Cashen

Mission: Geb IV Mission Outline & Objectives: Fourth manned launch Reach a circular, equatorial orbit at 80km Perform the first Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) Crew: Dunlie Kerman The first three missions of the Project Geb have demonstrated that Kerbals can survive in space rather easily. But launching into orbit and sitting in a capsule is fine and dandy, but in order to get down to the business of living in space, eventually one has to get out of the capsule! To that end, MASEC engineers have developed an addition to the pressure suit - a fully enclosed life support system to allow Kerbals to survive outside of the spacecraft, and additionally, it contains tiny RCS thrusters and a tank of monopropellant to allow them to move about in space independantly. Dunlie Kerman will be the first to test this brand new technology. Geb 4 sits on the pad ready to launch, with the UKS flag in the foreground. Dunlie reaches orbit at 80km. By the time orbit is established, it's roughly noon local time. The EVA will wait until the spacecraft comes around and sees sunrise, to allow for the longest period of time in which to work. Coming around Kerbin again, Dunlie depressurizes Geb, opens the hatch and steps out into the vacuum of space. Many questioned the ability of a Kerbal to function outside of the spacecraft, if they would panic or be unable to control their RCS packs. Dunlie backs away from Geb. "This is incredible!" he exclaims. "What a magnificent sensation!" Dunlie manuvers about the spacecraft, putting his RCS pack through its paces and seeing just how far he's comfortable with moving away from the capsule. "The view from up here is tremendous." Moving closer again, Dunlie can't help but inspect Geb's service module engine, KW Rocketry's Vesta VR-1 "I can see the launch complex from here!" Eventually Dunlie is told to get back inside the capsule. Another orbit is completed, which included a slight orbital altitude adjustment from 80km to 75km, followed by a precision de-orbit, trying to replicate the close landing success of Geb 2. Here we see the capsule re-entering over KSC. Very close to a pinpoint landing. Dunlie won't have to wait long to be recovered! Dunlie Kerman: Geb 4 is dedicated to the late Edward Higgins White, the first American to perform a spacewalk during Gemini 4 in 1965, who tragically lost his life 2 years later in the Apollo 1 fire.

Duna and Moho also got new terrain in the last update. Duna does in fact have some high mountains on it now, though perhaps not quite like that.

Mission: Geb III Mission Outline & Objectives: Third manned launch Reach a circular, polar orbit at 80km Complete ten orbits Crew: Milke Kerman Geb Mk1 has seen two test pilots, and now it's time for one of the engineers to give it a shot. This time they'll be aiming for an even longer stay in space, nearly a full Kerbin day, and a more challenging polar orbit. This will allow Milke to get a good look at nearly all of Kerbin's varied terrain as it rotates under him. Milke launches and pitches north after first stage separation to insert into a polar orbit. Polar orbit successful, circularized at exactly 80km. Inclination is slightly off, 84 degrees. Milke passes over the north pole. Crossing the equator on the other side, the first ever inclination change burn took place, shifting the inclination by 3 degrees, to 87, and consuming half of the remaining fuel. As the mission planners expected, polar orbits cost more delta-v, both in getting into the orbit, and in corrections. Geb Mk1 has just barely enough fuel for this mission. Not long after, Milke passes over the south pole. He would complete ten orbits over the course of nearly a full Kerbin day. Eventually as Kerbin rotated underneath, KSC came close to the orbital track again, and while passing over the south pole, Milke de-orbited for a splashdown in the middle of the ocean off of the space center. After the de-orbit burn and jettisoning the service module, Milke is treated to quite a view of the southern continent and its mountains, at the edge of the polar ice cap. Re-entry over the ocean, this one a little more severe than the others due to a sharper angle. Minmus is visible as the dot on the horizon. Chutes deploy and Milke returns to Kerbin, awaiting pick-up back to the space center. Success! Milke Kerman:

Mission: Geb II Mission Outline & Objectives: Second manned launch Reach a circular, equitorial orbit at 75km Complete five orbits, and attempt a precision splashdown close to KSC Crew: Bill Kerman Jeb's first flight completed a single orbit around Kerbin and took less than 45 minutes. For the second flight, Bill will attempt to stay in space for half a day, or five orbits, launching just after sunrise and landing near sunset. He will also attempt to de-orbit more precisely, in order to test how accurately the capsule can be landed through the atmosphere. The goal of this mission is to demonstrate that spaceflight can be an exact science, and to prove that Kerbals can survive longer durations in space. The second flight of Geb gets ready to launch not long after sunrise. Liftoff, Bill clears the tower and begins the vertical ascent. In orbit. Fine tuning the circularization burn allows for a nearly perfect 75km orbit. Bill completes an orbit and overflies KSC, for the first of several passes. Sunrise on the final orbit. A de-orbit burn is executed precisely 92.5 degrees west of KSC. However, Geb's service module engine proves too powerful and the burn is overshot, so Geb turns prograde, burns to correct, then turns back retrograde and jettisons the service module. Let's see how close Bill gets. Re-entry over KSC, Bill is a little long. Still not bad though! Bill splashes down just 7km offshore from KSC not long after sunset. Mission successful. Bill Kerman: [sPECIAL NOTE: To give credit where credit is due, the precise timing of the de-orbit burn was calculated using this chart developed by alterbaron. 75km altitude was selected as it made reading the chart easier.]

I ran into the same problem but there's a simple exlanation. We are used to measuring fuel on a volumetric basis, because the fuel tanks come in standard sizes with standard volumes. On a volumetric basis, hydrogen is a terrible fuel, because it is extremely low density. You cannot compare two engines using regular fuel and using hydrogen if they are fed by the same size tank. Hydrogen's advantage is purely in mass, because its extremely light, so you can get away with smaller engines pushing much bigger fuel tanks. That being said, I'm still mostly concerned with volumetric efficiency because tanks come in standard sizes, so I've chosen not to use the advanced fuels part of this mod.

Mission: Geb I Mission Outline & Objectives: First launch of the Geb Mk1 Spacecaft First manned launch Put the first Kerbal into space Crew: Jebediah Kerman Jebediah, the brave and sometimes crazy test pilot, will ride the first rocket into space. Time to roll Geb out to the pad and get started. Geb Mk1 and Latrans I roll out to the launch pad in anticipation of the first space launch. Liftoff! First stage separation, just before the gravity turn. Leveling out after jettisoning the upper booster stage, Geb is on its own now. Orbit is achieved: 83.036 by 89.149km, Inclination 0.374, Eccentricity 0.004. Jebediah rolls the spacecraft to get a look at Mun through the viewport. After circling Kerbin, Jeb burns retro to de-orbit in preparation for a landing off the shore from KSC. Coming down right on target. Jeb splashes down and gets out of the capsule, awaiting recovery, the mission a success! Jebediah Kerman:

Chapter 1: When We Left Kerbin Project Geb When a species evolves and spreads out across a planet, particularly when they come to dominate said planet, it's a natural part of that evolution that they fragment into various nation-states. This is particularly true when segments of the species become isolated from each other geographically, only to re-contact each other later. However, eventually, it's also a natural part of the species' evolution that they eventually re-unite as one large community, a consolidated planet as it were. Such is the case with the Kerbals. After centuries as distinct nations, the Kerbals have only recently united under a single flag, the United Kerbal States, or UKS. There are no more frontiers to explore, no new territory to discover on the surface of Kerbin. Its land masses are all mapped, and much has been colonized. There is only one frontier left to conquer, and it is the most difficult, the most technologically challenging one of all. The conquest of space. United as they are, only now do they have the resources, the combined effort able to accomplish such goals. This is the story of their venture out into their solar system. To oversee such a task in a coordinated manner, the UKS government has created the Ministry of Aviation, Space Exploration and Colonization, or MASEC, and enlisted the help of some of the most innovative companies. The effort has been divided into different projects, each with specific goals, that will compliment each other. Project Geb Project Geb, the missions to put the first Kerbals in space, to develop the technologies for those first steps: Getting to orbit, learning orbital mechanics, learning how to return to Kerbin safely, and to learn those basic techniques and skills that will allow for more ambitious manned space exploration projects that will follow. Project Isis Working in parallel with Project Geb, Isis concerns itself primarily with unmanned, science-gathering missions, to learn about the other worlds in Kerbin's solar system. What is that liquid on the surface of Eve? How thick is it's atmosphere? What is the composition of the ice-caps on Duna? Is there oxygen in Laythe's atmosphere? These are the questions Isis is expected to answer before Kerbals are sent off to the other planets, to prioritize exploration and to assist in developing the kind of vehicles that can get there and return. Initially, while being announced simultaneously with Project Geb, Isis receives very little staff and funding. Hiring the First Kerbonauts MASEC has decided that for Project Geb, they will start out with six Kerbonauts, known as the "Geb Six". The first three, Jebediah, Bill and Bob, are all former military test pilots from the various national air forces prior to Unification. The second three, Milke, Mac and Dunlie, are engineers. The rationale is that the first flights with any new spacecraft will first be done by the test pilot group, and later refinements and more technically complicated missions will be flown by the engineers. Building a Space Launch Complex With a unified planet with no national borders, MASEC has free regin to construct their space center anywhere they like, and so an optimum location was chosen on the equator, in order to take maximum advantage of the velocity boost of Kerbin's rotation, as well as on an eastern coastline, so that launches would take place over water. The site chosen was an old air force base with an existing runway, hangar and control tower. The Kerbonaut complex, mission control building, tracking station, as well as a large Vehicle Assembly Building were constructed alongisde. The recently constructed Kerbal Space Center Developing the Hardware The first spacecraft, known as Geb Mk1, will be constructed partly by MASEC's internal engineering team, including the capsule and spacecraft systems. The propulstion systems however will be contracted out, and four companies have been asked to submit liquid-fueled bipropellant rocket engines for static testing, using standardized 1.25 and 2.50m diameters. The AIES Constellation C6 1.25m engine during static testing KW Rocketry's Maverick-V 2.50m engine during static testing In all, nine 1.25m engines and 12 2.5m engines were submitted and put through their paces, with the results displayed below: [TABLE=class: grid, width: 100%, align: center] [TR] [TD]Manufacturer [/TD] [TD]Name [/TD] [TD]Size (m) [/TD] [TD]Thrust (kN) [/TD] [TD]Mass (t) [/TD] [TD]TWR [/TD] [TD]Vac ISP [/TD] [TD]Atm ISP [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]AIES Aerospace[/TD] [TD]Exper-06[/TD] [TD]1.25m[/TD] [TD]160[/TD] [TD]0.85[/TD] [TD]19.19[/TD] [TD]370[/TD] [TD]320[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]AIES Aerospace[/TD] [TD]Constellation C5[/TD] [TD]1.25m[/TD] [TD]200[/TD] [TD]0.50[/TD] [TD]40.77[/TD] [TD]370[/TD] [TD]320[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]AIES Aerospace[/TD] [TD]Vulcan-VR1[/TD] [TD]1.25m[/TD] [TD]220[/TD] [TD]1.50[/TD] [TD]14.95[/TD] [TD]370[/TD] [TD]320[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]KW Rocketry[/TD] [TD]Vesta VR-1[/TD] [TD]1.25m[/TD] [TD]120[/TD] [TD]0.60[/TD] [TD]20.39[/TD] [TD]400[/TD] [TD]350[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]KW Rocketry[/TD] [TD]WildCat-V[/TD] [TD]1.25m[/TD] [TD]230[/TD] [TD]1.50[/TD] [TD]15.63[/TD] [TD]370[/TD] [TD]325[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]KW Rocketry[/TD] [TD]Maverick-1D[/TD] [TD]1.25m[/TD] [TD]350[/TD] [TD]2.00[/TD] [TD]17.84[/TD] [TD]355[/TD] [TD]320[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]NovaPunch[/TD] [TD]RMA-3 Orbital Achievement Device [/TD] [TD]1.25m[/TD] [TD]75[/TD] [TD]0.65[/TD] [TD]11.76[/TD] [TD]410[/TD] [TD]300[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]NovaPunch[/TD] [TD]KX-2[/TD] [TD]1.25m[/TD] [TD]195[/TD] [TD]1.20[/TD] [TD]16.56[/TD] [TD]375[/TD] [TD]350[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]NovaPunch[/TD] [TD]F-A30 Aerospike[/TD] [TD]1.25m[/TD] [TD]285[/TD] [TD]2.00[/TD] [TD]14.53[/TD] [TD]380[/TD] [TD]375[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Geb Mk1's launch vehicle will use all 1.25m parts, with a two-stage booster plus the spacecraft, for three engines in all. The AIES Constellation C6 stood out for its outstanding thrust to weight ratio, far surprassing all the others, though its thrust and ISP values didn't fit well with the three stage design. Similary NovaPunch's LF-A30 Aerospike engine was noted for its exceptional ISP in both vaccuum and atmospheric conditions, but it too didn't fit well into the desired booster design, and in the end KW Rocketry, with its more balanced suite of 1.25m engines, swept the contract for the first manned rocket, and all three of its engines will appear, powering each of the three stages. Both AIES and NovaPunch have, however, been instructed to hold on to those designs should their specific properies become useful later. The results of the 2.50m engine testing has not been released yet. KW Rocketry also won the contract for constructing the propellant tanks, while NovaPunch developed a launch escape tower propelled by solid rockets, which can be seen under testing below. The Spacecraft's guidance computer, developed as a Joint Venture between Anatid Robotics and Multiversal Mechatronics, has been nicknamed "Mechanical Jebediah" in reference to Jebediah Kerman, who has been chosen to be the first Kerbal in space. However, when learning of the autopilot features, Jebediah protested: "It can show me whatever information I need, it can help me plot manuvers, hell maybe I'll even let it do attitude control now and then, but I will NOT let it touch the engines. If you're going to send me into space, at least give me something to do!" So, early on in development, it became kind of an unwritten code that the autopilot functions were not to be used unless absolutely necessary. Attitude control would be provided by a set of internal reaction wheels tied to the guidance computer, and power would be provided by a pair of extendable solar panels. With the systems completed, engines tested and the Kerbonauts having gone through rigorous training, it was time to assemble the very first spacecraft. Here we see Geb Mk1 being stacked in KSC's VAB The Geb Mk1 Spacecraft being assembled in the VAB Geb Mk1 fully stacked atop its launch vehicle, the Latrans I It's time to launch some rockets!

