Ussari Space Program! A highly [unstable] modded 64K career from behind the iron kertain!

[GarrisonChisholm]

  On 1/25/2016 at 6:05 AM, CatastrophicFailure said:

 

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...you had me at the shadows on the airbags.

[CatastrophicFailure]

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Greetings, Comrades!

Today we bring you thrilling account of pair of historical launches!

Grossly underfunded yet plucky Gytepi space program has succeeded in constructing their first spacecraft! They do, however, suffer from frustrating lack of launch vehicles, space ports, and any sort of necessary infrastructure. After session of tense negotiation with USKOSMOS and consumption of several bottles of surplus rocket fuel and (ABSOLUTELY NON-ALCOHOLIC) sake, historic international agreement has been reached! USKOSMOS agrees to provide launch vehicle and mission support service for Gytepi spacecraft in exchange for future overflight rights, and personal guarantee from Gytepi Kerbonauts to touch nothing!

 

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Launching on proven, reliable KI-B rocket is Two-Unit Recumbant International Space Transport, or TURIST, carrying brave Gytepi Kerbonauts Danly and Valna Kerman (no relation) who have signed body weight in paperwork to absolutely not touch controls! Highly advance Ussari mission control software will handle all control duties for two day duration of flight!

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TURIST follows standard launch profile of twin engine shutdown and staging at designated altitude.

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However, despite constant admonishments to touch nothing, problem occurs with fairing separation sequence and launch shroud/escape tower fails to fire separation motors and becomes lodged on nose of capsule!

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Quick thinking by mission control engineers and highly advance Ussari mission software is able to compensate for extra mass and adjust flight profile accordingly, saving mission and inserting TURIST into proper 139x250x42 km orbit. Launch shroud finally drifts away after engine cutoff without further issue.

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Spent upper stage is successfully jettisoned and TURIST now begins orbital operations.

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Brave Valna Kerman, who needs to keep hands to self like told!, snaps beautiful picture of launch shroud drifting sedately in orbit, which should at this moment be harmlessly burning up in atmosphere and has now become potentially dangerous piece of space junk. Snap harder, Valna!

That's better.

 

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TURIST is based around lightweight, simple conical capsule and robust all-hyrdrazine propulsion and maneuvering system. This also represents first flight carrying actual life support provisions on board courtesty of TAC life support. Thus supplied TURIST has endurance of up to eight days on orbit.

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Mission control uses opportunity to test station keeping and close proximity maneuvering capability of new craft. While test are satisfactory, it is found that TURIST suffers from disappointing lack of translational control authority, and future missions will need reengineered RCS nozzles. Brave but also obnoxiously touchy-feely Danly Kerman takes more photographs of problem he no doubt caused.

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With proximity maneuvers complete, hydrazine engine is fired to raise apokee to 322km and gain separation from space junk, since hull insurance policy specifically did not cover damage from Kerbonauts not keeping hands in space pockets!

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TURIST will remain in orbit for at least two days per agreement with Gytepi space agency, although crew may wish to delay landing due to long line of Ussaris wanting to smack borscht out of them still.

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But we do not rest, good Comrades, we do not rest! Even when mischievous contract Kerbonauts, like their bizarre tentacle cartoons, do not keep hands to selves! USKOSMOS has received directive from Imperious Academy of Sciences to begin detailed survey of potentially Kerbin-crossing asteroids from deep space. After long nights of intense calculations and yet more surplus rocket fuel, tired but stalwart Ussari engines have decided that none other than massive KI-3 heavy lift launcher will suffice for deep space, BKO mission!

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This represents first fully operational flight of cutting edge of global heavy lift technology! KI-3 masses just shy of 300 tonnes at liftoff, relying on brilliant yet simple layout of extra Krasniyy Ivan cores as boosters crossfeeding into center core, its 24 engines producing over four meganewtons of thrust! This fairly lightweight payload will rely on upperstage to boost it into kerbolar orbit between Kerbin and Eve. This is also first mission to test engine throttling for acceleration control rather than standard procedure of planned engine shut down. After throttling down to 60 just before burnout, boosters separate at 65km altitude. Equipped with automatic parachutes, they will be recovered from bewildered peasant's barn and stable for eventual re-use.

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Once boosters have separated, fully-fueled Krasniyy Ivan core stage follows typical profile into space. Fairing are jettisoned without issue (unlike certain overly inquisitive sticky-fingers Kerbonauts who shall remain namless) at 90km.

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Upper stage separates and makes brief engine burn, placing its self and payload into initial 250x33 km orbit. With all system checkouts complete, orbit is circularized with second burn shortly after.

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Upper stage makes single orbit before firing engines for third time, placing it on course out of Kerbin SOI and into deep space!

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With significant fuel still remaining due to light, 4-tonne payload, upperstage is successfully jettisoned, fully validating KI-3 architecture for upcoming Eve mission!

