From Humble Beginnings [Chapter 25]

Spoiler

[SPOILERS!] TIMELINE [SPOILERS!]

1951 - The Aeronautics Research Council is founded through two vague sentences in the National Budget for that fiscal year. The ARC (Later changed to the ARA) immediately sets to work, constructing a capsule that could withstand high-speed flight. Wernher von Kerman, a captured Gerenian scientist, is assigned to the project and soon earns the trust of the administration - he is made Director of Rocketry by the year's end. The ARC soon begins launching high-altitude rocket flights, and by the end of the year launches a suborbital sounding rocket into space using a old Air Force design, a success that garners attention from the President and thus, it's own survival.

1952 - The ARC launches it's first satellite, the Explorer-1 early in the year. The idea of an object "orbiting" is revolutionary, and many claim the satellite to be a hoax. Nevertheless, the President elevates the ARC's position from being a sub-agency of the Air Force to becoming a independent entity. By the end of the year, the Union of Socialist Republics launches it's own satellite, the Stayputnik.

1953 - Lieutenant Jebediah Kerman is launched onto a suborbital trajectory. Flying to 139KM, he reenters and splashes down safely into the sea. By now, Wernher von Kerman decides that he can legitimately announce a new plan for the space program, and proposes a space station to be launched into orbit by 1957. Towards the end of the year, the space program launches another satellite, the Explorer-2.

1954 - Capitan Valentina Kerman becomes a overnight sensation after she is launched on the Redstone-2, the final flight of the Redstone program. After orbiting Kerbin for three hours, she splashes down safely and is picked up by the UPNS Pangea. The Artemis-2 is launched to orbit the Mun, and achieves orbit shortly after. With momentum for spaceflight increasing, Werner decides to launch the Helios-1 to orbit the Sun a year early. The mission is successful.

1955 - The Genesis-1 spacecraft is launched to orbit as the followup to the Redstone. The Genesis can sustain two Kerbals in space for up to three days as well as fly without a pilot, making it a suitable candidate for ferrying crew and cargo to the station. After a brief stay of one day in orbit, the Genesis lands safely in the White Sands desert. The Artemis-2 mission later in the year is less fortunate, as a miscalculation of fuel reserves leads to the probe smashing into the Mun.

1956 - The Genesis-2 mission is launched and successfully performs a rendezvous maneuver with a test payload launched earlier. The replacement for the Artemis-2, the lander Artemis-3, successfully touches down in the East Crater of the Mun. The third Genesis mission is launched and is a major success, giving the ARA all the prerequisites to establishing a permanent space station in Kerbin orbit.

1957 - The Socrates-1, a orbiter probe to Minmus, arrives in orbit of the Moon and completes it's mission successfully. Space Station Jupiter is assembled in orbit of Kerbin in celebration of the International Keophysical Year and begins operations with the arrival of the crew of Genesis-4 the month after, thus finishing the Genesis-program. Inside the UPAF, the X-17A spaceplane is tested in orbit with unsastifactory results, leading the project director, Lt. Colonel Adam Kerman, to request cancellation of the program in favor of using Genesis rockets in the previous role.

1958 - The Genesis-5 is launched to orbit, performing several low passes over USR military installations with a experimental camera before reentering the atmosphere and being recovered in the ocean. The Socrates-2 probe lands on Minmus, successfully concluding the Minmus Probe Program. Towards the end of the year, the first flight of the Munshot program enters orbit of the Mun and conducts research for three days before returning to Kerbin. It's crew become national heroes and are treated to parades and dinners in their honor after their return.

1959 - The Kommunist Muna-1 lands successfully on the Mun, sparking a massive public outcry. President Frank Kerman, now in his second term of office, announces a goal of "Duna by 1970", while Wernher pushes the flight schedule of the Munshot forward to prioritize a Mun base. The Munshot-2 successfully lands on the Mun a month after Muna, while President Frank and Wernher begin discussing plans for a replacement to Jupiter and a Mun base. Towards the end of the year, Space Station Jupiter begins it's decommissioning process.

1960 - The United Provinces launches the space station Munlab into a circular orbit around the Mun, as well as continuing the remaining Munshot missions - Munshot-5 lands on schedule. The USR begins drawing up plans for it's own space station in LKO and a "cismunar transportation network".

1961 - Munlab-1 arrives at the Munlab with a crew of three, marking the first time another world has been inhabited by Kerbals. The last flight of the Munshot program, Munshot-6, lands on the Lunar surface. Munshot-7, 8, and 9 are cancelled in order to gain a head start for the "Advanced Munshot-Genesis Integration Program", which calls for the continuation of the Munlab and the establishment of bases on the Mun and possibly even Minmus. In the middle of the year, space station Saturn is assembled in orbit on schedule: capable of hosting 60 Kerbals, it is the largest space outpost ever built in history. The first crew of five Kerbals to the Saturn suffers a electrical short-circuit and monopropellant leak, forcing them to abandon their Titan-class crew ferry and EVA to the station: Bob Kerman becomes the first commander of the Saturn. On the military side, the X-20 spaceplane makes it's first flight: despite being unsastifactory, Deputy Director Kirrim Kerman of the O.O.R urges for it's continued funding.

1962 - The Miranda-1 enters orbit of Minmus, making Bill and Lemman Kerman the first Kerbals to visit the distant moon of Kerbin: Lemman then becomes the first Kerbal to EVA in Minmus orbit. With the election winding up, President Frank Kerman gives the A.R.A a blank check in return for landing the Miranda-2 at the end of his term to boost popular support for his party. The Miranda-2 is successful, and Valentina Kerman becomes the first Kerbal to step foot on Minmus. Later into the year, the Adrophite orbiter and Mars lander are launched to Duna in the first wave of probes to reach the planet.

1963 - President Calfrey Kerman is elected to office for his first term. The Air Force and the A.R.A successfully construct a second space station named Uranus in geostationary orbit over the United Provinces to be used as a command and research center. The Miranda-3 arrives on Minmus, marking the second time that Kerbal has walked on the distant moon - meanwhile, the Union prepares their own expedition.

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The yellow sun peeked over the hills, filling the city with the sickly light that accompanied the heavy rain of the night before. The city was coming awake now; it's cosmopolitan nightlife retreated away until the night began anew, and the day shifters of Kerbin began their morning commute as if they were endless ants under the spell of a hive mind. At the center of the city, surrounded by a courtyard and picket fence, was a large temple constructed of white marble. It was here where the national government made its greatest decisions, and it was here that Senator Samden Kerman found himself in that bleak morning, his coffee cold and no snacks nearby.

Samden was a proud Kerbal. He'd served his country during two wars and was now serving it as a politician. But as the President of the Senate, he'd learned to despise the Senators of his country as much as he hated it's rivals, the Kommunists thousands of kilometers over the sea. Today was no different. As he sat upon his wooden throne, flanked by two Grand Judges and a array of security guards, he could not help but look with contempt at the line of Senators filing in. Sensing that all had arrived, the elderly Kerbal rose and began.

"We call together this adjournment of the 102nd Senate Hearing upon the fiscal revi..."

In the corner of his eye, Samden could see one of the newer Senators sleeping on his desk. Down came the gavel, each strike hitting the now-awakened Senator like a electric shock. With the whole Senate now attentive, Samden continued.

"...review of the National Budget. A preliminary copy of this budget was forwarded..."

The sounds of paper ruffling and panicked Kerbals looking into their briefcases, coats, and even shoes began, drowning Samden out. A dozen hands went up. He sat back down, resting his forehead on the desk and sighed.

"Yes, Senator Bobcal?"

"I don't have it."

"Honorable Senator, check your office again, and do not return until you have your copy of the budget."

"Understood, sir."

A fifth of Senate got up and left, chattering as they went. The sounds of coats being put on and briefcases snapping shut echoed throughout the chamber for several minutes, until Samden found it appropriate to resume the meeting.

"Now for those who actually read the bill-"

Another fifth of the Senate rose to their feet, grabbed their coats, and left. Now reduced to a mere sixty Kerbals, it was at a minimum for conducting business. Any lower and anything done by it would be null and void, courtesy of the Constitution. Sam couldn't afford another session. The iron miners in his Province had been striking for a month already, and he, as the elected representative of the people, had to go home to address this issue. And he couldn't if he was tied down with affairs in the capital.

"Alright, we'll vote now."

A sigh of relief swept over the chamber. Taking a final count of the Senators assembled before him, the vote began.

"All in favor of the bill, say aye and raise your right hand."

Thirty-one Kerbals said "Aye" and raised their right hand. Taking a quick count, a scribe standing at the doorway signaled to Samden that their vote had been recorded.

"All not in favor of the bill, say nay and raise your right hand."

Twenty-five Kerbals said "Nay" and raised their right hand.

"And I assume everyone else abstains?"

"Correct, President. We abstain from voting.", piped up a plump Kerbal in the front row. Samden tried to ignore the fact the senator was stuffing his face with snacks.

"Then we, the 102nd Senate, do hearby approve and endorse the National Budget Bill for the Year of 1951. Are there any objections?"

The chamber was silent, save for the sound of snoring coming somewhere from back of the chamber. Goddammit, Samden thought.

"This Senate is hereby dismissed."

Down came the gavel, and tucked away into two sentences of the 200-page manuscript, the Space Program was born, a fact unknown to all but a very surprised government clerk a few weeks later.

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The UPNS Duling had been underway with it's escort ships for several weeks now. A large state-of-the-art aircraft carrier, the vessel held a small city of crew: 1,381 Kerbals. It also held cargo - although a second convoy with the same destination held more - and four passengers. Four very special passengers, who, at the present, were undergoing a briefing, from none other than Agent Kirrim, a government Kerbal and the Aerospace Operations Head of the National Intelligence Agency.

"Jebediah, Valentina, William, and Robert Kerman. You've all signed up as a part of the Project-S for Space testing group, am I correct?"

"Yes, sir.", all four of them replied. Jebediah fidgeted slightly, trying to hide his impatience. He wasn't doing a good job.

"If that is the case, the paperwork for your transfer is in good order. By tomorrow you should be notified by telegram of your updated security clearance. Gentlemen - and you too, Valentinia, no longer will answer to your respective branches..."

Kirrim leaned forth on the table, letting his face block out the light. Be intimidating and imposing, he remembered.

"..you'll serve the rocketry program. Report to your quarters and get some sleep, all of you. We make landfall tomorrow at 0400, and I'll stay with you for the next week to get your transfers in order. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir", all four replied again.

"All of you are dismissed."

After the four left, Kirrim turned off the lights and closed the door lightly. Making his way onto the deck into the warm tropical night, he looked up at the stars and light a cigar They'll be here all the same when I die. They'll be here completely the same when my children die, and they'll be here completely the same long after our species go extinct. Kirrim shook his head and watched as the glow of the ashes slowly faded. Then he went back into the ship, unaware that sixteen hundred light years away, the star astronomers called Corkin 1664 had just detonated in the brightest supernovae in Kerbal history. Not that it mattered. At that distance, it would be Kirrim's great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandchildren who saw the novae.

