Ussari Space Program! A highly [unstable] modded 64K career from behind the iron kertain!

[CatastrophicFailure]

It is dark day, Comrades, dark day! For while we slept, squishy bourgeois foreigners have beaten us to space! DÃâ€, they have recklessly put Kerbal not only into space but into orbit! They toy with pilot's lives like some sort of game! This provocation shall not go unanswered, good Comrades! We are steady! We are stalwart! But we shall not senselessly risk life of pilot! Unless Yuri comes back.

Ussari crewed space program soldiers on! Brave Tercella Kerman blasts off on Kroshechnyye Ivan to test launch abort systems! Tercella is fearless! Tercella is resolute! Tercella is absolutely not named after after cheap subcompact import!

Kroshechnyye Ivan will train future Kerbonauts to endure punishing G-forces and sudden movements!

Launch Abort System fires at maximum aerodynamic pressure! Pay no attention to distinct lack of rocket exhuast! Is Ussari stealth fire technology!

After LAS burns out, experimental capsule is separated from protective nosecone and stability platform.

Capsule maintains heat shield for aerodynamic stability and thermal protection from abort at any altitude! We shall not risk our pilots so recklessly as Kerbal Space Administration!

Tercella lands gently on cushioning airbags! Ignore string of swear words coming from capsule on landing!

(no, really, she cuss like sailor, even sailor say so)

But our dark day is not over, Comrades! Today, experimental communication satellite, Ekho-1 launches as Strannik-2 passes over launch site. Strannik-2 relays command signal from Lake Dermal tracking station, providing for first fully controlled launch.

Strannik-Ñ launch vehicle gravity turn, booster staging, and climb out is perfect with steering error well within tolerance!

Experimental protective nosecone is experimentally jettisoned at core stage burnout.

Shortly after final stage ignition, launch experiences significant anomaly.

Center off mass is slightly off center, and final stage thrust is too much for guidance thrusters to compensate. Ekho-1 spins wildly out of control until booster burns out.

Controllers manage to regain attitude control after booster separation, and try valiantly to recover mission, but Ekho-1 lacks sufficient fuel for obit insertion.

Helpless satellite falls back into atmosphere and breaks up, hopefully landing on heads of squishy bourgeoisie rivals!

Edited July 26, 2015 by CatastrophicFailure

[Landwalker]

Been meaning to ask: I see that you're using RemoteTech along with your 64K. Are the antenna ranges for RemoteTech adjusted to take into account the significantly longer ranges involved with a 64K game?

[CatastrophicFailure]

Yes, there's a MM config in the 64k package that boosts all ranges by 6.4, so that much at least isn't any harder. Signal delay, now...

[CatastrophicFailure]

We will not be upstaged by these upstarts long, Comrades! Today, Ekho-2 launch is successful!

Using reduced thrust Strannik-Ñ upper stage, Ekho-2 is properly boosted to apokee of 2868km!

Ekho-2 uses built-in hypergolic engine to circularize orbit, becoming world's first communication satellite! Ekho-2 will absolutely not be used to monitor Kerbal Space Center communications!

Treachery, Comrades! Squishy bourgeoisie foreigners have announced upcoming launch to put second Kerbal into orbit in mere weeks! We cannot sit idly by!

We shall claim another record yet, Imperious Academy of Sciences has demanded satellite to monitor weather! High-resolution television cameras absolutely not to be used to photograph Kerbal Space Center from space!

Strannik-3 is heaviest payload yet at 2.5 tonnes, and stretches Strannik-Ñ rocket to limits!

Thanks to Ekho-2 communication relay, rocket is now fully guided from launch to orbit!

Nosecone and spent upper stage separate. Behold new Universal Satellite Buss! Shall be new backbone of Ussari Space Program!

Universal Satellite Buss contains significant on-board propellant for multi-start hypergolic engine. USB shall one day shortly send Ussari probe even to Mün!