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Solar panels deployed and main comm dish activated, Academy of Science's AsterScope infrared telescope will soon begin vigilant watch for any small space bodies that might threaten Kerbin. Unfortunately it cannot detect small space bodies who also were supposed to touch nothing!

Mission shall resume in several weeks with deep space burn of on-board engine.

 

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[CatastrophicFailure]

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Greetings, Comrades!

Today, we begin with updates of ongoing missions.

 

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After two days in space, giving crews on ground adequate time to calm down, TURIST begins preparations for landing. Following de-orbit burn, service module and ballast is jettisoned.

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Remaining ballast provides extremely offset center of mass, combined with low profile cramped capsule allows highly efficient lifting re-entry, minimizing G forces on untrustworthy, grabby crew!

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Once parachutes have deployed, remaining ballast is jettisoned.

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TURIST lands without further incident in ocean off Ubacia Island. Despite unusual buoyancy of capsule, Gytepi crew is all smiles.
Smile harder, overly inquisitive sticky-fingered Gytepis.
That's better.

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Several weeks later, deep in interplanetary space, AsterScope performs remotely-executed circularization burn. Now on circular heliocentric orbit midway between Kerbin and Eve, probe will watch for any asteroids passing near Kerbin orbit. Signal delays of over five minutes give mission controllers real-world practice in deep-space remote maneuvering that will be necessary for upcoming Eve mission!

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AsterScope has now become most distant object still in active communication with Kermangrad control and continues to function toward goal of detecting fifteen potentially threatening asteroids.

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As launch window to Eve creeps ever closer, Ussari Union now gloriously returns to properly crewed spaceflight with launch of Zarya 2!

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Zarya 2 is first fully-operational launch of Zarya Blok-F1 spacecraft, crewed by none other than famous Kerbonauts Valentina Kermanova and Tercella Kerman!

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Resemblance to grumpy upside-down peasant completely coincidental!

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Jettison of abort motors shortly after staging sequence. Blok-F1 has received minor modifications following experiences of brave Valentina during harrowing rescue mission of Dibella Kermanov. It has also been fitted with proper life support systems allowing up to five day endurance on orbit, but is limited by battery capacity.

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Fearless Tercella and Valentina have chosen name Soyuz for historic capsule. After initial 226x72km orbit at 51.5* inclination for system checkout, Soyuz fires on-board hypergolic engines to circularize orbit.

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Marvel at spacious accommodations of cutting edge of spaceflight technology!

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On third orbit, first order of business is crucial EVA. Brave Tercella sorties from capsule while Mün hangs in background.

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Primary task for stalwart Tercella is construction of solar boom on hull of service module. Practice of orbital construction techniques absolutely vital to continued Ussari expansion into space, and will provide power to Soyuz beyond 10-hour life of on-board batteries.

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Construction of solar boom is sucessful despite finicky AWOL solar panel. Mission control gives go-ahead to continue mission with only one array set. Tireless Tercella then practices experimental on-orbit satellite construction, building small communications relay at end of boom before returning to capsule.

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EVA-1 now completed, Soyuz fires engines again, eventually soaring to record-setting 851 kilometer circular orbit. Crew uses opportunity to photograph Jool rusing over Mün.

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After several more orbits, unshakable Tercella again leaves cabin to test experimental space maneuvering backpack while safely tethered to Soyuz, eventually maneuvering to 50m away from ship before pausing to enjoy view. Like orbital construction, new jetpack will be absolutely critical to future space missions. Do not enjoy view too long, Tercella, is much work to be done yet!

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Before settling into Kerbin-observing segment of mission, communications relay is deployed from end of solar boom.

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Brave Valentina and Tercella spend full four days in orbit performing various experiments, gathering critical scientific data, and testing ship systems. Battery limitation of Blok-F Zarya will need addressing, but all other systems fully certified for operational flight! Crew fires engines one last time to begin descent. 

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Shortly before atmospheric interface, service module with attached solar boom is jettisoned to harmlessly burn up. Disintegrating fuel tanks will absolutely not spread toxic hypergolic propellants over vast swaths of critical fishing grounds of Tethys Inland Sea!

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Naturally offset center of mass of capsule allows lifting re-entry, limiting exposure of crew to excessive G-forces despite descent from such high altitude.

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While re-entry initially proceeds nominally, strange instability is encountered decelerating through Mach 2, turning capsule into airstream and bizarrely causing it to accelerate further!

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Drogue chute automatically deploys shortly after unplanned attitude change, correcting capsule to proper blunt-end-forward fight. This low supersonic instability will also need to be addressed in Blok-G Zarya.

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Rest of landing proceeds normally, Soyuz setting down gently in forest scrubland 170km north of Kermangrad. Ignore magically levitating Kerbals and pod, is absolutely not poorly doctored photograph!