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Edited April 17, 2016 by Butterbar

Butterbar · March 30, 2016

CHAPTER TWO: Test Articles

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~ THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES ~

~ 1951, Month 3, Day 22 ~

GOVERNMENT UNVEILS NEW CAPSULE, CLAIMS IT CAN ACTUALLY GO TO SPACE
WRITTEN BY DOLING KERMAN

ABOVE: JEBEDIAH INSPECTS THE CAPSULE, A PLAUSIBLE SPACECRAFT?

KERMAN ROCKETRY RESEARCH CENTER - A PHOTO RELEASED TODAY BY THE AERONAUTICS RESEARCH COUNCIL SHOWS NAVAL AVATIOR LIEUTENANT JEBEDIAH KERMAN INSPECTING A STRANGE CONIC CONTRAPTION NAMED "TEST ARTICLE ONE" ON THE EXPERIMENT TESTING PAD OF THE KRRC CENTER. A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE AERONAUTICS RESEARCH COUNCIL, DR. WERNER VON KERMAN, SAYS OF THE CAPSULE, "IT IS REVOLUTIONARY, ZE CAPSULE. IT REALLY IS. IT IS A CLOSED SYSTEM AND CAN WITHSTAND SUPERSONIC FLIGHT AS WELL AS A VACUMN. TRUST ME, WE'VE TESTED IT THERE". HOWEVER, OTHERS ARE MORE SKEPTICAL.

"BULL EXCREMENT", EXCLAIMED PROFESSOR WELLS KERMAN OF KERMAN UNIVERSITY. "IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR BIOLOGICAL LIFE TO SURVIVE INSIDE A VACUMN, AND SPACE BEING A VACUMN, SPACEFLIGHT IS IMPOSSIBLE". AFTER A REPORTER POINTED OUT THAT MANY HAD THOUGHT FLIGHT WAS IMPOSSIBLE, WELLS COMMENTED, "WITH TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY, OF COURSE. I WILL MAKE YOU A BET RIGHT NOW. IF THAT CRACKPOT "DR." WERNER VON KERMAN, WHO NOT ONLY FOUGHT AGAINST US IN THE BIG WAR BUT IS NOW LEADING OUR GOVERNMENT ASTRAY WITH IDEAS OF FIGHTING LITTLE PURPLE KERBALS FROM DUNA, GETS ONE KERBAL INTO SPACE EVEN FOR A SECOND, NO MATER IF THE KERBAL SURVIVES, I WILL SHAVE MY GLORIOUS MUSTACHE AND THROW AWAY ALL MY SNACKS. I SWEAR."

WHEN ASKED TO COMMENT ON HIS CRITICS, WERNER HAD ONLY A FEW WORDS TO SAY. "THE TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE TODAY WOULD'VE BEEN DEEMED IMPOSSIBLE TEN YEARS AGO. TODAY WE HAVE NUCLEAR POWER, FLIGHT, AND AUTOMOBILES. A CENTURY AGO ONLY DR.WELL'S "CRACKPOTS" WOULD HAVE IMAGINED SUCH THINGS. CRACKPOTS ARE SOMETIMES RIGHT, YOU KNOW".

WERNER ADDED, "EXCEPT FOR THAT FUNNY-LOOKING KERBAL ON THE STREET CORNER CLAIMING THAT THE WORLD IS ABOUT TO END. DON'T LISTEN TO HIM. NO, REALLY, DON'T."

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THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES

~ 1951, Month 4, Day 17 ~

TEST CAPSULE PERFORMS MAIDEN FLIGHT, ACTUALLY WORKS

WRITTEN BY ELDING KERMAN

VIEW OF THE TEST CAPSULE FROM A HELICOPTER AS IT PARACHUTES TO SAFETY

KERMAN ROCKETRY RESEARCH CENTER - THE ROCKET FLIGHT TODAY WAS A STUNNING AND MUCH NEEDED SUCCESS FOR THE SPACE RESEARCH PROGRAM, WHICH HAS FACED HEAVY CRITICISM FROM MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AS WELL AS ACADEMIA DURING THE PAST MONTH FOR IT'S UNFEASIBILITY AND "OUTLANDISHNESS". HOWEVER, TODAY'S FLIGHT MIGHT BE THE NEEDED IMPETUS TO SILENCE THE CRIES OF OPPOSITION. FIRING IT'S ENGINES ON THE PAD, THE ROCKET ROSE TO A HEIGHT OF 3 KILOMETERS BEFORE EXECUTING A 45-DEGREE TURN AND HEADING FOR THE SEA, WHERE IT SPLASHED DOWN SAFELY AMID A FLEET OF WAITING WARSHIPS AND IT'S PILOT, LIEUTENANT JEBEDIAH KERMAN, PLUCKED FROM THE OCEAN. THE ROCKET WAS LATER TOWED BACK TO LAND WERE IT WILL BE STORED AND ANALYZED INSIDE THE CENTER.

THE IDEA OF A WATER LANDING WITH PARACHUTES HAS EMERGED IN RECENT WEEKS AS A ALTERNATIVE TO A PROPELLED LANDING ON LAND. WATER WOULD CUSHION THE FORCE OF IMPACT, AND THE PARACHUTES WOULD SAVE MUCH WEIGHT AS WELL AS WELL AS SIMPLIFYING THE DESIGN BY MAGNITUDES.

THE ROCKETRY PROGRAM HAS YET TO BREAK THE BARRIER OF SPACE, HOWEVER, AND MANY HAVE CRITICIZED IT AS THE "EPITOME OF WASTEFUL SPENDING", CALLING IT "A ROCKET TO NOWHERE". PROMINENT AMONG THESE CRITICS IS PROFESSOR WELLS KERMAN AT KERMAN UNIVERSITY, A ELDERLY SCIENTIST AND A PROPONENT OF FLIGHT SCIENCE. ON TODAY'S EVENTS AND HIS BET, ALL HE HAD TO SAY WAS "WE WILL NOT SEE KERBALKIND REACH SPACE IN OUR LIFETIME."

WERNER VON KERMAN, DIRECTOR OF THE AERONAUTICS RESEARCH AGENCY, COULD NOT BE REACHED FOR COMMENT. HOWEVER, WITH THE KOMMUNISTS ALSO TESTING THEIR OWN ROCKET TECHNOLOGY, IT IS LIKELY THAT THEY WILL ATTEMPT TO GAIN AN EDGE, AND POSSIBLY SEND A KERBAL TO SPACE.

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Edited March 30, 2016 by Butterbar

RocketSquid · March 30, 2016

Nice. I want MOAR.

SpaceplaneAddict · March 31, 2016

Beautiful. Replikes to you, good user.

Just Jim · March 31, 2016

Wow..... outstanding start! I love the antique effect on the screenshots.

question: Professor Wells Kerman.... H.G. Wells by chance??? If so, the irony is beautiful!

Look forward to more, especially the newspaper reports... spot on!!!

Butterbar · March 31, 2016

CHAPTER THREE: Rockets make sound.

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Two minutes before launch, Werner gave the signal through the intercom, and the crews scurried away from the pad, unhooking the umbilical fuel cord from the tank of the rocket. At the growing Mission Control center, he watched his controllers, two dozen of them and all in ties and shirtsleeves, work their way down the countdown procedures. Each component of the rocket had to be checked for functionality, and each had to be certain to succeed. The space program needed political support, and no matter how fun or exciting explosions were, they weren't really effective at garnering it.

"Prometheus-1, engine check is green, we are go for engine ignition. Werner, any input?", called a engineer from the front of the room. A thick country accent permeated his words, much like the rural contractors that had built the research center.

"Nein, continue ze countdown as normal", Wernher replied back.

"Understood, boss."

Wernher looked out of the rows of computers into the distance. From here, one could make out the thin outline of the Prometheus sounding rocket against the blue sky. Powered by BACC-solid booster first stage, an LV-T45 second stage with a effective LH/OX combination, the rocket was built for altitude. He could see the glint of sunlight off the metal tanks and the small stacks of steam rising from the nozzle of the SRB. On the top sat the scientific payload, a cylindrical Materials Bay with a stubby, round computer core that would be capable of making slight adjustments in-flight as needed, and lithium-ion batteries. Around the rocket was a pile of dirt that had been overturned and blackened from engine tests and previous rockets, and a small concrete bunker for the cameras and reporters - if they were brave enough. Funding was insecure, and until Wernher could prove to the government that the rocket program was a worthwhile venture, he would have to make-do with second-rate infrastructure.

"We have thirty seconds to launch."

The flat plains stretched out for several kilometers past the launchpad and control room and assembly building. Covered in a layer of glass, the land was flat, the boring flat that made the agricultural provinces the bane of every long distance driver for their lack of scenery. But for Wernher, it was perfect. Built on a peninsula near the Equator, the land could be developed into a surrounding city that would hold the greatest asset of all - the largest spaceport on Kerbin. A national treasure.

The countdown reached it's final second, and the SRB's roared to life in a brilliant flash of light, drowning out Wernhers thoughts. Across the bay near the space center, a small crowd of picnickers watched in awe as the Prometheus awoke and began to soar to the heavens on a pillar of fire

A T+ ten seconds, the rocket broke past the speed of sound at full throttle, it's boosters burning away furiously. Wernher held his breath, halfway anticipating the rocket to continue on it's mission profile, and halfway expecting it to flip. The Prometheus soldiered on skyward.

At T+ thirty seconds, the explosive bolts in the TR-18 activated, pulling away the spent booster towards Kerbin. The rocket was now 11 kilometers high. A pause of two seconds came, and the second stage came to life, jolting the payload with sudden acceleration. A cheer arose in Mission Control.

When the engines of the second stage finally cut, the rocket began it's cruise to a comfortable apogee of 51KM above the research center. There was another bang, as the last decoupler fired it's bolts and fell away. Onboard the payload, the scientific experiments activated, storing their telemetry in the round brain of the Prometheus. With no antenna, they couldn't be used until they were physically recovered - not that it mattered, anyway. The payload was built to return to Kerbin safely.

At T+ 2 minutes, the craft reached apogee, and a flurry of activity erupted in the control room as the controllers began to check on every system, readying themselves for any possible emergency for the descent back to Kerbin.

At T+ 3 minutes, the craft deployed it's drogue chutes. The distinctively yellow main parachutes were released ten seconds after, when Werner determined that the ship had slowed down enough for the chutes to survive. Now descending comfortably at 3m/s, the craft fell homewards to a waiting recovery team. It would then be loaded onto a truck, it's telemetry studied intensely in the laboratory, and the craft itself stowed away into an archive.

Back at the research center, Wernher lazily watched the yellow dots of the descending chutes bobble in the wind. A tall, stern Kerbal with neatly combed black hair and a thin mustache, he had spent much of his early life in the rural villages of Gerenia. There, he had found happiness and solitude to study his rocketry. Then the Big War happened, and Werner found himself on the wrong side in the worst possible circumstances. But he had no doubt that he was presently in the right place at the right time. With the Prometheus-1 a success, the odds looked much better for Prometheus-2, and after that, the notion that Wells was wrong.

