Jonboy

The second year of the Konstellation program saw 6 successful missions - ranging from LKO and the Space Station all the way to the orbit (and even the surface) of the Mun. 4 out of 6 of these missions involved crews, and all were returned safely to Kerbin. Depite an incident at the Space Station, this year has seen great strides for Konstellation and Kerbals stand on the bring of stepping on the moon once again. As the number of missions grows, the Agency decided to retroactively name all missions using the system "KP-X", with "KP" standing for Konstellation Program and "X" being substituted for the number of the mission. Thus last year's missions would be referred to as KP-1 (boilerplate mission), KP-2 (LES test fire), KP-3 (first unmanned Nimrod mission), and KP-4 (first manned Nimrod mission. Using an Ares V and EDS, send an un-Kerballed Orion spacecraft into a free-return trajectory orbit to the Mun and perform a high speed re-entry test. Re-entry g-force must exceed 9g's (+2) This was the first mission to use the Kasei-5 rocket, the Agency's new workhorse that will carry crews and supplies to the Mun and Duna. The rocket, with its five powerful main engines and its two solid rocket boosters, thundered off the pad early in February with an unmanned Nimrod capsule and Earth Departure Stage. The mission: to test the capabilities of the Orion spacecraft in deep space with a free-return trajectory around the Mun and a high speed reentry. With the mission a complete success, the Agency gave the green light for a manned Kasei-5 mission later that year. Launch an Orion to the orbiting space station with at least 4 crew. Perform a crew exchange and return four Kerbals from the space station to Kerbin using the Orion. (+2) A Kasei-1 rocket performed a crewed Nimrod mission to the Kerbal Space Station, relieving the 4-man crew that had been on the station for two years. The purpose of the long duration mission is to study the effects of long periods in space on the physiology and psychology of Kerbanauts. With the docking and changing of the guard complete, the new crew ( Jendo, Dandin, Doodfrey, and Milnie Kerman) settled in for a long two years in space, while the old crew (Bobfort, Shepfield, Lodhart, and Kenny) returned to the now strange gravity of the planet's surface. Perform a LKO test of an Altair Munar lander. With at least one Kerbal on board, fly an Altair Munar lander at least 100km away from the Orion spacecraft. Dispose of the descent stage, then fly the ascent stage back to the Orion. Transfer the crew to the Orion then robotically control the ascent stage into a re-entry orbit (+3) Desviss, Seanbritt, and Benjamin Kerman were selected as the first astronauts to perform a mission utilizing the new Aquilae Munar Lander. The crew essentially performed a LKO dress rehearsal of the orbital tasks that would need to be accomplished to land on the moon. The unmanned lander was boosted into a parking orbit by the Kasei-5, where the crew rendezvoused with it in a Nimrod launched by a Kasei-1. Seanbritt transferred to the Aquilae, burned into a new orbit, discarded the ascent module, and returned to the Nimrod. The ascent module was discarded and the crew returned to Kerbin, confident that the mission assets were capable of carrying out their orbital tasks. Return at least one Kerbal from the space station to Kerbin in an Orion which was docked robotically. This is a "liferaft" scenario intended to use the Orion left at the space station in "Research and Development" above. (+1) KP-8 was not a planned mission, but an emergency evacuation of the Kerbal Space Station after a sudden depressurization event. The crew managed to enter the robotic lifeboat Nimrod left at the station last year and return to Kerbin safely. However, the station is now uncrewed and the long-term occupation of the space station has been canceled until an investigation determines the cause of the event and the best way to repair the station. Many politicians are suggesting offering the station as a reward to any private company who can develop a cheap, reusable crewed orbit vehicle and repair it. Have already docked an Orion to the space station (crewed or robotic) Land an un-Kerballed Altair on the Mun without the use of an Orion spacecraft (EDS and Altair only launched from Ares V) (+2) Altair descent stage science: +1 for each science-equipped Altair landed on Mun (+1 science point) After a one-month investigation on the effects of the loss of the Space Station on the Konstellation Program, the Kerbal Space Agency decided to continue the program indefinitely without the station. The next mission, launched in the early fall, was an unmanned direct Aquilae Mun landing (differing from the final mission profile in that there would be no crew, and therefore no need for the Nimrod spacecraft). After a successful launch, the EDS performed the Transmunar Injection Burn, later placing the Aquilae into a polar orbit around the Mun. The EDS was then discarded and the Aquilae lander descended to the Munar North Pole. The lander ran into trouble finding a smooth spot to land, and expended more fuel than was expected. It was determined that some future effort should go into finding a more ideal landing spot for manned missions. The lander contained a seismograph that would allow Kerbal scientists to investigate Munquakes indefinitely. Perform the Altair test in Munar orbit using EOR mission (+1) While Kerbal scientists worked on a plan to find a better landing site for the first manned Mun landing, a "full dress rehearsal" was performed in Munar orbit. This mission launched with a full crew and tested every manuever and asset in a full EOR Munar Landing Mission except for the actual landing itself. Late in December, Shepfield, Kenny Bobkurt, Lodhat, and Bobfred Kerman ascended in the reliable Kasei-1 rocket to rendezvous with a waiting Aquilae Lander and EDS. After the Transmunar Injection, they became the first Kerbanauts to travel beyond LKO since the original moon missions decades earlier. After a successful dress rehearsal in Munar orbit, the crew returned home after a harrowing high-speed reentry, confident that their colleagues would land on the surface of the Mun next year thanks to their efforts. Mission Points Added: 11 Total Mission Points: 16 Science Points Added: 1 Total Science Points: 1

