Butterbar

Reality has not been kind to me or my free-time. I'll have to go look and see if I still have the save-file for this, and continue onwards.

Been overloaded with school and track lately, and I have a assignment from my English teacher to go out and write a short story. I think I have a basic outline in mind. Could someone critique the beginning and come up with directions as to how the story should go? The basic plot is that Germany fights the Second World War to a standstill and pioneers spaceflight early on. I'm planning to have this work as a continuous plot showing the progression of the Third Reich in a alternate Cold War and their slow expansion into space with eventually one of the characters discovering the dark secrets behind the "space program".

I suggest looking into doing a Kerbalized Space Exploration Initiative and build that station into a upgraded and upscaled ISS, then using Shuttle launches to build Munar and Duna ships. Make it grandiose and fancy. Whatever you want. Or even play out the plot of Titan. Launch a shuttle on a large rocket and perform a manned mission to Laythe.

10/10, see you around all the time.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE: Routine Operations ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ CAPITAL SUN TIMES (SINCE 1845) ~ 1963, Month 2, Day 11 ~ "URANUS IS A PEACEFUL RESEARCH STATION", SAYS GENERAL BULL KERMAN AMID WIDESPREAD BACKLASH WRITTEN BY DOLING KERMAN ABOVE: PEACEFUL INTENTIONS? THE NEWLY COMMISSIONED GEOSTATIONARY FACILITY URANUS IN ORBIT OF KERBIN. THE CAPITOL - THE GEOSTATIONARY STATION URANUS IS DESCRIBED AS A "STATE-OF-THE-ART ORBITAL PLATFORM" AND IS OPERATED BY BOTH THE AIR FORCE AND THE A.R.A. CONTAINING A SEPERATEL-LAUNCHED LABORATORY, SOLAR MODULE, AND ENOUGH LIVING SPACE FOR A CREW OF 30, THE MAIN TASK OF THE STATION IS TO "MAINTAIN THE GLOBAL KERSAT COMMUNICATION NETWORKS" AS WELL AS "FACILITATING THE CORE MISSION OF EXPLORATION AS DESCRIBED IN THE DUNA PROGRAM". THE THIRD OPERATIONAL SPACE STATION AROUND KERBIN, THE GOVERNMENT CLAIMS THAT IT FUNCTIONS IN "SOLELY A CIVILIAN CAPACITY"; BUT MANY HAVE DOUBTS. GENERAL BULL KERMAN OF THE UNITED PROVINCIAL SPACE COMMAND FOUND HIMSELF IN HOT WATER DURING A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING TODAY AS HE DEFENDED THE NEWLY BUILT "GEOSYNCHRONOUS ORBITAL FACILITY" URANUS, WHICH BEGAN OPERATIONS ONE MONTH AGO. REFUSING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS WHEN PROMPTED TO BY SENATE SPEAKER SAMDEN KERMAN (L), BULL REMAINED AMBIGUOUS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE ORDEAL, STRESSING HIS ADMIRATION FOR "PROVINCIAL VALUES" AND "PATRIOTISM". "THERE'S KERBALS OUT THERE WHO WANT TO TAKE OUR VALUES AND SPIT ON THEM", HE SAID. "THAT'S BAD. WE NEED OT MAINTAIN CONSTANT VIGILANCE". BUT AS THE QUESTIONING BECAME MORE INTENSE, BULL'S RESPONSES BECAME MORE HEATED. "YOU [EXPLETIVE] LIVE UNDER A BLANKET OF FREEDOM FOR WHICH I BLED FOR", HE SHOUTED AT SENATOR BILLY-BIE KERMAN (L). "[EXPLETIVE] CIVILIANS DON'T UNDERSTAND. YOU'RE A BUNCH OF FOOLS WHO BOW TO THE CORPORATIONS. I SERVED MY COUNTRY WHILE YOU JUST [EXPLETIVE] SIT HERE ON YOUR [EXPLETIVE] DOING NOTHING" NOT TO THE SURPRISE OF MANY, THE GENERAL WAS USHERED OUT AFTER FIFTEEN MINUTES BY A FORCE OF SIX PRESIDENTIAL BODYGUARDS. HE IS EXPECTED TO FACE REPRIMAND BUT IT IS UNLIKELY FOR HIM TO BE REMOVED FROM COMMAND OF THE U.P.S.C. ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ CAPITAL SUN TIMES (SINCE 1845) ~ 1963 Month 4, Day 29 ~ MIRANDA-3 LANDS ON MINMUS: SECOND EXPEDITION TO THE DISTANT MOON OF KERBIN WRITTEN BY WALTER KERMAN ABOVE: THE MIRANDA-3 TOUCHED DOWN ON THE SURFACE OF MINMUS YESTERDAY THE COOL MORNING WIND BRUSHES PAST THE TREES AT KSC, WHICH IN THE LAST 10 YEARS HAS SEEN IT'S EXPANSION FROM A SMALL TOURIST TRAP TO A BUSTLING SPACEPORT - AND "SPACE CITY", ONE OF THE LARGEST CITIES IN THE UNITED PROVINCES. TODAY, THE MOOD OF THE CITY AND IT'S ATTENDANT SPACE INDUSTRY IS JUBILANT: KERBALKIND HAS LANDED ON MINMUS FOR THE SECOND TIME. KERMAN SPACE CENTER - THE MIRANDA-3 CONFIRMED TOUCHDOWN ON THE MINMUSIAN SURFACE, MARKING THE SECOND TIME KERBAL HAS LANDED ON THE DISTANT MOON OF KERBIN. LEAPING FROM THE AIRLOCK TO THE SURFACE OF MINMUS, FELIX KERMAN STUCK THE FLAG OF THE UNITED PROVINCES INTO THE FROZEN SOIL, DECLARING, "THIS IS NOT THE END. THIS IS A BEGINNING". THE CREW IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN ON THE SURFACE FOR TWO KERBIN DAYS BEFORE BEGINNING THE RETURN TRIP TO KERBIN. FOR THE DURATION OF THEIR STAY THEY WILL CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS AS WELL AS COLLECTING SAMPLES FROM THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT. THE ASTRONAUTICS RESEARCH AGENCY CHAIRMAN WERNHER VON KERMAN CONGRATULATED THE TWO KERBONAUTS AT A BANQUET TODAY, TESTIFYING TO THE "RESILIENCE OF THE KERBAL SPIRIT" AND THE "INGENUITY OF OUR ENGINEERS AND CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE HELPED US TO REACH FOR THE STARS". THE NEWLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT CALFREY ALSO SENT HIS CONGRATULATIONS, REFERRING TO THE MISSION AS "AN CONTINUANCE OF OUR LEGACY AS EXPLORERS" AND "THE LAST DEFENSE AGAINST THE HORRORS OF IGNORANCE'. THE LANDING OF THE MIRANDA-3 COMES AT A IMPORTANT TIME AS THE KOMMUNIST UNION BEGINS TO ASSEMBLE IT'S OWN EXPEDITION TO MINMUS. REPORTS OF INTENSE ACTIVITY AT THE U.S.R SPACE CENTER AS WELL AS INTERCEPTED INTELLIGENCE REPORTS HAVE LED MANY TO SUSPECT THAT THIS EXPEDITION WILL LAUNCH IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS. STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 2B. ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

