate too overstretched to quash the uprising The Confederate States successfully tests the first atomic bomb; due to the limited supply of fissile material, the CAFRL estimates that it would be at least another two years before a usable batch of the new atomic warheads would be ready
497	The Soviet Republics of Donsk and Gorghiz declare their independence from the KPR A mysterious fire completely destroys entire Winters-Mading Institute campus, along with all staff and research The Confederate States, despite being in a tactically and strategically advantageous position, unexpectedly issues an offer for a ceasefire to the Krussian and Honko governments The bedridden KPR Premier Golov Kerman declares that the Krussians will fight "to the last man, woman and child." A cadre within the Politburo, fearing that continuing the course of the war would result in certain annihilation of the Krussian people, arrange for Premier Golov to be smothered, and Assistant KPR General Secretary Kushka Kerman instead offers to speak to Confederate representatives In the Honko Hegemony, Blessed Heavenly Emperor Feilong comes of age and orders the execution of the Empress Dowager and Generalissmo Godo Kerman for their ultraimperialistic and expansionist policies that led to the Hegemony's ultimately-disastrous involvement in the war, and declares a cessation of hostilities with the Confederacy and KPR An armistice is signed, ending the Great Kerbin War An interim committee of representatives from all major powers on Kerbin convene in the Confederate capital of Kerbin City, laying the foundations for the future unified Kerbal Federation
498	The Kerbal Armistice Constitution, which bans armed conflict between nations, is finalized and ratified by all signatories Krussia declares its independence from the KPR, and the Soviet Republic collapses Keinsberg regains its independence from the dissolution of the KPR Honko Hegemony becomes Honko Co-Prosperity Union, following the abdication of Blessed Heavenly Emperor Feilong Wenkel Corporation reopens its original factory in Keinsberg With a reduction in military orders, Klockheed Martian downsizes significantly, closing down its aircraft business and focusing on making specialty aerospace components
499	The Kerbal Federation Armed Forces is established, whose primary purpose is peacekeeping and enforcement of the new Kerbal Armistice Constitution Capt. Bob Kerman transfers to the Kerbal Federation Air Force, where he assists in the evaluation of various foreign military aircraft built during the war
500	The Kerbal Space Administration founded, charged with "the expansion of Kerbal knowledge of phenomena in the atmosphere and space, the development and operation of aeronautical and space vehicles, and the exploitation of outer space for peaceful and scientific purposes." Dr. Wernher von Kerman named Chief of Research and Development at KSA SDHI introduces their Sum Dum Regional Jet, entering the aerospace market and breaking the KerboAir monopoly on passenger air transport
501	The Confederate States celebrates the 150th Anniversary of its founding Conversion of the Beaufort Bay AFB to the Kerbal Space Center begins
503	A ruling by the Confederate Supreme Count on the KerboAir Antitrust case results in the corporation being forced to spin off its and Patger & Whaitley and B9 Special Projects Division (now B9 Aerospace Corporation) subsidiaries into indepedent entities A modified Javelin II ICBM carrying the Intrepid 1 probe explodes on the launchpad at the newly-inauguated KSC due to a faulty valve; this is the first of many failed attempts to launch an artificial satellite to study the upper atmosphere of Kerbin
505	To meet their goal of launching an artifical satellite by KY 506 to observe the International Keophysical Year (IKY), KSA officials agree to purchase all remaining decommissioned Javelin II ICBM fuselages from Jebediah's Junkyard, in exchange for allowing Jebediah Kerman the opportunity to become the with Kerbal to fly into space Maj. Jebediah Kerman's commission in the CAF is reactivated, and he is transferred to the KSA for training alongside Capt. Bob Kerman (CAF / KFAF), Lt. Bill Kerman (CAF), Capt. Seangard Kerman (RAF), Lt. Jerski Kerman (KPAF), Lt. Genefred Kerman (CAF) and Lt. Kellas Kerman (KAF) - forming Kerbalnaut Group One
506	First artificial satellite launched and placed into a stable orbit (Kerbstar 1) First Kerbal to fly into space, orbit Kerbin and return safely (Maj. Jebediah Kerman) SDHI wins contract to develop Service Module system for next-generation crewed spacecraft Wenkel Corporation establishes its RealChutes subsidiary, to develop improved aerodynamic deacceleration recovery systems for spacecraft Krussia commences renovations of the derelict Klavidosk Missile Test Range into the Klavidosk Kosmodrome
507	First flight of spacecraft with multiple Kerbalnauts (KES-01) First long-termed crewed orbital station (Kerbal Spacelab) First female Kerbalnaut (Lt. Valentina Kerman) First crewed landing on the Mun (KES-14 / Munar 01) Dr. Koddard Kerman passes away shortly after witnessing the Munar landings, his theories finally vindicated
508	Construction of second-generation orbital station begins (Kerbal Space Station) Sum Dum Heavy Industries buys controlling stake in FusTek Aviation, rebrands it as FusTek Aerospace Beaufort Bay renamed to Booster Bay Yurov Kerman, the Krussian Minister of Science and Industry, officially opens the Klavidosk Kosmodrome; one month later, the site hosts its first rocket launch, the unmanned Cargo Resupply System 3 (CRS-3) mission to the Kerbal Space Station