Strannik-3 fully deployed! High-resolution television cameras for monitoring cloud formations, long range antennas and magnetometer reach final orbit with fuel left over!

[Shania_L]

Nice going, up to 2.5 tonnes in LKO already? damn I better get a move on then, cant have them pesky Ussaris showing up the Glorious KSC

Is that a single piece fairing you are using? Dont you get a risk of colliding with it when you fire up the payload motors?

Also, although you havent yet got to any re-entry missions, how have you managed to set it up on your game? I am getting pretty close to having a working set of mods on 1.0.4 now, but DRE/RealHeat/stock heating I cant seem to get a balance between too easy and face melting at 91km.

[CatastrophicFailure]

That's the 1.25m detachable nosecone from NovaPunch, only thing available as I haven't unlocked any proper fairings yet. I've hit it more than once during "simulations," so I aim for a nice long coast to a high ApA to give it time to drift off.

Probably should do some orbital speed reentry testing now that you mentioned it. I've done returns so far up to about 3 km/s. Things that should have blown did and things that shouldn't didn't, but I didn't see much ablative loss either. Ekho-1 came down at nearly orbit speed and something blew up, but what was left slowed down too fast to get any useful info. I've got RealHeat & the latest 64k configs that were supposed to fix all that, haven't bothered with DRE as I think it's just adding g force now.

[CatastrophicFailure]

Absolutely not secret spy image of Kerbal Space Center taken from weather satellite! Is study of fascinating cloud formation in bottom left corner.

[Bev7787]

Absolutely not!

[CatastrophicFailure]

There has been... noteworthy development, good Comrades. KSA attempt to put second Kerbal in orbit has failed. Rocket broke up shortly after launch. Debris is scattered over wide area of ocean and while KSA proclaims search is ongoing, pilot Edmund Kerman is currently missing and unlikely to have survived such violent disintegration.

Imperium of Ussari Union asserts we are gracious people, we will not delight in adversaries' tragedies. Imperium has offered official sympathies and declared Ekho-2 and Strannik-3 shall immediately be put to use to join in search. Union vessels in area shall also assist in search.

But while foe licks wounds, we march ever onward to vision of Ussari in space! Poddelka mission probes deeper into hostile space environment!

Poddelka is analogue of future crewed space capsule, packed with instrumentation and launched on reduced power Strannik-ï launch vehicle.

As practical test article, Poddelka is launched with complete abort system including functional escape tower and shroud.

After separation of nosecone and upper stage booster, Poddelka reaches apokee of 165 kilometers. At apokee, retro rocket is test fired to evaluate future orbital return.

Service module with abort stabilization system, attitude control fuel, and retro pack is discarded before re-entry.

Heat shield passes brutal 18-G re-entry test, and is decoupled after parachute deploys.

Airbags deploy just before landing to cushion impact!

Poddelka flight is perfect, verifying function of complete flight system for crewed suborbital flight!

Due to minor unknown anomaly during recovery procedure, several experiments are compromised and Poddelka returns only 34 science units. A repeat mission using spare parts is flown within days, Poddelka-2 now returning over 72 science units!

Search for foreigner Edmund Kerman continues...

[CatastrophicFailure]

We have inched ever closer, Comrades, and now goal of Ussari in space is but step away! Today is final unmanned test flight of new spacecraft! Fully-functional test article launches for final crew rating!

Strannik launcher is now well established, with reliability beyond question!

Final design revision of IAS-3 suborbital spacecraft. Next flight will bring valiant Valentina Kerman above atmosphere of Kerbin!

Retro engine test successful!

Service module containing main attitude control fuel and spent retrorocket now discarded.

IAS-3 descends through heavy clouds!

Airbags deploy for perfect landing on barren steppes of Bylia!

We are but one small step away, good Comrades! And to further bolster glory of Ussari Union, it is we who have found wayward KSA pilot Edmund Kerman, alive and well! Well mostly. Strannik-3 weather satellite discovered capsule floating near Iwahaki Island and nearby Ussari fishing trawler was directed to rescue! Rumors that Edmund Kerman was detained and questioned by NKOTB officers patently false! Seriously, no one would go near him, he smelt of sweat and fish.