The Soviets certainly tried, and it's one of those sad inevitabilities that comes along with moving into space. On the bright side, when aliens poke their head into the Sol system and start messing around with our stuff, we can fire off a few shots before we either get destroyed or end up on the short stick in attrition warfare.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR: New Beginnings ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ UNITED PROVINCES LAUNCH REPORT: NO CLEARANCE AGENCY: ASTRONAUTICS RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION (A.R.A) BACKGROUND: THE DUNA PROBE PROGRAM, AS OUTLINED IN THE REPORT FOR FY1962 ACCOMPLISHED IT'S YEARLY MILESTONES BY: 1. SUCCESSFULLY TESTING THE SYSTEMS ONBOARD THE LANDER AND ORBITER SPACECRAFT IN THE CLEAN ROOM AT KSC 2. INSERTING THE LANDER AND ORBITER SPACECRAFT ONTO A DUNA INTERCEPT TRAJECTORY, TO BE RECEIVED BY THE PLANET IN NO MORE THAN 400 DAY(S) MISSION OBJECTIVES: To gather the first Kerbal data from Duna as well as performing a separate flyby of Ike (If possible) and determining the feasibility of a manned expedition in the near future. SUMMARY: Two separate Nova-class rockets were launched from KSC at 0500 and 1400 on Day 28, Month 11, 1962, with the purpose of lofting an orbiter and a lander to Duna as part of the proposed "Duna by 1970" goal outlined by President Frank Kerman. The main orbiter, Adrophite-1, is powered through tracking Photovoltaic panels used successfully in the KerSAT network, while the lander uses static panels. The probe is set to arrive at Duna first at around late 1963, while the lander will arrive in early 1964. With the arrival of these probes, the Duna Probe Program will have been considered complete. ABOVE: Orbiter Adrophite-1 as it leaves the Kerbin system. ABOVE: Lander Mars-1 attached to Type II probe bus. The launch of the probe and lander have removed much of the force against a manned expedition to Duna, and will pave the way for more ambitious missions to Eve or even Laythe. At the time of this report, both probes have reported reaching interplanetary space and are heading towards their target at 9KM/S. They will both arrive within a week of each other: the orbiter will fire it's main engines and settle into a elliptical 60KM X 250KM orbit, while the lander will slow aerobrake and use it's parachutes to touch down on Duna. FUNDING: The program cost has totaled out to be around √ 250,000 funds for both payload and launcher, spread out over five years (1957-1962). SCIENTIFIC PAYLOAD: One material science bay on both craft, two mystery goo research modules on both craft: Mars-1 lander is equipped with seismic sensor to monitor Duna for any internal activity. Gravoli Detector was planned but cancelled as it is unlikely to be available until 1965 at the earliest. This report has been approved by the Astronautics Research Agency and has been filed under the "Public Spaceflight Record" by the Capital Library. ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ UNITED PROVINCIAL SPACE COMMAND FROM: General Bull Kerman, U.P.A.F TO: President Calfrey Kerman, Green House REF NO: DISPATCH 2399, Month 2, Day 1, 1963 Our last meeting at the Hilton resort on your spaceflight policy during the election day was a real pleasure for me, since we could finally sit down and speak face-to-face about our vision for space exploration. Although I never imagined it in these terms, your suggestion for military facilities in Kerbin orbit was quite well received by my staff and Kirrim: Wernher von Kerman has so far been very reluctant to consider the idea. This brings me to my point. The Geostationary Station Uranus is now in orbit of Kerbin. We've built the station as a joint A.R.A-U.P.S.C venture, and it is manned by a mix of civilian and military personnel. The station serves as a ICBM and satellite command center as well as a research laboratory for the Air Force: one that seeks out military applications for it's data. The crew resides in it's three "wings", who rotate to provide artificial gravity to the station. Just last week, a Titan-class crew ferry docked with the station, and the station is now operational, sustaining a crew of two Kerbals for the next year. Both Kerbals are experienced in spaceflight and are Air Force personnel, so we do not expect much in the way of problems. This brings us to around 10 Kerbals living and working in space - a great feat, indeed! The station is a important centerpiece of my strategy to take and retain the "high ground" in a military sense, and has plenty of room to expand and can boast a garrison force of 30 Kerbals. With the Union having their own space station in low orbit, I believe it is up to us to establish to the world that the geostationary zone, a prime spot for satellites, is firmly our territory. I now propose the following: 1. Expansion of the station to add a dedicated research and electric module, perhaps leading into building it into a factory for assembling and repairing satellites. 2. Construction of the Archangel Orbital Bombardment network to provide support to our ground troops in times of conflict. 3. Funding for at least six more Titan-class missions to resupply and rotate the crew onboard the Uranus, as well as design funding for the orbital X-32 aircraft, which I hope to bring into operation some time around 1972-1973. As President of the United Provinces, you have the opportunity to continue the work of halting the spread of Kommunist ideals. However, I urge for the keeping of the existence of this station's military application a secret. I once publicly applauded the idea of a nuclear installation in orbit. Now with rumors of a Union missile base just outside our borders, I fear that revelation of this secret will lead to a response. A response that we are not yet prepared to handle. Sincerely, Director Of Space Operations, Department of War ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