Kerbalkind was going to reach the stars in his lifetime, whether that old man liked it or not..

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THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES

~ 1951, Month 11, Day 7 ~

"PROMETHEUS-2" ROCKET ENTERS SPACE WITH SCIENTIFIC PAYLOAD, A FIRST FOR KERBALKIND

WRITTEN BY DOLING KERMAN

ABOVE: KERBIN FROM SPACE, PHOTO CREDIT TO THE AERONAUTICS RESEARCH COUNCIL

KERMAN ROCKETRY RESEARCH CENTER - BUILDING UPON THE SUCCESSES OF THE PROMETHEUS-1, THE PROMETHEUS-2, NAMED FOR THE ANCIENT PHYAGISAN GOD OF WISDOM, LAUNCHED ONTO A SPACEWARD TRAJECTORY TODAY, MARKING IT AS THE FIRST TIME THE "SPACE PROGRAM" HAS SUCCEEDED IN BREAKING THE ATMOSPHERE. THE ROCKET WAS UNMANNED AND DID NOT ACHIEVE ORBIT, BUT THE IMAGES OF IT'S OPEN MATERIALS BAY AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF KERBIN SERVED AS A ICONIC REMINDER OF OUR PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE - THAT WE, KERBALKIND, ARE TINY COMPARED TO THE REACHES OF SPACE.

IN A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY, WERNER VON KERMAN, CHAIRMAN AND DIRECTOR OF THE AERONAUTICS RESEARCH AGENCY/COUNCIL, STATED, "THE PROMETHEUS-2 MISSION MAY SEEM SIGNIFICANT NOW, BUT WE ARE PROGRESSING SLOWLY AND STEADILY TOWARDS PUTTING A KERBAL INTO ORBIT BY THE END OF 1955. THAT IS OUR GOAL."

PRESIDENT KERMAN CONGRATULATED WERNER FOR HIS ACHIEVEMENTS TODAY, WITH THE GREEN HOUSE RELEASING A PRESS STATEMENT, "WE SUPPORT ADVANCEMENTS MADE IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE GREATER KNOWLEDGE OF OUR SPECIES". WITH THE PRESIDENT SET TO GIVE AN ADDRESS AT THE MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AT GONDWANA AIR FORCE BASE NEXT MONTH AND INCREASING PUBLIC INTEREST IN SPACEFLIGHT, MANY SPECULATE ON WHETHER OR NOT THE GREEN HOUSE WILL MAKE AN OFFICIAL STANCE ON SPACEFLIGHT SOON, AND WHERE THEY WOULD TAKE SIDES IN THE GROWING POLITICAL BATTLE OVER THE FUTURE OF THE ARC AND GOVERNMENTAL EFFORTS TOWARDS SPACEFLIGHT.

AFTER A BRIEF PHASE OF A PHENOMENON CALLED "REENTRY HEATING", THE PROMETHEUS-2 WAS RECOVERED BY THE CREW OF THE UPSNS DULING AND THE CRAFT TRANSPORTED TO THE RESEARCH CENTER.

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Edited March 31, 2016 by Butterbar

Butterbar · March 31, 2016

CHAPTER FOUR: THE X-2 PROGRAM

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Jebediah tightened his hand around the joystick of the capsule. Although he was alone on this flight, the Mk.1 capsule was still a little cramped, with nothing but a small square window for viewing the world beyond and a small panel in front of him coated with dozens of switches, dials, and gauges. Certainly not ideal for the claustrophobic or those who panicked easily. But Jebediah was not one of them. In his years of flying for the naval forces, he had always learned to memorize the function of every single control on the cockpit. It was how he survived when the margin of error was low. The sudden voice of a flight engineer broke through the silence of the capsule and interrupted his thoughts.

"X-2A, do you copy?"

"Roger that, ground control. How's your wife?" Jebediah thought he could hear some laughter in the background. He grinned. Today's gonna be a good day.

"Doing mighty fine, I reckon. Check the fuel gauge on the rocket, will you? It's been giving weird readings all day."

"Hoorah, understood, will do. Nope, doesn't look haywired to me. Tell someone to send some snacks over, I'm starving." More laughing in the background, this time louder.

"You've got two minutes to engine ignition, so sit tig-"

Jebediah didn't wait for him to finish. He turned off the radio and sat, looking at the world beyond from his window. Now the capsule was silent once more, save for the gentle humming of the reaction wheels behind him.

The X-2 was not the most aesthetically pleasing of rockets. It was a small hypersonic glider with a first stage consisting of a LV-45T to boost it to speed; it had no second stage, but would instead land unpowered. And with a cruising altitude of 62KM, it would bring Kerbalkind to the very edge of space..

The countdown reached zero.

Jebediah closed his eyes, letting the rumble of the engines engulf him. Then there was a flash of light, and the rumble became a roar as the main LV-45 ignited into full throttle and began to push itself off the pad. He felt a jerk backwards as the ship began to accelerate upwards.

The X-2, for all it's stubby unpleasantness, shot through the sky like a dart. Inside, Jebediah was having the ride of his life. With the cabin wildly rattling around him, he could feel the rocket pitching leftwards to begin it's horizontal burn. He looked towards the speedometer.

603 m/s

604 m/s

605 m/s

The X-2 flew on, fire beginning to lick at the sides of it's wings. Then Jebediah felt the pressure on his chest evaporate. There was a bang as the separator bolts worked behind him, and then silence once again filled the capsule.

"Jebediah, we've got confirmed separation. The first stage is off, you've got to do the rest. It's all up to you now", came the voice of CAPCOM.

"I got it. Don't worry."

Pitching the glider downwards, Jebediah watched as Kerbin filled his capsule, it's blue light eerily glowing off his instrument panels. Following the flight profile that had been drilled into his mind, he began to turn left, performing the braking maneuvers that he had come to trust so much in the past days.

Watching as the altitude meter dropped, he pitched upwards and released the main parachutes, allowing them to drag his capsule back. The cabin jerked once again, and he felt the glider drifting downwards.

Four minutes and forty six seconds into the flight, the X-2 landed nose first into the grassland and skidded ten meters before coming to a rest. Kerbalkind had reached the edge of space, and Jebediah needed a new helmet.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

REPORT TO THE KOMMISSIONAR

OUR AGENTS IN THE UNITED PROVINCES HAVE INDICATED UNUSUAL AMOUNTS OF ACTIVITY NEAR THE KERMAN ROCKETRY RESEARCH CENTER RECENTLY. I BELIEVE IT IS IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO PURSUE SPACE RESEARCH SERIOUSLY OURSELVES. FAILURE TO DO SO WOULD LEAD TO THE UNITED PROVINCES AND THE CAPITALISM IT REPRESENTS TO TAKE THE MANTLE OF TECHNOLOGICAL AND INDUSTRIAL SUPREMACY IN THE EYES OF NATIONS THAT ARE OF STRATEGICAL IMPORTANCE. WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. AS WE SPEAK, THE UNITED PROVINCES "X-2" AIRCRAFT FLIES TO THE EDGE OF SPACE, FLAUNTING IT'S CAPABILITIES. ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE INFORMATION FOR THIS AIRCRAFT IS CLASSIFIED, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT IT CAN BE WEAPONIZED AND SHOULD IT, BE INVISIBLE TO OUR RADAR AND OUTPACE OUR INTERCEPTORS.

THIS BRINGS ME TO A SECOND POINT. THE AERONAUTICS RESEARCH COUNCIL ONLY OWNS TWO X-2 CRAFT. THE UNITED PROVINCIAL AIR FORCE HAS ORDERED ONE DOZEN. THESE CRAFT HAVE MUCH TO OFFER IN RECONNAISSANCE ABILITIES. THEY MAY BE EVEN FLYING ABOVE YOU AS YOU READ THIS. I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO CONSIDER FUNDING A ROCKETRY RESEARCH PROGRAM SERIOUSLY AS WELL AS DEVELOPING HIGH ALTITUDE AIRCRAFT. YOU WON'T REGRET IT.

GLORY TO THE PROLETARIAT,

MAJOR BORIS-IVAN

DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE STUDIES, UNION AIR FORCE

Edited March 31, 2016 by Butterbar

Butterbar · March 31, 2016

CHAPTER FIVE: The Satellite

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES

~ 1952, Month 1, Day 7 ~

"EXPLORER-1" SATELLITE LAUNCHED BY "SPACE PROGRAM": IS IT A HOAX?

By Billy-Bobfred Kerman

ABOVE: THE "SATELLITE" LAUNCHED TODAY ONBOARD A ROCKET. IS IT A HOAX?

KERMAN ROCKETRY RESEARCH CENTER - TODAY THE "SPACE" PROGRAM ANNOUNCED A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN TECHNOLOGY - A ROCKET, CARRYING A SMALL CONTRAPTION WEIGHING 400 POUNDS, ENTERED ORBIT AROUND KERBIN. THE TWO-STAGE ROCKET ROARED INTO THE SKY AROUND DAWN LAST THURSDAY AND LATER PERFORMED A 78-DEGREE TURN BEFORE FIRING THE SECOND STAGE, WHICH BOOSTED IT'S TINY PAYLOAD INTO A CIRCULAR TRAJECTORY AROUND KERBIN, ONE THAT WOULD ENABLE IT TO ORBIT AS "THE MUN". IN SHORT, IT IS AN ARTIFICIAL MOON.

THE NEWS OF THIS SATELLITE LAUNCH COMES TODAY AS THE PRESIDENT GIVES A SPEECH AT GONDWANA AIR FORCE BASE TOMORROW. HOWEVER, THE IDEA OF A SATELLITE WAS NOT VERY WELL RECEIVED BY THE KOMMUNIST UNION, WHO TODAY PLEDGED TO ISSUE A DIPLOMATIC PROTEST THROUGH FAX EVERYTIME THE SATELLITE CROSSED THEIR "AIRSPACE". AS OF THE PUBLICATION OF THIS NEWSPAPER, THE GREEN HOUSE HAS YET TO RESPOND TO ANYTHING, STATING THAT THEY ARE "VERY BUSY" AT "FINDING MORE INK", WHATEVER THAT MAY MEAN.

HOWEVER, A GROWING FACTION OF KERBALS BELIEVE THAT THIS "SATELLITE" IS NOTHING BUT A HOAX FAKED BY THE ROCKETRY AGENCY TO GAIN MORE FUNDING. ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT CRITICS IS BARTMON KERMAN, A EXECUTIVE AND CEO OF THE KENORLAND TELEPHONE COMPANY.

"THE IDEA OF MAINTAINING A CONSTANT CIRCULAR VELOCITY AROUND KERBIN IS A IDIOTIC IDEAL AND CONTRARY TO THE ACCEPTED NOTIONS OF MODERN PHYSICS", HE ARGUED TODAY. "THE SPACE PROGRAM HAS NO SHAME."

WERNHER VON KERMAN, DIRECTOR OF THE SPACE PROGRAM, HAS RESPONDED TO THE CRITICISM.