 

4) Timekeeping and the Kerbal Calendar

Spoiler

• 1 Kerbal second = 1 Terran second
• 1 Kerbal minute = 1 Terran minute
• 1 Kerbal hour = 1 Terran hour
• 1 Kerbal day = 6 Kerbal hours (sidereal rotation period of Kerbin)
• 1 Kerbal munth (month) = 30~31 Kerbal days (five orbital periods of the Mun, a measure of time used by Kerbal farmers in antiquity to keep track of the seven main stages of crop growth)
  • Mohond (31 days) - named after Moho, ancient Karimoan god of speed and messenger heralding the beginning of a new year
  • Dunod (30 days) - named after Duna, ancient Karimoan goddess of war and wisdom, as well as the patron of soliders, sailors and scholars
  • Minmal (30 days) - named after Minimus, ancient Karimoan god of the hunt and patron of hunters, foresters and travelers
  • Tetrydum (31 days) - named after Tetri, ancient Karimoan word for "four"
  • Pentolon (30 days) - named after Penti, ancient Karimoan word for "five"
  • Leitum (30 days) - named after Leitus, the first Emperor of the ancient Karimoan empire, who was born in this month
  • Jooli (31 days) - named after Jool, ancient Karimoan god of the sky, thunder, lightning, law and justice and head of the Karimoan parthenon
  • Theon (31 days) - named after Thi, ancient Karimoan word for "two", used to signify the start of the second cropping period in a year
  • Gramund (30 days) - named after Gramos, ancient Karimoan god of craftsmen and stonemasons, who made things in sets of nine
  • Rylond (30 days) - named after Rylra, ancient Karimoan goddess of the home and hearth as well as the patron of wives and mothers; wife of Jool
  • Evylon (31 days) - named after Eve, ancient Karimoan goddess of love, beauty and fertility
  • Herbolon (30 days) - Traditional period in which herbs and spices are gathered in preparation for end-of-year fesitivies
  • Ikorum (30 days) - named after Ike, ancient Karimoan mythical creature locked in an eternal battle with Duna
  • Jamund (31 days) - named after Jamos, ancient Karimoan god of harvest, winemaking, reverlry and theatre as well as the patron of farmers and brewers
• 1 Kerbal year = 14 Kerbal munths or 426 Kerbal days (orbital period of Kerbin)
• 1 Kerbal week = 6 Kerbal days (a single orbital period of the Mun)
  • This was a relatively recent development from the now-defunct Church of Kritannia, which posits four days of work followed by two days of rest, according to now-disproven biblical accounts of creation
  • The days of the week are named Kerbday, Munday, Evesday, Dunesday, Joolsday and Eelsday (Eeloo was discovered by the Kritannian Royal Observatory through the use of early telescopes)
• Due to a lack of axial tilt, there are no seasons on Kerbin, and so Kerbal farmers observe two seven-munth crop cycles each year

 

5) Fauna and Flora

Primarily focused on domesticated species used for food, but will be expanded later on.

