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TheEpicSquared

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    Squared Space Program - Chapter 4: A Good Day [ON HOLD INDEFINITELY]

    in KSP1 Mission Reports

    Posted · Edited by TheEpicSquared

    3: The Firestarter
    It had been 53 years since Anders Kerman's historic powered flight in his Flyer 1 aircraft. Aviation had come a long way since then:

    First aircraft to seat multiple kerbals at once and have retractable landing gear:
    eQ9Ndwg.png

    quyINRZ.png

    wb8SAqF.png

    First commercial passenger plane:QhJASvi.png

    FDguo1A.png

    myLxF0Q.png

    And finally, the rise of the jet engine:WEn3xHL.png

    sMI9Ctj.png

    Yes, aviation had advanced enormously in the last 23 years, and now Benjamin Kerman, Anders’s son, was looking up at the sky. More specifically, at the Mun.
    “Imagine if we could travel to the Mun,” he said to his father.
    “Oh, now that’s just science fiction,” Anders replied, laughing off the idea. But Ben was more persistent.
    “Your dad said that about planes, too,” Ben said. “And look where we are now.”
    Anders turned to look at his son, and in that moment, a particular memory surfaced. Ben, only 10 years old, had let go of that tube of fire that was used to light the fireplace, and it had shot out the window and ignited a nearby bush.
    “Ben, you’re a genius!” Anders exclaimed, and the Kerman Space Program was born. 

    The Kerman family had gained a massive amount of funds from the rise of aviation, and all 100,000 kerdollars of it were to be used in the budding space program.
    Funds: √100,000
    The Kerman Space Program’s first rocket was named the ‘Firestarter 1’ and costed √6,745. Anders and Ben took the sounding rocket and its stand out to the desert for the family’s space agency’s first flight.qHD4cpy.png

    6K4L7C5.png

    Benjamin, who was in control of the ignition switch, shouted, “Ignition in 3… 2… 1… Ignition, and liftoff!”sDCsoZX.png

    jCvgJtI.png

    The sounding rocket continued to climb higher and higher, with its angled fins making it spin and therefore aiding stability. However, this did not stop the rocket from slowly turning over.eWdaf3F.png

    IMLVcOx.png

    Then the solid fuel ran out and the rocket was coasting.mgvYaEP.png

    The Firestarter 1 reached a maximum altitude of 11,436m above sea level. The parachute semi-deployed at 10km as planned.ilkQkr6.png

    At 1000m above ground level, the parachute fully deployed and slowed the rocket down to a gentle 3 m/s of vertical velocity.whb7sx9.png

    When it hit the ground, the parachute was automatically cut, but the spinning motion of the rocket caused it to stand up rather bizarrely on its nose for about another 30 seconds, kind of like a top.DEfwmOT.png

    Eventually, the sounding rocket tipped over and came to rest on its side, concluding the first flight of the Kerman Space Agency. The flight was logged as a complete success.zHijTzb.png

    Funds: √93,255
    Benjamin and Anders wasted no time in designing a better version of the Firestarter, capable of reaching space, 70km above Kerbin. The new design, dubbed the Firestarter 2, was essentially the same as the first model but with controllable fins. This would hopefully allow Ben and Anders to control the rocket and keep it pointing straight up, allowing the thrust of the solid-fuel booster to push the whole thing into space. These changes meant that the cost of the rocket increased to √7,486.

    3 weeks later, the Firestarter 2 was complete and the rocket with its stand was back in the desert.xOKJKO8.png

    “3… 2… 1… Liftoff!” shouted Ben.v52TP9A.png

    This time, the rocket was flying almost straight up, punching a hole through the atmosphere.OAxUNpA.png

    3adkrBW.png

    The fuel ran out at 31km altitude.muznsyF.png

    And finally, the Firestarter 2 broke the 70km mark and became the first kerbal-made object to enter space.ybYYi8V.png

    gyvlNVQ.png

    Firestarter 2 reached an apoapsis of 88,471m before falling back down and re-entering the atmosphere. The parachute deployed nominally and soon the rocket was safely back on the ground.Yw5AYVv.png

    KpDNo1o.png

    n8roUPZ.png

    Funds: √85,769
    The success gained huge publicity, most notably from the Kerbin Department of Aerospace Engineering, which offered the father-and-son team 50,000 kerdollars to keep on developing.
    Funds: √135,769
    Additionally, a reputable science-fiction author approached them and offered them 5,000 kerdollars if they could put something into Kerbin orbit, something only achieved by the same science-fiction author in his novels. However, the money would only be given after the first satellite entered orbit.
    So this was what Anders and Ben and his wife Anne Kerman decided to do.
     