"I UNDERSTAND THAT MANY ARE UPSET BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PAY ENOUGH ATTENTION AND FLUNKED THEIR HIGH SCHOOL PHYSICS CLASS", HE SAID IN A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY. "BUT THE SATELLITE CAN MAINTAIN ANGULAR VELOCITY DUE TO SPACE BEING A VACUMN. AFTER ALL, THERE IS NOTHING IN A VACUMN, AND THEREFORE, THERE IS NOTHING TO SLOW THE SATELLITE DOWN, SO IT MAINTAINS IT'S ORBITAL TRAJECTORY."

THE NEWS OF A SATELLITE LAUNCH COMES AS A SHOCK TO MANY PEOPLE WHO ONCE IMAGINED SPACE TRAVEL FOR KERBALS AS IMPOSSIBLE. WITH THE SPACE PROGRAM ALREADY HAVING LAUNCHED IT'S OWN ARTIFICIAL MOON, KERBALKIND IS EVER CLOSER TO REACHING THE PLANETS.

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~ THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES ~

~ 1952, Month 1, Day 8 ~

PRESIDENT KERMAN PLEDGES SUPPORT TO SPACE PROGRAM, ANNOUNCES "EXECUTIVE TASK FORCE" TO FIND A LONG TERM GOAL
WRITTEN BY NEDBOB KERMAN

GONDWANA AIR FORCE BASE - THE PRESIDENT TODAY SPOKE FAVORABLY OF THE SPACE PROGRAM AT GONDWANA AIR FORCE BASE, LAMBASTING IT'S CRITICS AS "SHORT-SIGHTED" AND CALLING THE SPACE PROGRAM "A MONUMENTAL NATIONAL EFFORT TOWARDS WHICH WE CANNOT UNDERESTIMATE". HIS SUPPORT COULD PROVE TO BE CRUCIAL TOWARDS THE ROCKETRY PROGRAM, WHICH IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF POLITICAL SUPPORT AS THE GOVERNMENT PREPARES IT'S FISCAL BILL FOR 1952.

THE PRESIDENT ALSO STRESSED THE NEED FOR A LONG-TERM GOAL OF THE SPACE PROGRAM, WHETHER IT BE "PUTTING A KERBAL ON THE MUN AND RETURNING HIM SAFELY TO KERBIN" OR A "ORBITING SCIENTIFIC SPACE STATION TO RESEARCH THE EFFECTS OF SPACEFLIGHT ON KERBALS". NEVERTHELESS, HIS SPEECH TODAY IS A BOON FOR THE SPACE PROGRAM, WHICH HAS SEEN SURGING POPULARITY AS WELL AS GREAT SUCCESSES IN THE PAST YEAR, TAKING OVER FROM NOW-DECLASSIFIED ROCKETRY PROGRAMS ALREADY IN USE BY THE ARMY, NAVY, AND AIR FORCE.

THE MILITARY ITSELF IS A WILDCARD IN THE NEW FIELD OF SPACE EXPLORATION, AND ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF THEY WILL USE THEIR POLITICAL MIGHT TO CRUSH THE SPACE PROGRAM IN IT'S INFANCY OR RAISE IT AS THEIR OWN.

Edited March 31, 2016 by Butterbar

Butterbar · March 31, 2016

CHAPTER SIX: Gone Suborbital

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~ THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES ~

~ 1952, Month 3, Day 14 ~

UNION COMMUNISTS LAUNCH SATELLITE: UNITED PROVINCES NOT ALONE IN SPACE

THE CAPITOL - THE PULSATING "BEEP" OF THE UNION SATELLITE IN SPACE TODAY IS A REMINDER OF THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE IN EXPLORING SPACE. THE KOMMUNIST UNION ANNOUNCED TODAY THROUGH RADIO THAT IT CLAIMED OWNERSHIP OF THE SATELLITE, NAMED THE STAYPUTNIK, AND THAT ANY VIOLATION OF UNITED PROVINCIAL AIRSPACE WAS NULL AND VOID AS THE EXPLORER-1 SATELLITE HAD ALREADY VIOLATED THEIRS.

THE AEROSPACE RESEARCH COUNCIL MET IN THE CAPITOL TODAY TO DISCUSS A LONG-TERM PLAN FOR THE SPACE PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE STUNNING NEW DEVELOPMENT IN SPACE TRAVEL, WITH WERNHER PROMISING TO CONGRESS THAT A REPORT ON A PLAUSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE LONG-TERM STRATEGY WOULD BE AVAILABLE BY NEXT YEAR.

THE UNEXPECTED LAUNCH OF THE STAYPUTNIK WAS A TREMENDOUS VICTORY FOR UNION PROPAGANDA AS IT CAN NOW TRUMPET TO THE WORLD THAT IT ALONE HAS STOOD UP TO THE UNITED PROVINCES IN SPACEFLIGHT, A FIELD VIRTUALLY DOMINATED BY OUR NATION - UNTIL TODAY.

MAJOR BORIS-IVAN OF THE KOMMUNIST SPACE PROGRAM ISSUED A PRESS RELEASE TODAY, CALLING IT "A MONUMENTAL VICTORY FOR THE IDEALS OF KOMMUNISM, AND A NATIONAL SYMBOL OF WHAT THE PROLETARIAT CAN ACCOMPLISH".

A GREEN HOUSE SPOKESPERSON SPOKE TO THE PRESS TODAY OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS. "WHILE WE ARE HAPPY FOR THE CONTINUED ADVANCES IN SPACE SCIENCE BY ALL PARTIES, WE MUST ENSURE THAT WARS OF AGGRESSION THAT OCCUR ON KERBIN DO NOT HAPPEN IN SPACE", A STATEMENT THAT HAS GENERATED MUCH BACKLASH FROM THE UNION.

"WE DON'T WANT TO DESTROY YOUR [REDACTED] SATELLITE", STATED BORIS AT A STATE DINNER. "WE DON'T WANT TO DESTROY ANYTHING. WE WANT PEACE."

THE UNION WAS UNAVAILABLE TO COMMENT ON THE SUDDEN CESSATION OF RADIO SIGNALS FROM THE STAYPUTNIK.

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~ THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES (NOW IN COLOR!) ~

~ 1953, Month 1, Day 2 ~

PROFESSOR WELLS SHAVES MUSTACHE AS JEBEDIAH KERMAN ENTERS SPACE, A LOSS FOR ALL FACIAL HAIR ENTHUSAISTS
WRITTEN BY DOLING KERMAN

ABOVE: JEBEDIAH KERMAN'S SPACE CAPSULE FIRES IT'S SECOND STAGE, BRINGING THE CRAFT INTO SPACE.

KERMAN ROCKETRY RESEARCH CENTER - TODAY WAS A HUGE MILESTONE FOR ALL KERBALKIND AS LIEUTENANT JEBEDIAH KERMAN, A TEST PILOT ASSIGNED TO THE ROCKETRY PROGRAM, HAS FLOWN PAST THE ATMOSPHERE AT AN ALTITUDE RECORD OF 139KM AND ENTERED SPACE, A FEAT THAT HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE. LAUNCHING AT NOON TODAY, JEBEDIAH'S "REDSTONE-1" ROCKET FLEW INTO THE SKY AT SEVERAL TIMES THE SPEED OF SOUND AT SPEEDS THAT NO MANNED CRAFT HAS EVER ACCOMPLISHED.

JEBEDIAH KERMAN SPENT AROUND FIVE MINUTES IN SPACE BEFORE REENTERING THE ATMOSPHERE AND SPLASHING DOWN IN THE SEA, WHERE HIS SMALL CAPSULE WAS RECOVERED BY A TASK FORCE OF NAVAL VESSELS SENT OUT EARLIER. HE IS CURRENTLY IN QUARANTINE CELL IN CASE OF SUFFERING OF A THEORETICAL CASE OF "SPACE SICKNESS" AND WILL BE RELEASED IN A WEEK. FOOTAGE OF HIS LAUNCH WAS CIRCULATED BY TELEVISION STATIONS AND RADIO BROADCASTERS AROUND THE GLOBE.

HOWEVER, THE PRICE OF KERBALKIND'S ASCENT INTO THE HEAVENS HAS COME AT A COST. PROFESSOR WELLS KERMAN TODAY APPEARED IN PUBLIC CLEAN-SHAVEN, HIS MUSTACHE COMPLETELY GONE, THIS TIME HUMBLED FROM HIS CLASH OF WORDS WITH DR. WERNER VON KERMAN. "IT APPEARS THAT I WAS WRONG ABOUT OUR CAPABILITIES", STATED THE PROFESSOR. "HOWEVER, THERE IS AN OLD ADAGE THAT GOES; IF A OLD SCIENTIST SAYS SOMETHING IS POSSIBLE, HE USUALLY IS CORRECT. IF HE SAYS SOMETHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, HE USUALLY ISN'T". WELLS THEN REQUESTED SOME SNACKS FROM THE NEWS CREW: HIS REQUEST WAS GRANTED.

WERNER VON KERMAN WAS ESTASTIC TODAY REGARDING THE SUCCESS OF REDSTONE-1. "I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL ACCOMPLISH OUR GOAL OF PLACING A KERBAL INTO ORBIT BY 1955 AHEAD OF SCHEDULE", HE SAID TO REPORTERS. "I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN RETURN HIM SAFELY TO KERBIN."

THE VICTORY OF THE UNITED PROVINCES IN SENDING A KERBAL TO SPACE IS LIKELY TO SEND SHOCKWAVES THROUGH THE UNION KOMMUNISTS AS THE UNITED PROVINCES SNAGS ANOTHER VICTORY. BUT ALL THAT IS CERTAIN IS THAT WELLS WASN'T RIGHT: KERBALKIND IS ENTERING A NEW ERA OF SPACE TRAVEL.

Mad Rocket Scientist · March 31, 2016

"Green house"

Butterbar · April 1, 2016

CHAPTER SEVEN: Orbit

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES (NOW IN COLOR!)

~ 1954, Month 2, Day 7 ~

"REDSTONE-2" SPACECRAFT PERFORMS ORBIT AROUND KERBIN: VALENTINA KERMAN LAUDED AS NATIONAL HERO

WRITTEN BY WALTER KERMAN

ABOVE: THE REDSTONE-2 IN ORBIT OVER THE DESERTS OF KERBIN, AND A VIEW FROM THE COCKPIT OF THE REDSTONE-2 AS IT COMPLETES THE SECOND ORBIT OF THE MISSION

KERMAN ROCKETRY RESEARCH CENTER - THE LAUNCH OF THE REDSTONE-2 SPACECRAFT TODAY SERVED AS A REMINDER OF THE INEVITABILITY OF SPACE TRAVEL LEAVING THE REALM OF FICTION AND ENTERING THE WORLD OF SCIENTIFIC FACT. EARLY THIS MORNING, THE REDSTONE-2 ROARED INTO THE SKY FROM IT'S PAD AT THE KERMAN RESEARCH CENTER. CARRYING THE SMALL CAPSULE INTO THE SKY WAS THE MOST ADVANCED AND LARGEST LIQUID-FUELLED ROCKET BUILT TO DATE, WITH THREE STAGES OF ENGINES. AS IT HURTLED INTO THE SKY, THE ROCKET SHED LAYERS OF FUEL TANKS, BEFORE FINALLY RELEASING THE SPACECRAFT AND IT'S RETROFIRE PACK INTO A COMFORTABLE 139X98KM ORBIT AROUND THE PLANET.

THE CREW OF THE REDSTONE-2, A BRAVE PILOT BY THE NAME OF VALENTINA KERMAN, PERFORMED EXPERIMENTS AND GATHERED DATA FOR THREE HOURS BEFORE FIRING THE RETROROCKETS AND LANDING HER CRAFT INTO THE SEA. SHE IS CURRENTLY AWAITING RELEASE AFTER A POST-FLIGHT MEDICAL EXAMINATION AND A QUARANTINE PERIOD OF THREE DAYS. NOW HAVING BOTH LAUNCHED THE FIRST KERBAL INTO ORBIT AS WELL AS THE FIRST FEMALE KERBAL INTO SPACE, THE UNITED PROVINCES HAS SURGED FAR AHEAD OF THE USR IN THE FIELD OF SPACEFLIGHT, A LEAD THAT WERNER VON KERMAN AS WELL AS NEWLY INAUGURATED PRESIDENT FRANK KERMAN IS DETERMINED TO MAINTAIN AT ALL COSTS.

THE IDEA OF SPACE TRAVEL AS HISTORICALLY BEEN A CONTROVERSIAL ONE. IN THE PAST, MANY NOTABLE MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND ACADEMIA HAVE CRITICIZED THE IDEA AS "HOGWASH", "BULL EXCREMENT", AND "IMPOSSIBLE". THE FLIGHT OF THE REDSTONE-2 SERVES TO PROVE THAT MORE THAN EVER, TIMES ARE CHANGING, AND MORE THAN EVER, WHAT WAS ONCE THOUGH "IMPOSSIBLE" IS NOW A REALITY OF TODAY.

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AIR & FLIGHT JOURNAL

1954, Month 3, Day 21

SPACE PROGRAM RELEASES NEW PHOTOS OF MOCKUP OF PLANNED SPACE STATION, ANNOUNCES NEW PLAN FOR LONG-TERM SPACE EXPLORATION

ABOVE: A MOCKUP OF THE PROPOSED SPACE STATION, DUBBED "PROJECT HORIZON" IS DISPLAYED ON THE LAUNCHPAD DURING LAST NIGHT'S PRESS CONFERENCE

KERMAN SPACE CENTER - YESTERDAY AT NOON, WERNER VON KERMAN PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THE GOALS OF THE SPACE PROGRAM AS WELL AS NEW DEVELOPMENTS FROM WITHIN. PROPOSING A MUNAR AND SOLAR PROBE PROGRAM AS WELL AS PROJECTS FOR EXTENDED SPACEFLIGHT, WERNER UNVEILED A MOCKUP OF THE PLANNED "SPACE STATION" ON THE NEWLY UPGRADED LAUNCHPAD OF THE RESEARCH CENTER. THE "SPACE STATION", WHICH IS SET TO BEGIN OPERATIONS IN 1957 IN CELEBRATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL YEAR, DURING WHICH BOTH THE UNITED PROVINCES AND UNION OF SOCIALIST REPUBLICS WILL EXCHANGE SCIENTIFIC TEAMS AND INFORMATION.

WERNHER BRUSHED OFF RUMORS OF THE SPACE PROGRAM DEVELOPING PLANS FOR A MANNED MISSION TO THE MUN, STATING IN A PRESS RELEASE, "NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR KERBALKIND TO HANDLE SUCH A UNDERTAKING, I'M AFRAID. I'M AMBITIOUS, NOT STUPID."

Edited April 1, 2016 by Butterbar

Butterbar · April 1, 2016

CHAPTER EIGHT: To the Mun! (And Beyond)

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES (NOW IN COLOR!)

~ 1954, Month 5, Day 10 ~

"ARTEMIS-1" SPACECRAFT LAUNCHED TO THE MUN, ACHIEVES ORBIT.

WRITTEN BY DOLING KERMAN

ABOVE: THE ARTEMIS-1 SPACECRAFT, NAMED FOR THE ANCIENT KERBAL GODDESS OF THE MUN, IN ORBIT OVER IT'S SURFACE

KERMAN ASTRONAUTICS CENTER - YESTERDAY AFTERNOON A MULTI-STAGE JUNO-CLASS ROCKET LIFTED OFF FROM THE SPACE CENTER. IT'S DESTINATION WAS THE MUN, THE CLOSEST NATURAL SATELLITE OF KERBIN. AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE ASTRONAUTICS RESEARCH AGENCY EARLY TODAY STATED THAT IT'S PAYLOAD, THE SPACECRAFT ARTEMIS-1, HAD ENTERED THE MUN'S GRAVITATIONAL INFLUENCE: THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WAS FOLLOWED BY CONFIRMATION FROM THE AGENCY THAT THE ARTEMIS HAD SUCCESSFULLY FIRED IT'S LAST STAGE AND ENTERED INTO A ELLIPTICAL ORBIT AROUND THE MUN. THE ARTEMIS-1 IS A SIMPLE PROBE: IT WILL NOT RETURN TO KERBIN BUT INSTEAD CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AROUND THE MUN UNTIL IT SIMPLY CEASES TO FUNCTION.

THE SUCCESSFUL ORBIT OF THE ARTEMIS, NOW THE FURTHEST KERBAL-MADE OBJECT FROM OUR HOME PLANET, IS A STUNNING NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE FIELD OF SPACEFLIGHT. PREVIOUSLY NO OTHER OBJECT - SAVE FOR A FAILED COMMUNIST MUNSHOT THAT ENDED UP 3,000KM FROM KERBIN - HAS EVER ATTEMPTED OR SUCCEEDED AT ESCAPING THE GRAVITATIONAL INFLUENCE OF KERBIN. THE SIZE OF THE ARTEMIS HAS RAISED SPECULATION THAT A MANNED MISSION TO MUNAR ORBIT MAY BE POSSIBLE NOW. OBSERVERS OF THE PROBE AND IT'S FINAL STAGE NOTED THAT IT APPEARED TO BE LARGE ENOUGH TO FIT A KERBAL AND ENOUGH PROVISIONS FOR A WEEK ALONG WITH ENOUGH SPACE FOR THE KERBAL TO BREATHE, SLEEP, AND EVEN STRETCH. IN VIEW OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS, RUMORS ARE ABOUND THAT THE SPACE PROGRAM HAS ALREADY DEDICATED SCIENTISTS TO PREPARING A MANNED EXPEDITION TO THE MUN, A FEAT THAT WOULD BE UNPARALLELED BY ANOTHER OTHER IN HISTORY.

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THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES (NOW IN COLOR!)

~ 1954, Month 7, Day 29 ~

"HELIOS-1" SPACE PROBE ENTERS ORBIT OF THE SUN

BY ERRIE KERMAN

ABOVE: THE HELIOS-1, A MODIFIED BACKUP UNIT OF THE ARTEMIS-1 IN ORBIT OF THE SUN

KERMAN RESEARCH CENTER - CONFIRMATION ARRIVED TODAY THAT THE PROBE HELIOS HAD SUCCESSFULLY ENTERED INTO ORBIT OF THE SUN. AFTER A THREE DAY JOURNEY THAT STARTED WITH A LAUNCH FROM KSC, ASTRONOMERS HAVE CONFIRMED THROUGH RADIO AND TELEMETRY THAT THE HELIOS HAS BECOME THE FIRST ARTIFICIAL OBJECT TO ESCAPE THE GRAVITATIONAL INFLUENCE OF KERBIN. THE HELIOS, BUILT FROM THE BACKUP UNIT OF THE SUCCESSFUL ARTEMIS PROBE, WILL NOT RETURN TO KERBIN: IT IS ON A ELLIPTICAL ORBIT, GOING AS CLOSE AS MOHO AND AS FAR AS DUNA IN ORDER TO STUDY INTERPLANETARY SPACE AT IT'S FULL BREADTH.

THE HELIOS IS ONLY ONE IN A SERIES OF SUCCESSES FOR THE NEWLY BORN SPACE PROGRAM. WITH SATELLITES AROUND THE MUN, MULTIPLE AROUND KERBIN, AND NOW THE SUN BEING EXPLORED THROUGH PROBES, IT IS LIKELY THAT MORE AND MORE AMBITIOUS MISSIONS WILL OCCUR IN THE NEAR FUTURE. ALREADY BEING READIED FOR LAUNCH IS A MISSION TO PERFORM A LANDING ON THE MUNAR SURFACE WHILE ARTEMIS-STYLE ORBITING MISSIONS TO OUR PLANETARY NEIGHBORS, DUNA AND EVE. EVE ITSELF IS A FASCINATING DESTINATION: WITH IT'S THICK PLANETWIDE ATMOSPHERE OBSCURING IT'S HIDDEN SURFACE, MANY HAVE WONDERED ABOUT IT'S SURFACE, AND WHETHER THERE IS LIFE ON THE PLANET. DUNA, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS RED AND DRY, BUT IT IS LIKELY LIFE HAS EXISTED THERE IN THE PAST AND PERHAPS, SOME HAVE THEORIZED, AN INTELLIGENT CIVILIZATION COULD HAVE SURVIVED WHAT HAD KILLED OFF THE REST OF THE ORGANIC LIFE ON THE PLANET. ONLY TIME WILL TELL WHAT THE UNIVERSE REVEALS TO US.

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Edited April 1, 2016 by Butterbar

sal_vager · April 1, 2016

Great mission report @Butterbar, your thread is pinned for Aprils threads of the month

Butterbar · April 1, 2016

CHAPTER NINE: Flight of the Genesis

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The inside of the Genesis-1 was spacious compared to the little cone of the Redstone. Although it kept the small conical cockpit at the front of the spacecraft, in the back was a cylindrical crew cabin with a large rectangular window that offered a breathtaking view of the outside world. On top of the rocket sat a probe core, with a computer as good as the one on the Helios or Artemis, allowing the craft to fly itself should the need arise. "A modern spacecraft for modern times", Wernher had called it. The Genesis seated two, although Jebediah wondered if it could seat three. Probably not a good idea to try it out.

Jebediah was born in 1946. Or, in the words of a recently popularized proverb, "too late to explore the Earth and too early to explore the solar system". He'd also missed out on a series of great wars, but if he missed these wars, he didn't show it. He was a combat veteran himself, taking part in the Peninsular Wars and the Wars of Colonial Suppression, fighting against rebels and revolutionaries in the sky. Now with the space program ramping up, he wondered if the last part of the phrase, "too early to explore the solar system" was outdated itself. His current circumstances were certain proof of the fact.

T-5 seconds.

Jebediah felt the thumping of his heart against his ribcage. From his viewpoint, only a small square patch of the sky could be seen. He wondered what Neildon saw behind him, as the world fell away. Best not to think about it.

T-4 seconds.

Neildon adjusted his helmet, tapping on it's sides.

"Communications check, CAPCOM. All systems nominal and ready to go."

"Understood, Genesis."

T-3 seconds.

Jebediah felt a anger swell up inside him, the anger of a child when it is confronted by an adult and told to give up it's plaything. Jebediah could feel the eyes of the world watching him like vultures, eager to tear the space program apart at his slightest mistake. Best not to think too deeply.

T-2 seconds.

On the ground, the camera teams began to zoom in on the rocket in preparation of the next day's headlines. NEW SPACECRAFT GENESIS-1 LIFTS OFF FROM KERBIN, it would say. GENESIS-1 EXPLODES, NO SURVIVORS, was a less desirable alternative, and one that everyone knew would lead to the death of the program.

T-1 seconds.

The engines rumbled to life, engulfing the cabin in noise. There was a flash, and the crewmembers realized the first stage had now been ignited and were now throttling up.

T-0 seconds.

The world watched as the craft soared into the sky, and Neildon watched the world fall away beneath him. So it has begun.

Neildon felt estastic as the ground lifted away. Unlike the other Kerbals in the test pilot program, he was a newcomer, and had expected to be last on the roster for reaching space. But luck had intervened, and soon, his name would join the ever-going list of those who could call themselves a Kerbonaut.

Jebediah squeezed the joystick as pressure mounted on his chest. He focused on the darkening blue sky above him, simply allowing himself to enjoy the moment.

Then came a dip in the pressure, and the clamoring of explosive bolts. At once, both Kerbals knew what had happened. Now 24KM above Kerbin, the first stage was discarded and the second stage brought to life, pitching over and bringing them onto a orbital trajectory.

"Second stage ignition", called CAPCOM, a few seconds too late.

Now with the mass of the ship decreasing, the acceleration felt violent. Loose objects began to rattle, striking at the walls of the cabin, and the craft itself began to shake. Then there was a final jerk forward and the final stage pulled free of it's shroud.

At last the third stage fired, it's smooth acceleration allowing the craft to cruise comfortably into orbit. From the small window on the capsule, Jebediah could make out the features of the Kerbin, the tiny mountains, lakes, and the ocean, which seemed vast even in orbit. He wondered what Neildon was seeing. Darn. Should've picked the window seat, he thought.

The engines behind the cabin fell silent. The Genesis was now in orbit.

Neildon unlatched his helmet, watching the blue light of Kerbin illuminate the main cabin. The spacecraft was silent now. Jebediah was somewhere up, wherever that was, but he had stopped talking. For now, he could think, with nothing but the melodic humming of the life-support systems to keep him company. The silence was soon broken by the staticky and monotonic voice of CAPCOM.

"Genesis-1, orbit has been confirmed by ground tracking station. Begin working through the operational flight checklist, reentry is scheduled for tomorrow."

Tomorrow. Neildon felt his face stretch into a grin. He and Jebediah would have a full day in space, all six hours of it. Pulling himself free from his seat restraints, he made his way to the center of the cabin, and began to work his way down the checklist. Six hours. Three hundred sixty minutes. Twenty one thousand and six hundred seconds. From his vantage point, there was no sense of direction. It was his small bubble of air and black void that stretched for infinity.

Pushing himself to the window, he watched the clouds of Kerbin drift over it's surface. The planet glowed, it's atmosphere going from a solid white to a dark blue as it faded away into the vacuum. He wondered what the first pilots had felt when they flew planes made of nothing more but wood and cloth. It must have felt very similar. Now one hundred and twenty five kilometers above his home planet, he felt happiness.

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THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES (NOW IN COLOR!)

~ 1955, Month 2, Day 2 ~

"GENESIS-1" A SUCCESS, NEW UNITED PROVINCES SPACECRAFT COMPLETES FIRST MISSION

WRITTEN BY ERRIE KERMAN

ABOVE: THE GENESIS-1 CAPSULE PARACHUTES INTO THE WHITE SANDS DESERT, IT'S CREW SAFE AFTER SPENDING ONE DAY IN SPACE

WHITE SANDS - TODAY THE GENESIS-1 SPACECRAFT WAS RECOVERED SAFELY AFTER A 6-HOUR LONG ORDEAL DURING WHICH THE CREW CONDUCTED EXPERIMENTS IN SPACE AND ORBITED KERBIN A DOZEN TIMES IN THE MOST PERFECT SPACE MISSION YET. LIEUTENANT COMMANDER JEBEDIAH KERMAN WAS ONLY THIRTY SECONDS BEHIND SCHEDULE WHEN HE REENTERED THE ATMOSPHERE AND PARACHUTED TO SAFETY IN THE LANDING ZONE - HE WAS, UNFORTUNATELY, SEVERAL KILOMETERS OFF COURSE - HAVING INTENDED TO LAND IN SHALLOW WATER DUE TO THE POOR PERFORMANCE OF THE GENESIS IN SPLASHDOWN TESTS, HE INSTEAD LANDED ON LAND. DESPITE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT INJURIES TO THE CREW, THE SPACE PROGRAM HAS RELEASED A STATEMENT ON THEIR MEDICAL CONDITION, SAYING "JEBEDIAH AND NEILDON ARE IN EXCELLENT HEALTH AND WILL BE RELEASED SOON ONCE THE QUARANTINE PERIOD IS FINISHED". SHOULD THIS STATEMENT BE TRUE, THEN IT IS A GOOD SIGN FOR SUPPORTERS OF THE SPACE STATION PLAN, NOW NAMED "PROJECT JUPITER" FOR THE ANCIENT GOD OF THE SKY.

THE SUCCESSFUL ORBIT OF THE GENESIS COMES AT A TIME WHEN SPACEFLIGHT TOO HAS BECOME A HOTLY CONTESTED ARENA BETWEE NATIONS. RECENTLY, LAST WEEK, THE UNION OF SOCIALIST REPUBLICS LAUNCHED THEIR OWN KERBAL INTO SPACE AS WELL AS A MUNAR IMPACT PROBE. WITH PRESIDENT FRANK KERMAN ESCALATING HIS POLICY OF "HOLDING BACK KOMMUNIST IDEALS", TENSIONS HAVE NEVER BEEN GREATER BETWEEN THE MAJOR POWERS OF KERBIN.

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Edited April 1, 2016 by Butterbar

Butterbar · April 1, 2016

CHAPTER TEN: Artemis-2 And Rendezvous Too

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THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES (NOW IN COLOR!)

~ 1955, Month 7, Day 24 ~

WRITTEN BY ERRIE KERMAN

ABOVE: THE ARTEMIS-2, THE SECOND PRIMARY MISSION OF THE MUNAR PROBE PROGRAM, WAS CONFIRMED TO HAVE LOST CONTACT WITH KERBIN TODAY AFTER PLUNGING INTO THE MUNAR SURFACE DUE TO AN UNDERESTIMATION OF FUEL CONSUMPTION

KERMAN SPACE CENTER - A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SPACE PROGRAM HAS CONFIRMED TODAY THAT THE ARTEMIS-2, A SOFT-LANDING PROBE DESIGNED FOR THE MUNAR SURFACE, HAS LOST ALL RADIO CONTACT WITH KERBIN AFTER IMPACTING THE MUNAR SURFACE AT APPROXIMATELY 300M/S. THIS DEVELOPMENT COMES AS A SHOCK TO THE NATION - THE RECENT LANDING OF THE MUNAKHOD PROBE ONTO THE MUN BY THE UNION SHOWS THAT OUR LEAD IN WHAT EXPERTS HAVE DUBBED THE "RACE TO SPACE" IS RAPIDLY SHRINKING. WITH THE UNION HAVING LAUNCHED THEIR OWN KERBAL TO ORBIT IN THE PAST YEAR AND NOW AHEAD OF OUR SPACE PROGRAM IN REGARDS TO THE MUN, A ONCE COMFORTABLE LEAD HAS NOW VANISHED.

WERNHER VON KERMAN, THE DIRECTOR OF THE ARA, REFUSED TO SPEAK TO REPORTERS TODAY ABOUT THE FATE OF THE ARTEMIS-2. HE DID RELEASE A STATEMENT LATER IN THE DAY, PROMISING THAT GREATER DEVELOPMENTS WERE UNDERWAY, AS WELL AS PROMISING THAT THE FAILURE OF THE ARTEMIS LANDER WOULD NOT IMPACT THE FLIGHT SCHEDULE OF THE SECOND GENESIS MISSION TO PRACTICE RENDEZVOUS MANEUVERS, AS WELL AS THAT THE SPACE PROGRAM WOULD BE PREPARED TO LAUNCH THE ARTEMIS-3 AS IT'S REPLACEMENT TO THE MUN BY NEXT YEAR.

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WEEKLY WORLD NEWS (EDITION NO.1 1956)(TOTALLY NOT A TABLOID)

WRITTEN BY KERBAL ON STREET CORNER WEARING TINFOIL HAT

ABOVE: THIS PHOTO RELEASED BY THE ARA SHOWS THE GENESIS-2 PERFORMING A RENDEZVOUS MANEUVER WITH A "PREVIOUSLY LAUNCHED PAYLOAD". IS THAT PAYLOAD A UNION SPACECRAFT, AND DID THE UNITED PROVINCES KIDNAP IT'S CREW?

DID THE GOVERNMENT JUST KIDNAP A UNION KERBONAUT?

THE CAPITOL - DID THE UNITED PROVINCES GOVERNMENT JUST KIDNAP A KOMMUNIST KERBALONAUT? GRANTED, WE KNOW THAT THE SPACE PROGRAM LAUNCHED A MANNED MISSION LAST WEEK, AND GRANTED, WE KNOW THAT THE MANNED MISSION ACHIEVED ORBIT, WHERE IT RENDEZVOUSED WITH A "OBJECT". BUT WAS THIS "OBJECT" A UNION SPACECRAFT? THESE QUESTIONS ARE BEING ASKED BECAUSE THERE ARE OBVIOUS DISCREPANCIES THE THE "OFFICIAL" STORY.

FIRSTLY, THE SPACE PROGRAM CLAIMED THAT THE "OBJECT" WAS A TEST VEHICLE THAT WAS LAUNCHED WITH BASIC THRUSTERS TO CONDUCT ORBITAL MANEUVERS. BUT IN THE PHOTOS RELEASED, THE "OBJECT" HAS NO THRUSTERS - IT IS COMPLETELY IMMOBILE, WHICH RAISES THE POSSIBILITY OF GOVERNMENT SABOTAGE. ALSO, THE SPACE PROGRAM HAS RECENTLY "HIRED" A "RECRUIT" WHOM, ACCORDING TO OUR SOURCES, SPEAKS WITH AN ACCENT THAT IS NOT ATYPICAL OF THE ETHNICITY OF THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE USR. WAS THE UNION KERBONAUT A DEFECTOR? SECONDLY, THE SPACE PROGRAM HAS YET TO RELEASE CLOSEUP PICTURES OF THE "OBJECT". IF THE "OBJECT" TRULY DID BELONG TO THE UNITED PROVINCES, THEN THEY HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE. SINCE THE "OBJECT" IS A CIVILIAN SPACECRAFT OPERATED BY A CIVILIAN AGENCY, THEN HOW COME THEY STILL HAVEN'T RELEASED THESE PHOTOS? WAS THE "OBJECT" SECRET A MILITARY SATELLITE? OR WAS IT WAS KOMMUNIST SPACECRAFT CONTAINING A DEFECTOR? DUE TO THE BLATANT DISREGARD OF THE TRUTH BY THE GOVERNMENT, WE MAY NEVER KNOW.

