The Duna Enterprise

[GarrisonChisholm]

 

Gene sat down at the conference table with the build team, Gus, Wernher, Linus, and Pat, to discuss the soon needed Minmus probe, kicking around ideas about scale, costs, and build times.

"Gene," interjected Wernher after a while, "You realize ve are going at this the long way around.  Ve have a perfectly capable probe ve could fly for this mission, the LBP.  It has already done fly-by return missions to both moons as well as Kerbin orbit, and should have enough Dv for a landing and return on Minmus, if a good trajectory is flown.  If not, then certainly it should be able to land.  Ve have only to attach a few of our more recent instruments for an exciting science return."

So with this unexpected change in direction, an LBP was brought into rapid assembly, and plans made to alight upon the first extraterrestrial body.

Spoiler

A challenging Munar flyby was orchestrated in an attempt to get more performance out of the probe stage...

Unfortunately, there was a software glitch while burning for the Munar encounter.  When the computer detected that it had pushed the flight path into the Mun's SOI, the navigation data changed as if the craft had done so as well.  This unfortunately wasted likely all the Dv that was to have been saved as the onboard systems briefly steered the craft off in an undesired direction.  However, a reversion to a pro-grade burn coupled with a second burn at Munar periapsis put the probe back onto its Minmus heading.  It quickly became obvious however that the sample return opportunity was now lost, so the heat-shield was ditched to increase remaining efficiency.

Some days later after orbit was achieved, a landing site was selected, just off the Greater Flats.  With great excitement, and a nervous eye on the fuel reserves, landing was commenced.

Above is our closest image ever of the Minmus surface, seen as a smooth expanse of ices of uncertain sorts.

And, at last, the landing, accomplished on the lowland slopes above the flats.

The landing site was named Divinity, in honor of Valentina's enthusiastic exclamations to the press after her orbital flight.  Linus and the science team would be going over their data for months, only wondering at the materials experiments which they had run but whose data was accessible in only the most cursory form.

Spoiler

 

This was a momentous occasion, but surely only the first of many for Kerbinkind.

Divinity takes a MagCam selfie to send home.

Edited February 5, 2018 by GarrisonChisholm

[Geschosskopf]

1 hour ago, GarrisonChisholm said:

Unfortunately, there was a software glitch while burning for the Munar encounter.

Definitely unforunate.  But hey, landing on another world! 

[Kerbalstar]

I think my probe will be a little late. Sorry, RL, tomorrow though.

[GarrisonChisholm]

8 hours ago, kerbalstar said:

I think my probe will be a little late. Sorry, RL, tomorrow though.

No worries, I won't be able to get back to this for 12 hours anyway- at the next CRAP presentation I plan to announce the probe.

[GarrisonChisholm]

Year 6, Day 389

C.R.A.P. 5

Gene stepped to the podium, a joyful smile upon his face.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Kerbalkind has successfully encountered- and orbited - another world."

Spoiler

"Relay Duna 1 successfully fired its breaking motors and entered a polar orbit of Duna.  These spectacular images of the southern polar cap truly excite the imagination.  The satellite is currently engaged in studying the magnetic field and gravity of this remarkable world.  However, we would like to point out one other remarkable image."

"If you note here, the resolution of the imaging camera was sensitive enough to identify photons from Mun, whose arc-angle of separation from Kerbin at the time was finer than a sheet of paper seen from 10 miles."

"Relay Duna 2 likewise entered orbit around Ike.  Both satellites are functioning well and returning data, and additionally will provide communication relays for future missions to Duna.  Linus will follow-up with details on all the science we have been able to recover."

"An additional success was the decoupling of the NERV engine from SOLAR and dropping its periapsis into a true sungrazing orbit."

"Repeated passes will no-doubt ultimately incinerate the remnants.  Regardless, we have pushed the orbits of both the NERV & SOLAR out 30 years, and have found no encounters with either Eve or Moho."

"Additionally, we executed 2 Transient Objective University Researching Interdisciplinary ScientisT contracts, using both an LBT and an LBC for short LKO missions."

