My First Mun Landing (and safe return...)

[Noosence]

I have recently started with Kerbal Space Program (roughly a month ago), and I decided to start with career mode. The start of my career, having no experience with KSP, was tough. Many failed launches, a poor Kerbonaut lost(R.I.P. Jeb), and many a fail orbit. Just yesterday I recieved a little bit of science I could scrape off of one last Mun orbit, to get the upgrades I felt necessary for a Mun Landing. The ship went through 2 variations, that ended in utter failure, until I came to this design. It was perfect, and glorious to behold, a modern marvel for Kerbin.

 

http://imgur.com/Jlxz8Jh

The launch went smoothly, I got into orbit with fuel to spare. I was able to get a trajectory on the Mun, and I propelled myself onward. Once arriving to the Mun I realized that my solar panels had been away from the sun during the warp, I was using a OCT to pilot as I had a scientist onboard, and my SAS was out of power. Crap. I had to turn the ship using my precious RCS reserves to face the sun, catch just as much sunlight as I could, and engage my SAS. It was a success and I was placed in my orbit around the Mun.

As I planned my descent I started to realize that my ship was pulling in one direction. I couldn't figure out why. The descent to the Mun was tricky. Constantly fighting against my tilting ship and limited SAS use.

http://imgur.com/iA0lvMB

I finally got it landed to realise that one of the fuel lines feeding into my central tank was not working. The outside tank was full of precious fuel that I needed for my return trip. I quickly scoured the web looking for answers when I found that I could upgrade my facilities to allow fuel transfer. I was saved!

I transferred the fuel into the central tank, planted my flag, and grabbed a soil sample (came with the facility upgrade too =D). I then decoupled my landing gear and shot myself towards Kerbin, running out of fuel in literally the last second of my burn =S

But after a long stressful flight I made it back to Kerbin, I didn't burn up on reentry, and splashed down safely. 

http://imgur.com/Bn5qLgi

http://imgur.com/EaD20dy

This nice mission snagged me a cool 300 Science, the most science I have ever seen =D, and cost me close to 40k. All in all it was an awesome adventure full of hard work and stress, and amazing payoff.

I did not do it because it was easy, but because it was hard.

 

P.S. oh and I am new here so this was my hello message, I frickin' love this game, and hope to share my love of this game with this community. 

Godspeed.

Edited February 17, 2016 by Noosence

[Starhawk]

Hello Noosence, and welcome to the forum!

It truly is a great feeling to achieve that first Mun landing.  I remember I jumped up out of my chair and danced around. 

Here, you are among people who also love this game.  Glad to have you aboard.

Happy landings!

[swjr-swis]

Welcome to the elite group of office chair rocket scientists.

There is much to love in KSP, your journey has only just begun.

[Kuansenhama]

Awesome story. The adventure was all the more interesting because you had some challenges/mishaps along the way with the fuel transfer not working and the solar panels being the wrong way but figured ways around them. Good job!

Edited February 18, 2016 by Kuansenhama