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Brilliant Ussari engineers will waste no time in finding solutions to minor problems for Blok-G update to Zarya hardware. Communications difficulties despite CHAOS satellite network have also revealed need for major geostationary satellite to provide reliable communications with Ussari vessels during all phases of orbit. Meanwhile, launch window to Eve approaches in only 40 days, making for busy time ahead for USKOSMOS and glorious Ussari Space Program!

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Edited February 29, 2016 by CatastrophicFailure

[GarrisonChisholm]

I think I would rather just live-stream the Kommisar rather than play the game on my own.  :]

(is at Like limit for first day after weekend)

[PanzerAce]

I think the komissar live streams you. It's comrade political officer that you want more of 

[CatastrophicFailure]

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Greetings, Comrades! Is very busy few days here at Cosmodrome, and today we bring not one but trio of launches of massive KI-3 rockets!

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With ever increasing need for reliable communications at all points of globe, USKOSMOS has been tasked with orbiting pair of cutting edge keostationary satellites, providing vital communications to all corners of solar system! Massive satellites and high orbit demand largest launch vehicle on planet! Here, Kerbol CommSat II blasts off into sunrise!

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Why is Kerbol CommSat II launching before Kerbol Commsat I?

This, we do not speak of.

 

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Based on three Krasniyy Ivan-Extended rocket cores burning in parallel, launch will place nearly fully-fueled upper stage into orbit, saving expense and complexity of designing independent KTO transfer stage. In experimental modification to standard KI-3 flight profile, due to relative low mass of payload, outer pairs of engines are shut down at approximately 20km to maintain optimal thrust-to-weight ratio for automated MechIVAN pitch profile.

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Boosters separate at approximately 50km to a gentle unguided descent under massive parachutes into barren, unpopulated land absolutely not recently made so to facilitate speedier recovery of boosters!

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Fairings separate at edge of space, then core stage burns to depletion. In further modification to standard flight profile, upper stage will drift for several minutes to make separate, small circularization burn.

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Payload systems are given thorough checkout and transfer "keep-alive" solar panels are deployed. Pair of Layland Heavy Industries 'Reliant™' kerolox engines use second of four available ignitions to initiate 1900m/s burn to keosynchronous transfer orbit with apokee of 26,197km. Upper stage has been significantly modified with 3-axis hydrazine reaction control and ullage system for extended orbital operations.

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Six hours later, engines are again ignited for combined circularization/plane change maneuver. This first real-world test of extended operations of Kransiyy Ivan upper stage reveals significant loss of liquid oxium due to thermal boiloff. Future extended operations missions will need improved insulation or active cooling, it seems. However, upper stage provides only small portion of maneuver impulse, with on-board hypergolic engine of Kerbol CommSat II finishing burn successfully. 

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KCS2 then spends several days making small maneuvers to position its self above equator at longitude of Kermangrad Cosmodrome before finalizing orbit, deploying main solar panels, and activating cornucopia of communications dishes! One for every planet in solar system as well as additional target to active vessel!

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With Kerbol CommSat II is performing orbital maneuvers, Kerbol CommSat I launches from newly finished Launchpad 2A even while renamed Launchpad 1A is still undergoing standard post-launch reconditioning! Even two massive KI-3 vehicles can now launch virtually simultaneously! Pay no attention to errily similar visuals, Pad 2A is absolutely not in exactly same place as Pad 1A and switched through clever Kerbal Construction Time coding trickery!

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Launch of KCS1 proceeds nominally, and stack is soon coasting to keostationary orbital altitude. Diagram shows extreme (and expensive) 51 degree plane-change maneuver necessary due to high launch inclination.

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KSC1 maneuvers into slightly eccentric orbit in order to drift to specified position 180 degrees apart from KCS2 on opposite side of planet, to ensure uninterrupted coverage!

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All satellite systems are successfully activated once proper orbit is achieved!

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Final diagram showing absolutely perfect final orbital alignment of satellite pair. Final orbits were absolutely not! Hyperedited into place because c'mon, real xxxstationary satellites spend weeks and weeks reaching final orbits with sophisticated on-board active station keeping systems and support from dozens of extensively educated personnel backed up by massive computing power to maintain geostationary alignment over years and years!

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But we do not rest, good Comrades, we do not rest! With system-wide satellite network now secured, launch window to Eve arrives only three days later! Brilliant Ussari Engineers now prepare to launch largest rocket Kerbalkind has even seen!

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BORSCHT-Vagabond I mission will send automated lander to surface of Eve with fly-by of main buss continuing to targets of opportunity in inner solar system! B-V1 masses over three hundred tonnes on launchpad and features enormous cryogenic transfer stage, total mass of payload is just over twenty tonnes! All engines will burn at full throttle to deliver historic mission to orbit!