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Edited April 1, 2016 by Butterbar

Mad Rocket Scientist · April 2, 2016

35 minutes ago, Butterbar said:

WRITTEN BY KERBAL ON STREET CORNER WEARING TINFOIL HAT

*Puts on tinfoil hat* The object was an alien spacecraft!

Butterbar · April 2, 2016

CHAPTER ELEVEN: Artemis-3 And The Effects Of Longterm Spaceflight On The Kerbal

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THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES (NOW IN COLOR!)

~ 1956, Month 3, Day 5 ~

ARTEMIS-3 SUCCESSFULLY LANDS ON MUNAR SURFACE, MUNAR PROBE PROGRAM NOW CONCLUDED

WRITTEN BY NEDBOB KERMAN

ABOVE: THE ARTEMIS-3 LANDED ON THE MUN TODAY AFTER A 36-HOUR JOURNEY FROM KERBIN.

KERMAN SPACE CENTER - CHEERS OF EXUBERANT CONTROLLERS AND BOTTLES OF CHAMPAGNE WERE FOUND IN THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING MISSION SUPPORT COMPLEX TODAY AS THE ARTEMIS-3 SUCCESSFULLY LANDED ON THE MUN, COMPLETING THE MISSION OF IT'S ILL-FATED PREDECESSOR, THE ARTEMIS-2, WHICH CRASHED INTO THE MUNAR FAR SIDE LAST YEAR. AT AROUND 0932 CENTRAL TIME, THE SPACECRAFT SAFELY TOUCHED DOWN ONTO THE MUNAR SURFACE SOME 36-HOURS AFTER IT LIFTED OFF FROM KERMAN SPACE CENTER - WITH LESS THAN ONE LITER OF FUEL TO SPARE, THE LANDING WAS EXTREMELY CLOSE.

"THE DATA FROM ARTEMIS-3 WILL BE EXTREMELY USEFUL TO ANY CONCEPT OF A MANNED EXPEDITION TO THE MUNAR SURFACE", DIRECTOR WERNHER STATED TODAY TO REPORTERS. "THE PROBE HAS ALREADY YIELDED SOME EXTREMELY INTERESTING FINDINGS. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO DISPEL THE NOTION THAT THE MUN IS MADE OF CHEESE. IT'S MADE OF ROCKS AND DUST."

STOCK IN DAIRY COMPANIES SUCH AS CRATER FARMS & POULTRY HAVE PLUMMETED TODAY AFTER THIS STATEMENT, AND SEVERAL CORPORATIONS HAVE ALREADY FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE SPACE PROGRAM FOR "DEFAMATION AND FINANCIAL DAMAGES CAUSED BY WERNER'S SLANDER".

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THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES (NOW IN COLOR!)

~ 1956, Month 10, Day 29 ~

GENESIS-3 MISSION SUCCESSFUL, "WE ARE NOW READY TO DEVELOP A LONG TERM PRESENCE IN SPACE", SAYS HEAD CHIEF

WRITTEN BY DOLING KERMAN

ABOVE: THE GENESIS-3 SPACECRAFT IN ORBIT AROUND KERBIN.

KERMAN SPACE CENTER - THE GENESIS-3, WHICH WAS LAUNCHED INTO ORBIT TWO WEEKS AGO, HAS RETURNED SAFELY TO EARTH, THE SPACE AGENCY CONFIRMS. BILL AND BOB KERMAN, THE TWO KERBONAUTS ON THE FLIGHT, PERFORMED LIFE-SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS IN ORBIT FOR TEN DAYS BEFORE FIRING THEIR RETROROCKETS AND RETURNING TO KERBIN, A FEAT OF ENDURANCE THAT IS UNPARALLELED BY ANY OTHER. FOR TEN DAYS THEY LIVED IN A CLOSED ENVIRONMENT ONBOARD THEIR MODIFIED GENESIS-3 SPACECRAFT, USING CO2 FILTERS, RECYCLED WATER, AND DRINKING THEIR RATIONS THROUGH A STRAW - TODAY, THEY ARE HOME ON KERBIN, SAFE AND SOUND AFTER THEIR ORDEAL.

THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THEIR MISSION IS CRUCIAL TO THE SPACE PROGRAM'S GOALS OF ESTABLISHING A SPACE STATION IN ORBIT OF KERBIN BY NEXT YEAR, A GOAL THAT WAS SET IN 1953. NOW WITH THE CONFIRMATION THAT KERBALS CAN INDEED SURVIVE FOR OVER A WEEK IN SPACE, WHAT WAS ONCE THOUGHT TO BE UNATTAINABLE AND IMPOSSIBLE IS NOW VERY CLOSE TO REALITY. WITH SCIENTISTS ESTIMATING THAT A MANNED EXPEDITION TO THE MUN WOULD TAKE A WEEK, THE NOTION THAT WE WILL SEE KERBALS WALK UPON ANOTHER WORLD IN OUR LIFETIME IS NOLONGER A QUESTION OF "IF" IT WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT A MATTER OF "WHEN?" IT WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED.

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RocketSquid · April 2, 2016

So, what did the Genesis-2 actually dock with?

Butterbar · April 2, 2016

It was a rescue mission to save a kerbonaut, since I needed one more ~~victim~~ test pilot and couldn't afford the hiring cost. Turns out, conspiracy theories are sometimes correct.

Edited April 2, 2016 by Butterbar

Butterbar · April 2, 2016

CHAPTER ELEVEN: The Frontiers Expand

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Fourteen days into it's mission, the probe Socrates-1 entered the gravitational influence of Minmus. Built off the successful design of the Artemis and Helios probes, the Socrates was an orbiter, much like her sisters. With her high-gain antenna, experiment modules, and material science bay, the craft weighed a total of 1.2 tons - her designers had every thought to save weight. In space, a pound saved on the payload was one hundred pounds saved of fuel; or so Wernher said. The numbers weren't exact.

The craft had enough fuel to slow itself down into a stable orbit. It didn't have enough for much beyond that, nor did it need it. It was never built to return home. Now, as it neared it's target, it's antenna once again came to life, transmitting telemetry to Kerbin and receiving orders. It's computer was primitive, relying on vacuum tubes and a complex system of wheels. But it could follow orders just as well, and that was all the designers needed. As they didn't need it to come home, they didn't need it to think, either.

Rotating the spacecraft's solar panels to take in the energy of the Sun, the craft began to run through a series of checklists. Before it could make it's final burn, everything had to be checked. There was no room for error. From here, Kerbin was the size of a grape, a small, blue-green grape upon which lived several billion sentient beings. The Mun was a tiny dust mote, a grey, unforgiving rocket that had already swallowed the Artemis-2 and the Munakhod-5, and hungered for more. Or so was the joke.

At an height of 2,000 kilometers from the Minmusian surface, one could make out the most defining features of the moon, if they squinted enough. It looked like a grain of pollen, much like the moon of Pol near Jool, but it's bluish-green tint was reminiscent to many Kerbals eating ice-cream during a lazy Sunday afternoon, and the pock-marks on it's surface looked like seas. Or so it was believed, back in the older days when Kerbalkind had just developed telescopes, of a civilization on Minmus and thrived from it's many oceans. No matter the case, Minmus was a dead world now, and as the Socrates began it's slow descent, it seemed even deader. There was no atmosphere. No magnetic field. No activity. If there was a sea, it had died long, long ago, before this visitor from a strange world came.

Three hours after entering the gravitational influence of Minmus, the main engine of the probe fired, slowing it's velocity into a stable orbit around the world. The separator bolts released, pushing the probe onwards in it's journey - the last booster stage, now spent, tumbled away into the night. Tentatively, it's material bay opened, exposing the contents within to the harshness of space. A turquoise glow illuminated the craft as it made it's closest approach around 17 kilometers from the frozen surface, it's sensors and cameras clicking away to madness.

Flying away from the surface toward it's apogee of 55 kilometers, the Socrates's computer activated once more, rotating it's antenna towards Kerbin and it's solar panels toward the sun. Then in a flurry of activity, the antenna began to upload the information the probe had been gathering to the space center. Seconds later, on another world, Dr. Bobden Kerman saw his flight console light up as mit after mit of data arrived, ready to be dissected and analyzed by his team of researchers.

Then once more, the Socrates orbiter fell dormant. It's mission was over, for now.

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THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES (NOW IN COLOR!)

~ 1957, Month 5, Day 11 ~

JUPITER SPACE STATION SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED INTO ORBIT: GENESIS-4 BEING READIED FOR LAUNCH, WILL FLY NEXT MONTH

WRITTEN BY ELDING KERMAN

ABOVE: SPACE STATION JUPITER IN ORBIT. PHOTO CREDIT: ASTRONAUTICS RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION

KERMAN SPACE CENTER - THE SPACE AGENCY TODAY ANNOUNCED THE BEGINNING OF OPERATIONS ON SPACE STATION JUPITER, A PROGRAM WHICH HAS PROCEEDED FLAWLESSLY SO FAR WITH MINIMAL DELAY. NOW WITH ELECTRICAL AND LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEMS FULLY FUNCTIONAL, THE SPACE STATION AWAITS IT'S FIRST CREW, WHO WILL BE LAUNCHED ONBOARD THE GENESIS-4 NEXT MONTH IN CELEBRATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL KEOPHYSICAL YEAR. THE 7.5 TON SPACE STATION, NAMED JUPITER AFTER THE ANCIENT PHYGASIAN GOD OF THE SKY, CAN SUPPORT A CREW OF SIX KERBALS FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.

THE SPACE STATION WAS BUILT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED PROVINCIAL AIR FORCE, WHO HAS USED THE HABITAT MODULE PREVIOUSLY IN TESTING A NEW HYPERSONIC SPACEPLANE FOR THEMSELVES. IT IS IN A PERFECTLY EQUATORIAL ORBIT AROUND KERBIN WITH AN APOKEE OF 113KM AND A PERIKEE OF 109KM, TO ALLOW THE CREW OF THE STATION IMMEDIATE ESCAPE SHOULD THERE BE EMERGENCY. WHEN GENESIS-4 DOCKS WITH THE STATION NEXT MONTH, IT WILL BRING A CREW OF TWO: ACCORDING TO WERNHER VON KERMAN, "IT IS HOPED FOR AT LEAST A CREW OF TWO TO REMAIN IN SPACE PERMANENTLY FROM HERE ON OUT, AS A SIGN OF KERBALKIND'S ENTRY INTO THE AGE OF SPACEFLIGHT".

"THE SYMBOL OF JUPITER IS ONE OF SCIENCE AND PEACE", SAID PRESIDENT FRANK KERMAN IN A SPEECH TODAY. "THE IDEA OF KERBALS LEAVING THEIR WARLIKE TENDENCIES BEHIND ON KERBIN TO PURSUE A HIGHER CALLING OF KNOWLEDGE IN SPACE IS A NOBLE ONE, AND ONE THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN ENCOURAGING. OUR NATION HAS ALWAYS PRIDED ITSELF ON IT'S SPIRIT OF EXPLORATION - WE WERE BUILT FROM EXPLORERS WHO SAILED THE SEAS AND PIONEERS WHO TRAVELLED THE VAST CONTINENTS. TODAY, THEIR LEGACY IS CONTINUED IN JUPITER AND THE CREW OF THE GENESIS-4 WHEN THEY ARRIVE NEXT MONTH."

OTHERS ARE NOT SO ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE STATION. "THIS WHOLE "SPACEFLIGHT" THING IS A TON OF EXCREMENT", EXCLAIMED BOB-ITAN KERMAN. "OUR NATIONAL DEBT IS MOUNTING AND THE ECONOMY HAS BEEN STAGNATING FOR THE LAST YEAR. WE DON'T NEED TO BURN OUR HARD-EARNED TAX DOLLARS ON SENDING A COUPLE KERBALS ONTO JOYRIDES TO OTHER PLANETS OR WHATEVER. TRUST ME! I'M A CITIZEN." BOB-ITAN THEN EXCUSED HIMSELF TO TUCK AWAY A USR MILITARY ID THAT HAD FALLEN OUT OF HIS POCKET BEFORE BEING TACKLED BY SEVERAL KERBALS IN SUITS AND SUNGLASSES. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT HIS WHEREABOUTS, PLEASE CALL 867-5309.

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Edited April 2, 2016 by Butterbar

Geschosskopf · April 2, 2016

Congrats on the pinning!

RocketSquid · April 2, 2016

8 hours ago, Butterbar said:

TRUST ME! I'M A CITIZEN." BOB-ITAN THEN EXCUSED HIMSELF TO TUCK AWAY A USR MILITARY ID THAT HAD FALLEN OUT OF HIS POCKET BEFORE BEING TACKLED BY SEVERAL KERBALS IN SUITS AND SUNGLASSES. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT HIS WHEREABOUTS, PLEASE CALL 867-5309.

Not exactly laying low, is he?

Butterbar · April 2, 2016

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Docking And Spaceplanes

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THE CAPITOL SUN TIMES (NOW IN COLOR!)

~ 1957, Month 6, Day 20 ~

GENESIS-4 SUCCESSFULLY DOCKS WITH STATION JUPITER, KERBAL NOW HAS PERMANENT PRESENCE IN SPACE

ABOVE: THE GENESIS-4 DOCKED TO JUPITER OVER THE BERINGIA SEA PHOTO CREDIT: ASTRONAUTICS RESEARCH AGENCY

WRITTEN BY WALTER KERMAN

KERMAN SPACE CENTER - AT AROUND 3:59 CENTRAL TIME TODAY, THE GENESIS-4 CONFIRMED VISUAL CONTRACT WITH SPACE STATION JUPITER. TEN MINUTES LATER, THE CREW OF THE GENESIS-4, LOGER AND DR. HENWIN KERMAN BEGAN A NEW ERA IN KERBAL HISTORY WHEN THEY OPENED THE HATCH AND ENTERED SPACE STATION JUPITER. THE YEAR-LONG STAY OF THE CREW WILL KICKSTART THE FIRST TIME THAT SPACE HAS HAD A PERMANENT KERBAL PRESENCE, AS WELL AS PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED INSIGHT INTO KERBAL SPACEFLIGHT THAT IS CRUCIAL TO INTERPLANETARY MISSIONS TO THE MUN, MINMUS, OR DUNA.

FOR THE REST OF THEIR DAY, THE CREW WILL TAKE PART IN A NATIONWIDE RADIO BROADCAST AS WELL AS WORK WITH MISSION SUPPORT TO BEGIN ROUTINE OPERATIONS ONBOARD THE STATION.

A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

ABOVE: THE INTERIOR OF JUPITER PHOTO CREDIT: ASTRONAUTICS RESEARCH AGENCY

THE IDEA OF A SPACE STATION HAS IT'S ROOTS IN SCIENCE FICTION. RAY BROADBUSH KERMAN, A WELL-KNOWN WRITER, FIRST OPENED THE IDEA OF A SPACE STATION IN HIS NOVEL, THE TALES OF DISTANT DUNA, AS WELL AS A DYING WORLD. A SPACE STATION IS SIMPLE: IT'S GOAL IS TO SERVE AS A FREE-FLOATING OUTPOST IN SPACE. IT CAN SERVICE OUTBOUND SPACESHIPS AS WELL AS ACT AS A RESEARCH CENTER.

THE JUPITER IS CAPABLE OF DOING JUST THAT. WITH DEDICATED ELECTRICAL AND LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEMS, THE STATION CAN SURVIVE FOR YEARS IN SPACE, A LASTING MONUMENT TO THE TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRIAL MIGHT OF THE UNITED PROVINCES.

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REPORT TO SECRETARY KENFURT, DEPARTMENT OF WAR

DATE: MONTH 8, DAY 3, 1957

SUBJECT: ON THE X-17

FROM: DIRECTOR OF SPACE OPERATIONS, ADAM KERMAN, OFFICE OF RECONNAISSANCE

CLEARANCE: [TOP SECRET], [NEED TO KNOW ONLY]

THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWO MAIN CONTRACTORS WORKING ON THE X-17 "IAEPUTUS". C7 AEROSPACE HAS BEEN CONTRACTED TO BUILD THE AIRFRAME OF THE X-17, WHILE ROCKOMAX CORPORATION HAS BEEN CONTRACTED BY THE FRANK ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE 12 ATLAS-CLASS ROCKETS, TO BE SPLIT EVENLY BETWEEN THE A.R.A AND THE AIR FORCE. √60,000 FUNDS HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO C7 AEROSPACE TO BUILD FIVE AIRFRAMES OF THE X-17: ONE HAS BEEN USED AS A DROP-TEST, ANOTHER TWO ARE TO BE USED AS BACKUP MODELS, AND THE LAST TWO WILL BE USED IN OPERATIONS - ONE OF WHICH HAS ALREADY FLOWN TO ORBIT. THIS HAS LED TO A COST OF AROUND √12,000 FUNDS PER UNIT. AT THIS RATE, WE WILL BE OVERBUDGET BY √30,000 FUNDS BY 1959, A SITUATION THAT CANNOT CONTINUE.

THIS LEADS US TO ANOTHER DILEMMA. DR. MORTIMER KERMAN HAS INFORMED US THAT WITH THE A.R.A AIMING FOR A MUNAR EXPEDITION BY 1959, FOLLOWED BY A POSSIBLE BASE BY 1962, THEY ARE UNWILLING AND UNABLE TO CONTRIBUTE MUCH FUNDS TO THE IAEPUTUS PROGRAM. √58,000 FUNDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN INVESTED IN THE X-17 FROM THE A.R.A; THIS AMOUNT WILL PURCHASE THEM THREE TEST FLIGHTS WITH THE "X-17" ON THE CONDITION THAT THEY BE KEPT BOTH CONFIDENTIAL AND FLOWN BY UPAF PERSONNEL. X-17A HAS ALREADY FLOWN WITH THE A.R.A: THUS, THEY ARE AUTHORIZED TO ONLY TWO MORE FLIGHTS.

FIG 1: X-17A ON THE LAUNCHPAD. WE HAVE DECIDED TO LET THE A.R.A HANDLE THE TEST FLIGHTS IN ORDER TO SAVE FUNDS.

FIG 2: X-17 IN ORBIT, WITH SUNDALAND ISLAND IN THE FOREGROUND. PHOTO TAKEN BY 1ST LIEUTENANT SAMDEN KERMAN DURING AN EVA

FIG 3: THE X-17 REENTERS THE ATMOSPHERE OF KERBIN. UNLIKE THE GENESIS, THE X-17 MUST REENTER THE ATMOSPHERE AT 45KM AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK TO AVOID TEMPERATURE DAMAGE: THE ONLY ADVANTAGE OVER THE GENESIS IS THE ILLUSION OF REUSABILITY AND IT'S ABILITY TO GLIDE.

THIS LEADS US TO ANOTHER PROBLEM. USING THE X-17 IAEPUTUS IN PLACE OF THE ALREADY PROVEN GENESIS ROCKETS REQUIRES √20,000 MORE FUNDS PER LAUNCH: THE "SAVINGS" FROM REUSING THE X-17 ONLY AMOUNTS OF ABOUT √5,000 FUNDS. CLEARLY, WE HAVE PURCHASED THE X-17 FROM C7 FOR MUCH MORE THAN IT IS WORTH. C7 PROVIDES EACH AIRFRAME AT √12,000, YET IT IS WORTH √5,000. ANOTHER ISSUE HAS ARISEN FROM THE X-17. DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT HOLDS THREE CREWMEMBERS, EACH SEAT ON A X-17 COSTS APPROXIMATELY √20,000 FUNDS TO SEND A KERBAL TO ORBIT. ON THE GENESIS, THIS COST IS ONLY √17,500 FUNDS. NOT ONLY IS THE X-17 MORE EXPENSIVE THAT AN OLDER ROCKET, WE ARE PAYING MUCH MORE FOR IT THAN IT IS WORTH. NOT ONLY THAT, REPORTS BY TEST PILOTS HAVE RECORDED THE X-17 AS BEING DANGEROUS UNSTABLE, WHILE LIEUTENANT SAMDEN'S FLIGHT REPORT AFTER THE X-17A'S ORBITAL FLIGHT RECORDED THE CRAFT AS "A HAZARD DURING REENTRY, VERY HARD TO CONTROL" AS WELL AS "EXHIBITING TENDENCIES TO PERFORM MID-AIR STUNTS AT INAPPROPRIATE TIMES". NOT ONLY THAT, THE X-17 IS INCAPABLE OF LANDING ON WATER, AND MUST LAND ON LAND, OR RISK SEVERE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. X-17A, CURRENTLY, THE ONLY X-17 TO FLY TO ORBIT, PERFORMED THIS MISTAKE AND NOW THE CRAFT IS A TOTAL LOSS.

THEREFORE, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD NOT BE UNREASONABLE FOR ME TO RECOMMEND THE CANCELLATION OR DOWNSIZING OF THE X-17 PROGRAM. THE X-17 IN IT'S CURRENT STATE IS EXPENSIVE AND DANGEROUS, AND LACKS THE FLEXIBLE RELIABILITY OF THE GENESIS ROCKET.

SINCERELY,

DIRECTOR OF SPACE OPERATIONS

LT. COLONEL UPAF

OFFICE OF RECONNAISSANCE

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GDJ · April 2, 2016

Great read, and written in a pretty cool format. Looking forward to reading more!

max_creative · April 2, 2016

This so awesome! The Jupiter is inspiration for my own first station which I am planning now. +rep!

From Humble Beginnings [Chapter 25]

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