Always follow these myself. SEVEN COMMANDMENTS OF MY SAVES 1. Thou shall not force Kerbals on solo mission lasting for more than thirty days: two-Kerbal missions may only last to one and one half years. 2. Thou must start in career, shall not have a save with difficulty easier than "Normal": thou shall grind for science and funds. Custom is not permitted. Any starting science points are not permitted. 3. Thou shall strive to not kill, injure, or otherwise psychologically harm a Kerbonaut. Thou is responsible for the well-being and welfare of their Kerbals. 4. Thou shall not send a Kerbal to a planetary system unexplored by probes. Thou shall not attempt interplanetary missions without prerequisite infrastructure (Space station around Kerbin with communication network). 5. Thou shall not timewarp for a period of more than 60 days. 6. Thou shall not build a space station that houses less than 6 Kerbals. One space station may only hold 1/3rd of it's crew capacity as a permanent crew that can be self-sustaining. Same rule applies to bases. 7. Thou shall use quicksaves or reverts only in times where it is necessary to save Kerbal lives.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE: End Of An Era ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ As Kerbalkind began to reach into the stars, political squabbles on Kerbin continued as usual. No place was this more prevalent than the leading nation in spaceflight: the United Provinces. Now at the end of his allowed terms in office, President Frank Kerman began his quest to forge a legacy. And having presided over one of the most important eight years in Kerbal history, he had done it quite well. "...the surge in votes for the Liberal Party candidate Samden Kerman came as a surprise today, reflecting the unpredictability of the voting tendencies of the agricultural provinces when voting in the primaries. Meanwhile, on the Conservative side, Calfrey Kerman has maintained a strong lead in the primary elections, promising to "cut unnecessary government spending" and to "lower taxes" by as much as five percent by 1964. We now turn our attention to our correspondent at the Conservative Party National Headquar..." President Frank Kerman, leader of the free world, flicked off the television set. Running his hand through his greying hair, he turned his attention to the guests seated in front of him. "Gentlemen. We have some things to discuss." Wernher looked up. He always saw the President as how he had first appeared as a Senator; a young, bold, and charismatic war hero. Eight years of political battles had not been kind to Frank. Now having aged tremendously in office, the soon-to-be former President looked far beyond his years. "I don't know how they did it in the Reich, Herr Wernher. But our governmental system is a little unstable in terms of large undertakings. Especially ones that won't provide benefits for years." Motioning to the Presidential valet to pour his guests a glass of brandy, Frank continued his speech. "Which brings me to my current point. I'm a Liberal. Calfrey, if he wins, is going to gut my programs and projects like never before. He's a true Conservative. True to the party and true to limiting spending. The space program is likely to be the first to go." Wernher raised his hand. "If that is the case, Mr. President, then why call us here for a meeting today? Why not just a simple, "You're not going to Duna in 1970". Frank Kerman lifted his cup and took a sip, letting the bittersweet liquor ride down his throat. Goddamn Constitution, with all the term limits and such. His tone softened. "Do you know what a carte blanche is, Doctor? A blank check, if you will." "Yes, Mr. President. You aren't simply going to give us free rein over funding, are you? That's a risky political move." "Apparently yes, I am. Anyways, I'm here to write you a blank check. At the looks of it, Calfrey's going to snag the Presidency, and I detest the Conservatives as much as we detest each other personally. Give him a good amount of trouble, although I wish someone would put a bullet in his head. I've got less than a year left in this place, and I'll see to it that he receives as much annoyance as possible. The Liberals have a majority in Congress right now, so I'll speak to them and get it passed. How much funds do you want?" Mortimer opened his briefcase and began to pull out documents. Frank watched curiously as he leaned over to Wernher, and began to whisper. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, Wernher spoke. "Enough to follow through with Ares, the Munar outpost, and the Miranda-program. Maybe toss in a extra. Sean's Cannery proposed a new station. Called it Apollo. Munlab is nearing operational end date, so we could definitely use a more, uh, permanent station around the Mun. What will we have to do in return?" Frank grinned as he scrawled some notes onto a used envelope. The brandy's stronger than I thought. "I'll want to throw another wrench against the Conservatives in the upcoming mass election. Give the people a good aftertaste of my administration. Do something that's a first, and with the manned program. The public wants that. They dig it up. I want this to be before the poll opens and the votes are cast. That's all I ask for." Wernher and Mortimer quickly nodded, and rose to their feet. The flickering light of the fireplace was growing ever dimmer now, casting the shadows of the three Kerbals in more and more grotesque ways. It was late into the night now, and the pangs of sleepiness were beginning to tug at the ends of their mind. Sensing the meeting was over, Wernher downed the last of his brandy. "Farewell to you, Mr. President." Shaking Wernher's hand, the President wished the two officials well before returning to his desk. Putting on his coat, Wernher looked back for the last time. Then he left the room, leaving Frank to himself. With his flight back to KSC taking off in three hours, he would be lucky to get any sleep soon. ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ CAPITAL SUN TIMES (SINCE 1845) ~ 1962, Month 9, Day 25 ~ ANOTHER FIRST FOR THE UNITED PROVINCES AS MIRANDA-2 TOUCHES DOWN ON MINMUS: WRITTEN BY WALTER KERMAN ABOVE: THE MASSIVE ROCKET THAT TOOK THE MIRANDA-2 TO MINMUS: THE END OF AN ERA? KERMAN SPACE CENTER - LEAPING FROM HER SPACECRAFT, VALENTINA SIMULTANEOUSLY CLOSED ONE ERA OF HISTORY AND BEGUN ANOTHER: NOW THAT BOTH MOONS OF KERBIN HAVE BEEN STEPPED ON BY KERBONAUTS, QUESTION REMAINS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT COLONIZATION EFFORTS SHOULD OCCUR. THE MIRANDA-2 MADE IT'S FINAL APPROACH TO MINMUS LAST WEEK: WHEN VALENTINA, A VETERAN OF THE SPACE PROGRAM, AND DR. HENWIN KERMAN SPLASHDOWN IN THE TALU SEA, THEY WILL HAVE SPENT NEARLY A FULL MONTH IN SPACE AS WELL AS TRAVELING FASTER AND FURTHER THAN ANY OTHER KERBAL IN HISTORY (A RECORD THAT WILL LIKELY REMAIN UNBROKEN UNTIL THE FIRST KERBAL LANDS ON DUNA). NOW ON MINMUS, THE CREW WILL PERFORM A THREE-DAY STAY, COLLECTING ROCKS AND SAMPLING THE LANDSCAPE AND TAKING MEASUREMENTS BEFORE LIFTING OFF. THE UNITED PROVINCES HAS MADE QUICK PROGRESS IN THE FIELD OF SPACEFLIGHT SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE FIRST TRUE SPACE PROGRAM IN 1951. NOW TEN YEARS LATER, KERBALKIND STANDS AS THE CHAMPIONS OF THE MUN AND MINMUS: KERBAL NOW RESIDES IN ORBIT OF TWO WORLDS, AND ONE DOZEN KERBALS NOW LIVE IN SPACE. SPACEFLIGHT, ONCE THOUGHT AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK, HAS PROVEN ITSELF TO BE A FIELD OF FAST GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND DESPITE A UNCERTAIN POLITICAL FUTURE FOR PRESIDENT FRANK KERMAN'S "DUNA BY 1970" GOAL, IT IS UNDISPUTED THAT MANNED INTERPLANETARY SPACEFLIGHT IS BOTH POSSIBLE AND THAT KERBALKIND HAS ENTERED THE "SPACEFARING AGE". ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