It's great. Right now I'm working on Death Engineering's Constellation Space Program Challenge. Looking forward to lots more challenges in the future.

It's been a busy year for the Kerbal Space Agency, as the Agency has been working hard to implement the goals of the new Konstellation Program. The program has already been the focus of 4 new missions, 1 of which involved manned crew. The official designs of the new heavy lifting Kasei-5 rocket and the Aquilae lander. Let's take a look at the Agency's progress so far. Launch a boilerplate Orion capsule/EDS on suborbital flight using Ares I (+1) The first launch of the new Kasei-1 rocket used an inert placeholder for the Nimrod Block 2 configuration (which weighs in at 26 tons), as the first Nimrod spacecraft had not been completed. The suborbital flight brought the payload to Low Kerbin Space before it was safely deorbited. Some had concerns with the safety of the solid rocket booster, based on a design that famously failed in the Space Shuttle era, but the engine performed optimally. Perform an abort and recovery (LES) of an un-Kerballed Orion capsule using the Launch Escape System, while first stage is firing (+1) One advantage of the new Nimrod capsule is that it uses a Launch Escape System designed to fling any Kerbalnauts to safety in the event of a launch malfunction. This system was tested with an uncrewed Nimrod capsule at the Kerbal Space Center in the second mission of the Konstellation Program, and was shown to perform beautifully. Launch and dock an unkerballed Orion Block 1 to the orbiting space station, for use as a lifeboat (+2) Use an Ares I in at least one space station docking mission (+1)* The Kerbal Space Agency used the first launch of a Nimrod spacecraft into space to fulfill an operational capacity they had long wanted: as an emergency lifeboat for the Kerbal Space Station. The unmanned Nimrod successfully launched and rendezvoused with the space station without incident this summer, where it will remain until it is needed by the station's crew. First manned, orbital Nimrod mission. (No points, but needed for progress.) With these unmanned missions completed, the Kerbal Space Agency announced this fall they were confident that the Kasei-1 rocket and Nimrod spacecraft were ready to carry Kerbals into orbit. This was acomplished early this winter when a Kasei-1 commanded by Jebediah Kerman lifted off from Kerbal Space Center in a magnificent night-time launch. Jebediah, Bill, Bob, Milzon, and Ludkis Kerman were boosted to an apoapsis of 1 million meters from Kerbin, making them the farthest travelers from the planet since the days of the first Mun missions. With a safe splashdown later that day, the mission was hailed as a complete success. Total Mission Points: 5* The Agency also unveiled the official designs for the new Kasei-5 heavy lifting rocket and the Aquilae munar lander. Kasei-5 (shown with Aquilae and EDS)** 11 out of 11 points Five or six liquid engines on first stage (+3) Does not jettison any radial liquid tanks/engines (+2) Uses and jettisons at least two solid fuel boosters on first stage (+1) Two stage rocket to LKO: After the first stage is dropped, the second stage (EDS), carries payload to orbit (+2) Can carry the Earth Departure Stage (EDS) and Orion BLock 1 to low orbit without using any fuel from the EDS (+1) EDS Bonus: Second stage can put Orion Block 1 into Munar free-return trajectory (+2) Aquilae (shown with EDS) 14 out of 19 points (pressurized rover and outpost versions to come) Supports 4 crew (+4) Each crew over 4, up to 6 crew maximum (+1 each; max +2) Can perform un-Kerballed landings without the use of an Orion spacecraft (Altair and EDS launched on Ares V) (+1) Can perform Munar orbit insertion from Kerbin-Mun trajectory for both an Altair and and Orion capsule (either Block I or II) without using any Orion fuel (+2) 2 stage lander with separate ascent stage (descent stage stays on Munar surface) (+2) Rover bonus: Can deploy at least one rover with seats for at least half (round up) of the lander crew (+3) Addition rover: Can deploy a second rover (same or different than first rover) (+1) Design Points Added: 25 Total Design Points: 49 *I wasn't sure if the my mission counted for both criteria or if you wanted me to send ANOTHER Ares 1 mission to the space station later. I guess my question is, can multiple mission criteria be completed on one launch, or do I have to perform every one separately? **I'm using the only the fairings from KW Rocketry to give my rockets a realistic look. Other than that, I'm using 100% stock parts. The only other mods I'm using are for information/alarm purposes.