Spoiler

 

"There were also two minor set-backs, one of them a sign of some work that needs to be addressed.  It was found that 2 LBR satellites in the local network were unresponsive- one of them had had its primary and a secondary solar arrays fail, and the other had had its primary antenna fail.  To replace the Kerbin polar satellite, a replacement LBR was launched on a polar trajectory.  Unfortunately, an untried maneuver- a 90 degree roll- resulted in the craft pronating off its line, and it quickly tumbled out of control, crashing just north of the runway."

"A follow-on launch was not rolled, and successfully entered its polar orbit directly."

"A second set-back occurred with our attempted landing of our first Mun probe, in a full-up, uncrewed test of a solo lander."

Spoiler

Gene paused here, as none present had known that the Mun probe was crew-rated, and a rapid hubbub evolved amongst the press.

"We did successfully return data from the surface, barely, but no footage is available from the event.  The lander unfortunately came down on the steep slope of a large crater, after burning much of its return fuel in an attempt to steer towards level ground.  The lander never came to a stop, and slid down the slope for a hundred or so meters.  While science was hastily gathered, It was shortly realized the landing had to be aborted.  The craft would have shattered at the bottom of the crater, and it was also at 'bingo' for return to orbit."

"The ship will now function as a relay satellite about the Mun, and did allow us to complete a valuable contract, so the Munar Solo Lander Probe program will continue to be refined and tested."

"Lastly, in related and exciting news, private industry has at last offered a Minmus Return Probe design, and for an incredibly economical sum!"

K-Tech simulation footage.

"The Kerbal Institute of Technology  @kerbalstar Aerospace School has responded to the Program request with a return lander that is entirely battery powered and which comes in under the tuition friendly price of $f11,000.  We look forward to receiving the probe at the VAB, and beginning vehicle integration.  We shall shortly see whose design can succeed at a sample return first, the "professionals" with the Mun, or K-Tech with Minmus."

Gene allowed the laughter to usher him off stage, as Linus stepped up to go over the recent science findings.  He sat down, shifting the blue folder to the back of his collection of papers, and settling the black folder on top.  When the CRAP meeting began after lunch, he had some things he needed to clear up with Mort.

Edited February 8, 2018 by GarrisonChisholm

[Kerbalstar]

Yay! It's here! 

[GarrisonChisholm]

The meeting...

 

Gene sat down at the conference table, pre-empting anyone saying anything by sliding the black folder across the table to Mort.

"Did you know about this Mort?  That is our 'VIP', from CA."

"As you know, we had two TOURIST contracts, for 2 and 5 scientists.  Consequently we flew 1 LBC and another less-expensive LBT.  With the flight of the LBT already in final preparations, we get this request from the Program Civil Authority Office to fly Miss Mautrix here."

"We were given no resume', no dossier, the medical pre-flight was refused, and there was no acclimation time permitted with her crewmates-to-be.  By all accounts from them after reaching orbit everyone was engaged in their own work, and she kept to herself."

"Now, when you had to smooth all those ruffled feathers up there I expected something weird to come down the pipe that we'd have to swallow, but I don't like this at all...- and No One I've talked to has ever heard of a company called MAXO."  Mort responded.

"A bogus company, you say? Come to think of it, I have not heard of this company either. This bears further investigation."

"I was aware, that a CA official would be inspecting KSC soon. But why would they take such an indirect approach? KSC is a public sector institute. They just needed to pass a warrant, and we would have been obliged to give them all the information they need."

"And about this 'Mautrix'.. The fact that  the medical check up was refused meant that CA was sure about her 'space worthiness'. This makes at least one thing clear; she is military. Or ex-military, maybe. Most probably from the Air Force. I doubt any other branch experiences high gee as much as these kerbs do."

Gene tapped his pen absently on the table.

"Well, we know they weren't interested in those two scientists or their work, because we could have assigned her to the other flight just as easily."

"So, ...if they want to know what we know, without asking us what we know, doesn't that mean that they don't want us to know that they want to know what we know?"