    Squared Space Program - Chapter 4: A Good Day [ON HOLD INDEFINITELY]

    in KSP1 Mission Reports

    Posted · Edited by TheEpicSquared

    Chapter 2: Flight
    3 munths later….
    Anders and Glenn were back in the valley where the historic glide had occurred 3 months ago. This time, they had come with a prototype of Anders’s revolutionary new kind of engine: a refurbished boat motor, made lighter and more powerful, and finally with bigger blades attached to it.XoNfUDR.png

    The engine was attached to a long tube full of diesel that Anders’s called the ‘fuselage’. Glenn just called it the body. It was also equipped with wheels so the contraption could actually move around, and a steering system to avoid trees, shrubs and stray kerbals (it was for this reason that Glenn stood so far back, ready to jump out of the way of any haywire propeller blades).

    Anders, with his modified TV remote, fired up the engine, released the brakes...X876hWC.png

    TjvmU2j.png

    And the contraption was moving.

    ao5RG5G.png

    So5JqAg.png

    It swooped around and made its way around the two kerbals before coming to a stop next to Anders.pao3RrZ.png

    “Brilliant! It works! Now all we have to do is lengthen the fuselage, add some wings….

    AND GET READY TO FLY.”

     

    6 weeks later, Anders's new contraption was complete.1pMUwoo.png

    The ‘Flyer 1’ was quite literally, exactly what Anders had said 6 weeks prior. The fuselage was extended, the wheels were bolted on again to fit, and some wings were screwed on with a heavy-duty screwdriver from the local hardware store. Finally a seat was attached and the whole mess was carefully transported to the same valley. The few holes in the wings caused by sharp objects in the trailer were crudely repaired with some handy duct tape, and soon Anders was ready to fly.ZkBeEIK.png

    This flight had to succeed. A very important person was here, the Director of Kerbal Transportation, Edward Konakovski. Anders had convinced him to attend this test flight. If it succeeded, transportation would be changed for ever.acoRhUj.png

    The engine sputtered into action. 452qUzS.png

    And with Edward as the close-up spectator, Anders released the brakes (Glenn, as usual, was a bit further back and consequently did not make it into the image).86RzXSy.png

    Anders was quickly picking up speed…YMhAy9c.png

    And soon he was airborne.jSWdg8E.png

    “HAHAHAHAAA! I DID IT! I’M FLYING! AGAIN! WOOHOOOO!”H2y85wo.png

    GEN8JQ0.png

    ksMmGKx.png

    Y7vETLm.png

    Anders, just for the fun of it, buzzed the summit of one of the surrounding hills.a4mhbTb.png

    All too soon, it was time to land.IjJe5He.png

    ataIp1P.png

    SkiXiRw.png

    This landing was significantly bumpier than his glider landing, thanks to rougher terrain and uncooperative controls. Nevertheless, Anders slowed the plane down safely and taxied over to Edward and Glenn.Lz1lu3X.png

    “Anders that was BRILLIANT! The Board of Transportation will look into your invention within a munth! Imagine a bigger one of these… able to carry 10 people to the Arktic research stations in 5 hours instead of 5 days… this will revolutionize Kerbin. Who needs boats? Furthermore, I am offering you 10,000 kerdollars worth of funds for you to develop further, in exchange for the design plans for this plane so we can implement aviation into Kerbin’s transportation system.”

    Anders just smiled and stood proudly next to Glenn. “Accepted.” And the two shook hands.

    Funds: √10,000

    Squared Space Program - Chapter 4: A Good Day [ON HOLD INDEFINITELY]

    in KSP1 Mission Reports

    Posted · Edited by TheEpicSquared

    Chapter 1: I’M FLYING!!!

    It was early morning when Anders Kerman, flight entrepreneur, sipped his koffee and asked his wife Nancy, “When was it supposed to be completed again?"

    Rtx814s.png

    “It’s ready today!” replied Nancy. “We worked late last night and got the build back on track.”
    “It’s ready? Already?” yelled Anders, so excited that he knocked over his cup. “Is it here? Can we test it?”

    bxWi1T2.png

    Nancy replied, “It’s right there.” Anders looked over and gasped. 
    “A machine of beauty…” he said in awe.

    PhA95MQ.png

    “The temperature looks fine for flight,” Anders said, reverting to his scientific side, “and we have a good wind… I think it’s time for me to FLY!” Nancy clapped at his little speech and soon Anders was seated up in his ‘Glider 1’.

