I figured it out, the derelict ships ...

[KerbMav]

The derelict ships with kerbals in them we are asked to rescue - they work for the infamous other space agency we can task with removing debris from the tracking station - and they staff their missions from the tourists we trained ... it is so clear to me now!

[Thomas988]

Wait, the giant dishes at the Tracking Station aren't giant space lasers?

[RocketPilot573]

Wait, the giant dishes at the Tracking Station aren't giant space lasers?

That's what I thought too...

[problemecium]

OP is a genius!

With any luck, they're also the ones who rescue Kerbals from contracts we've declined xD

Oh, and btw, no, they are radio telescopes. But nobody said you couldn't build the Giant Boob Nipple Gun...

[basic.syntax]

KSC administrators* discourage this "other space agency" idea, while evidence of its existence is brought back near-daily, by our intrepid crews. The Kerbal government MUST hold hearings soon - the public has a right to know!

*My accusing eye is cast suspiciously on Mortimer "Mr Burns" Kerman. Sometimes, the guilty actually look guilty.

Edited May 23, 2015 by basic.syntax

[sj176]

It's just a conspiracy. That's what they want you to think.

[SkyRender]

Well according to the Hitchhiker's Guide to Kerbals, much of the species is obsessed with rocketry (and something resembling potato crisps). It would not surprise me if there were backyard rocketry enthusiasts on Kerbin who actually build space-worthy rockets.

[ajburges]

Would love the idea of some kind of networked mod where terminated manned ships would populate a database for others to rescue.

Not so optimistic about people ruining it though. I would settle for the game using stock ships for the stranded Kerbals

[dryer_lint]

I always assumed that the manufacturing companies had to test their own parts, and occasionally it went a little bit... wrong.

As for the Magical Tracking Station, well, have you seen how parts explode when they hit the ground? Kerbals mount a piece of remote C4 on every part