"...and if so..., what would they do with what they apparently want to know; which seemingly is the rudimentary ins-and-outs of a mundane orbital space-flight?..."

Gene looked at Mort to see if he had jumped to the same conclusion that he just had.  Mort scoffed.

"They planning their own space program? But that would be ridiculous! Remember when they submitted a report on a Mun base but couldn't say anything when you asked them about its usefulness?"

"And more over, it would cost a lot to develop a new rocket, or even modify existing missiles to launch vehicles, when we launch their rockets at such a heavy discount!"

Mort left his chair and walked to the window. A passenger jet was forming a contrail. A flash of an idea struck Mort. He looked at Gene, worry etched on his face.

"Unless, they manage to develop an SSTO. Then they could launch almost for free. They could even end up snatching our customers from us!"

Gene grimaced and shook his head, not understanding what was at risk, his job, the Program, or things he did not yet understand.

"Alright.  If they want to fly to space for their own reasons we'll deal with it when we have to, though I still don't understand it.  So, on to the contracts I suppose..."

"These are the current contracts.  None are immediate, and the fairing test can conveniently be combined with whatever our next interplanetary mission turns out to be.  As it happens, there is an intriguing - but complex - interplanetary mission proposal from J.E.B."

"Following on from our successful NERV test last year, there is apparently discussion in the science circles upon whether the NERV would be suitable for use in an Eve mission.  However, we don't know anything about Eve yet except that it is covered in clouds and warm.  Polluting it with Blutonium is probably a bad idea, and it would require some real thought to accomplish the test requirements and still remove the engine from Eve's gravity well.  As I said, complex, but it does pay a tidy f$200,000 ."

"The TOURIST requests are all LKO, and the VIP seems to be an actual honest physiology study.  The 2 atmospheric contracts would require developing an aircraft, but we do have the funds for that if you want to head in that direction.  Lastly, DMagic is desperate to expand upon their Magnetic Field theory of atmospheric habitability, but I think we see eye to eye on the wisdom of accepting another large infusion of DMagic cash."

"Oh, we have a new generation of relay satellite building, the Local Body Relay Advanced, or LiBRA, and as well the K-Tech sample return probe.  It actually will not be as cheap as we hoped, lofting that much Dv is expensive.  We feel it is worth it though as developing these relationships will be important in the future."

Gene took a drink of his water as he sat up straighter to listen to Mort's decision making.  Mort replied.

"The Eve contract appears more trouble than it's worth. We don't have enough knowledge about Eve to try and get away from it's gravity well. What is the atmospheric curve? What will be the entry characteristics?     There are a lot of variables, and we will attempt such contracts only when we know more about the Eve system."

"All TOURIST missions, as long as they are limited to LKO, have my acceptance. We have proven and reliable technology, these missions will be easy funds for us."

"I think we should work to develop a few aircraft as well. I would like to attract more investors from the aerospace sector, so that we have someone to fall back to, in case of 'emergencies.'" Mort looked at Gene, who nodded.

"And tell the CA to reject any DMagic contract, or I will terminate their pay!"  Everyone at the table chuckled.

"I don't have any issues with the K-Tech probe however, please proceed," concluded Mort with a smile.

Nodding in agreement, the group broke up, setting out to put their new plans in motion.

Edited February 15, 2018 by GarrisonChisholm

[roboslacker]

Yay Content!

[GarrisonChisholm]

3 hours ago, roboslacker said:

Yay Content!

Heh.  Yes, & thank you!  We had a lot to chew through before we could throw this one against the wall, and also a couple RL hurdles to surmount, but with luck we'll be at least a "weekly."  *fingers crossed*   The reward has been however some fantastic world-building, and I am very satisfied with our results.  We hope everyone else will be too.

 

[GarrisonChisholm]

 

C.R.A.P. 6

Year 7, 2 Jooly.

Gene stepped to the podium with some comfort and panache, knowing that for this conference he had only to discuss a string of already well publicized successes.  He turned and regarded the press with a smirk.  "Well.  K-Tech won."

