Today, I have experienced spectacular failure.

[G'th]

(To mods, I know this technically could fall under one of the general topics, but I think my grief in this situation requires more than a post to be lost in a sea of other posts )

So, my mission to Duna, my first manned landing on another planet, has failed miserably. Due to what I call "accidental high-energy re-docking" my Duna transfer ship Inspiration was practically destroyed, with the crew of 6 being stranded in their descent vehicle without parachutes and no way to get home or otherwise go anywhere.

What happened is that after I transferred the crew into the descent vehicle and undocked from the main ship, I accidentally hit the full throttle button before I would get any separation via RCS. So my descent vehicle slammed back into my ship and what followed was essentially as if the descent vehicle was purposely seeking out all the parts of my transfer ship that could have enabled the kerbals to be saved. It quite literally slammed into the transfer vehicle (causing the whole craft to spin) and started flying back towards the engine section taking every radiator and solar panel with it, along with the remaining half of the life support supplies.

It was quite funny, because the very high spin coupled with some other bits of debris made it so not a single panel or radiator survived, despite being on opposite sides of the ship. The last panel on the opposite side of where the descent vehicle started actually got slammed into it at the last second.

And alas, because the ship lost its panels, its nuclear reactor is thus doomed to explode and likely take most of the rest of the ship with it. Meanwhile, the descent vehicle along with the crew are in an uncontrollable tumble, as its power supply was destroyed among other things. Not even my level 2 pilot + RCS was able to actually stabilize it. The collision produced one heck of a debris field though.

So, long story short, I didn't go to Duna today I probably won't attempt to go again on this save, as I've been itching to actually play career mode using some new mods I've been looking at. So once I'm able to I'll probably try on a new save, and likely using a more streamlined approach to getting there.

But, here's a couple of pics of the debris field for your enjoyment

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[-DDD-]

You can use time warp for null spinning

[The_Rocketeer]

Kouston, we have a problem.

You know, it would be epic (if you have KAS) to scavenge bits from that debris field and attempt a safe landing.

[G'th]

^ Well if my Orion's had survived the reactor explosion I could have probably scavenged from them the fuel necessary to enable a propulsive landing (my DV did have the capability, but only because I used an overkill retrofire system. Fully fueled my DV could land and return to orbit) but it'd still require finding a power supply somewhere and getting the DV itself stabilized. The only available power supply would have required somehow rendezvousing with the backup ascent vehicle in orbit (which is 50km higher and slightly more eliptical) to steal one of its RTG's, or somehow landing and using the AV already landed

You can use time warp for null spinning

Not with Persistent Rotation I can't.

[Esme]

Hmmn.. backup ascent vehicle in an orbit 50km higher? That sounds doable by jetpack. Not easy, mind, but maybe doable.

[Alias72]

[FlyingPete]

Check how much delta-V is needed to get to the backup ascent vehicle. It may be possible to have a brave Kerbal abandon ship and jetpack to it. Have the ascent vehicle/lifeboat rendezvous with the stricken spacecraft and transfer the rest of the crew. You could always 'abort to surface' with that ship and have them stake out a homestead until a rescue mission can be sent

[G'th]

Unfortunately 50km up and a difference in inclination of 25* is too much for a Kerbal to manage. Even with an EVA-X as far as I've been able to tell.

But alas, the save has gone the way of the dodo anyway, so we'll never know

[Alias72]

Still it was a really cool spacecraft

[Xacktar]

The kerbals's equivalent of Apollo 11. XD Poor kerbals.

[LostOblivion]

You mean 13?

[Warzouz]

Who didn't press the full throttle key or even the shift key !

Kerbal law : always shut down you main engines when manoeuvring around station...

[Jett_Quasar]

Today' date=' I have experienced spectacular failure.

...

[/quote']

Spectacular failures are the best kind!

Now you get a real mission - to test your mettle.

JR

[wadedidit]

TAC Life Support? If so, powerdown and make it quick.