How do stranded kerbals get stranded?

[Thorbard]

There should be a set of "contracts" (really "missions") that are not from third parties, but are suggestions from your own staff. For science! Such missions would have a budget associated with them, and could have multiple parts (like "Explore the Mun"). The funds could be dealt out in advance, but over time---X funds every Y days. You might also be given a general expenses budget per year based upon Rep, etc. Then each astronaut could cost some amount per year that is reasonable (or per day), with no up front cost for a hire.

Regardless, the rescues make no sense at all most of the time.

That is kind-of what the "Kerbin Record Keeping Society" missions mean to me. Not really commercial missions but more like X-Prize type goals.

[tetryds]

I would imagine something like this

http://i.imgur.com/BbFeE5t.gifv

[DancesWithSquirrels]

I would love to rescue someone from something more than a pod - a broken ship with a couple of pieces of debris floating around.

[Kerbart]

I always used to imagine they got blasted into space by accidents at the rocket parts factories. But now they show up in their ships, I have to fall back on the "Other Space Agencies" hypothesis.

Nothing stops a rocket from being on the launchpad, with a technician ((who could either be a pilot, engineer or scientist doing a pre-flight check) in it, hitting the wrong button... One big KABOOM later the crew part, with the technician in it, get's slung into orbit.

The weak part of the story is that, because of playing KSP, we know that you can't blast something into orbit. You'll need a burn to complete the orbit (which also happens to be nearly perfectly circular with a 0° inclination...). But it's still the story I'm sticking to...

[MaxwellsDemon]

Nothing stops a rocket from being on the launchpad, with a technician ((who could either be a pilot, engineer or scientist doing a pre-flight check) in it, hitting the wrong button... One big KABOOM later the crew part, with the technician in it, get's slung into orbit.

The weak part of the story is that, because of playing KSP, we know that you can't blast something into orbit. You'll need a burn to complete the orbit (which also happens to be nearly perfectly circular with a 0° inclination...). But it's still the story I'm sticking to...

No, that works! Just think of it happening constantly... and only the ones that end up in stable orbits are available for rescue! :: maniacal laughter ::

[DancesWithSquirrels]

...The weak part of the story is that, because of playing KSP, we know that you can't blast something into orbit. You'll need a burn to complete the orbit (which also happens to be nearly perfectly circular with a 0° inclination...). But it's still the story I'm sticking to...

Ah, yes - circularization from the last remaining parts of the rocket exploding at altitude...

[kmMango]

I have a theory:

Perhaps some event-the discovery of other planets, the first rocket launch by your space program-created a fascination with space travel across Kerbin. Rich Kerbals, or groups of enthusiasts, buy rocket parts with little understanding of design or flight rules. They attempt to go to space themselves, most often exploding into shrapnel on launch, then just adding more and more power until they reach orbit. Maybe they press the wrong button and decouple their return stage, or run out of fuel/power, realize they don't have a parachute or a heatshield, or just flat out explode. The company they bought from, not wanting their clients to die, pays you to bring them back.

Basically, the same events that usually lead to a rescue mission for one of our Kerbonauts, minus the pay.

[AbacusWizard]

They're the test subjects of Wernher von Kerman testing out an experimental new kraken-powered teleportation device. (How else would they ended up stranded in retrograde low solar orbit???)

[AbacusWizard]

The rescues are just bad on multiple levels:

1. They occur for any SoI you have been to, so send a probe, and competing programs (implicit in the fact of stranded kerbals) all send kerbals before you do.

Obviously the stranded kerbalnaut was a stowaway on your first probe.

[Kerb Johnson]

For me they're the component testers for the companies that manufacture your parts. You're just picking up the mess from all those no-bid r&d contracts your admin building puts out.

[Geschosskopf]

Like this:

[Rath]

@_Stligar_ what was he eating for all that time? *Gulp*

Edited August 28, 2015 by Rath

[nalfz]

Maybe...

[MiniMatt]

What is your cannon for how the kerbals from rescue contracts get stranded in orbit?

Normally I do try to reign in my inner typo pedant, but this one's just too fun to resist.

My canon for how Kerbals get stranded in orbit involves a very large cannon - Kerbals are an inventive lot and those not picked for the official space program are liable to try all manner of backyard inventions to realise their individual dreams of spaceflight; including homemade cannon.

[Warzouz]

Sadly, they never come with a real ship. It's always one part. If they came with a real ship, we could have to decide if it's worth bringing back (refueling it, towing it, make it go trhough atmo.

That would be a nicer chalenge than bringing back ONE part (which is usually not worth the effort).

[JetJaguar]

Trebuchets, of course.