Korolev Clover at Kerbinrise & suicide burn to KSC

[sevenperforce]

(Not sure if this should go in Fan Works or Mission Reports...)

Thought this image coming in for a Mun landing approach wasn't halfway bad. My three transfer stage parallel boosters staged off into a nice clover (klover?) as I was preparing for my landing approach, with Kerbin rising on the horizon.

And the landing burn!

I was rather proud of this mission, as I managed to pull it off in just three burns out of LKO: transfer to a Munar periapse just touching surface at the equator, simultaneous capture and landing burn, and ascent burn directly into Kerbin aerocapture. Timed the last burn off the Munar equator to bring me precisely to the KSC, too!

Completed burn off the Munar equator into an aerocapture.

Coming in hot, lined up for a descent right on top of the KSC, once drag slows me down.

High approach, fingers crossed...

Oddly, re-entry seemed to pull me south from this point, even though I was lined up symmetrically.

Still haven't touched my engines.

If I had another 500 attempts, maybe I could land ON TOP of the VAB? I'll settle for the grassy knoll, though.

Calculating suicide burn in my head....

Final ignition!

To downthrottle or not to downthrottle: that is the question.

Talk about timing!

The smoke cleareth....

Home!