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Welcome to my fanfic! I hope you enjoy it. I'll be targeting a weekly release, but I won't guarantee it as I have schoolwork. Please also note that I play 1.2.2. As I do this in my main save, and I also play on a regular basis, I might not document each and every launch in the chapters. Instead, I will be posting regular The Kerbal Daily front pages to let you guys know what's going on in the save, so you guys don't find anything weird. These The Kerbal Daily posts are part of the story, they just let you guys know about things I do in the save that I don't feel are text-worthy. Contents: Chapter 1: KSC, we've had a problem Chapter 2: We launch. Tomorrow. Chapter 3: Shoot for the Moon Chapter 4: Where are we? The Kerbal Daily (Year 37, Day 219) Chapter 5: AAAAAHHHHHHH Chapter 6: What's this?! Chapter 7: Checkout Chapter 8: Oceanite Chapter 9: There's always more under the surface Chapter 10: Homecoming Chapter 11: The Curse lives on Chapter 1: KSC, we've had a problem "Booster separation at T+41 seconds." "KSC, we've had a problem. Something seems to have hit the first stage. We've felt, uh, a big jolt and now we feel weightless. We've also heard a pretty big bang. 'Booster emergency' and 'ballistic descent mode' light is on." "Copy that. Can you confirm separation from launch vehicle?" "Affirmative, Capcom. LV sep confirm." "Soyuz contingency declared." "Roger that, KSC. Aleksey and I are preparing for ballistic reentry." __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A few hours later, a press conference is held to discuss the implications of today's failed flight, its implications for the Kerbin Orbital Space Station, and the appropriate next course of action. Gene: "So, let's reiterate again what we know. The Soyuz launched out of LC-1 today at 9:40 am in the morning. At T+41 seconds, the boosters separated, and the astronauts reported a loud bang, a big jolt and feeling weightless. They reported a booster emergency light and a ballistic descent mode light. The crew landed safely in the waters off Cape KSC at T+5 minutes and 52 seconds, after experiencing a max G load of 6.7. Val, what consensus has the investigation board reached so far?" Val: "Based on flight telemetry, we infer that booster sep was uneven. We believe it is highly likely that one of the boosters' separatrons failed, causing it to smack against the fuselage. The first stage engine then failed due to loss of chamber pressure, and then the Soyuz abort system activated. By that time, the escape tower had already been jettisoned, but the shroud was still attached to the launch vehicle. The shroud engines were used to pull the capsule away instead. Please note that this a preliminary report and may be inaccurate or subject to change." Gene: "Okay, so that bit's over. Second objective- what should we do with the KOSS? Can co-director of flight operations Manley Kerman radio Station Commander Jeb on his insights?" Manley: "Jeb, this is Capcom. The team would like insights on your situation and what would fit the crew best." Jeb: "Roger that Capcom. The crew of Expedition 36 is running low on supplies, as they should have been brought to us by the latest Soyuz. We do have a few months of supplies left over, but we're eating into reserves. My recommendation is a supply capsule ASAP. Jeb: "Regarding the crew that should be on the station right now, my consensus is to take your time with the investigation, then send Soyuz MS-11 up when you guys feel like it. We can stay on the station for a bit longer." Manley: "Yes Jeb, but your Command Module uses UDMH/N2O4 fuel. The problem with that is it will freeze, and it will also corrode your tanks. For that reason, we require you to land, in the CM, by November. We would like to keep the station crewed, but before we can qualify the Soyuz for flight again, you will have to land." Jeb: "Roger that Capcom. We'll think about this. Keep my crew informed about the events to follow." Manley: "Roger." Manley: "Okay, so you heard the conversation- no consensus as of now." Gene: "Okay. I'd like co-director of flight operations Emiko Kerman suggest a plan as for what to do?" Emiko: "Cool! Why not? I suggest we do as Jeb says- send a resupply capsule up tomorrow. I've been up there myself, and I know exactly how it feels to be up there, eating into reserves. But I don't really agree that we should keep his crew up there. I say we land Expedition 36 and leave the KOSS unmanned until either we re-qualify Soyuz for flight, or Dragon 2 or Starliner comes online. We just have to hope the KOSS survives and doesn't need to much reparing once we get back up there." Gene: "Doesn't sound fun, but it'll have to do, I guess. We've completed or attempted to complete all major objectives, so I say we call it a day." As Gene makes his way back to the Astronaut Complex, he mutters under his breath: "This new ocean is going to be hard to conquer indeed."