Current Kerbonaut Roster Note: I've changed how decorations are shown here, to conserve space. Each Kerbal will get one decoration for each vehicle type at each celestial body as applicable for their accomplishments, but duplicates will no longer be given: The one decoration will include all the achievements accomplished with that vehicle at that location. The decorations appear in the order that they first received them, and older ones will be updated if a new achievement is added later. In order to get a decoration, the Kerbal must be performing a mission; being a passenger in transit somewhere else does not qualify for a decoration. Currently Assigned to Kerbal Space Center [TABLE=width: 100%] [TR] [TD]Name [/TD] [TD]Occupation [/TD] [TD]Decorations [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Wildon Kerman[/TD] [TD]Geologist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Jedlock Kerman[/TD] [TD]Climatologist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Gilfal Kerman[/TD] [TD]Biologist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Matgard Kermin[/TD] [TD]Engineer[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Wilski Kerman[/TD] [TD]Engineer[/TD] [TD]None yet. [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Jebediah Kerman[/TD] [TD]Test Pilot, Project Horus[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Bill Kerman[/TD] [TD]Test Pilot, Project Horus[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Bob Kerman[/TD] [TD]Test Pilot, Project Horus[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Currently Assigned to UKS South Polar Base [TABLE=width: 100%] [TR] [TD]Name [/TD] [TD]Occupation [/TD] [TD]Decorations [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Dunlie Kerman[/TD] [TD]Base Commander[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Kennie Kerman[/TD] [TD]Chief Scientist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Luski Kerman[/TD] [TD]Scientist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Dilden Kerman[/TD] [TD]Biologist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Matt Kerman[/TD] [TD]Chemist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Sigbrett Kerman[/TD] [TD]Oceanographer[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Currently Assigned to UKS Kerbin Station [TABLE=width: 100%] [TR] [TD]Name [/TD] [TD]Occupation [/TD] [TD]Decorations [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Desbree Kerman[/TD] [TD]Director of Kerbin Operations[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Neweny Kerman[/TD] [TD]Chief Engineer[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Nelgard Kerman [/TD] [TD]Chief Scientist [/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Ergee Kerman [/TD] [TD]Engineer [/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Dungard Kerman [/TD] [TD]Scientist [/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Herney Kerman [/TD] [TD]Scientist [/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Currently Assigned to UKS Mobile Mun Base [TABLE=width: 100%] [TR] [TD]Name [/TD] [TD]Occupation [/TD] [TD]Decorations [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Mac Kerman[/TD] [TD]Director of Mun Operations[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Kirmin Kerman[/TD] [TD]Chief Engineer[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Wehrrigh Kerman[/TD] [TD]Chief Scientist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Milmon Kerman [/TD] [TD]Engineer [/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Adwise Kerman[/TD] [TD]Geologist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Obcan Kerman[/TD] [TD]Geologist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Currently Assigned to UKS Minmus Station [TABLE=width: 100%] [TR] [TD]Name [/TD] [TD]Occupation [/TD] [TD]Decorations [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Richbur Kerman[/TD] [TD]Director of Minmus Operations[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Bartvin Kerman[/TD] [TD]Chief Engineer[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Jonbart Kerman[/TD] [TD]Chief Scientist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Ludzer Kerman [/TD] [TD]Engineer [/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Ludbrett Kerman[/TD] [TD]Scientist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Losy Kerman[/TD] [TD]Geologist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Currently Assigned to UKS Laythe Station [TABLE=width: 100%] [TR] [TD]Name [/TD] [TD]Occupation [/TD] [TD]Decorations [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Milke Kerman[/TD] [TD]Phase 1 Commander[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Elmon Kerman[/TD] [TD]Phase 1 Chief Engineer[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Milgas Kerman[/TD] [TD]Phase 1 Chief Scientist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Ellorf Kerman [/TD] [TD]Phase 1 Engineer [/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Carson Kerman [/TD] [TD]Phase 1 Geologist [/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Thompler Kerman[/TD] [TD]Phase 1 Climatologist[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]