Spoiler

Fauna

• Blapmip - Equivalent to the Terran pig
• Creva - Equivalent to the Terran ibex, Creva meat is tough but flavourful, and often used in stews or sliced thinly for baking with various fruits
• Cucumber
• Fleccooc - Cephalopod molluscs, first seen in http://youtu.be/tu9eoD1ot0A;
• Goopsel - Equivalent to the Terran chicken
• Kaya - Equivalent to the Terran yak, found in the northern reaches of Kerbin; early Kerbals relied on them for everything from food to needles and thread, while in modern times they are still prized for their luxurious wool and tasty meat
• Krill - Kerbal krills are actually as large as the Terran shrimp
• Lotos - Kerbal equivalent to the Terran snake found in colder mountainous regions, whose meat (Latok) are often used as cuts of steak, soups, ground patties a special rice wine type brewed beverages
• Luffa - Distant cousins to modern Kerbals, these apes have six limbs, large eyes and long necks, and are typically found near certain coastal regions on Kerbin
• Samsake - Equivalent to the Terran salmon
• Wok - Equivalent to the Terran cow; Keinsbergian Woks produce the best milk

Flora

• Anthepheros - Palm species native to Kerimera, the fan-shaped leaves of which are depicted on its national flag
• Apple
• Banana - Primary export of Isla Luna
• Blomph - Equivalent to the Terran mushroom; numerous varieties, most of which are edible
• Bottlebrush - Evergreen species found in the nothern regions, with tall, straight trunks and a profusion of slender, needle bearing side branches in the upper fifth; typically harvested for timber
• Broadweed - Slender green stems supporting whorls of pentagonal leaves at regular intervals and topped with a cluster of small white flowers
• Brokkli - Equivalent to the Terran broccoli
• Citrella - Kerbal herb
• Cocoa Beans - Used to make chocolate and hot cocoa drink
• Corn - Used to make Djan (Terran tortilla) chips and Tabula flatbread
• Cornshakes - Small, sky blue flowers found as dense patches in forested areas; their shallow but extensive and tough root networks will foul most agricultural implements
• Damsonwire - Similar to knotweed, but with tougher, thinner and more dispersed fibres; actively cultivated in some parts of Kerbin as a pleasant tasting and durable, natural dental floss.
• Firewhisker - Kerbal herb
• Gingergrass - Long, flat bladed grass species prized for its flavour but cursed for its tenacity and speed of growth.
• Grape
• Green Bean - Long and thin, equivalent to the Terran string or snap beans
• Greenleaf - Small, compact bush equivalent to an oversized Terran lettuce, with large, dark green leaves each supported by a central fleshy stem; used in a variety of foodstuffs
• Hookwort - Aggressive climbing creeper that, given the chance, will colonise and choke off most other plant species
• Kerblets Fingers - Edible weed, somewhat akin to Terran shepherd’s purse but with segmented tubular seed pods rather than heart shaped
• Knotweed - Stringy green, low growing fibrous mats
• Kollibrokkli - Equivalent to the Terran cauliflower; typically baked with cheese
• Konlobos - Based on the fruit from The Rundown (2003), although the Kerbal version only results in mild tingling of the tongue rather than temporarily paralysis
• Kumkuat - Equivalent to the Terran kumquat
• Leatherbark - Sub-tropical, smooth barked, hardwood tree found in the equatorial regions; also harvested for timber
• Lemon
• Lime
• Luffa-eye Pepper - Equivalent to a small Terran bell or large chilli pepper, but when properly ripe are sweet rather than fiery
• Mango - Another major export of Isla Muna
• Marrowort - Kerbal herb
• Orange
• Pepper Cactus - Kerbal herb
• Pineapple - Another major export of Isla Muna
• Prickleberry - Equivalent to the Terran lychee, albeit darker and stronger flavoured; often eaten fresh or processed into juices/ciders
• Potato
• Rustbells - Small, orange trumpet shaped flowers, somewhat like a Terran daffodil but without the ring of petals.
• Rye - Basis of Krussian Rye bread
• Saltleaf - Kerbal herb
• Sapwood - Insectivorous plant species cultivated by Kerbals since antiquity; often made into a toffee-like sweet, strong rum-like liquors or various non-alcoholic cordials to be mixed with water (still / sparkling) or milk
• Spinach
• Star Poppies - Large red, five petaled flowers, tend to grow in clumps
• Strawberry
• Suree - Rose-like succlent species found in the deserts of the Kashkeeree Republic
• Sweetleaf - Equivalent to the Terran palm tree, but with curled, serpentine, aromatic leaves
• Tubers - Various varieties have served as the staple of the Kerbal diet since antiquity
• Vanilla Bean - Used for flavourings and perfumes
• Wheat - Used in breads and brewed beverages
• White Bean - Used as the base of the classic meatless stew found on Kerbin, with numerous regional varieties
• Yellow Clover - Kerbal herb
• Yellowjackets - Symbiotes of the cornshakes that tap into their root networks; exudes a sweet, almost sickly scent that is particularly attractive to many species of insect.