[CatastrophicFailure]

Ah, this isn't dead yet! May have to resort to OpenGL but there's hope!

[CatastrophicFailure]

Onward, Comrades, ever onward! In wake of squishy bourgeois foreigner rocket debacle, much will change. But first, we advance!

Today, brave Valentina Kerman becomes first Ussari in space!

Strannik-ï is stalwart and reliable! Brave, humble Valentina has chosen callsign Kedr for her flight. Strannik-ï shall boost her safely and efficiently above atmosphere!

Victory, Comrades, Victory! An Ussari in space! Strannik-ï performed nominally during flight, sending fearless Valentina Kerman to apokee of 140 kilometers.

Unfortunately, shortly after photo was taken there was very minor telemetry difficulty resulting in lost footage of Valentina landing safely on steppes of Bylia. Rumors that final stage malfunctioned, sent ship badly off course over Yaltik sea, pod land in water, and Valentina spent all night on cold beach eating mosquito and contemplating life, universe, and everything patently untrue!

In light of recent domestic and international developments, Imperium of Ussari Union has announced new policy of "glasnost." Secret launch facility in Nusad is to be decommissioned and space program relocated to new, more capable launch facility on Ussari soil just outside capital of Kermangrad. Rumors that move is due to Nusaddi oblast's request to stop dropping spent rocket stages on peasants' yurts patently untrue! Rumors that move is due to constant, overpowering odor of yak... might be true.

Also, brave hero Valentina Kerman has been removed from flight status. That is all.

[Mister Dilsby]

Winds of change do often blow yak smell... great update!

[CatastrophicFailure]

Tragedy, Comrades. Director Sergei Kermanev is dead. He suffered massive coronary due to chronic exposure to rocket fumes. Absolutely not from complications from several years in Kerberian rehabilitation camp. Activities shall resume shortly from new launch facility. That is all.

[CatastrophicFailure]

Greetings, Comrades! It is another glorious day! For today, Ussari Space Program has left yak-infested plains of Nusad and returned to rightful place within Civilization! I give you, Kermangrad International Cosmodrome!

Brought to you in new technology of glorious color! Centrally located between Ussari Union capital of Kermangrad and crucial ports on Never River at latitude of 42 degrees, space program now has proper, fully functional space center bringing together launch facilities, tracking and communication, aircraft support, research, administration, kerbonaut accommodations, and final vehicle assembly, all under watchful eye of Glorious Imperium!

Kermangrad International Cosmodrome shall now support all future launches and rapid expansion of space access. Any resemblance to Kerbin Space Center absolutely coincidental!

With new space center, comes new launch vehicle! Late Director Kermanev brought solid rocket technology to ragged edge, but only with new liquid fuel engines can Ussari Union assume proper dominance of space! Behold, new Stolitsa-class launch vehicle!

Two main engines of Stolitsa core stage run on powerful, abundant ethanol and liquid oxygen supplemented by six large solid rocket boosters, nosecones carefully crafted to resemble iconic domes of St. Cilantro's Cathedral in Kermangrad!

Solid booster jettison. Formation has been named "Kermanev's Star" in honor of late director.

Stalwart ethanol engines propel Stolitsa beyond atmosphere! Inaugural launch payload is contract from allies at Gytep Space Agency, communications satellite! Along for ride is experimental probe to attempt safe recovery of science from orbit.

Stolitsa second stage ignite and fairings separate! Twin upper stage engines are powered by only-mildly-toxic MMH and NTO hypergolic fuels. Absolutely no danger to downrange population!

First Stolitsa launch perfect success! Payload placed into 140x90km orbit. Slightly-unstableness of orbit completely deliberate to ensure proper orbital decay of debris!

Return probe collects space dust and other much useful science before separation!

Science secured and batteries charged, return probe separates from contract payload.

