The Jedi Master

OK, so I threw a lander together and tested it on the roof of the VAB. I even added festive lights. I'm using this challenge for a Kerbal holiday story, which you can read here. That's also where the proof pics are.

Ho, ho, ho! I'm Santa Claus. This young man here allowed me to use his computer, and I tried Kerbal Space Program. I loved it! What the--Santa, what are you doing? Um... say, it sounds like Ms.Claus is calling. Better go! *sigh* Sorry about that. Anyway, as you know, it's that time of year again. Some people don't like the holidays, but they are my favorite time of the year. I just wish they came in summer, my second favorite time of year. I also wish the news and the weather weren't so dismal--it's really ruining the mood. But here is something to cheer you up! For the next few days, I'm going to follow the Kadvent Kalendar and go to the Mun, and I'm putting a holiday story to it. Enjoy! (And yes, they celebrate Earth Christmas on Kerbin with no K Syndrome, because that would look ridiculous. DEAL! ) --- Astronaut Complex Experimentanurary 5th, 250 AU (After Union)--Twenty Days Until Christmas It was a normal day at KSC, mostly. Werner had just finished working with Linus on a new theory about whether the white stuff on Eeloo was snow or ice. Mortimer had just talked Gene's ear off about how the Minmus All Purpose Science and Fuel Base (MAPSFB) was way too expensive and unnecessary (he had spent three weeks planning it out). And at the Astronaut Complex, the kerbonauts were sitting around with nothing to do. 250 AU was a boring period in Jedi Space Program history. After the first month or so, a budget cut hit, which kind of put a damper on the schedule. In addition, Mortimer was getting tough about budget--he was quite proud of the new, balanced budget he had made himself. Nothing had really gotten done. To pass the time, Jebediah was telling a traditional Christmas story from his childhood, one that he had been named for. "You see, I was born during the holiday season, and my parents, holiday lovers they, wanted it to be a big part of my life. So, they named me after the biggest Christams tale from my hometown, the legend of Santa Jeb. Santa Jeb was this big fellow, a fun loving guy. Every Christmas, he would get a sleigh pulled by eight missiles. Or nine, depending on which version was being told. Sometimes the ninth was a baby kangaroo. He would travel Kerbin every Christmas Eve night, delivering presents to all the good kerbs. He gave the bad kerbs boxes of shrubs. In the version my parents told, he also delivered to the supposed aliens on the Mun." Bob smiled. "I was told that story as a kid, right down to the Mun aliens. One year, I left snacks for him. It started something of a tradition in my town." Bill just rolled his eyes. He wasn't the festive type of kerbal. "Come on, that's just a story for children." "Well, aren't you a ball of fun," Jeb said with a wink. "Get into the spirit, Bill!" "Not until I see Santa Jeb himself walking on the Mun." This gave Jebediah a brilliant idea... --- In short order, a test lander was built, complete with festive lighting. When Mortimer walked into the VAB, he was absolutely incredulous. "What is this?!" he yelled. "An unplanned Mun landing is expensive enough, but the lights add a few hundred unnecessary Kerbits to the mix! This could throw off the mission budget for weeks!" Gene, already angry about the MAPSFB, walked up to him. "Morty, there is no mission budget for weeks. Because there are no planned missions. Because of you. Now shut your mouth and get in Mission Control to watch the launch." Poor old Mortimer watched in horror as Jeb took the perfectly Mun-worthy lander for a test drive and promptly crashed it on the roof of the VAB. And thus, the new Legend of Santa Jeb began... --- Thanks for reading, be sure to leave comments and to tune in next time. Oh--and happy holidays!

OK. I must do this. The Nicholas Program has begun! Am I or am I not allowed to use Sandbox without quicksave or revert?

I finally figured out why you have to wear a spacesuit on Kerbin. It's all that radiation and pollution from exploded rockets!

See, Russia? We CAN into space! Unfortunately, I missed 99.999% of it...

1. Is it manned? 2. Do we have comms back yet?

Brace yourself. A return is coming.

Thank you. I altered the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.

I call them Kerbits. It has a little K syndrome, but not as much as Kollars, Kesos, etc.

I would like to announce that Gregox and I are partnering this time! Membership with the HypePlane club will get you HypeTrain ticket discounts, and vice versa! Wait a minute. You bought us? Come here for a minute... *chases Gregox*

Ah, man, I skipped a day. Oh, well, I'll just do both!

Your wife will make it through this. Repeat that to yourself whenever you doubt, even in the darkest hour. And know that we're here for you.

..Oh, so I'm not the most prolific person on the forum. I'm relieved. Congrats! You were the first person to talk to me on this forum, all the way back in February 2013, so I have special kinship with you.

Today is day one!

These last few days have been bad for space exploration. My condolences to the pilot's family.

Mr.Rocketman, can you please explain what happened to the Antares in your own words? The rocket exploded. Well, at least we know that much.

Collapsed on the pad?! I knew I had too many SLS tanks... Now that that's out of the way, have they said exactly what went wrong?

Hey, if you have a physical convention, can it be on the US East Coast?

I am doing this right now. All fighters, scramble!

Write a novel of 50,000 words in length in the month of November. I can launch rockets into space. How hard can novel writing be, anyway? ------ OK, you might remember my thread of Camp NaNoWriMo, so you would already know what this is, but in case you don't know: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo for short) is a writers challenge. It challenges you to write 50,000 words of fiction in the month of November (about the length of The Great Gatsby or The Catcher in the Rye). This breaks down to about 1,667 words a day. It's harder than it looks, but at the same time, not as hard as it might look at first. "Oh, but I could never do that," you might say. "Novels are hard. They're for writers, and I'm not one." Well, guess what. The whole point is to get people who wouldn't normally write to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. Note that they said 50,000 words, not 50,000 brilliant words. It's a first draft. You can edit it after November. And besides, you might just write something that will surprise you! Sign up here: nanowrimo.org Get writing!

The guy with that avatar that looks like a Buck Rogers toy. NINJA'D! A guy with a really cool airplane gif in his signature.

That isn't an exploit, that's giving yourself a fair shot if you don't have the reflexes of Sonic the Hedgehog. Parachute test contracts! I hate you all!

Hush, puppy! With some work, they could make it a real thing.

Is this at all inspired by the Community Aeronautics and Space Administration, by me?

Next up: Land on both the Mun and Minmus in one launch.