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Fairings are jettisoned as per standard at 88km, revealing interplanetary probe buss and sophisticated active cooling and keep-alive hardware!

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View from on-board camera as center core burns out and separates!

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KI-3 upper stage will burn nearly all on-board propellant to finish placing payload into orbit, then make series of correction and circularization burns.

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With all ignitions and most propellant spent, upper stage is discarded revealing new, ever-more-powerful hyrolox vacuum engine also from Layland Heavy Industries. Pay no attention to roomers, Comrades, new engine is absolutely not named for canine with extremely unfortunate haircut!

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No time is wasted preparing for first interplanetary transfer burn! Only 50 minutes after launch, absolutely-not-Poodle engine ignites for 5 minute, 2900m/s ejection burn.

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But once engine burns out, stalwart Mission Control engineers are faced with grave challenge! Mission stack teeters several times on brink of critical existence failure as attempts to stage transfer stage either crash reality its self or find it tenaciously following separated probe despite separation burn in blatant violation of laws of physics! After deployment of multiple classified reality modification techniques, Kraken-possessed transfer stage is left to drift off harmlessly into interplanetary abyss while BORSCHT-Vagabond I finally deploys solar panels and mission hardware, establishes hi-gain communication with Mission Control and sends back first preliminary test data from science instruments!

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B-V1 is now safely en-route to glorious purple world of Eve and potentially limitless supplies of borscht for hungry population! Already on course for encounter, transfer will take only 92 days with small correction burn on day 52 planned.

 

 

 

 

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Edited March 5, 2016 by CatastrophicFailure

[boccelounge]

"The last two pictures absolutely do not show vast swaths of green-irradiated wastelands in planet's northern hemisphere!"

Actually, all of your shots are gorgeous.  Glad to see you keeping this up-- been a great read (and visual).-- thanks.

[PanzerAce]

  On 2/29/2016 at 7:02 AM, boccelounge said:

"The last two pictures absolutely do not show vast swaths of green-irradiated wastelands in planet's northern hemisphere!"

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This, we do not speak of.

 

 

 

Also, good to see another set of launches come out. I think comrade political officer is my favorite character on this forum...

[Shania_L]

Cant believe you have lasted this long without a dedicated comn net, didn't you have a "not space station" that was handling your relays? I guess you are using the 24hr Kerbin day seeing as your KSO is at 26Mm (I use the 12Hr and get KSO at about 15Mm)

92 Days to Eve? I am looking at over 300 to get to Duna! I assume you are taking something of a shortcut? 2,900Dv burn? .... but, thats only 400m/sec more than Minmus!!

20tonne lifter ... hmm, seems I will have to speed up progress on HDIV

[CatastrophicFailure]

  On 2/29/2016 at 5:42 PM, Shania_L said:

Cant believe you have lasted this long without a dedicated comn net, didn't you have a "not space station" that was handling your relays? I guess you are using the 24hr Kerbin day seeing as your KSO is at 26Mm (I use the 12Hr and get KSO at about 15Mm)

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I've been mostly relying on my CHAOS net, which basically involves sticking antennae & solar panels on the spent upper stage and leaving it in low orbit. But as you can see, it inevitably bunches up & leaves gaps. Also, contract made me an offer I couldn't refuse. True Geosynchronous from 43* is quite a pain, tho.

 

  On 2/29/2016 at 5:42 PM, Shania_L said:

92 Days to Eve? I am looking at over 300 to get to Duna! I assume you are taking something of a shortcut? 2,900Dv burn? .... but, thats only 400m/sec more than Minmus!!

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According to MJ's porkchop, it's only a couple hundred m/s more than the most efficient window, but that would have meant waiting in orbit several days more, and I didn't want to test boiloff rates . 300 12-hour days to Duna sounds about right just guesstimating, gotta love those low transfer times to the inner planets tho. Landing on Duna with a comm delay, now that's a problem that still needs solving.

  On 2/29/2016 at 5:42 PM, Shania_L said:

20tonne lifter ... hmm, seems I will have to speed up progress on HDIV

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I look forward to seeing that . 20 tons is looking like the practical limit of 2.5m parts, might squeeze a little more out with better engines, but I was already well into 3.75-m parts for 25+ tonnes in the old KSA save. Realfuels booster much more efficient!

@boccelounge & @PanzerAce thanks & thanks . I can only take half the credit for the visuals, Scatterer does the hard part, I just end up in the right place at the right time.

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Meanwhile, progress on atomic rocket engine slightly slowed by minor technical difficulties at north pole research base. In completely unrelated news, pay no attention to eerie green lights in northern sky, absolutely not related to minor containment breach of airborne nuclear reactor. Distribution  of gas masks and potassium iodide pills completely coincidental! But probably best if you stay indoors for next couple of millennia or so...