At proper moment, deorbit motors fire to return probe safely to Ussari soil.

Heat shield works perfect! With expected ablator material loss, probe passes by space center to landing zone in barren stappes

Automatic chute deployment out of communication range also perfect!

Descent probe lands safely in slightly mushy dirt, source of famous Ussari humidity! Probe successfully returns 42 science to research center!

Meanwhile, versatile Stolitsa upper stage uses second ignition to boost Gytepian communications satellite, dubbed "Kawaguchi Hiroshi-A" to proscribed orbit.

Based on venerable Universal Satellite Buss, Kawaguchi Hiroshi-A perfectly inserts its self into orbit to begin supplying all of Gytep with bizarre tentacle cartoons!

A new day, Comrades, and another great leap forward! While squishy bourgeois foreigners discuss budgets and polls, we set our sights ever higher! Next goal: the Mün!

[Ten Key]

Two main engines of Stolitsa core stage run on powerful, abundant ethanol and liquid oxygen. . .

​And it looks like I need to clean my keyboard again. I really need to stop drinking coffee when I read these.

[CatastrophicFailure]

I figured I just couldn't do this without at least ONE ethanol joke

[CatastrophicFailure]

Greetings Comrades! Today we reach for Mün! Imperious Academy of Sciences has given space program task of returning science from Mün, and design bureau has responded with ground-breaking Müna-1 probe! Seen here prelaunch on new reliable Stolitsa lifter!

Again based on trusty Universal Satellite Buss, 50 minutes after launch Müna-1 departs with kick from restartable hypergolic engines of Stolitsa upper stage.

Hmmm launch clamps appear to have followed into orbit, perhaps they are spies for squishy bourgeoisie foreigners, DÃâ€?

Universal Satellite Buss finishes transfer burn with trusty on-board Pol engine.

Müna-1 is now on course to fly past Mün. Additionally, it will continue off and return first Science! from interplanetary space!

Victory, Comrades! Müna-1 successfully maintains contact with control center and beams back high resolution images of never-before-seen-by-Kerbal-eyes far side of Mün! Disappointingly, no prism is seen.

In stroke of luck, Müna-1 also returns certain to be famous view of Kerbin rising of limb of Mün! Science from magnetometer, orbital telescope, and standard science package is also returned.

Perhaps such profound images of fragile world shall lead to hope for greater cooperation in future, DÃâ€?

Unfortunately, contact with Müna-1 is lost shortly before leaving Kerbin SOI and hopes of returning interplanetary Science! are dashed. This is obviously some sort of interference from meddling squishy bourgeoisie foreigners, probably related to suspicious launch clamps! Absolutely not due to range limitation of Reflectron KR-7 dish!

[Shania_L]

Congratz on breaking out of the local area! Is Muna-1 now in a never-to-return Kerbolar orbit?

Your 'new' launch facilities, are thay in roughly the same location as the earlier launches? how have you been managing with the high inclinations?

[CatastrophicFailure]

Indeed. It just barely had enough oomph to leave Kerbin's SOI, maybe it will eventually wander back in and I can restore communications like ISEE-3.

Meanwhile, this actually worked out better than I'd thought:

Looks like I should have done it a while ago as some of my location references are a bit... off:blush:. The new facility is at about 43* whereas the old one was about 22*, it's quite a bit further than it looks on the map. The higher inclination launches do need a bit more planning, as the next couple of updates will demonstrate:D. Can't just do the ol' "wait till the Mün pops up over the horizon & punch it" trick, and Mechjeb balks most of the time too. I have to figure actual launch windows when Mün is either directly overhead or 180* behind or sit in orbit for days.

[CatastrophicFailure]

Greetings Comrades! Now that matters of geography have been settled, we move onward! Today is launch of TIROS-1 communications satellite:

Stolitsa booster inserts payload into now-standard 165x100 km at 43 degrees orbit. Hitchhiking on USB is experimental probe to test re-entry from high orbit, to pave way for future Münar return mission!