"But boy were the MSL/P guys peeved!  The Mun probe completed *before* K-Tech landed, but we had already made the decision to not stress the flight center by needlessly pushing simultaneous missions.  They would just need to swallow their pride and trust that everyone was working for the same team."

"Now, the final probe which we launched from K-Tech will not look extremely familiar to their design team.  Upon arrival it was discovered that due to a power integration conflict [version error] the entire probe had to be disassembled and rebuilt from scratch."

"The final product however was as true to the original design as we could manage, while also carrying an array of experiments of the most advanced design."

"The ultimate rocket stack was also fairly large, due to the high Dv budget of the probe."

"However, the mission was carried off flawlessly."

Spoiler

"The only disappointment was that we failed to come down in sight of Divinity, being only 2 km away but sadly just over a ridge.  We had hoped to get footage of the landing.  Regardless, the return was exceptional, as we were able to sample the ice shelf directly which Divinity could only image."

"Shortly there-after Flight Control had to set aside the champagne and cigars to fly their own return mission."

Spoiler

"The science return was quite welcome, despite the MSL/P showing an amazing proclivity to find crater slopes.  However, this one shallowed, so we made the call to accept its long slow slide, trusting to the craft's reaction wheels and monopropellant thrusters to keep it stable.  With the success of this flight, next for the MSL/P will likely be an LKO proving mission with crew."

"To follow, we flew the first of 2 currently planned LBC LKO TOURIST missions, this launch being number 4 for the craft, which was later recovered without any excitement."

"We also launched 2 of the new Libra relay satellites-"

Spoiler

 

"The new satellite is a significant improvement over the original LBR.  It has multiple redundant systems; battery, solar, & communications, hopefully prolonging its service life past 15 years.  Libra 1 went into polar orbit around Minmus, and Libra 2 around Mun."

"Lastly, we would like to reveal our first rocket to carry Kerbals beyond LKO, the LBRT, or Liberty."

"We look forward to its first launch later this year. Given our confidence in the basic LBC from which it is derived, we will very likely crew its first flight, though we will of course allow discourse to influence our ultimate decision."

"The Program is in a very comfortable place, with over $2 million in Funds available, and we have a very exciting future ahead of us.  Now, Linus, why don't you step up to discuss the probe findings for both our moons."

Gene sat down, quite pleased with how things had progressed.  At the same time outside, Jebediah was taking out an old warhorse that the Aerospace wing had lovingly restored for use in local science flights, and was even more pleased.  He was very much enjoying its first flight, and the plane verily leapt off the runway.  He would look forward to its future use, and pocketed the keys when he landed.

Edited February 22, 2018 by GarrisonChisholm

[GarrisonChisholm]

Gene settled into his usual chair at the conference table after greeting everyone.

"Well, we have a rather full schedule, and some decisions to make."

"This is our current status with active contracts.  The most significant missions which aren't listed here because of the stupid copy machine I do NOT know why we need such a complex one-  are the harvesting food in space experiment, which has no deadline, and our highlighted crewed flight to Minmus with an EVA.  The former we haven't started to consider yet, and the latter we feel is capably in-hand with the under construction Liberty."

"Now, given our previous conversations about Eve, when this contract came along which would allow us to but a probe into orbit around Eve I felt we should jump at the chance.  The Nav team isn't excited about the precision being requested for the orbit, but we are planning to fly another Solar probe as the explorer.  It should have ample Dv to handle any requirements as well as 'beginner's mistakes'- and, the boosters *have* been upgraded for a safe launch.  I am not sure another prototype NERV will be available, but we have 4 years so we can be patient."

"Lastly, we have been given a contract to return data from the surface of Duna.  Obviously, this is very exciting in many regards, but some serious questions should be answered first."

"We could very easily design a ground-up lander with every science instrument we can get our hands on and spend close to 300,000.  Or, as Wernher points out, the Local Body Probe which he designed 6 years ago could also do the job for 25% of that out-lay.  We would only need to rewrite the program to allow the probe engines to function as landing thrusters and the parachutes to deploy at the right time."

