Moons of Jool Mission Progress Update

[Landge]

The entire missions, still in progress, can be seen here: Moons of Jool Missions

Tanker MR-1 is already in orbit around Pol and dropped 2 mini-rovers near the poles.

2 more Fuel Tankers have arrived in the Joolian system.

MR-3 somehow arived ahead of MR-2 and has established orbit over Tylo. Not sure If I can even attempt a landing here.

Tylo is the biggest moon in the Kerbol system and as big as Kerbin without the benefit of an atmosphere to help slow a ship down during descent.

MR-2 arrived a few days later and has established an orbit over Bop. Waiting on Bill, Jeb, and Bob to arrive in their Rover Outpost.

Speaking of which. Here's the trio inbound to Jool.

This marks the 2nd time in Kerbin history that a Kerbal has been to Jool. The 1st was Kelhat Kerman who bravely ventured forth on a solo mission to Laythe and was declared MIA when KSC Mission Control lost radio contact as he was attempting to land his SSTO on Laythe.

Aerobraking in the Joolian atmosphere...

View of Laythe and the Sun...

One more orbit and Jeb and the Crew will intercept Bop...

Bop dead ahead. Rover Outpost burns retrograde to capture an orbit...

View of Bop from inside the Lander Can...

MR-2 inbound to rendezveous with the Outpost...

After the long journey The ship and crew are in need of fuel and supplies.

Lining up to Dock...

MR-1, in orbit around Pol is scheduled to arrive later to assist.

Almost...

Docking completed...

Transferring in progress.

Unlocking the docking clamps...

The lander is now free of the orbital stage and prepares to descend to the surface.

Slowing Down lateral velocity...

The landing site is 16km below.

Lowering Landing Legs...

800m and closing...

KSC, The Rover Outpost has landed...

The crew disembarks...

Bill; "Are we going to need the rover?"

Jeb; "Negatory. We don't want to disconnect the struts until we arrive at Laythe. If we disconnect them now the rover will get all wobbly on us when we go to re-dock with the orbiter."

Bill; "Roger that. Forgot we're still flying the 0.19 model. I heard some radio chatter that the 0.20 model is out and has those big Clamp-O-Tron SR's.

Bob; "Yeah. I can't wait to try out those new parts!"

Jeb; "I sure would like to be able to plant a flag here."

Examining the beast...

Bill; "Who want's to go first?"

Jeb; "Bill, what are you scared?"

Bill; "Who me? No. You sure it's dead?"

Jeb; "Well I bumped it a few times with the mini-rover and it didn't budge."

Bob; "Sure I'll do it. Jest let me get my tapered linear probing device."

Jeb; "Your whatsis?"

Close up inspection...

Bill; "Alright I think we have enough tissue samples."

Jeb; "Come on Bob. Quit poking that thing in the eye with your stick."

Bob; "Its a tapered linear probing device."

Sunrise over Bop...

Bill; "Do you think you can see Kerbin from here?"

Bob; "The big yellow one is the Sun!"

Jeb; "Maybe. It would help if I had a telescope or binoculars."

And a Joolrise too...

Jeb: "When you make discoveries like this it makes you wonder what else is out there."

Bill; "Do you think that there's any other intelligent life out there?"

Bob; "2 + 2 = chicken!"

Jeb; "I certainly hope so. I certainly hope so"

Edited June 3, 2013 by Landge

[Landge]

Tylo:

After days of deliberation and calculations to determine if landing a mini-rover on Tylo is feasible. KSC mission control just wadded up the worksheets and tossed them in the trash and wing it.

MR-3 Lander 1 is on a suborbital trajectory about to Lithobrake on Tylo.

Too Little Thrust and not Enough Time...

Surface Contact...

Not Even any Hint of Debris is left...

One Down, One Left...

After the dismal failure of the first Tylo lander, Mission Control decided to just put the 2nd lander into a really low orbit.

Eventually settling to 15,000m above the surface of Tylo was deemed safe. MR-3 Lander 2 has been reclassified to Ultra-Low Orbital Surface Telemetry 1 satellite.

Setting Sun Casts Shadows over Tylo's surface...

U-LOST 1 speeding along to the night side.

[Landge]

Moons of Jool mission update: Laythe:

Full mission (still in progress)

Jets, undock from the transport ship to scout out potential landing sites for the main base not due to arrive for 3 more weeks.

To keep pic count down this is just the highlights.

Kelford prepares to board J-Bird 1's Cockpit...

Startup Sequence Initiated...

Undocking from Jet Transport 1...

Firing Rockets Retrograde...

To make final descent.

Releasing Retros...

No longer needed these will burn up in the atmosphere.

Entering the Atmosphere...

A Promising Site is Spotted...

On Final Approach...

Photo Op Time...

Landing Site Location...

Bird's Nest 1 Undocks...

Firing Retro...

Entring the Atmosphere...

Deploying Chutes...

Firing Rocket to Slow Descent...

J-Bird 1 Docks...

Followed by J-Bird 2...