I believe that "From Humble Beginnings" is in serious need of character development. I've brought up some bits and pieces of a backstory (Jebediah is a combat pilot, Wernher is a captured scientist, Kirrim is a intelligence officer, .etc), but it needs to be connected more. Does anyone know how to achieve this in a newspaper-style AAR?

The Munar Outpost became operational today, with two Nova-class HLV rockets being launched, followed by a refitted Munshot-class rocket. One carried the habitat module with living space for 10 Kerbals and two long distance rovers, the second carried the research module, and last of all, the Munshot carried a crew of two. Now host to Neildon and Lemman Kerman, both seasoned veterans of the Astronautics Research Agency, the crew have begun their mission: to explore the Munar surface and search for ice that could sustain a future Mun colony. Neildon and Lemman have both flown to the Mun and Minmus before: Neildon also served a tour of duty in LKO before being transferred as the Base Commander to the Munar Outpost project. The Outpost was proposed by C7 Aerospace, a major ARA contractor, as well as the Air Force, who saw the Mun as a good observation post for enemy missiles. Now on the Mun, both Kerbals will stay for a one year long tour of duty before returning home to Kerbin, having kickstarted the first time that Kerbalkind has permanently resided on two worlds.

Before team pessimism gets here, I will wish him the best of luck in all aspects. It's good to see that not all people see the world through only profit margins, and if he is successful, then humanity has taken a great stride forwards to becoming a spacefaring civilization.

I'm going to apologize for my recent inactivity, since I've got the SAT exams very soon (Tomorrow) and that of course takes a huge priority in my life.

Nothing we know of today is possible to use in a Venus surface mission. And then think about the testing, the red tape, the bureaucracy, and the fact that said dream materials and funding would be much better used to build infrastructure on Mars and the Moon as well as pushing humanity into the Outer Solar system than planting a flag onto a literal hellhole of a planet. Anything we can do on the Venusian surface can be accomplished by probes. Manned missions are expensive and dangerous, and their intent is to go to places where humans can someday colonize (Apollo program was build-up to ALSS Lunar Base, Proenct Constellation was build-up to Lunar Outpost, NASA Mars Direct has ultimate goal of a Mars base), which is something that Venus is not. There aren't much in the way of resources on Venus that we can't get elsewhere. It is a poor target for a manned mission and even poorer target for colonies. There is also no political support for a Venus mission, and the fact that the United States Government would rather fund studies on *Interstellar Travel* and outposts in the Outer Solar System rather than a Venus surface mission shows how unlikely we are to land on Venus in this century or the next. Venus is much more dangerous than Mars, and I'd bet that we will have bases in the Outer Solar System before we ever see a flag on Venus.

These are both very, very, impressive schools, and I'd say that if you got in, you'd have a excellent shot at becoming an astronaut (As long as you keep your physical side up as well, of course). Good luck!

It's actually a part of my "From Humble Beginnings" AAR in Mission Reports, but I apparently fly faster than I type. Right now in the AAR, the Uranus is still the "Geostationary Station", still on the drawing board, and only gets mentioned once as a footnote in a letter between two government officials.