[TABLE=width: 1000, align: center] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD] UNITED KERBIN STATES Ministry of Aviation, Space Exploration & Colonization [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [NOTE: The following thread is designed to tell a good story in addition to featuring picture-heavy mission logs. In the interest of realism, I plan to take some personal liberties with the Kerbal universe, with respect to its history, technological development and whatnot. The stuff that I make up here is clearly not canonical. Mods featured in the thead will often be portrayed as third-party contracting companies providing the parts in said mods, like KW Rocketry, B9 Aerospace, etc. I'd also like to give credit to jfjohnny5 for making the flag used to represent the United Kerbin States, which I've borrowed from his Customizable Mission Flags thread. Proper credit will be given to anyone else who's material is featured in this thread. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this little piece of fiction I've put together!] Table of Contents: Current Kerbonaut Roster Chapter 1: When We Left Kerbin Geb 1: The First Kerbal in Orbit Geb 2: Staying in Space Longer Geb 3: Around the Poles Geb 4: Step out of the Capsule Isis 1: A Detailed Study of Kerbin's Atmosphere Isis 2: The Chemistry of Kethane Geb 5: An Unexpected Journey Isis 3: Mun Science Package Geb 6 & 7: Rendezvous and Docking [*]Chapter 2: The Next Giant Leap Isis 4: Minmus Science Package Aten 1: Testing the New Design Aten 2: To the Mun and Back Aten 3: Kerbin System Grand Tour Aten 4: The Lupus V Aten 5: The First Landing on Mun Aten 6: On to Minmus [*] Chapter 3: A Home in Space Newet Phase 1: UKS Kerbin Station Newet Phase 2: Meet the new Aten Horus 1: Single Stage to Orbit Newet Phase 3: Building Minmus Station Newet Phase 4: Commissioning Minmus Station Horus 2: Visiting the North Pole Newet Update: Minmus Kethane Run Isis 5 & 6: Duna & Ike Science Packages Horus 3: The Circumnavigation of Kerbin Newet Phase 5: UKS Mun Station New Hardware Testing Isis arrives at Duna Project Newet Completion [*] Chapter 4: The Explorers Driving on Mun Driving on Minmus Isis 7, 8 & 9: Eve/Gilly Science Packages Horus 4: Spaceplane Grand Tour Isis Arrives at Eve Project Anubis Announced Anubis II: Unmanned Duna Lander Test Mun Arch Close-Up Anubis Roster Announced Anubis III: Manned Lander Test Isis X: New Mapping Probe Anubis IV: A Memorable Rescue Isis 11-14: Ambitious Exploration of Jool Anubis Departs for Duna Kerbin System Housekeeping Project Anubis: The Duna Landing Anubis Duna Excursion 1 Isis 15 & 16: RAMSES Maps the Moons Duna Excursion 2: Lets go for a Drive Isis 17 & 18: RAMSES to Vall & Tylo [*] Chapter 5: Here to Stay Horus 5: The Space Shuttle Anubis Duna Excursion 3 Horus 6: Expansion of Kerbin Station & Shuttle's First Manned Flight Anubis Takes Off from Duna Horus 7: A New Batch of Kerbals Anubis Lands on Ike The Shuttle Circumnavigates Kerbin Mun Exploration Mission 3 Isis 19 & 20, and the Mapping of Moho Project Anubis Returns Home Isis Jool Grand Tour [*] Chapter 6: Brave New World ODM 1: Laythe Lander Unmanned Test ODM 2: Flying Fox Rover Test ODM 3: Laythe Unmanned Refueler Test ODM 4: Jool Optimized Kethane Extraction ODM 5: Laythe Lander Manned Test Osiris Phase 1 Preparations Isis & Osiris Phase 1 Depart for Laythe ODM 6: Kethane Extraction & Recovery Module Test A Tour of MASEC R&D ODM 7, Part 1: Phase 2 Announced & South Polar Base ODM 7, Part 2: Crew Shuffle and SPB Staffing Isis 22 & 23: RAMSES Eve & Gilly Arrival at the Jool System RAMSES Maps Dres & Eeloo First Pol Landing Mobile Mun Base Part 1 A More Detailed Pol Visit Landed on Laythe at Last! Fennec Drives on Laythe Horus 9: New & Improved Shuttle

