The Artemis Program: Uncharted Territories (Apollo Applications Program Challenge)

[Coga19000]

For over a decade, the proud nation of the Kerbals had achieved a goal thought impossible by past generations; escaping the warm embrace of their home planet's life-breathing atmoshpere, and reaching towards the stars, into space. They had filled the empty skies with unmanned satellites which changed the technological evolution of Kerbalkind forever, they had conducted experiments that brought modern science upside down; they had even sent Kerbals into orbital stations, living for weeks with nothing by themselves and their cramped confines to accompany them to their journey through nothing.

And now, it was time to aim higher. The Kerbals were willing to develop larger technologies, that would enable them to leave the embrace of Kerbin altogether and reach new, alien bodies; to bravely traverse the vast vacuum, and , like a well-aimed arrow, to reach in a clean rajectory towards their targets. Even President John F. Kerman offered a huge goverment funding on the project, enabling the progam to fullfill its ambitious plans.

This was the age of Uncharted Territories. This was the beginning of the Artemis Program.

The Artemis Program:

An Alternate-Universe Take on the Apollo Applications Program

This thread is a short fan fiction, based on my progress to GregroxMun's amazing Apollo Applications Program challenge. It is mostly a report of my progress, but I'll aim to make it a pleasant experience. Each chapter will be posted individually, as I complete each step. Now, there's no more to say; I hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 1: Safety first? Who makes the rules around here?

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"There she is. Beautiful, isn't she?"

"You bet she is. The official beginning."

"It looks so much like the real one."

"Yeah, who would quess it's just a shell made of boiler plate steel."

"But still, she will get the job done. Well, I hope."

"Don't worry, everything works like clockwork up to this point. And it's not like this is a super important phase or anything, right?"

"I wish you were right. But many people have questioned our capacity up to this point. They think we are progressing too far too fast, and they will cling to the smallest mishap to prove their point, especially after the Cronus I disaster. We cannot afford to start off in the wrong foot."

"Relax, kerbal. I led this phase of the program myself, and your eggheads have run the calculations, right? It will work alright."

"I hope you're right."

The two Kerbals, Bob and Bill Kerman, were standing on the launchpad, next to the boilerplate of the Artemis Command Capsule. The sizable capsule, with a tall Launch Escape System atached to the top, shed its shadow on the two childhood friends, waiting patiently for the Launch Pad Abort System.

This test was one of utmost importance, as it would prove the safety of the Artemis progam. The Launch Escape System would separate the capsule from the Decoupler scheduled to separate the capsule from the rest of the rocket for atmospheric reentry later, and fly it away from the launchpad, the same way it will have to fly it away from an exploding rocket. Then, the capsule's parachutes would open for the capsule to land safely on the ground next to the launchpad.

"Sorry I'm late, guys. Is that the capsule?"

Both turned over to see a heavily breathing figure, most probably having sprinted the way there. That figure was a living symbol; the legendary Jebadiah Kerman, founder and CEO of the Jebadiah Kerman's Junkyard and Rocket Parts Company, current head of the Kerbal AeroSpace Administration, and the first Kerbal in space.

"Hello, Jeb. And that is not really a capsule, more like a dummy of it. But it's the closest we have up to this point."

"Good enough for me. But I have a question regarding its design."

"Yes, Jeb? What is it?" said Bob raising his eyebrow; Despite his brilliant mind, Jeb rarely showed any interest in the technical details. He generally felt more at home with devising innovative concepts with Wernher, and well, recklessly riding controlled explosions to the skies.

"Where is the rest of the rocket?"

Bill and Bob sighed in union. "It is not a launch test, Jeb" said Bill. "We are only supposed to check whether the Launch Escape System is capable of pulling the capsule away from a rocket."

"Ohh right, the LPAT. I thought I had deemed this project redundant already."

"Yes you did, but we could not just skip that phase. In case you don't remember, your brother had put as a term for the funding that maximum safety shall take priority over everything else, especially early on."

"Anyways guys, time to step back into the bunker. The test will take place in three minutes" stepped in Bob.