    VS7gTtD.png

    Anders’s audience was Nancy Kerman, his wife; Peggy Anderson, Nancy’s sister; and Chadski and Glenn Kerman, Anders’s brothers. They were all there to see the first ever kerbal flight. The glider itself was little more than some tarp stretched over a mess of wooden poles, some wheels and ropes, and an oversized version of what Anders called the ‘fire-starter’ - a tube filled with a substance that liked to explosively burn at one end. Anders used this, quite predictably, to start fires in the fireplace at home.
    The idea for the ‘fire-starter MkII’ on the back of this glider was born when Anders’s child Benjamin was being taught to start the fire. He had gotten startled by the rather loud bang and had let go of the tube. It subsequently rocketed (no pun intended) through the room and out the window. 
    “I’m.. I’m sorry..” whispered 10-year-old Benjamin.
    “How did I not think of that before… Ben, you’re a genius!” And with that, Anders rushed out of the living room and into the garage, where he immediately started tinkering with a box of fire-starters. Two years later, the thing on the back of the Glider 1 was the result.

    u6R4IQC.png

    "I'm igniting the Firestarter MkII in 3... 2... 1... Ignition!"

    6yVRCQy.png

    Despite the relatively small size of the booster, the plume was rather impressive, as was the thrust. Suddenly, the ground below Anders dropped steeply down… and Anders was airborne.

    ewsHByW.png

    Unfortunately, the smaller pieces of tarp designed to control the glider were a bit too sensitive, and Anders couldn’t perform the swoops and dives he imagined. Nevertheless, le let out a whoop and clearly expressed his feelings.
    “IT’S BRILLIANT! WOOHOOO! I’M FLYING!”
    K0Dz2ED.png

    The exhilarating feeling went away as quickly as it came, as the glider was approaching the ground. All too soon, it was time to land. Geently…bhHWtwM.png

    And touchdown, and a relieved smile from Anders.setLGLp.png

    Glenn was the first and only kerbal to reach Anders down at the bottom of the hill. The others stayed up at the top, eagerly and anxiously awaiting news of Anders’s safe landing.gLXLxvm.png

    “You did it!” exclaimed Glenn, overjoyed. “First kerbal flight in history!” 
    “What about that catapult accident last year?”
    “Meh,” said Glenn. "That doesn't count."
     

    Squared Space Program - Chapter 4: A Good Day [ON HOLD INDEFINITELY]

    in KSP1 Mission Reports

    Posted · Edited by TheEpicSquared

    Hello everyone! This is a (poorly) role-played career in sandbox mode (since the stock tech tree is a bit backward), documenting the journey of Kerbalkind as they find out about flight and eventually venture out into the cosmos (or as the kerbals would call it, the kosmos). Comments and constructive criticism are of course welcome.

    All the crafts shown in this documentation do work in the game and do not require Alt+F12 or other cheats to function. HyperEdit and Alt+F12 will only be used to get a screenshot and will not be used to advance the savegame in any way. VesselMover, however, will be used to move things to places (as seen in the first few chapters) since building a transport aircraft or rocket is time-consuming and not really necessary, if VesselMover is at hand.

    Lastly, Kerbalkind is a peaceful race as far as we know  and do not know the concept of battle. So if you're expecting any type of Kerbin civil war, you've come to the wrong place. :) 

    The Saga of Emiko Station - Complete

    in KSP1 Mission Reports

    Posted

    5 hours ago, Just Jim said:

    I'll look at it later, but honestly, the only new mods I'm really interested in right this minute are to add some very specific parts... which I now think I've found. 
    I don't want to give it all away yet, but I'll be adding some very non-stock stuff into the mix soon.

    Cool! Looking forward to it

    The Saga of Emiko Station - Complete

    in KSP1 Mission Reports

    Posted

    9 hours ago, Just Jim said:

    Wow.  Lucky no-one got hurt too badly. 
    Couple nights ago a palm tree on the street behind us got hit, and it's burned really bad.  I should get a picture tomorrow before they cut it down.

    Same happened with me, except the lightning hit the lightning rod of the building next door. It was in the middle of the night so it woke everyone up. Loud stuff :P 

    SpaceY Inc. - Raptor 9 v2.0 testing underway! (Submit a payload)

    in KSP1 Mission Reports

    Posted

    @Kerbiter

    Squared Space Technologies is interested in launching the Polar Ore Scanner using your Raptor 9 launch vehicle.

    We request that you launch the scanner into a 100x100km polar parking orbit and then provide remote guidance to the satellite itself, using onboard propellant to push its orbit into a 350x350km circular polar orbit. All information can be found on the KerbalX site. 

    :)

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