BREAKING NEWS: Speaking from the Kerbal Space Center in a special press release today, President George W. Kerman announced a new program to carry Kerbals farther in space than they had ever gone before. "Kerbals have not developed a new spacecraft to advance our exploration of space in nearly a quarter of a century. Today, I announce a new plan to explore space and to extend a Kerbal presence across our solar system," the President announced. Meanwhile, engineers from Kerbal Propulsion Laboratories have outlined a three-tiered plan for future space exploration. The first tier includes a versatile crew capsule and launch vehicle for servicing the Kerbal Space Station. The second tier includes a heavy launch vehicle for exploration of Kerbin's moons. The third tier is a plan to reach Duna, so far unexplored except by probes. Kerbal engineers have unveiled designs for the new Nimrod crew capsule. Also unveiled today were short and long-range support module designs for this spacecraft and a new Kasei-1 rocket for service to Low Kerbin Orbit. Plans to begin construction and testing of these designs are still in progress. Nimrod (Block 1/2) 13 out of 14 Points Supports at least 4 crew (+4) Each crew over 4, up to 6 crew maximum (+1) Self-contained multi-purpose spacecraft: Launch Escape System (LES), Power, RCS fuel/thrusters, orbital maneuvering engine/fuel, docking port, probe core (+2) Service module: Before landing, drops orbital maneuvering engine and all its fuel and at least a portion of RCS fuel (+2) Safely touches down on land and water (+1) Solar/battery electrical only (no RTG) (+2) Block 1/2 bonus: Develop a Block 2 with slightly higher delta-V. Block 1 is intended for low orbit missions and the Block 2 for Munar/deep space missions (+1) Kasei-1 (shown with Nimrod Block 2 Variant) 11 out of 11 points: Two stage rocket to LKO (+2) Does not jettison any radial stages (solid or liquid tanks/engines) (+2) Can carry Orion Block 1 to low orbit without using any fuel from the Orion service module (+1) Can carry Orion Block 2 to low orbit without using any fuel from the Orion service module (+2) Uses any solid fuel booster on first stage (+1) Uses only solid fuel on first stage (+3) Total Design Points: 24 out of 25

I've logged about 400 hours in KSP and have always enjoyed reading the forum. Figured I may as well dive in and give something back. Thanks everyone!

My first post is also my K-Prize entry for KSP .90. The MX-1 is a one-man shuttle designed to deliver a light payload, such as a small lander or satellite, to Minmus orbit before returning to Kerbin. For this mission, Jebediah delivered a small lander to Minmus orbit, landed it, rendezvoused with the MX-1 and redocked, and returned to Kerbin. Vital stats are below: Crew: 1 Starting mass (w/ payload): 47.4 tons Starting mass (w/o payload): 45.8 tons Payload mass: 1.6 tons Power: 8 R.A.P.I.E.R. jets, 2 Atomic engines Orbit achieved: ~46.4 million meters (Minmus orbit) Not sure what all commendations I achieved because I wasn't sure how landing with a payload complicated things. Thanks! Money shot: Imgur album of mission: