A Kerbal Apollo - An individual take on manned Apollo missions

Zaphod12 · July 18, 2018

1 hour ago, Alpha 360 said:

This would be extremely interesting if you suddenly changed the course of history and added in the plans for Mars, Venus and the outer solar system developed by Werhner Von Braun.

But you have done a great job portraying the Apollo missions! Congratulations!

Happy Explosions!

Thank you very much!

The main reason I haven't done a Eve/Duna flyby is because I am not experienced enough to send a crew there and back. (Sending probes is one thing, sending and returning a crew is another)

BTW: Apollo-Soyuz mission report following shortly.

Zaphod12 · July 18, 2018

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (Description of the real mission)

The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project was the first joint spaceflight of the United States of Kerbin (USK) and the Kerbal Soviet Socialist Republics (KSSR), being a symbol of the reduction of tensions between the two superpowers at the time. It marked the symbolic end of the Space Race, which had begun 18 years earlier with the launch of Stayputnik, the first satellite, by the KSSR.

Basic info

Launch vehicles: Saturn IB/Soyuz-U

Type: LKO mission

Crew: Apollo: Dangard Kerman (Commander/CSM Pilot, first spaceflight), Gergar Kerman (Flight Engineer, first spaceflight), Chadke Kerman (Scientist, first spaceflight)

Soyuz: Valentina Kermanova (Soyuz Pilot/Commander, second spaceflight), Theous Kermansky (Scientist, first spaceflight)

Launch date: Soyuz: July 15, 1975

Apollo: July 15, 1975

Duration: Apollo: 6.05 days ; Soyuz: 3.84 days

Landing date: Soyuz: July 19, 1975

Apollo: July 21, 1975

Pictures:

The Soyuz-U rocket during ascent.

The Soyuz spacecraft after seperation of the second stage.

Launch of the Saturn IB from the Kerbal Space Center.

The Apollo spacecraft with the docking module in LKO.

The Soyuz, approaching the Apollo's docking module.

The Apollo and the Soyuz, docked in LKO.

The Soyuz re-entry module, during re-entry.

The Apollo command module, moments before splashdown.

The CM, immediately after splashdown.

Edited July 24, 2018 by Zaphod12

AlphaMensae · July 18, 2018

Great project you did and awesome use of mods! One in particular....

For Apollo 7, you could have used the square Saturn tower base section and just put the Saturn IB "on the deck" like it was on LC 34 and 37. Still not quite the same, but "close enough" For the next major version of Modular Launch Pads, I will have a small Saturn pad based on that of LC 34/37.

Zaphod12 · July 18, 2018

10 minutes ago, AlphaMensae said:

Great project you did and awesome use of mods! One in particular....

For Apollo 7, you could have used the square Saturn tower base section and just put the Saturn IB "on the deck" like it was on LC 34 and 37. Still not quite the same, but "close enough" For the next major version of Modular Launch Pads, I will have a small Saturn pad based on that of LC 34/37.

Thanks for your feedback!

Nice to hear that idea for the new pad, the main reason I put Apollo 7 on the milkstool LC-39 was because I would have only used that configuration once anyways. (Since I didn't do the unmanned test flights from LC-34/37 like Apollo 5)

AlphaMensae · July 18, 2018

21 minutes ago, Zaphod12 said:

Thanks for your feedback!

Nice to hear that idea for the new pad, the main reason I put Apollo 7 on the milkstool LC-39 was because I would have only used that configuration once anyways. (Since I didn't do the unmanned test flights from LC-34/37 like Apollo 5)

You're welcome!

Yeah, I hear you, Apollo 7 was the only manned launch of the Saturn IB until the Skylab crew missions...the oddball.

I have also made the damper arm and lightning masts (both the original and the white tube one which was first used on the ASTP Apollo and later used for the shuttle FSS) ; you may have noticed they were missing .

RealKerbal3x · July 18, 2018

@Zaphod12 I really like this!!!

Zaphod12 · July 18, 2018

Even though I am finished with my Apollo playthrough, I will still answer questions and this thread will remain open.

42 minutes ago, RealKerbal3x said:

@Zaphod12 I really like this!!!

Thanks for your feedback!

Zaphod12 · July 19, 2018

Skylab-Deorbit (No description available)

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Skylab-Deorbit was the only flight of the AARDV, a resupply vehicle originally planned for the Apollo Applications Program. It served both to use the only AARDV ever built and also to send Skylab into a controlled deorbit to avoid civilian areas being potentially affected by an uncontrolled re-entry. This flight marked the beginning of the final phase of the Apollo program, after the ASTP mission.

Basic info:

Launch vehicle: Saturn IB

Type: LKO deorbiting mission

Crew: Unmanned

Launch date: November 27, 1975

Re-entry date: November 28, 1975

Pictures:

Launch of the Saturn IB.

Close-up of the AARDV.

Skylab and the AARDV before re-entry.

Skylab and the AARDV, burning up in the atmosphere. Some components survived the re-entry, but impacted safely into the ocean, thus putting no civilians into danger.