After burning to depletion, probe separates from TIROS satellite on eccentric orbit. Unfortunately, due to error in engineering department TIROS fails to reach proscribed orbit. Fuel consumption was much higher than expected, and incidentally also launched into completely wrong orbital plane. Engineer responsible has been reassigned to critical project involving Kerberian salt mine.

Probe uses simple monopropellant engine to boost apokee to 8000 km, gathering first high-orbit science and testing procedures for automated out-of-communications science collection.

Re-entry over deserts of Gerin is successful, loosing much less than expected amount of ablator and without anything exploding. Anything important.

Desert landing is perfect! Sand in instruments, not so much.

Despite failure of TIROS satellite, this mission has taught much about very-high-orbit operations and confirmed ability to return payloads from near-Münar distances. TIROS will remain online as minor communications relay.

Yet we do not rest, Comrades, We do not rest! Replacement for TIROS is readied within few weeks, and lights up pad in fiery pre-dawn launch! Into proper orbital plane this time.

Minor communications relay and science equipment is incorporated in lightweight package built into Stoli upper stage. Upper stage re-ignites and boosts stack to keosynchronous transfer orbit with apokee of 4700km.

Signifcant burn will be required to circularize and change inclination from 43 degrees to 12 degrees as required by orbit.

TIROS replacement is perfect success, achieving first keosynchronous orbit! Our forward-thinking engineers have also equipped this satellite to be serviceable by future manned spaceflight.

We reach higher comrades! On next flight, brave Dibella Kermanov will attempt to recreate historic flight of Valentina Kerman. This time without anomalies.

Edited September 8, 2015 by CatastrophicFailure

[Shania_L]

*Puts on false moustache* Hello, I am not from a rival space program, I would like some details about your most recent launch please?

The Stoli upper stage, is that a pair of Coxswain motors you are using?

Keosynchronous orbit at 4,700km? What day length do you have Kerbin set at? I use a 12 hr day and Keo-synch orbit is just over 12,000km.

And finally, I am jealous, your rockets always look bigger than mine ... err than that other space agency that I am not involved in at all *twiddles moustache*

Especially in that first image, it must be the hex-solid-booster arrangement, what kind of TtW ratio do you get straight off the pad?

[CatastrophicFailure]

Greetings Comrade! In spirit of Glasnost we respond to outside inquiry with tour of Stolitsa launch vehicle, courtesy of brave Sergei Kermanski! Wave Sergei! Wave harder Sergei! That's better.

Brave Sergei shows us Empress Alexandra I, rocket that will shortly make him first Ussari to orbit Kerbin! With 5-ton Orbiter Payload, Stolitsa LV stands 24 meters tall and 130 tonnes on pad. Typical TWR at launch is 1.15-1.2. Impressive size of Union launch vehicles most likely due to heavy reliance on stalwart, reliable, heavy solid rockets.

Second stage powered by pair of Coxwain engines burning hypergolic mix of MMH and NTO. Absolutely safe! Inherent reliability of rocket means zero possibility of massive environmental contamination! Typically 1.45 TWR at stage separation, 3500-3700m/s dV. Tapered upper tank can be left empty for lighter payloads. Also visible are MMH/NTO RCS engines for minor corrections and engine restart.

Famouns garlic-shaped booster cap and separation engines! SRB's provide approximately 2000m/s of delta-V budget.

Business end of rocket! Ethanol/Liquid Oxygen Swivel engines provide middle 2000m/s dV impulse, typical TWR at booster separation 1.5.

After pad fit check, Empress Alexandra I will now be returned to VAB pending further prelaunch checkouts and brave Sergei will return to vigorous training and public speech regimen!

Also, this office has been directed to publish correction, final orbit of TIROS replacement is 26,000 km. Previously mentioned altitude of 4700 km is for initial phasing and research orbit as properly referenced in orbital map.

[CatastrophicFailure]

Greetings Comrades! After much analysis and post-incident reconstruction, it has been determined that nothing was wrong with previous attempt at crewed flight other than possible pilot error, space program proceeds as planned! Today brings historic flight of brave Dibella Kermanov!

Highly educated Dibella Kermanov has chosen name Krazniyy Oktyabr for her capsule, after Glorious Octember Revolution! That actually happened in Septober. This also marks last scheduled flight of Strannik launch vehicle, as we must move ever onwards to new technologies!

Launch proceeds exactly on time from Kermangrad International Cosmodrome! See stunning trans-sonic vapor trails as rocket pushes through sound barrier shortly after lift off!

Flight profile is perfect! Upper stage ignites and burns exactly as planned!

Shortly after stage burnout, nosecone and escape tower jettison as stage falls away. Krazniyy Oktyabr now flies freely on sub-orbital trqajectory! Dibella Kermanov officially second Ussari in space! Kick motor is then ignited, boosting capsule to apokee of 123 km.

Acting quickly, brave Dibella makes several scientific observations about Kerbin (it appears to be mostly below her), as well as activating advanced science package mounted atop capsule.

She also extensively tests hydrazine-based attitude control system, verifying that piloted control of space capsules is, indeed, possible!

With short flight nearly over, service module is jettisoned, and experimental lifting reentry commences. Even so, stalwart Dibella endures punishing 18Gs of deceleration!

Parachute deploys as planned and capsule drifts to soft landing on bank of Mockba River, bringing back first science from crewed mission!

Brave Dibella enjoys picturesque view after stunningly successful flight! And rolling down river bank and getting stuck in hip-deep mud.

Ki-24 Converter recovery aircraft are on site within minutes! (file photo) Vigilant recovery teams quickly locate and secure capsule, there is absolutely no hunt for Krazniyy Oktyabr.

Brave Dibella's flight has now verified spaceworthiness of Orbiter craft and successfully returned science and crew! Path is now open for heroic, fearless, Sergei Kermanski to shortly make first flight to orbit!

[CatastrophicFailure]

Greetings Comrades! Here on Year 1, day 138 of Glorious Ussari Space Program, we are going back to Mün! Picturesque night launch of Müna-4! Reliable Stolitsa launcher places payload in typical 160x110@42* orbit.

What is payload? Experimental cryogenic transfer stage beneath Müna-4! Transferring to Mün from highly inclined orbit requires much careful planning, but legions of Ussari engineers stand ready to calculate to minimize dwell time of volatile cryogenic fuels! Even so, transfer stage is equipped with multiple radiators to minimize boiloff.

Note eerie blue flame of efficient hydrogen and oxygen combustion! Müna-4 is placed into eccentric free-return trajectory to return science from high Münar orbit.

1.7-tonne Müna-4 passes 5500km from Münar surface, swinging back to Kerbin with zero propellant usage!

Having performed flawlessly, Müna-4 reenters atmosphere two days after launch, returning plethora of high-orbit science!

But we do not rest, good Comrades, we do not rest! Only five days later, after launchpad reconditioning, Müna-5 blasts off on longer-duration flight to return Science! from low orbit now!

45 minutes after launch, experimental cryogenic stage successfully places Müna-5 on trajectory that will pass only couple of hundred kilometers from Münar surface!

However, this close approach precludes a free-return trajectory. But we are not ones to decadently waste fuel like squishy bourgeoisie foreigners! Müna-5 continues on eccentric orbit, perturbed by Münar grabbity, passing several thousand kilometers from Kerbin and then well beyond orbit of Mün. Here at periapse, only minor correction burn is needed to align second pass by Mün, where grabbity will now drop probe safely into Kerbin's atmosphere.

Münar grabbity assist is perfect! Probe reenters at estimated time after decoupling propulsion stage.

After nearly 18 days in space, two Münar fly-bys, and much science gathered, Müna-5 parachutes safely into Yaltic sea for stunning success! Together, both probes have returned over 420 units of Science!

Do not ask what happened to Munas 2 & 3. This, we do not speak of.