The United Provincial Space Command's new station, the Uranus - unfortunately, a hapless Second Lieutenant, while looking over the papers, pointed out to the General that their new multibillion fund orbital facility was named after street slang for the Kerbal nether region. By that time, the Uranus was in orbit, so the Space Command refused to acknowledge anything, handing the space station to it's civilian counterpart, the A.R.A. Designed as a ICBM Command Center as well as satellite tender, the Uranus can hold a crew of 28 Kerbals for a long duration of time, and is now awaiting it's first crew - unlike the other A.R.A stations, an agreement was reached with the U.P.S.C in which all crewmembers must be active military personnel in return for nominal A.R.A control over the Uranus.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO: Minmus Dawn ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ FROM: Deputy Director Kirrim Kerman, Office of Reconnaissance TO: Major General Bull Kerman, United Provincial Space Command REF NO: DISPATCH 1092, Month 8, Day 21, 1961 While I thank you for your last dispatch congratulating me on my promotion to Deputy Director, I believe that it is time for us to get down to business. This morning at 0800, the U.S.R announced the commissioning of their station Red Dawn. A sober confirmation was made that indeed, a new large object around of Kerbin at a inclined 45-degree 158KM X 135KM orbit, and telescopic observations confirmed that it was a station. As of today, the U.S.R has docked two unusually large and advanced spacecraft to it: we suspect them to be the "Munar tugs" that they wish to use to establish an outpost on the Mun. Above: The Red Dawn, a U.S.R station in orbit of Kerbin. This new development in spaceflight is a reminder that we are not alone in this field, and I urge ultimate vigilance in both the A.R.A and the U.P.S.C in guarding against sabotage and other threats. The electrical systems failure of the Titan, while ruled to be an accidental short-circuit, shows how damaging even the smallest errors can be. However, upon hearing again of your unsastifactory results from the X-20 orbital test flight a week prior, I believe that the best steps for the Space Command to pursue right now would be: 1. An orbital geosynchronous space station that could service the KerSAT satellite constellations as well as your proposed Archangel "Orbital Ground Support Satellite" (OGSS) 2. Continued development of the X-Spaceplane Program to accomplish the goal of a "reusable crew shuttle". Dr. Mortimer Kerman has promised me that the A.R.A will be willing to contribute up to 40% of the R&D costs for the program as well as manage it's test flights in return for custody of half of the airframes constructed by C7 Aerospace. Above: The X-20 "Dolphin" in orbit. I will not, however, recommend cancellation of the X-20 outright over it's lack of ability to glide. It has much potential for satellite launch and reconnaissance activities, and, during our test flight, proved itself more than capable of taking a crew of three to the Saturn. I request, however, that you turn over the X-20 to the Intelligence Community for it's abilities to be further developed. Sincerely, Deputy Director, Office of Reconnaissance ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ CAPITAL SUN TIMES (SINCE 1845) ~ 1962, Month 3, Day 1 ~ "IT LOOKS LIKE MINT ICE CREAM": UNITED PROVINCES SENDS CREW TO MINMUS; MIRANDA-1 IN ORBIT OF DISTANT MOON WRITTEN BY WALTER KERMAN ABOVE: LEMMAN KERMAN PERFORMS A SPACEWALK 10 KILOMETERS FROM THE SURFACE OF MINMUS KERMAN SPACE CENTER - THE MIRANDA FIRED IT'S ENGINES TODAY AS IT ENTERED ORBIT OF THE MOON OF MINMUS, OPENING A NEW ERA IN SPACEFLIGHT. NOW THE FURTHEST THAT ANY KERBAL HAS GONE FROM KERBIN, THE CREW OF THE MIRANDA, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER BILL KERMAN, UPN, AND CAPTAIN LEMMAN KERMAN, UPAF, HAVE MADE HISTORY BY BECOMING THE FIRST CREW TO EVER SEE MINMUS UP CLOSE AFTER A 14-DAY LONG JOURNEY IN THE MIRANDA, WHICH WAS BUILT FROM THE MUNSHOT-GENESIS PROGRAM. "IT LOOKS LIKE MINT ICE CREAM", LEMMAN KERMAN REPORTED AS HE MADE THE FIRST SPACEWALK AROUND MINMUS. "THE PLANET IS MOUNTAINOUS AND HAS MANY FLAT AREAS THAT COULD BE USED FOR MINING BASES", HE ALSO NOTED. MINING MINMUS: THE BIRTH OF SPACE INDUSTRY? THE NEWS THAT MINMUS CONTAINS MANY FLAT REGIONS HAS SPURNED PROPOSALS BY MANY TO COLONIZE AND SETTLE ON THE DISTANT MOON. ONE OF OUR REPORTERS ASKED THE DIRECTOR OF THE AGENCY ABOUT HIS VIEWS ON THE SUBJECT. "OUR SPACEFLIGHT TECHNOLOGY IS NEARING THE POINT WHERE MINING WILL BECOME FEASIBLE", REPLIED WERNHER VON KERMAN, "HOWEVER, THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE WE CAN SEE IT AS A PRACTICAL WAYPOINT ON THE 'RACE TO DUNA'". OTHER PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN MADE TO INDUSTRIALIZE SPACE IN THE RECENT YEARS. A 1960 PROPOSAL BY ZALTONIC ELECTRONICS, THE LEADING ENERGY PROVIDER IN THE PROVINCES, DESIGNED A SATELLITE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING ELECTRICAL POWER TO 30,000 HOUSEHOLDS - THIS PROPOSAL WAS FOLLOWED UP BY A MORE AMBITIOUS ONE TO LAUNCH A SATELLITE 0.5KM IN LENGTH THAT WOULD PROVIDE ENOUGH ELECTRICAL POWER TO SUSTAIN AN ENTIRE CITY. IT IS ASSUMED THAT FOUR OF THESE SATELLITES, ALREADY NICKNAMED THE "POWER TOWERS", WOULD BE ENOUGH TO PROVIDE ENERGY TO THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE: Saturn Station Pt. 2 ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ "Oh damn", Bob muttered. And then the sounds of the interior of the Titan cut to static. From the perspective of Ground Support, the Titan-1 appeared to have both ended radio contact and ended it's rendezvous maneuvers to the Saturn. Had it not been for the radar stations lent to them by the Air Force around ten years ago, the Titan might as well disappeared, like Gus