 

Acknowledgements

- tetryds, for assistance in defining the Kerbal calendar system

- KSK, for various flora and fauna names

- Mad Rocket Scientist, for various flora and fauna names

[Specialist290]

This looks like it's going to be a rather intriguing project. I like seeing worldbuilding going on, especially when it's clear that a lot of work and thought has gone into making everything fit together. Consider me subscribed

[stupid_chris]

Chuckled a lot to the Wenkel references, good job

[sumghai]

UPDATE

Short bios and blurbs for various famous Kerbals are now up! I'll be working on more comprehensive bios for selected Kerbals in the future.

[sumghai]

UPDATE

Added various fruits, vegetables, plants and animals previously defined in my SPICE thread.

I'll add more trees and other flora as needed.

[KSK]

Cheers for the acknowledgement, Sumghai. I have some other flora and fauna I could contribute but I'm also conscious that this is your fanon and appreciate you may not want it swamped with other folk's stuff.

Drop me a pm either way - happy to do short write-ups as per your SPICE thread, as required.

[sumghai]

No worries, mate - PM sent

[KSK]

As promised, some additions for the flora section, focusing on trees and weeds.

Trees

Leatherbark

Sub-tropical, smooth barked, hardwood grown in the equatorial regions of Kerbin. Like many other tree species, the trunk as well as the upper branches support clusters of leaves; or in this case, fronds. Internally, the leaf clusters are fed via lateral offshoots of the main vascular bundles running through the trunk, which offshoots are responsible for the attractive dappled finish of leatherbark timber.

Sweetleaf

Another sub-tropical species, not dissimilar to the Terran palm tree but with curled, serpentine, aromatic leaves. Until quite recently, conventional wisdom held that leatherbark and sweetleaf trees shouldn’t be planted in close proximity, due to the very different soil biota needed to support each species. This view has only been conclusively overturned within the last three kerbal generations.

Bottlebrush

Evergreen species found in the northern reaches of Kerbin, bottlebrush trees have a tall straight trunks, the upper fifth of which supports a profusion of slender, needle bearing side branches. Bottlebrush trees provide excellent straight grained timber that is exported throughout Kerbin.

Weeds

Star poppies

Large red, five petaled flowers, tend to grow in clumps

Rustbells

Small, orange trumpet shaped flowers, somewhat like a Terran daffodil but without the ring of petals.

Cornshakes

Grow in dense patches, particularly in forested areas. Small sky blue flowers that are actually rather attractive but their extensive shallow but tough root networks will foul most agricultural implements.

Yellowjackets.

Symbiotes of the cornshakes that tap into their root networks. Exude a sweet, almost sickly scent that is particularly attractive to many species of insect.

Hookwort.

Aggressive climbing creeper that, given the chance, will colonise and choke off most other plant species.

Knotweed

Stringy green, low growing fibrous mats

Damsonwire

Related to knotweed but with tougher, thinner and more dispersed fibres. Actively cultivated in some parts of Kerbin as a pleasant tasting and durable, natural dental floss.

Kerblets fingers

Edible weed, somewhat akin to Terran shepherd’s purse but with segmented tubular seed pods rather than heart shaped.

Gingergrass

Long, flat bladed grass species that is prized for it’s flavour but cursed for its tenacity and speed of growth.

Broadweed

Slender green stems supporting whorls of pentagonal leaves at regular intervals and topped with a cluster of small white flowers.

Edited June 28, 2015 by KSK

[sumghai]

As promised, some additions for the flora section, focusing on trees and weeds.

Excellent! I'll start adding them to the list this afternoon