Just want to say I think these flags are amazing. If it's alright with you, jfjohnny5, I'd like to use the Kerbin flag as part of my new 'Mission Logs' thread as the flag of my fictional United Kerbin States. I will totally link back to this thread and give you credit for it naturally.

You should be able to go to the tracking station, select the flight in question, and select "Recover" and it will bring your Kerbals back. You can also "terminate" but this will kill the Kerbals.

This was my specialized Minmus Kethane Rig. Could extract 64000L of Kethane and bring it back to Kerbin orbit for processing at a propellant depot. I have designs of an even larger one with a capacity of 96000L

Is what new?

I might catch some flak for this but...

This was my solution to the problem. I decided that rather than build a big sprawling space station because it looks cool, I'd make smaller more practical ones where the modules actually had a defined purpose for what I had in mind.

As the above poster said, you need to flip the rover wheels-down and see where the center of mass is located. It should be as close to half-way between the wheels as possible. Too far forward and you will flip forward when braking, and too far back and you'll flip over backwards when accelerating. Also you want the center of mass to be as close to the ground as possible when driving. Not sure if this matters either but you should have the wheels exactly vertical when driving. I think yours are slightly slanted in that screenshot.

I plan to do something similar, maintaining a base on Laythe using Kethane from Bop. My plan however is to use a vertically launched and vertically landing rocket to accomplish the fuel transfers. A SSTO rocket on Laythe is easy because you only need about 2800m/s of delta v to get into orbit, so you can build a single stage rocket with a large payload mass fraction.