Kerman's want of a "peaceful morning with no problems whatsoever". Meanwhile in orbit, the crew of the Titan-1 began to work down the debugging checklist. Inside the circular main cabin of the Titan-1, behind the capsule, Nemie Kerman listened anxiously to the conversation between Bob and Felix. "It looks like we've got a power shortage. Total lack of capsule control.", Bob was saying. His voice was unwaveringly calm and professional. "Understood.", replied Felix. "I'm at the center of the capsule so I can't see anything, but it feels like some gremlin just went to town on our spacecraft. No control over anything. Only the non-electrical systems are up, like navball. You got any ideas?" "The Titan-1 isn't equipped with panels or anything that could regenerate power for us. The spacecraft wasn't built for beyond-Kerbin expeditions, so they didn't think it was needed." As much as he hated it, Felix knew what Bob said was true. The Titan-1 was advertised as a cheap, effective way to get crew into orbit. It wasn't intended to stay in an independent orbit for long - unlike the Munlab crew ferry, who had to perform the Kerbin-Mun transit - and was intended to recharge it's batteries and refuel at the space station. Now with it's batteries depleted entirely, the spacecraft was in deep trouble. "What's the closest approach to the Saturn?", a voice asked from somewhere within the Titan. "250 meters was the last count, then the monopropellant thrusters apparently ran out, so we won't be able to run our approach through there", Felix replied. "We'll have to do an EVA or abort the mission. Felix, can you think of any alternative ways to recharge the spacecraft?", Bob asked. The idea of an EVA: to float freely in space was both terrifying and exciting to Bob. His older spacewalks were all tethered or on a ladder. But the tether on the Titan would not extend to 250 meters, which mean't he would have to become a spaceship of himself. "None I can think of. I could try to fire the engines, but I doubt it'll work. Damn Mk.2 hooked up the throttle controls to the electric system, and that's down completely" "How long can we last right now? Long enough for a rescue mission?" "Definitely not. We've got enough oxygen for the next day: our CO2 converters are luckily chemically powered, and we have enough supplies onboard to last three weeks including the emergency rations supposed to last for our stay on the Saturn". Bob looked out the window at the glowing lights of the cities below. He could make out the outline of the large metropolises of the United Provinces, their metropolitan area stretching out like a blanket of lights until it faded into the blackness of the countryside. The sight looked serene: down below, the Kerbals were watching their early morning, finishing the night shift, and sleeping until the time came and thousands of alarms would go off across the nation, awaking the day shift workers. It was hard to imagine the chaos in the Ground Support Room - the phone calls relayed to and forth from the President and Wernher, speechwriters working around the clock in case of the worst, and the Flight Director, Gus Kerman, realizing how much he hated Tuesdays. "We'll have to go for an EVA option.", he suggested. "Are you crazy, Bob?", Nemie shot back. "We haven't rehearsed for this. We haven't done anything like this. This is twice as far as the furthest EVA the space agency's done, and they trained for it from the onset." "I'm certain we'll make it. ARA issued us the experimental propulsion packs, each containing approximately 5 liters of monopropellant. We've got them stored in the main cabin. We might not have trained to EVA, but I'm certain we all went through the docking simulator at KSC. And that's all we need. An idea of how to dock." The sun began to peek over the curvature of Kerbin, it's rays illuminating the capsule once more. The blue glow of Kerbin began to fill the spacecraft. Saturn was just ahead. It's now or never, Bob thought. ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ CAPITAL SUN TIMES (SINCE 1845) ~ 1961, Month 7, Day 20 ~ TITAN-1 POWER FAILURE IMPERILS KERBONAUTS: EMERGENCY EVA ALLOWS COMPLETION OF MISSION: FIVE KERBALS NOW ON SATURN WRITTEN BY WALTER KERMAN ABOVE: SPACE STATION SATURN RECIEVED IT'S NEW CREW OF FIVE SAFE AND SOUND KERMAN SPACE CENTER - THE CREW OF THE TITAN-1, AFTER A ELECTRICAL SHORT-CIRCUIT AS WELL AS A MONOPROPELLANT LEAK, WERE FORCED TO ABANDON THEIR SPACECRAFT THIS MORNING TO UNDERTAKE A GRUELING QUARTER-KILOMETER SPACEWALK TO SPACE STATION SATURN. ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOW SAFE, THE CARGO ONBOARD THE TITAN-1 - NOW WITHOUT POWER OR ANY MEANS OF CONTROL - HAS BEEN PRESUMED LOST, ALTHOUGH SOME SMALLER TOOLS WERE TAKEN TO SATURN BY THE KERBONAUTS. ACTING PROFESSIONALLY, ALL FIVE CREWMEMBERS MADE THE LEAP FROM THE TITAN AND ARRIVED ON THE SATURN WITHOUT DELAY. AT A NEWS CONFERENCE, FLIGHT DIRECTOR GUS KERMAN WAS ASKED IF THE SPACE PROGRAM WOULD SEND A RESCUE MISSION TO THE SATURN. HE ANSWERED, "YES, BRINGING A "LIFEBOAT" UP TO THE STATION FOR USE IN EMERGENCY AS WELL AS SENDING TO THE CREW THE CARGO AND EXPERIMENTS LOST ON THE TITAN-1 IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR THE AGENCY." WHEN ASKED ABOUT HIS PERSPECTIVE ON THE DAYS EVENTS ON A LIVE INTERVIEW BY BRYAN KERMAN OF THE NBC CHANNEL, STATION COMMANDER BOB REPLIED, "I RECOGNIZE SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY OF THE SPACE PROGRAM: THE NEXT TITAN SPACECRAFT SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SHORTCOMINGS OF THE TITAN-1 AND DESIGN ACCORDINGLY, NO MATTER HOW LONG THE DELAY. THE SATURN IS A RELIABLE STATION. AS LONG AS THE RETURN CRAFT ARRIVES WHEN WE'RE READY TO GO, THERE SHOULDN'T BE MUCH OF A PROBLEM. I CANNOT STRESS HOW SAFE THE SATURN IS. THE TITAN-2 ISN'T A HUGE NEED RIGHT NOW. WE'RE GOOD, TO BE HONEST."