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Edited March 1, 2016 by CatastrophicFailure

[Shania_L]

  On 3/1/2016 at 6:16 AM, CatastrophicFailure said:

I look forward to seeing that . 20 tons is looking like the practical limit of 2.5m parts, might squeeze a little more out with better engines, but I was already well into 3.75-m parts for 25+ tonnes in the old KSA save. Realfuels booster much more efficient!

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Without the final R&D I am still limited to 3.5m procedurals and 3m fairings/thrust plates, HDIV will be a 30 tonne lifter. Triple arrangement like your KI-3, but weighing somewhere around 360tonnes, I still need to work out some details of it .. like trying to stage at the mach 1 boundary ... but I'm getting there ..... Although its in a bit of an SLS like situation where I will have a lifter but not really any payloads for it, yet.

Considering I had just made a point about our differing day lengths, I then go and make a direct 92 to 300 day comparison . 300 being 50% larger than 92 makes sense now for an outward journey rather than inward.

[CatastrophicFailure]

  On 3/1/2016 at 10:47 PM, Shania_L said:

Without the final R&D I am still limited to 3.5m procedurals and 3m fairings/thrust plates, HDIV will be a 30 tonne lifter. Triple arrangement like your KI-3, but weighing somewhere around 360tonnes, I still need to work out some details of it .. like trying to stage at the mach 1 boundary ... but I'm getting there ..... Although its in a bit of an SLS like situation where I will have a lifter but not really any payloads for it, yet.

Considering I had just made a point about our differing day lengths, I then go and make a direct 92 to 300 day comparison . 300 being 50% larger than 92 makes sense now for an outward journey rather than inward.

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Hmm... what's the issue of staging around Mach 1?

[Shania_L]

  On 3/1/2016 at 11:19 PM, CatastrophicFailure said:

Hmm... what's the issue of staging around Mach 1?

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You get some funky airflow in the transonic region, its generally best not to linger there (here lie backflips and other directional uncertainties). When staging my rocket designs tend to drop their TtW ratios pretty close to 1:1, also the centre of mass and/or centre of lift can shift quite dramatically when releasing larger boosters which can also de-stabilise the rocket.

If you can maintain a decent acceleration and ensure your CoM/CoL wont interfere with each other you should be ok staging there, but for me it has more often than not lead to 'bad things'.

[Ten Key]

  On 2/21/2016 at 3:09 AM, CatastrophicFailure said:

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One thing I've found in my own play through is that a lot of the flags end up looking like enormous bumper stickers slapped on by an inattentive intern. I've had some luck cutting the logos down so they don't go all the way to the edge of the mesh. A little bit of transparency goes a long way.

 

[CatastrophicFailure]

  On 3/3/2016 at 3:26 AM, Ten Key said:

One thing I've found in my own play through is that a lot of the flags end up looking like enormous bumper stickers slapped on by an inattentive intern. I've had some luck cutting the logos down so they don't go all the way to the edge of the mesh. A little bit of transparency goes a long way.

 

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Wow that's awesome  Are those stock flags or a decal add on? And that's not Ven's retexture is it?

Just demonstrates the limits of my artistic talent. Never once occurred to me to make a triangular graphic to fit a conical shape 

[Ten Key]

  On 3/3/2016 at 7:12 PM, CatastrophicFailure said:

Wow that's awesome  Are those stock flags or a decal add on? And that's not Ven's retexture is it?

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Those are stock flags. All I did was change the edges from red to transparent. The last image is in the proper KSP format. . .just drop it into your flags folder and you should be good to go.

The capsules are from an older retexture pack: 

Edit: Oh, there is one minor drawback. EVA flags are determined by the flag on the ship, so if you plant a flag with that logo you'll get one with the cropped logo on a white flag instead of the full flag of the Ussari Union. 

Edited March 3, 2016 by Ten Key

[CatastrophicFailure]

@Ten Key cool, I'll have to play around with this. All my flags are actually from a decal mod (they even burn off on reentry occasionally), hopefully that will make it simpler, KSP can be awfully balky about flags. Tho needing to worry about EVA flags is a very very long way off, if ever. 

[CatastrophicFailure]

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Greetings, Comrades! Today, we bring back old friend for late early pre-weekend preview edition with mostly sort-of uncut hullcam footage!

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Why return to obsolete, outdated launch vehicle?
We find one behind couch cushions, and was nearing expiration date, so...

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[CatastrophicFailure]

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Greetings, Comrades! Today brings end of busy busy month for tireless Ussari Space Program! Edicts from Imperious Academy of Sciences with extremely short deadlines have led to flurry of activity and record construction pace!

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First, we go back to Mün for experimental impact mission!

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KI-EX booster places payload into 90 degree orbit to prepare for Münar intercept!