"These are our two current technology projects- the former gives us some enhancements to existing experiments, and the latter the RTG which we will need for exploring the outer planets.  There are several avenues of advancement which could give us more science experiments or better engines, but it will be a few years in the getting.  The Duna probe has a 7 year window though, so we also have time to consider this carefully."

"What do you think Mort?"

"Gene, my friend! We need a complex copy machine, because we are a complex space agency, as simple as that~ Anyways, turning to more important matters."

"So the NAV team isn't 'excited', huh? Who the heck do they think they are?? Gene, tell them that this is a job. A job which makes sure that their families are well fed. So if the client with enough funds asks them to jump, they should! I trust you will be able to handle them."

Gene blinked; his pen started to creak under the strain of his crushing fist as he was chided about whether he could 'handle' his team.

"About the Duna lander, I think I can authorize you to build a new lander with the upgraded experiments. Yes, Gene, pick your jaw off the floor."

Gene felt he really should pick his jaw up off the floor...

"I am allowing you to splurge money. Don't get me wrong, all I want is to get all that Duna science as quickly as possible, as cheaply as possible, in a single launch. I want you to launch multiple CommSats and a lander to Duna, with all the experiments that we have. Strap the Ike mission in there somewhere as well. Give me a report, if you think you can do it."

Gene boggled.  Multiple comsats, a Duna lander *and* an Ike lander, in one launch.  His mind reeled at the engineering demands and costs which had just been authorized.

"I know that exploring the Joolian system and beyond has been a dream for many kerbals, but for now we need to exhaust the inner solar system of all the discoveries we can. The CA has been questioning the sparse presence of private partners in our space program, which was designed keeping public-private partnership in mind. The sooner we get all that science under research, the sooner we can start licensing it. This science and technology transfer might encourage companies to invest in our space program."

Further conversation boiled on, but the firm decisions had been made.  A broad, sweeping authorization for inner solar system exploration, and a full-up Kadillac-quality mission for Duna.  The lights would burn deep into the night in the coming weeks.

Edited February 28, 2018 by GarrisonChisholm

[GarrisonChisholm]

 

Jooly 18.

"Ok, Go/No-go for launch."

 

Gene listened to the flight technicians rattle off their "go" commands, while Air Force Captain Jorfen Kerman sat atop the absurdly powerful Pentacle, named after the 5 engines on the second stage.  The CA had asked for the good Captain and his prototype flightsuit to go through high gee testing, and this would be the 3rd attempt to satisfy their request.  The first had been a simple return from the last TOURIST flight of the LBC, but the 10.5 gee chute deployment deceleration that everyone else complained about bitterly had been laughed off as insignificant.  Next, the Pentacle had been built and flown as a single stage, and though it topped out at 12g of acceleration at 6km, it was clear from their telemetry that the g-load would need to last at least 4x as long.  So, the 2-stage Pentacle had been built.  Powered by 9 LV-T30's, this stage too would top out at 12 gees of acceleration.  The flight profile planned had the rocket turning level at ~45,000m and holding this profile to fuel depletion.  It was hoped the ridiculous speeds thereby attained would provide the stress data the Air Force wanted.

"Roger, we are go for launch.  Stand by Jorfen.  ...3...2...1... ignition."

The Pentacle-2 threw itself off the pad, accelerating under an initial load of 3 gees.  By the time the boosters dropped away it was already more than 1km up.

At 15km and almost 4 gees, the turn to the north was begun...

...but trouble was swiftly identified.

"Flight, attitude alteration is very sluggish, we are entering a flight regime we haven't entered before.  Attitude adjustment has stalled, pitch 25 degrees, locked on prograde."

"Jorfen, we need to abort or you're going for a very far ride- you could get as high as the radiation belts!"

"Negative Flight, all is good here, Civil Authority Override Alpha.  We're here to get data, let's get it."

Gene keyed off his mic.

"That glory hound just wants his name in the history books-  and what the hell is Override Alpha?!?"  Gene looked back at Griffon.

"It means the Flight Director isn't in charge of his Flight, Gene...", then in a whisper, "they're watching this one impatiently, 3rd attempt.  Just give him the go, the cabin should be fine."