How hard is it to balance ROTC, social life, and a "difficult" major like Engineering while still maintaining free time?

In general, how early in the morning was the physical training? Also, how many people in your unit made it to commissioning?

On the KSP thread about ones professional background, I noticed quite a few people who are in the phase where one would apply to colleges, and many who already graduated who could be of help to those applying to their alma mater. So I'm now curious as to where everyone went to college or is planning to go, so we could get a idea of what it's like on campus. Personally, my college list is: On another note, has anyone gone through the NROTC program?

Swiggty swoogty, Jebediahs coming for that booty. Sorry, the temptation was too great.

CHAPTER TWENTY: Saturn Station ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ The sun was setting now, casting the towering skyscrapers of New Rhondia in a eerie red glow. Like fire, Bryan Kerman thought as he adjusted his tie. Tonight would be his biggest moment yet, as he would have to prove himself worthy of the mantle of becoming the main news anchor of one of the largest broadcasting stations on Kerbin, the successor to the famed Walcron Kerman. All eyes would be him, as the families of Kerbin gathered around the table for dinner and to watch the television. Taking one last look from his glass office, he made his way into the broadcasting channel and took his position, silently nodding to the support crew as they went. The unseen heroes of the evening news, their job was to have their effects seen, but not themselves. "Microphone check", called the Director. "Microphone check all right. Teleprompter is working fine, just make sure the script doesn't scroll too last like it did with the late night special yesterday. I'm ready", Bryan answered confidently. "Three, two, one, ACTION!" Looking towards the waiting cameras, Bryan Kerman began. "This is the National Broadcasting Channel. Here is the evening news for Month 7, Day 18, 1961. Today, the last Nova-class cargo rocket lifted off from Kerman Space Center into orbit, accomplishing it's finishing the assembly of the long-coveted Space Station Saturn, the biggest space outpost ever assembled in history." Eighty kilometers above the newsroom, the Saturn orbited Kerbin. It's many corridors and hallways were empty, the dim blue "emergency light" making the interior station fit for a horror movie. Now several hours old, the Saturn's computer began to follow a preset list of instructions. The gentle hum of life-support filled the station as the lights were brightened. Down below, the Solar Reactor module deployed, opening the panels within to face the energy of the sun. The antenna bloomed, exposing it's timid yellow surface to space just as a butterfly tentatively makes it's way out of a cocoon. Then once more, the Saturn computer shut off - it's only mission now was to wait. " Now under control of the Aeronautics Research Agency and the Air Force, the Saturn will play host to a crew of five Kerbals launched on a modified Munlab crew ferry tomorrow dubbed the "Titan", who will boost the station to a higher orbit after it's intended third stage prematurely cut due to a oxidizer leak. With a planned circular orbit of around 200 kilometers, this station will also be around 80 kilometers higher than the Jupiter. As of this evening, the crew is making preparations for their flight, and will continue doing so into the night, launching early tomorrow morning." Bryan watched the teleprompter scroll down, sweat building on his forehead. He glanced up, looking at the spotlight and technicians scurrying about in the overhead platforms. His fingers ran down the paper copy of the script, silently gauging the amount of time he had left on screen. "And now, the latest update from the Sans Republic crisis, as thousands of refugees flee the Kommunist dictator Fido Kastrovly, who seized the capitol of the Sans after a hour-long gun battle yesterday..." ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ Month 7, Day 19, 1961, Mid-Morning Bob Kerman adjusted his communication headset as he watched the sun slowly fade over the curvature of Kerbin. In his mind, he substituted the Sun for Kerbin and Kerbin for the Mun. That was where he was around a year ago as the Munshot-2 pulled into Munar orbit. And now he was back in space, the newly minted Station Commander for the Saturn, the combined result of the labor of four of the greatest organizations in the Space Industry. C7, Jedediah's Junkyard And Spaceship Parts, the ARA, and the UPAF all had a stake in the construction of a vessel that he was now to command. A great honor, as Wernher put it. Bob thought otherwise. He had wanted to gain a slot with the Minmus missions or on the Munar outpost that were yet to launch ("Next year, Wernher said). But the fates had intervened, restricting him to Kerbin orbit and dashing his dreams of once again looking upon the vast expanse of the Munar surface. Kerbin would have to do. There was a final flash of light over the horizon, and the spacecraft passed over to the nighttime side of the planet. Instantaneously, the cabin lights switched on, driving away the brief moment of darkness. "We're going to have to perform a nighttime docking", radioed Felix Kerman almost immediately. Bob had taken a liking to Felix almost as soon as they left the Space Center. As a flyboy, he was clever and quick to react. As a friend, he was loyal and reliable. And like the rest of the five-Kerbal crew, he was a veteran of the space program. By now, almost every Kerbonaut Bob knew had flown to the Mun. It was like a exclusive club of the greatest explorers of the 20th century. "Roger that." The hissing of the RCS thrusters as they began to adjust the final approach to Saturn filled the cabin. Bob tried not to look out the window, a tip he had learned from Jebediah during the Munshot-1. Best not to get vertigo before arriving, he thought. Picking up his notebook, he began to look down the checklist of things the crew would have to accomplish in the year and a half they had onboard. Perform study of Cantis Minorae with radio telescope. Unload supply shipment. Begin orbital agriculture experiments. Begin orbital life science experiments. Bob tucked it away into his pocket. Thinking about all of it like a job was making his head hurt. Besides, he would need to get some rest on the Saturn. The early morning launch of the rocket was taking it's mental toll. "We're around 86.5 kilometers and closing with the Saturn. Currently, our closest approach will bring us an estimated 250-375 meters with the station. I'm working to get to 200 meters, then from there we'll just comfortably dock and hop on over", Felix announced confidently. Then, as if right on cue, the hissing of the RCS abruptly stopped, and the spacecraft began to rotate slowly. Beside him, Neildon opened the flight computer and checked the orbital parameters. "Aw, crap. That wasn't supposed to happen.", Neildon blurted out. Bob looked over sharply. "Titan-1, can you confirm termination of RCS fi-" Two seconds later, the lights flickered and went out, slicing short the words of CAPCOM. The sound of the life-support system stopped, enveloping the spacecraft in total silence. The lights on the control panel all flashed to red before fading to darkness, the only light inside the cabin now coming from the dim glow of the Mun or the various controls on their suits. Noone spoke. "Oh, damn", Bob muttered. ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

What did you say, fellow human about the Æ? The Æ is serious business, I assure you, and we should build a Æ outpost by ึึึึึึึึึึึึ as a stepping stone to ÆÆÆ.