It really depends where you want the Kethane to actually be used. Whatever planetary system you plan to use it in, that's the system you should harvest from. Transporting raw Kethane across interplanetary distances is wasteful. If you have operations on more than one planet, I suggest a different mining/processing operation designed specifically for that system. What you want to optimize is the Kethane mass fraction of your craft as it lifts the kethane off of whatever body it was mined from. By this I mean, the highest weight percent kethane possible, after propellant, structural and other weight. This is best done from the lowest gravity bodies. In the Kerbin system, this is Minmus, which is the ideal place to extract Kethane. The very low gravity means you can use smaller, lighter engines and still have a good thrust-to-weight ratio, and the lower delta-v requirements mean you can carry less fuel, maximizing the fraction of your craft's loaded mass that is kethane. Minmus' orbit is only inclined a small amount, not enough to really matter so long as you do mid-course corrections away from Kerbin. For Duna, it again depends what you're doing with the Kethane. If your operations are on the surface of Duna, then you're better off getting it from Duna itself via rover-based operations. If your base is in orbit around Duna, you are better off getting it from Ike and transporting it the short distance over to Duna orbit, to avoid Duna's higher gravity and atmosphere. Even if there are no equatorial deposits on a moon, all you have to do is approach from a non-equatorial orbit, adjusting your inclination from as far away as possible to save fuel. In the Jool system your best options are either Bop or Pol. Pol is more efficient (lower gravity, less inclination) but Bop is probably easier to land on.

I got to thinking, and it might actually be possible in very specific circumstances. Remember, a positive gravity assist will eject you from the sphere of influence with a higher velocity than you came in with, because momentum is transferred between you and the object you are assisting with. KSP models gravity assists, or at least positive ones where you go around retrograde side (trailing edge) of the body in a counterclockwise orbit. Negative gravity assists exist as well, where you swing around in front of the leading edge of the body in a clockwise orbit, which gravity assists to reduce your velocity. In theory, then, if you entered the sphere of influence with a very very low relative velocity and on a trajectory to receive a negative gravity assist, the loss of momentum may allow a captured (but highly elliptical) orbit.

I'm not sure the math checks out on that one. The end result of launching with the upper stage empty, or fuel ducted backwards, is the same: The empty craft in orbit. Since the mass in orbit is the same, the amount of propellant expended should also be the same or similar to get it there. But I could be wrong. Might be interesting to experiment. Keep in mind that I'm only considering the amount of propellant required to do a job, which is what I meant in my original suggestion.

Yep, it does, and back when I used the MechJeb autopilot I did that to get to Minmus, because it save all that delta-v that would otherwise be needed to do a plane-change. Doing it by hand isn't all that hard either: You'd launch vertically as per normal, do an eastward gravity turn as per normal, and then nudge north or south a little bit (using MechJeb's orbit info display will tell you what your inclination is, as an assistance to a manual launch).

A good trick is to set Minmus as your target while still on the launch pad. Minmus' orbit is inclined by 6 degrees, so wait until either the ascending or descending node passes over KSC and launch directly into its orbital plane (either 6 degrees above or below the equitorial plane, you'll be able to see from map view). The closer you can get to its orbital plane during the launch, the easier this will be. This will allow you to create a maneuver node, once in orbit, out to Minmus orbit, and drag it around your Kerbin orbit until you get an intercept, much like people do with Mun from a standard equatorial orbit.

It's not possible I don't think. You'd have to have a relative velocity of exactly zero when you cross the sphere of influence, so that when you loop back around in your orbit and return to the edge of the sphere of influence your velocity is again exactly zero. Any positive relative velocity to the Mun as you cross into its sphere of influence will mean you will always have a velocity above the escape velocity. The only objects that can capture you without using any propellant are bodies with atmospheres for aero-capture.

Use this calculator: http://alterbaron.github.io/ksp_aerocalc/ Once inside the sphere of influence of the desired planet, enter your current orbital altitude and velocity, and it will compute what orbit you're on. Enter the desired apoapsis of your final orbit after aero-capture, and it will spit our what periapsis you need to aerobrake through to get that. Be careful not to be too aggressive with a low apoapsis, the calculator may instruct you to fly through a periapsis low enough that you'll re-enter and crash. Better to do several aero-breaking passes, gradually shrinking your orbit, and then boosting periapsis out of the atmoshphere and circularizing with your engines.

Attach decoupler. Attach booster to decoupler. Grab the decoupler (which will now grab the decoupler and the booster as a unit) and move it around to where you want it.