Gene looked back at Griff and bit off hoarsely, "...there's No Heat Shield, Griff!"

"Its stable by the engine mass, it will self orient.  They can take a lot of heat.  ...just give them the flight Gene, then they can't say we backed off."

Gene grit his teeth, not believing what was happening.  Finally, he keyed his mic- the 15 seconds the conversation had taken had already moved the Apoapsis out of the atmosphere anyway.  "...Roger, Captain.  MECO in 15 seconds.  ...welcome to Space."

The final report on the Apoapsis, after the second stage burned furiously for 25 seconds, was over 1000km.

The Captain could have used the highly responsive 2nd stage motors to level out his flight and provide a more shallow re-entry orientation, but he had held it prograde.  On SECO Jorfen had cursed and muttered, "failed again."

Jorfen must have turned off his mic in disgust, or else just decided to admire the stars he had not expected to see, because they didn't hear from him again.  40 minutes later, on an incredible steep angle, the craft had hit the atmosphere.

Spoiler

 

"Flight, our gauges are off the scale, he's pulling 10 gees."

"Jorfen!!  Status!!"

"Gee-max flight!  Meter pinned at 15 gees!!"

"Jorfen!!!!!!  -  Surgeon Punch him out!!!!!!"

 

 

"... craft, disintegrated Flight.  No telemetry.  ...no feedback.  ...calling up logs, ... eject command was sent, but it could have been in plasma black-out, we just..."

"Recovery, do you have visuals?"

"Negative Flight, ETA still 25 minutes, assets were completely out of position for this mission profile."

Gene stared at his gauges, numb.  -  Had that idiot given the Program their first casualty??

"Gene...", Griffon spoke from the back of the room, "- CA on the line.  They, ..."

"...they congratulate us on a successful flight, and thank us for providing their needed data.  -  they are getting flightsuit telemetry, and can confirm Jorfen's eject command was received."

Gene looked back and stared at Griff.  "And his status??"

Griff asked, then said 'alright' and hung-up the line.  He turned and spoke blankly.  "They said, 'don't worry, we've got it from here.'"

Gene looked back at his gauges, perplexed.  He ejected at close to 20-gees, at Mach 6, from inside a fireball, ...and survived?  What the Hell was going on?

The Flight team slowly began their telemetry preservation procedures, because everyone knew This one needed figuring out.  Recovery, when they arrived on the scene, found only a single expended drogue chute, and tiny airframe particles spread over a wide area.  They found no sign of Captain Jorfen, or any Air Force search & rescue activity.  No one knew what to think.

Edited February 28, 2018 by GarrisonChisholm

[roboslacker]

That's one hardcore captain

[GarrisonChisholm]

21 hours ago, roboslacker said:

That's one hardcore captain

Yup!  That's one where the game gives you a result and you're like, "bu... huh?"  0.o

 

But it is great for the drama-stew that is cooking!

Edited March 1, 2018 by GarrisonChisholm

[GarrisonChisholm]

 

The Flight Team had only a day or two to process the Pentacle flight, because about 10 days later the next LBC was ready to roll out for the next science flight.  This would be flight number 5 of the LBC stack, so they had the comfort of it being a reliable vehicle.  While preparations were being made the flight crew was briefed on the Jorfen Incident and assured that that had been a terribly atypical flight under the auspices of the Air Force, and that nothing like that re-entry profile would occur.

On the day of the launch there was a slight hold as an electrical issue was tracked down, but by dusk the Kent was ready to go.

Launch was nominal, and after booster staging a beautiful sunrise was seen from the capsule.

It was shortly after that that things went horribly wrong.

"Flight we have lost ALL telemetry we have no connection with the craft!"

Gene's eyes bulged.  "ECON status!!"

"Nothing Flight, we have no link to the flight computer-  transmitter is good, LBC is continuing to burn on prograde, just no life to the flight computer or comms."

"What the Hell caused that?!?  Recovery deploy downrange ASAP!"