EDIT: Forget this end announcement for now, I actually have some ideas on how to continue this!

Edited July 24, 2018 by Zaphod12

Zaphod12 · July 21, 2018

EDIT: REMOVED

Edited July 22, 2018 by Zaphod12

Zaphod12 · July 22, 2018

ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING THE APOLLO PROGRAM

After the deorbit of Skylab, we are happy to announce that thanks to slight budget increases for NASA, we are able to fly several additional missions using the Apollo spacecraft, to make the time gap between the retirement of Apollo and the introduction of the Space Shuttle somewhat shorter. Another major factor playing into this decision is the fact that we still possess two complete Saturn V's, two surplus Saturn IB's as well as several CSM's. Since we paid good money for these things, we might just as well put them to use before ending this program.

Here is the mission plan for this final phase, mostly incorporating ideas from the cancelled Apollo Applications Program (These missions will use the ordinary Apollo numbering system):

- A manned Kerbin observation mission, launching a three-man crew into a polar orbit on a Saturn IB, making it the first time that an Apollo spacecraft would fly into a polar orbit. (Based on the Apollo Manned Survey Mission concept of the AAP)

- A second Apollo Telescope Mission on a Saturn V (The first being Skylab), this time into a high polar orbit and with a pressurized LM-based version of the solar observatory.

- A final LKO mission, similarly to Apollo 7, with the exception that it will carry a female kerbonaut for the very first time in USK history.

- Wernher von Kerman, Space program director

Edited July 24, 2018 by Zaphod12

Zaphod12 · July 22, 2018

Apollo 19 (No description available)

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Apollo 19 was the first flight of a Apollo spacecraft into a polar Kerbin orbit. It's primary mission was to observe weather patterns all around Kerbin, using a special science module to archieve this.

Basic info:

Launch vehicle: Saturn IB

Type: Polar Kerbin orbit mission

Crew: Rocan Kerman (Commander/CSM Pilot, second spaceflight), Calford Kerman (Flight Engineer, first spaceflight), Billy-Bobmore Kerman (Scientist)

Launch date: April 2, 1976

Duration: 16.58 days

Landing date: April 19, 1976

Pictures:

Launch of Apollo 19.

The CSM and the scientific module, in polar orbit.

Undocking above the South Pole of Kerbin.

Edited July 24, 2018 by Zaphod12

Zaphod12 · July 23, 2018

Apollo 20 (No description available)

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Apollo 20 was the final flight of the Saturn V and also it's only flight into a polar Kerbin orbit. It carried a solar observatory with a modified LM ascent stage serving as a pressurized crew compartment. This solar observatory was more advanced than the one carried on Skylab years earlier.

Basic info:

Launch vehicle: Saturn V

Type: High Polar Kerbin orbit mission

Crew: Jebediah Kerman (Commander/CSM Pilot, second spaceflight), Sidnand Kerman (Flight Engineer, first spaceflight), Gilely Kerman (Scientist, first spaceflight)

Launch date: September 18, 1976

Duration: 11.43 days

Landing date: September 29, 1976

Pictures:

Launch of Apollo 20 at morning.

First stage separation.

The S-IVB, performing a circularization burn in high Kerbin orbit, at an distance of around 4,200,000 m.

The CSM docked to the modified LM telescope module.

Jebediah Kerman, the first Kerbal to walk on the Mun, on a spacewalk.

The Command Module, after separation of the Service Module.

Splashdown.

Edited July 24, 2018 by Zaphod12

RealKerbal3x · July 23, 2018

Ooo, new mission reports!!

Zaphod12 · July 24, 2018

Apollo 21 (No description available)

No patch available

Apollo 21 was the final flight of the Saturn IB and the Apollo spacecraft. It also was the first time a woman from the United States of Kerbin flew into space. The mission marked the end of the Apollo program.

Basic info:

Launch vehicle: Saturn IB

Type: LKO mission

Crew: Eilry Kerman (F)(Commander/CSM Pilot, first spaceflight), Sigble Kerman (Flight Engineer, first spaceflight), Fredberry Kerman (Scientist, first spaceflight)

Launch date: February 8, 1977

Duration: 7.79 days

Landing date: February 16, 1977

Pictures:

Launch of Apollo 21.

The CSM in Kerbin orbit, with the Mun in the background.

Eilry Kerman inside of the CM.

The CM after deployment of the main parachutes.

Splashdown.

Edited July 24, 2018 by Zaphod12

Zaphod12 · July 24, 2018

THE END OF AN ERA

After the successful conclusion of the Apollo 21 mission, the Apollo era has come to an end. This era will be known as the greatest era of kerbal space exploration to have ever happened, at least until one day, we advance further into space and visit other planets. Neither the tragic cabin fire incident on Apollo 1, nor the problems plaguing Apollo 13 could stop us in our quest for knowledge and exploration. We'd like to thank everyone who contributed to this great project, from the astronauts to the simple logistics workers, on making this possible.

(OOC: I will be uploading some more pictures of all the missions sometime soon, as not all were included in their respective mission reports)

- Wernher von Kerman, Space program director