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Upper stage has been specially modified with full attitude controls, long-range communication equipment, tank insulation and active radiators to minimize LOX boiloff. Also on board is prototype hydrogen/oxium fuel cell, to verify performance ahead of future launches. Small probe carries Flashometer spectrometer to observe ejecta plume from high-speed impact!

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Over-the-pole TMI burn comes only 50 minutes after orbital insertion, but even with this minor dwell time, significant LOX boiloff is observed, leading to premature engine shutdown. Final 50 m/s is completed by on-board hydrazine thrusters, and mission continues nominally. Fuel cells are brought on line and demonstrated to sufficiently power all craft systems even with solar panels obscured.

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Just after entry into Münar SOI, main probe detaches and uses small on-board thruster to adjust perimün to safe distance, while transfer stage adjusts trajectory for impact near north pole.

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Upper stage impacts only few kilometers from pole, revealing first look at chaotic terrain. Fuel cells continue to perform perfectly, barely using on-board fuel and powering all systems until impact.

However, despite confirmation of impact, no data is recorded as spectrometer passes over impact site. Perhaps this is due to probe being on escape trajectory and not in orbit? More research shall be needed...

 

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But we have no time for rest, Comrades! Shortly before this launch, assembled in record time of only three days, surplus Stolitsa launcher placed specially modified upper stage into orbit for mission to further expand Ussari dominance of crewed space flight!

Now, its self assembled in record of only four days, Zarya 3 blasts off into predawn sky to rendezvous with docking target!

 

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Rookie crew of Pilot Lujorie Kerman and Engineer Megdine Kerman have chosen name of Orel for historic capsule!

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Successfully placed into low 130km chase orbit, intrepid crew perform system check and prepare for initial 50m/s rendezvous burn only few minutes away!

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After further 40m/s tuning and 50m/s velocity match burns, Orel crew finally lay eyes on target!

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Docking target, codenamed AGENA, is based on Stolitsa upper stage with necessary equipment added. Extremely light payload leaves plenty of hypergolic fuel in AGENA's tank!

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After practicing visual and automatic station keeping for one orbit, crew activates autonomous docking system and Orel begins backing into target docking port. Approach is perfect, but latches fail to engage. Orel backs off and repeats approach, again with no success. Unshakable Lujorie Kerman then takes manual control from docking tunnel and makes precision approach with docking probe retracted, but still stubborn docking latches refuse to engage! With mission hanging by thread, Orel moves way while mission control examines problem. Design notes of Sentient Bread are consulted, and solution is found!

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Brave Megdine Kerman performs unscheduled untethered EVA for impromptu gender reassignment on docking port!

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With Orel's docking port now convinced it is no longer female, mission can proceed! Unshaken Megdine uses opportunity to inspect docking port of target for any possible trouble, and, finding none, returns to capsule.

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MechIVAN is again engaged, and now docking proceeds flawlessly! Crew are soon treated to rhythmic bang of latches closing, securely locking ships together.
(footage will be posted as soon as YouTube cooperates, oy!
First order of business, stalwart Megdine returns to space and proceeds to hull of AGENA to install more solar panels, as existing panels were found to be both weak and... troublesome after target reached orbit. Nice going, Meg!

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Full power now recharges Orel's on-board batteries and next phase of mission commences!

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Orel's engines are shut down, and hypergolic Coxwain engines use second ignition to boost combined vehicle to record-setting 1600km orbit, fearless Lujorie and Megdine now become highest Kerbals ever! Only slightly worried about increased radiation exposure, once orbit is circularized, crew begin three more days of high-altitude observation and experiments. Balance of mission is completed without incident, and crew fires AGENA's engines for final time to begin descent.

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Periapse is lowered to just above Kerbin's atmosphere, then Orel safely undocks, remaining fuel more than adequate to maneuver for own re-entry.

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AGENA plunges into atmosphere at impressive speed, before burning and breaking up and absolutely not scattering flaming rocket debris all over non-signatory third party nation!

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One orbit later, Orel follows detaching from service module just above atmosphere.

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Orel features aerodynamic stabilizers of earlier Zarya blok in attempts to mitigate transsonic instabilities noticed on previous flight.

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However they are revealed to be slightly underengineers for deployment at high speed, leading to only slightly unstable re-entry for crew...

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...and moderately rough landing. However, crew remains good spirits and humor is not tarnished by anything that can't be washed off. Zarya continues to perform admirably, while minor details related to landing may need addressing in further revisions.

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Edited March 16, 2016 by CatastrophicFailure

[CatastrophicFailure]

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As promised, on-board video of successful docking!

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[CatastrophicFailure]

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Greetings, Comrades! Today we bring Super-Exended-But-Slightly-Truncated Edition update after exceptionally busy month of setting new space records!

Glorious Ussari Union continues to demonstrate unquestioned domination of crewed spaceflight with inaugural launch of new Krazniyy Zarya orbital spacecraft!