"It might have been an electrical discharge- rare in our benign atmosphere but possible."

Everyone worked their instrumentation in a frenzy, but nothing was found that would restore communications with the craft, and in horror when the Reliant first-stage burned out there was no staging.  The entire LBC stack simply coasted up to about 45km and then started falling back towards the sea.

Gene gave Recovery the predicted location of impact, but no-one pretended that there would be anything left to recover if the whole rocket just fell into the water.

They were all notified at the same time that communications were restored by the hellacious screaming that suddenly burst through the speakers.

"We have a link Flight!" & "Initiate Abort procedures!" were shouted at the same time.

The rocket was swiftly staged completely, leaving the capsule finally alone to rotate into retrograde.

The screaming slowly settled down once the crew realized they were no-longer simply riding in a death can, and when the chutes deployed there was radiant, jubilant joy to replace it.

Propulsion initiated a retro burn of the capsule jets simply to get some fuel-mass eliminated before splash-down, but the capsule successfully hit without component damage.  It was only then that Mission Control allowed itself to exhale.

The fault was traced to the electrical troubleshooting that had been done through the day.  An access panel had not been secured completely as the port sealant did not welcome being re-seated, and thus the onboard electrical box was left to be subject to ambient pressure.  When the barometric pressure fell below a certain point, the control box routing communications had failed due to the finicky nature of its construction.*  This component was replaced in future vehicle construction, and the whole campus breathed a sigh of relief-  while the TOURIST crew was slowly talked into planning for a new flight.

 

Spoiler

* The above events absolutely did NOT happen because I fell asleep during the launch.  Not at all.  "Of this we will not speak."

 

Edited March 1, 2018 by GarrisonChisholm

[GarrisonChisholm]

This is just an advisory, I lost some photos from the page 1 set, and that's pretty disappointing.  I was uploading a large batch for the next mission and it seems when photo-bucket choked on it it over-wrote or otherwise screwed up the addresses.

I do not know how I can identify which photos were lost other than just guessing by context, but I will try eventually.  This is the first time I have seen this happen- please forgive the damage, I will see what I can do later on.  For now I am going to proceed with the next chapter.

[GarrisonChisholm]

I am going to pause my chronicle, as the Photobucket issues have now propagated to multiple folders and *unrelated stories* on other forums are now also missing pictures.

This is very disheartening, and rather 'miffing'.  I decided to be a paying customer of Photobucket because IMGUR had *also* lost photos for me in the past.

I have escalated the issue, let us hope for a positive resolution.

[theJesuit]

On 03/03/2018 at 4:23 AM, GarrisonChisholm said:

I am going to pause my chronicle, as the Photobucket issues have now propagated to multiple folders and *unrelated stories* on other forums are now also missing pictures.

This is very disheartening, and rather 'miffing'.  I decided to be a paying customer of Photobucket because IMGUR had *also* lost photos for me in the past.

I have escalated the issue, let us hope for a positive resolution.

Oh no! Hope you get it sorted. 

Peace

[GarrisonChisholm]

Well, some good news; & thank you @theJesuit.  Photobucket had a fix for the photos in my library, & in the course of burying my head in the sand for 36 hours, 15 of the 31 affected photos repaired their links- I don't know enough about computers to know why this would happen, but it is a big relief.  I have some confidence now that the tide won't wash in to undo my sand-castle building, and maybe the others will restore in time too.  If not, the job is at least only half as big.

I have the material for Liberty 1, and that first Kerbal departure from LKO (not counting Captain Jorfen the Daft) did not proceed without some drama, and then a summary for the next annual meeting.  I'll do my best to get that up in a few days.

Thanks for your patience everyone.

 

[Alpha 360]

If you want a different photo storage program, try Imgur. It works fine and hardly anything happens to the photos in it. Its stable as a rock. 

[GarrisonChisholm]

9 minutes ago, Alpha 360 said:

If you want a different photo storage program, try Imgur. It works fine and hardly anything happens to the photos in it. Its stable as a rock. 