The Crew of Bird's Nest 1 Celebrate Their Success...

Congratulations to Kelford, Anoly, and Sherdrin Kerman.

The crew of Bird's Nest 1 has successfully landed to establish the 1st base on Laythe.

Props to Brotoro :thumbsup: for his BirdDog and refueling station designs which I shamelessly used as a basis for my J-Birds and Bird's Nest designs.

Edited June 7, 2013 by Landge

[joppiesaus]

Awsome story's! I like it!

I am surprised your computer didn't melted, with such big stations / vechilces.

[Margaul]

Nice caps and awesome looking vehicles/station. Awesome job. I feel rather humbled considering my little trips.

[Akalaël]

I am surprised your computer didn't melted, with such big stations / vechilces.

So am I !

Nice mission anyway, carry on !

[miketheveeg]

OMG

the planning... the building of those machines..

awsome mission

tell us.. what did you forget when you got to Jool?

like what part wasn't right?

[Landge]

Awsome story's! I like it!

I am surprised your computer didn't melted, with such big stations / vechilces.

It came close. Especially trying to refuel the Laythe Expedition Command Ship It took an afternoon a piece for 4 fuel tankers just to refuel the beast. The 30 mins or so game time to make the transition burn took several hours REAL TIME. I had to set the oven timer and just walk away. Checking back periodically, then reset the timer again and again and then again some more.

I could have sent smaller ships but I wanted to play out what if you had to provide food, air, and water to keep them alive for the 1 year journey. So each ship had to have a Hitchhiker Module to keep 4 kerbals alive for 1 year and every nose cone and any other open spaces (ASAS) is packed storage space.

If I could have just figured out a way to send it in pieces without it getting all wobbly on me when I put everything together. The new Clamp-O-Tron Sr may help in the future. I'm not converting to 0.20 untill after these missions. Then I'll start over from scratch.

OMG

the planning... the building of those machines..

awsome mission

tell us.. what did you forget when you got to Jool?

like what part wasn't right?

There wasn't anything I didn't forget so far unless it's not having a strong enough rocket, or enough fuel, to land a rover on Tylo.

But there was plenty things I missed while I was making multiple flight tests to Mun beforehand. The biggest was not being able to reach the parachutes on the outrigger rocket stacks to repack them. Ladders, ladders, ladders.

I did discover that my Rover Outpost's Orbiter part the docking port and probe body are 90° off what it should be. The UP side (Hatch side when docked) of the Orbiter is the SIDE when you control from here, throwing the camera angle off, if you know what I mean

The ONE time that I needed to redock over Vall and the ship refused to stay still! :evil: It was like trying to join 2 magnets together with the same poles facing. I swear VAll is haunted. Never had that problem before. Well I never had to take control the orbiter until then that is.

Edited June 8, 2013 by Landge

[Landge]

Entering Jool's Upper Atmosphere...

Aerobraking through the upper atmosphere, Jet Transport 2 is attempting to slow down enough to take it's orbit to Laythe. It's trajectory takes it deeper than any ship has ever been. Metal against metal, shaking, rattling and rolling. Serial connections snap, crackle, and pop.

Hudgas; "HHypperr-MMacchh wwinnddss, ppressurree, bbuffittinngg sshipp!"

Sidsted; "SShhee ccann'tt ttakkee mmuchh mmorree CCappttainn!"

Out of the Frying Pan...

The control panel is lit up, red warning lights flashing, illuminating the capsule, as warning klaxons sound. The crew is working frantically to assess the situation.

Hudgas; "Quick! Status report!"

Sidsted; "Sir we've lost sensor readings on both nacelles! Attempting to regain status!"

Into the Fire...

The port RCS tank, ripped loose, ruptures, spewing propellant into the vacuum of space. Loose wires makes contact causing a massive explosion.

The Port Nacelle is Destroyed...

Hudgas; "Shergun! I can't shutdown the engines! Uncontrolled spin! I need power restored to the control panel pronto!"

Shergun; "Working on it! Try switching CTRL to X! CTRL to X!"

The Starboard Nacelle is Damaged as Well...

The engines shutdown, the starboard RCS tank has also ripped loose but slowly drifts away to cause any more damage.

Hudgas; "I need you two to EVA and assess the damage to the Jets! If the Jets are OK, board them and undock. They should have enough fuel to get you to Laythe!"

Sidsted; "Sir! What about you! We're not going to leave you!"

Hudgas; "Don't worry about me. I'm going to steer this ship as close as I can to Laythe then undock the lander. Good luck to you both."

Evacuation...

After Sidsted checks out the J-Bird he enters the cockpit.

Followed by Shergun...

Both jets seem to be in good shape considering just how well examining complex machinery can be from inside a pressure suit. The good thing is there's no gaping holes, no damaged or missing parts.

On a Wing and a Prayer...

The crew, now in separate vehicles with Laythe fast approaching. There is not enough fuel to establish an orbit. They have to go straight in and hope for the best.

(To be continued...)

Edited June 10, 2013 by Landge