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"See? I told you" said Bill happily to Bob. "It was the most perfect sequence we could hope for. No flaws, no difficulties, just clean separation and landing."

"I quess you were right. It was truly flawless" replied Bob, much calmer now, and with a newfound enthusiasm in his voice. "Okay guys", he said to the engineers behind him, "go retrieve that boilerplate and prepare it for attachment to Lanky Jill. We're launching A-001 today!"

"... that was my call to make, but I'll let you get away with it this time. We're go for launch" said Bill, a tad irritated.

"Heyheyheyhey, it was MY call to make, Bill. I'm still in lead of this projec, am I not?" said Jeb, much more irritated.

"Yeaaah, like it matters. You were going to order the launch anyways, wee you not? I can see it in your eyes."

"Well, duh!" he replied, in a more playful tone. "I came over here to see a real rocket launch, and I ain't leaving this bunker until I see one!"

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"Everything is prepared, boss. A-001 is safely stationed on the launch pad. Inspection to this point has shown nominal function. Launch angle for this testing was se tto 28 degres to the West, as planned" said an engineer o Bill afer entering the bunker.

"Good job, Rendurf. Get the eggheads at Mission Control ready, we're launching in two minutes."

Lanky Jill II was a truly simplistic rocket. Descendant of Lanky Jill I, used for LES tests during the Hermes program, it was powered by a twin-nozzle BACC sustainer solid-fuel motor, while six Sepratron boosters were lit for 6 seconds to aid at initial launch. A malfunctional inertial navigation system caused the rocket to start spinning at around 130 m/s velocity, becoming uncontrollable at 315 m/s; this defection was by design, to better replicate a malfunctioning rocket at the transonic range of speeds for the LES test. At 360 m/s, the rocket imploded, causing -hopefully- the capsule to separate, and escape with the LES' solid motors.

"*huff*puff* Sorry I'm late, guys" said Valentina Kerman, as she came through the door ready to collapse of fatigue. "Oh thank the Kerm, you delayed the test. I thought you had already is that a Lanky Jill on the freaking Launchpad? I thought A-001 was for Tuesday?" she added, forgetting her fatique in her surprise.

"I understand your confusion, Val. The Launch Pad Abort was already done in its scheduled time, but the results were satisfying enough to allow the rescheduling of A-001 for today, speeding up the program on a whole."

Valentina raised her eyebrow. "Bob, how many times have I told you you don't need to speak like that all the time? Being able to act proffesional when need arised is nice and all, but we're all friends over here. It makes me feel a bit uncomfortable."

"*blushes* I'm sorry, Val. We have participated in so many meetings lately to get the Commitee to approve the project, it has kind of stuck. And you know I have a natural tendency to engage in loqasious dialo- Kerm-damnit, I mean beign verbal sorta comes out naturally to me. Sorry."

"It's okay" she replied, semi-successfully trying to prevent a small giggle. "It's not that bad, just somehing worth a small advisal. Okay, now, why did the program change so abruptly? I know our schedules are fluid, but this is a bit too sudden."

A casual nod towards the CEO's seat from basically every single personnel in the bunker was more than enough of an answer. "Oh, right, our beloved, responsible boss. Couldn't get through the day without witnessing a ocket launch, am I right, Jeb?"

Jeb raised his hands with a smile. "You got me over there, Val. And by the way, you didn't miss anything. The LPAT was nice and all, but it ended too fast. This should prove more interesting."

"That I'm sure about. I bet you are suffering internally for not being able to step in for a joyride in that thing."

"Yeah, totally. *like you could stop me if I wanted*"

"What did you whisper over there, Jeb?"

Bob failed to get an answer as Mission Control came in.

"Guys, we are ready to launch. T minus 30 seconds."

"Good job, Gene, patch the eggheads in. Telemetry?"

"Go."

"Electronics?"

"Go Flight."

"Propulsion?"

"We are Go Flight."

"*they are solids, it's not like they could malfunction* Range Safety?"

"We have a Go."