 

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Powerful KI-A booster lofts fearless Valentina Kermanova and novice of manly beard but somewhat-lacking-courage Shelrie Kerman into low orbit to begin unprecedented 20+ day space odyssey! 

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Crew has chosen name Stoychi Muzhik for first launch of new design! Krazniyy Zarya is based on expanded and extended frame of tested Zarya craft, with new orbital segment configurable for long-duration spaceflight for standard flight crew of two, or carrying up to four additional Kerbals for up to five days in orbit!

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Configurable universal storage racks allow for unlimited mission versatility...

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...by carrying any combination of low-volume cargo, life support, scientific, or other pallets! Expansive solar arrays provide reliable, long-term power!

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Newly standardized docking port subassembly includes approach radar and antennas for cutting-edge MechIvan automatic docking computer, as well as ample room for docking pilot to fly manually. Dazzling array of cameras assure complete situational awareness!

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Long-range telescopic camera! Marvel at high resolution full-monochrome display! 

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Wide-angle camera for essential "big picture" spacial awareness!

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Night vision! For low-light stellar observation and orbital darkness docking maneuvers!

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After initial system checkout, Stoychi Muzhik proceeds to mission altitude of 350 kilometers.

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After a touch of stargazing, crew settles in for long mission!

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Ten days later, while crew of first Krasniyy Zarya continue to report good spirits and perfectly functioning sytems, yet another KI-EX rocket blasts off from Kermangrad! Note extended adapter fairing...

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This loaded-to-gills KI-EX is carrying latest-generation Zarya craft, newly designed Blok-G and orbital docking adapter!

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Docking adapter will first test viability of Zarya platform as orbital tug as stack proceeds to initial parking orbit.

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Newly uprated Zarya Blok-G carries lower-capacity universal storage rack, including powerful new fuel cell! No longer limited by battery life, Blok-G is expected to be capable of independent flight of up to five days. On board is veteran crew of Tercella Kerman and Lujorie Kerman!

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Using her valuable experience from previous flight, as well as latest generation MechIvan rendezvous computer, fearless Lujori begins approach to Stoychi Muzhik!

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In only few hours, target is now in range!

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Both vessels use opportunity to practice automatic and manual station-keeping while waiting for orbital nightfall.

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With darkness now upon them, unshakable Valentina Kermanova takes role of active docking craft, and begins semi-automatic night-time approach to fully evaluate new docking systems!

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Both vessels perform flawlessly as expected, and docking latches close high above Kermangrad, cementing record of first crewed docking! Combined craft now technically fits scope of first space station, as well! Orbital docking adapter carries extra supplies, instruments, and living quarters, and both crews are soon happily shaking hands, celebrating largest number of Kerbals in space to date as orbital sunrise graces them!

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Long day. Next part to appear tomorrow.

 

Edited March 17, 2016 by CatastrophicFailure

[CSE]

Simply awesome pictures there.

[PanzerAce]

Clearly, comrade political officer is worn out as well. He didn't once mention how the high resolution and night vision cameras weren't for spying on KSC....

[CatastrophicFailure]

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Greetings, Comrades! Please excuse interruption, bad borscht. Never trust green borscht. Moving on...

After five days in orbit engaged in joint scientific measurements and absolutely not peeking at KSC in dark, crews say their do svidaniya's and close hatches for final time. Blok-G Zarya's experimental fuel cell oxyim is nearly depleted, as expected, demonstrating full five-day endurance even with above-normal power draw. Crew then undocks and spends an orbit practicing more station keeping and docking approaches before initiating separation burn to return gloriously to Kerbin!

 

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Docking adapter is now left jointed to Stoychi Muzhik while Blok-G makes uneventful re-entry. Design and procedures have now been updated to eliminate mildly annoying transsonic instabilities. Here, spent service module spectacularly burns up in atmosphere! High-altitude dispersion of Aerozine and NTO over large area of rebel province of South Erakonia absolutely non-toxic!

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Meanwhile, far away in deep space, BORSCHT-Vagabond I makes mid-course correction maneuver, bringing  eventual closest approach to Eve down to only 500km above cloud-tops. Encounter is now only 40 days away!

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Back over Kerbin, after record setting 26-day stay in orbit, crew of Stoychi Muzhik fire thrusters to begin descent to surface and hero's welcome! And bath. Long bath. Much soap. No room for space shower, as of yet.

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Docking module is discarded shortly before atmospheric entry.

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Re-entry of larger capsule proceeds nominally. Capsule proves extremely stable, on-board reaction wheels have plenty of power to maintain proper angle of attack for lifting entry, minimizing exposure of crew to harmful excessive acceleration. Behold, picturesque flight over Lake Athiland! Formerly known as Kingdom of Athiland.

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Just before touchdown, braking rockets fire, giving tired but undaunted kerbals buttery soft landing 200km north of Kermangrad!

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But we do not, rest, Comrades, we do not rest! Braking rockets still smoking when thunder again roars over Kermangrad Cosmodrome!

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KI-EX booster shortly delivers latest payload into orbit, Vagabond II probe, destined for distant red world of Duna!

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After 3.2km/s burn from cryogenic transfer stage, probe now flies freely! Multiple simulations reveal counter-intuitive finding that 50 degree orbit is much more efficient for Duna transfer than minimum-inclination 43 degree orbit. It also appears that efficient transfer to Duna is much more dependent on ideal launch window.

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Vagabond II finally deploys solar panels and science equipment, soon leaving Kerbin SOI and disappearing into interplanetary space until sufficient range is reached for dish antenna cone to cover adequate targets. Duna encounter now 144 days away! Probe has limited delta-V budget of only 1100m/s, and will attempt to gravity capture into Duna orbit, unlike Vagabond I which will simply flyby Eve and on into inner solar system.

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But there is no rest yet, good Comrades! More bandwidth is needed for upcoming historic landing on Eve, and ever focused on self-improvement, USKOSMOS will not long be satisfied with only technically having space station!

But for now, sun sets on another glorious day in Ussari Space Program!

 

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Edited March 20, 2016 by CatastrophicFailure

[CatastrophicFailure]

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Greetings, Comrades!

Is day of mixed emotions, but first, the glory!

 

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Riding atop massive KI-3 booster, Glorious Ussari Union launches first purpose-built space station into orbit!

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TINKAN-1 launches with reliable Blok-F Zarya craft already in position, crewed by new-to-space-program-but-highly-trained operatives observation officers P and S. That is all.

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Monolithic launch of Kerballed orbital laboratory allows for great simplicity of program and reduction of cost by avoiding second launch of crew and complicated rendezvous procedures, but necessitates heaviest payload ever attempted! TINKAN-1 masses well over 30 tonnes, far beyond nominal capacity of even KI-3 booster.

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Fairings and abort motors separate as core stage follows unusually steep trajectory into space.

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KI-3 upper stage burns all fuel and separates with TINKAN-1 still on significantly sub-orbital trajectory...

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...On-board orbital maneuvering engine is then employed to place station into final 250kmx50* orbit

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Final checks are completed, and all solar arrays, radiators, antennas, and miscellaneous scientific greebles successfully deployed! Crew then opens hatch to inspect home in orbit for next 60 days. TINKAN-1 is absolute pinnacle of aerospace technology! TINKAN-1 is shining beacon of completely self-contained closed-loop environment! TINKAN-1 is absolutely not named for thin-walled non-perishable food container used extensively in construction!
(No, really, is mostly aluminum...)

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Most important and single largest component of space complex, highly advanced 270-degree active scanning Kerbin sciences camera, with cutting edge on-board film processing laboratory! Is absolutely not sub-meter resolution ground reconnaissance camera!

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Several days later, BORSCHT-Vagabond 1 probe finally enter Eve's sphere of influence. After careful analysis of initial data, mission planners propose reconfiguration of mission to bring Vagabond-1 probe bus into stable but highly elliptical obit for long-term study of perplexing purple planet. BORSCHT lander is therefore detatched shortly after SOI entry.

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BORSCHT uses on-board engines to reduce relative speed drop trajectory into Evean atmosphere, while Vagabond-1 will continue ahead to braking maneuver. As planned, Vagabond-1 reaches perieve several hours ahead of lander, and burns most of remaining on-board fuel to capture into highly elongated retrograde orbit.

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Marvel at bizzare green Evean orbital sunset!

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However, modification to mission plan as put unexpected tax on BORSCHT's batteries. Unable to power communication antennas with small on-board micro-RTG, BORSTCHT's batteries are quickly depleted long before entry.

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BORSCHT slams into unexpectedly thick Evean atmosphere at over 12 kilometers per second! With no power or communications for last-minute course adjustments, what were minor oscillations during 8km/s entry testing on Kerbin become severe instabilities. Craft is torn apart high in atmosphere. Only spurious data indicating acceleration moments far beyond 30-g limit of sensors is received, and probe is considered lost.

In other news, night train to Kerberia now leaving ahead of schedule...

 

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Vagabond-1 continues to function well, and returns over a thousand units of scientific data during initial orbit. New mission controllers suggest close pass to planetoid orbiting Eve may be possible at unspecified point in future.

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Meanwhile, back over Kerbin, crew of TINKAN-1 remain in good spirits and look forward to remaining 43 days in orbit. They shall spend long hours studying effects of long-term spaceflight on biological subjects, developing film, staring out windows, and absolutely not spying on everything below 51 degrees latitude! See city in distance? Absolutely not being recorded in unprecedented detail for return to Imperium intelligence agencies!

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