Actually, I went to Photobucket because Imgur lost some photos too.  Hopefully Photobucket will be sorted out, but I am also pursuing setting up my own image hosting site.  That conversation will happen next weekend.  Either way, it looks like things are getting back on track.  *thumbs up* 

 

[GarrisonChisholm]

 

Year 7, d272

The Liberty flight took place about 40 days after LBC-5, and Jeb, Peggy, and Bill had been drilling contingencies for weeks, guided by Bob.  It would be only a 3 crew mission, as stepping so far from home for the first time they wanted plenty of margin in the life support systems.  The mission had a 27 day profile, to enter orbit around Minmus and return, with experiments and EVAs scheduled to satisfy the contract demands.  Everyone in the Program was aware of how near the margin they had danced in recent months, and everyone was dedicated to getting this flight on its way with "zero deviations", as Gene had laid down the law.

The Liberty was simply a Local Body Conveyor with two extra main stages fuel-feeding into the main.  It would certainly get the crew on its way, but it was not the architecture that would support a crewed landing.  Regrettably a new vehicle would need to be designed for that.  However optimism was high, and all the pre-flight checks after roll-out had gone to perfection.

Lift-off of the 21 engines and 4 booster motors was likewise executed flawlessly.

Spoiler

Booster Sep.

Main Stage burning hard as the plume expands.

Burnout, with the large separation motors ensuring the stage returns to the ocean.

KOI burn at 84km.

With the crew safely in orbit, Peggy ran systems checks while Jeb and Bill plotted the Minmus intercept.

An exact intercept evaded all Aaron Kerman's machinations back in Mission Control, so a small course correction was added to the plan.

The Orbital Insertion Stage provided almost all of the transfer velocity, which the Service Module neatly finished up.

 

Departing Kerbin provided a quite lovely shot for the remote camera.  However, it was at soon after this point that fate once again dealt them all a raw hand.

"Flight, SOWR reporting in; SOAR and SOLAR satellite observations indicate a solar eruption inbound to Kerbin."

Gene's face immediately masked his initial emotions.

"Can we avoid it?"

"Negative Flight, even a direct abort would not return us to shielded elevations before it arrived."

Gene looked at the surgeon, whose alarm was obvious.

"Alight.  Align the ship counter to the incoming storm and inform the crew to prepare for Shelter Protocol."

The ship was pointed engine-on towards Kerbol, hoping that the bulk of engine but more-so fuel mass would block most of the radiation.

Thankfully, the crew reported no discernible effects, though their equipment measured the increased radiation environment outside.  After it passed, they secured from Shelter, executed their encounter burn, and made ready to enter orbit.

After crossing the boundary into Minmus space, the crew was congratulated- the first Kerbals to enter the space of another world.

A few hours later orbit was achieved, and the historic and requested space-walks performed.  On their way past the sun side, they flew by Divinity and the remaining acoustic probe from the K-Tech lander.

They then proceeded to fire their engines for their return, and 12 days later ditched their service module as they prepared for re-entry.

Spoiler

Jeb, Peggy, and Bill returned at night but were swiftly recovered to the bright lights of celebrity.  The Program Public Affairs Office had to field endless requests for interviews and accommodated almost all of them.

The mission was a success, and when they reported for their post-flight medical none of them showed any lingering signs of radiation induced illness.  It was a great first step, celebrated by almost the whole world.

Edited March 7, 2018 by GarrisonChisholm

[roboslacker]

9 hours ago, GarrisonChisholm said:

What diameter was the transfer stage?

[GarrisonChisholm]

It is an odd size, using teak-scale.  I would need to investigate to discover.  That is part of the reason why the fairing for the transfer stage is at an unusual angle of slope.

The diameter was determined by how "comfortably" I could seat the 6 capsules into one unit, and then the decoupler and fuel tank sized accordingly.

[DatBoi]

Hey GarrisonChisholm! I love how your series is going so far! I was wondering when you think there will be some "contracted" work for something that Kan Diego State University could provide some engineering work for your space program. I can't wait to see how you handle the D-Magic probes as well.

 

 

(P.S. What mods are you using?)