"Abort System?"

"Go."

"Comms?

"Some problems with the auxilliary antenna, but nothing mission-stopping. We are Go."

"Navigation?"

"No Go, but that's how it's supposed to be Flight."

"Very nice. All systems are Go. Motor ignition in T minus 13, 12, 11, 10, ..."

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"There we go, there we go! The whole system operated flawless! I was expecting the aerodynamic stress to be higher, but otherwise it was perfect!"

"Whatever, I could have told you tha-I meaaaan, I told you it would work fine."

This eyebrow-raising round was een more intense. "Jeb, it's obvious you're hiding something. What have you planned this time?" said Bill, very cautiously, but was also interrupted, this time from a young engineer rushing into the bunker.

"Sir, the A-002 rocket..."

"What happened to it?"

"I's gone!"

"WHAAT? Jeb! I know you have something to do! Spill it!"

"Yeaaah... you may recall that joyride Val mentioned, the one I was unable to step into? Turns out I was not."

"Jeb" said Valentina in an acid voice, "are you telling us you just hopped into a boilerplate capsule..."

"I would hop in if it was the boiler itself. And let me tell ya, I rode my first rocket into a much worse piece of crap than this pod."

"... on top of a rocket designed to violently explode in mid-air..."

"Oh boy, was it glorious. It will be a tough job for this Nova rocket you kep talking about to impress me after this firework."

"... with your only escape being a system that we had not tested yet?"

"Hey, it worked perfectly though. You saw it by yourselves just now."

"It worked- THAT's your point?" Her otherwise extreme cool, slowly diminishing through the course of this conversation, had finally depleted. "That's you excuse of stealing an extemely dangerous rocket supposed to be used for testing purposes and with no provisions whatsoever for kerbal-rated flight, and then flying it, possibly jeopardizing the program AND your head? What is wrong with you? And how will we conduct the max-Q test now?"

"If it makes you feel better, Wernher himself crunched the numbers, and told me Lanky Jill was not nearly poweful enough for flying at max-Q before the solids were depleted. He was the one who gave it to me, in fact, for "refurbishing and/or part recycling" purposes."

"But... I ... Wernher wouldn't... oh my Kerm he would... but... I don't. It shouldn't. What."

"I would simply give up if I was you" said Bob, giving her a pat on the back.

"I agree" added Bill, sighing in the proccess. "Me and Bob have gave up a long time as regards Jeb's antics. Okay, Rendurf, go back to the VAB and cancel A-002. It seems we got all the data we needed from this launch anyway. Say the launcher was refurbished for future projects; noone outside this bunkershould hear a word of your boss' "initiative". Afterwards, I trust the Cronus IB launcher is prepared? We'll be launching AS-201 in three days."

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Next Chapter: The first Saturn/Cronus IB launch!

Edited May 24, 2015 by Coga19000

[Whirligig Girl]

Nova? NOVA? Nova rocket? Has no one suggested a different approach? Perhaps Lunar Orbit Rendezvous? Or did Wernher von Kerman fire him after making the suggestion?

This will be interesting if you plan on building a Nova.

[Coga19000]

Nova? NOVA? Nova rocket? Has no one suggested a different approach? Perhaps Lunar Orbit Rendezvous? Or did Wernher von Kerman fire him after making the suggestion?

This will be interesting if you plan on building a Nova.

Actually, the Lunar Orbital Rendevous approach was seriously considered relatively late into the Apollo Program; the first Command/Service Modules used for the AS-20x tests did not have the provisions to dock with the LEM, because nobody considered this approach to be eventually chosen. Don't worry though. We're doing this Apollo style, damnit!

Of course, that doesn't mean Wernher over here will shut up about his Nova design (note to self: rename Nova to Kasanova when the storyline comes to this) until he is at least allowed to make a proof-of-concept landing. And all knowing that, after the main objective of President Kerman's funding is completed, a very certain Kerbal we all know and love will not let down a project that promises larger rockets, you know we'll see a Nova terrorise some poor Kerbals at the Press at some point