Headache

Pretty simple concept up front, but a lot harder than you might imagine. Once you sync orbits, you have to guide your retrieval ship to contact, the Kerbal has to hit a spot that he can grab on to, every little bump with no grab sends the Kerbal tumbling off in a random direction. Even more fun, before the Kerbal makes contact with your ship, you have to switch to him so you can hit the F key. Then after all is said and done, you have to bring him back home safely. It took me a good long time to get it done. Conditions: No cheats enabled. (but using an orbital refueling depot is OK) Any vehicle you can build you can use. Vanilla parts only. Rescue subject must be orbiting Mun with A/P less than 30,000m Rescued Kerbal must be returned safely to Kerbin. Good luck!

Sorry for bumping an old thread but since it came up at the top in a google search, figured I'd just add on. I had the unfortunate bad luck of getting one of my Kerbals stranded by his jet pack fuel running out during an EVA. Since failure was not an option, I came up with a successful plan to return him home. It took a few iterations of the rescue ship and the stranded Kerbal letting go of the ladder during a trans-lunar burn sending him into an HKO (High Kerbin Orbit) of about 1.5 million miles away from Kerbin. The design I used was able to retrieve my stranded Kerbal (who could do nothing but grab something he drifted into) and return him safely to Kerbin. The rescue craft was made using a Mk2 Lander Can with a PPD-10 Hitchhiker storage compartment on top of it separated with a decoupler. I used radial chutes on both the lander can and the compartment staged in such a way that the compartment would pop it's chutes when it was decoupled and the Lander Can would fall out from under it and pop it's chutes when clear. On top of the storage compartment I made a basket that would make it easier to catch a free-floating Kerbal and bristling with ladder bars to grab on to. Once you catch your Kerbal, guide him into the crew compartment and burn for home. The ship: I highly recommend equipping lights facing forward of the basket to make your target easier to see. Without the lights, it was near impossible when in darkness. It's actually a really fun challenge getting a stranded Kerbal back home.