Duna rescue mission!

[Duke23]

This was going to be a standard "what did you do in KSP today" post, but I thought that in premature celebration of the mission's success I'd write up a little story for it. It's not going to be terribly image intensive because I was too busy biting my nails to take a lot of screenshots, but I had to share. Edit: Maybe I should have put this in Mission Reports? I didn't see that before I posted.

After making one final run to the Mun to drop off a solar array for the new outpost, the Storm MK II returned to the SSS Orbital Tanker Station for a minor refit for its most important mission yet, and assumed the name KSS Maverick. It was time to rescue Bill from Duna after him being stranded there for over a year.

Bob: Jeb, how's she looking?

Jeb: Looking great. All systems nominal. The tanks are topped off and Geneton is all settled in the lander. You should really think about upgrading that station so they don't have to send you a refill every time I come by. It wasn't so bad before that empty fuel tank knocked out Section 3, I tried to tell those guys to drop them before circularizing. We are a bit nervous but Bill is our priority and I think Gen's got enough parachutes on that rig to land on the Mun dry.

Bob: Um, I don't think I'd try that -- You know what, nevermind. Best of luck. Let's try to bring the ship back in one piece...

Jeb: Don't I always?

Bob: ...Just be careful. Are you sure you don't want to take the escape pod?

Jeb: You need it more than I do with all these hotshots trying to dock at 10m/s. I can do without the extra weight for this one.

Jeb: Everything is within acceptable tolerances for Duna approach. Man that was a long ride! I'm bringing us in to about 120km... Starting circularization burn. You hanging in back there Gen?

Geneton: It's getting a little warm, maybe we should have docked the lander up front?

Jeb: You're the first to complain... I'm sure that tin can of yours can take it. You just might glow a little from the radiation.

Geneton: The WHAT?

Jeb: Nothing.

Jeb: Maverick to ISM-2, do you copy?

Bill: Bout time you guys got here. Can the new guy land that thing close enough or what?

Jeb: Don't worry he was one of the top pilots in his class. Circularization burn complete... Hang on Gen, I need to grab your science data. Don't forget to collect any data you can on the surface to augment whatever Bill already has.

Geneton: Roger. Initiating separation for atmospheric entry. All systems go.

Jeb: You're cleared for deorbit. You've got one shot at this, make it count. -- Bill, did that tanker ever make it out here?

Bill: It's here, but you're not gonna like its orbit.

Jeb: Jeez, is that thing in polar orbit? Always gotta let the flunkies fly the probes, huh. I probably won't need it anyway.

Geneton: Deorbiting now. Wait, why am I not moving?

Jeb: Try lighting up the main engines, that usually helps.

Geneton: Right, sorry. Just a little nervous. Deorbiting now. I should come down just past Bill's lander.

Jeb: You're doing fine, just keep it steady.

Geneton: I'm coming in too fast! This is nothing like training!

Jeb: Hang in there Gen! This isn't the Mun, stay off the throttle. You don't have enough fuel for a decel burn. The atmosphere is thin but don't worry the parachutes will do their job.

Geneton: Alright... 25km to target. I'm losing speed early, I thought you said -- burning for correction!

Jeb: Watch your fuel. Bill can kick rocks, it's better than both of you getting stuck down there.

Geneton: Deploying parachutes. It's working! Looks like I'm gonna come up short though.

Jeb: Okay, just set her down and we'll figure out the rest.

Bill: Are you even on the right side of the planet?

Geneton: Very funny. Parachutes fully deployed, I was getting worried for a minute -- 9.7m/s at 100m.

Jeb: Nice and easy. Burn just before you touch down. 4-5m/s should be fine.

Geneton: The eagle has landed.

Jeb: The what?

Geneton: I don't know, I heard it somewhere. I just touched down, everything is looking good. Fuel levels are better than I had hoped. I'm, um, 1.4km away from Bill though.

Bill: You rookies can't get anything right. Exiting my ship now, and grabbing all the data I can carry.

Geneton: I'm not going anywhere.

Bill: Man, that is one ugly lander. Where did you find that thing, Jeb's back yard? Anyway I'm happy to see it.

Geneton: Can you grab the data from that pod before you come up? I can't chance taking off with it.

Bill: After all that walking, and you guys taking a year to come get me... Fine. Let's just go.

Jeb: Are you guys about done messing around down there? Get set up for rendezvous so we can get going. I want to take a closer look at Ike on the way out. You're gonna have to wait a few hours for a good intercept.

Geneton: I'm ready when you are.

Jeb: I'm about to be out of comm range. Shutting off all nonessential systems to conserve energy, see you on the other side.

To be continued... Do Bill and Geneton have enough fuel to rendezvous? Will Jeb risk trying to catch up with the tanker before leaving? Will our heroes fly by Ike, or attempt a landing FOAR SCIENCE? Find out on the next minisode! And what idiot was flying the tanker?

Edited January 10, 2014 by Duke23

[Duke23]

Managed to finish up the mission today When we last left our heroes things were going as well as expected, but fuel supplies were in question. As the Maverick swung back around within comm distance, everyone was anxious to get the rendezvous in motion.

Jeb: Maverick to lander, are you ready to rendezvous?

Bill: I was ready about 6 months ago. Let's do this.

Jeb: Alright. Gen, what's your fuel status?

Geneton: 373/450 units. I used a little more than I should have on corrective burns, but Bill would have hated me if I didn't try.

Jeb: You should arrive with a few units to spare if you time everything right. Wait for my signal to -- Geneton! You're taking off way too early!

Geneton: I've got this. I can take my apo out to 155km to slow down and be within 6km of you next orbit.

Jeb: You realize that makes no sense, right?

Geneton: ****! 33.5 units of fuel left after circularization, and my maneuver node was way off. There's something wrong with this computer.

Jeb: That horrible ascent path you took didn't help... *sigh* Do what you can to get close, the Maverick can handle the rest.

Geneton: I've taken my apo out to 369km, descending node 12.3 degrees and I've got nothing left but RCS.

Jeb: What in the world were you trying to do? Ah, nevermind. I've raised my apoapsis to compensate and I have a 5.5km intercept. Killing relative speed at the ascending node... Don't touch anything, I'm coming to you.

Geneton: 1.2km from you, I have a visual. 500m... 200...100... 50m.

Jeb: Relative speed is less than 0.1. I'll rotate the ship so you don't screw this up too.

Geneton: Sorry, next time I'll do better. Docking complete.

Jeb: Doesn't matter now. I'm coming down to get your data. Everyone ready to take a look at Ike?

Bill: Can we just go home?

Geneton: Let me land on Ike, I'll prove that I can handle this.

Jeb: If we have the fuel I'd have no problem with that. Bill, what's the status on that tanker?

Bill: Apoapsis 1370km Periapsis 1026km, Ascending Node 147.3 degrees. It's not pretty. It's carrying about 1500 units of fuel but I don't think it's worth the trouble.

Jeb: Let me run a few calculations, maybe we can meet it halfway... Wait a minute. It's traveling the opposite direction of us! Why did they even bother to send it? Setting course for Ike.

Jeb: It's... Smaller than I expected. Gen, I've got 2152 units of fuel on the Maverick. I think we have enough to send you down but I'm going to be cutting it close on the return trip. It's up to you, but the extra science would be nice.

Geneton: Let's do it, I'll watch my fuel better this time. I think I see a large flat spot over there -- Preparing for sep--

Jeb: WAIT. I'm not finished topping off your tanks. Are you trying to get yourself stuck out here?

Geneton: Right. Awaiting your signal...

Jeb: Okay, you're good now. Bring it down just like we practiced at the Mun.

Geneton: Almost there. Burning retro for deceleration.

Jeb: Nice approach.

Geneton: This is too easy!

Jeb: Alright, don't get cocky. Remember what happened an hour ago?

Geneton: Even better than the Mun! Look how high I can jump!

Jeb: I can't see you from here, Gen... Have your fun but don't forget to grab a soil sample and test for any seismic disturbances.

Geneton: Of course. I'm almost finished now, I'll be meeting up with you shortly.

Geneton: Heading to you Jeb. Approach is looking good. I'm circularized and have a 1.6km intercept at the ascending node, 182 units of fuel left.

Jeb: Good, keep it coming.

Geneton: I'm coming in at 6m/s. 60m, 30... Slowing down.

Jeb: Alright that's close enough! I can feel the heat off your engines! Switch to RCS.

Geneton: Docked and ready to go.

Jeb: Alright, let's go home!

Bill: Finally!

Jeb: Don't get impatient, it looks like we're going to have to wait a while for a good transfer window back to Kerbin.

After much waiting and burning and waiting some more, our heroes are back in Kerbin's SOI.

Jeb: Alright, I've got 1620 units of fuel left. Starting circularization. The ascending node is pretty far off from the SSS Station, I don't know if we will have enough fuel to correct it.

Bill: Home never looked so good! I don't care how you take us in, just put me on the ground.

Jeb: Circularization complete. 365 units of fuel left. ...Settle in for a minute, I think I can rendezvous with the SSS.

Jeb: Intercept established, but the tanks are almost dry. I don't think I'm gonna have enough to kill relative velocity... That's it, 383m away and all fuel is gone... 6 lousy meters per second. Screw that, I've practically got enough Monopropellant to deorbit this thing! I'm coming in.

Bob: Jeb, what are you doing? I've never seen you approach so slow.

Jeb: Don't ask.

Bob: Well I'm glad to see you guys back in one piece. Bill, how was the ride?

Bill: I don't want to see the inside of a ship for a long time!

Jeb: Approaching docking port on Section 2... Docking at .02m/s, I'm tired of this station trying to rip itself apart. Alright. Gen, grab some fuel and take that lander down to Kerbin to deliver the data we collected... Take Bill with you.

Geneton: On it!

Jeb: Oh, and drop these extra science pods in the ocean, they're spent.

Sweet sweet science.

Notes: Of course just a spruced up telling of my haphazard rescue mission right down to the minute details (estimated some in the first post; this post they were pretty much spot on because I wrote a lot of it down). I think the Maverick itself was the only part of that mission I can be proud of, and only because it's been extensively tested. That was its first interplanetary mission though. MechJeb helped out a bit for plotting "efficient" courses in Kerbol SOI which had to be manually corrected anyway, the longer burns, and for the Smart A.S.S. feature. Autoland/ascent/rendezvous/dock were NOT used, what fun would that have been? Only other mod of note was the Docking Alignment Indicator by Navyfish which has proved to be invaluable. No quickloads were used that I recall. Hope someone was amused by it, I know it was fun for me. Just the right amount of screw ups to make it interesting without anything too catastrophic!

Edited January 11, 2014 by Duke23