KSP: New Horizions, an R.O save presented as a story

[LordOfMinecraft99]

15 years ago.....

Something new sat on the launchpad. Something that would propel Kerbalkind into the era of space. That thing....

was Kerputnik!

Kerbputnik One sat on the pad as engineers rushed around it, completing preflight checks. Meanwhile in Mission Control, Gene Kerman looked out the window at the rocket that all these engineers had poured their heart and soul into.

"Commence final countdown."

T-minus 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4

"Main engines start!"

3, 2, 1, Liftoff!

Wernher cried tears of happiness as the rocket shot into the air. He had spent a year or more working on the rocket. Several interns had died during the process, and the VAB and burned down once. "Commence engine pressure checks."

"All pressure good!" Wernher replied. Wernher looked up at the the altimeter. Doing some calculations in his head, "approx 10 seconds to pitch and roll program.

"Commence pitch and roll program, we are good!" Wernher and Gene looked up at the giant screen projecting the live feed. Gene turned to the ever-hungry info demons AKA reporters in the back and annouced "So far, no major errors. Second stage sep is... now!"

"alright, ten seconds till engine start. Thats when the ullage motors have finished burning."

Engine burnout..... NOW!

Alarms suddenly sounded through the control room. "We lost pressure on the Kerbputnik!" "OMS not responding!" The flight engineer for now, Bill, announced its position. "We over 10 clicks off course! The OMS should have kicked in by now!" "whats the state of the other systems?" "All good, sir. " Bob, gather as much science as you can!" "on it, sir!"

The Kerbputnik entered the atmosphere one hour later, it was a violent reentry, and the Kerputnik shattered in pieces.

End of part one

 

Edited August 9, 2016 by Snark
Fixed imgur image links

[Snark]

Great story! 

I've taken the liberty of fixing your imgur links so the images show up in your post.  In the future, if you want to post an image via imgur:

1. go to the page on imgur.com that shows the image
2. right-click on the image itself and choose "Copy Image Location"
3. go into the forum and paste that hyperlink

...it will immediately get turned into an inline image for you.

[LordOfMinecraft99]

Ok, thank you!

[LordOfMinecraft99]

5 years later.

Wernher paced up and down the food aisle in the cafeteria.  Why he even needed food now was a question for later, as after this, the most famous launch ever would begin. He randomly grabbed a snack and put it on his plate before marching off to the engineers table. He looked around. Next to their table was the pilots table. There was a new recruit, his name was Jebediah or something, Wernher couldn't remember. He was the one chosen to be the first man in space. There was something Wernher had forgotten to tell him, but he couldnt remember so he shrugged and continued eating.

The rocket sat on the pad. Inside, Jeb smiled nervously.

Wernher had some concerns about the engines, so he asked Jeb to check them.

"looks good to me, boss!" Wernher studied the picture. "yep, Jeb, you are go." The mission control personnel scrambled to their seats. Gene sat in his chair, all ready. "I want armrests!" Gene shouted. A servant kerbal got up and scurried to the side of his chair, and Gene set his hand on their backs. "Goood." T-minus 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, Main engines start.

Fuel pressure is good, umbilical cords detach.

"Mortimer, get on with it. Your normally our accountant, this is my gift. Dont screw it up."

"ummm yes sir. 3, 2, 1 liftoff!

We have liftoff and have passed safe abort, Jeb, tell how your doing.

"I don't really know how to read the instruments, Gene. I fell asleep in class." Gene stood up so fast you would have thought there was ants on his seat. "WHAT!?! YOU TELL ME THIS NOW?" Jeb yelled into the microphone "Yahoo! Protocol-free ride! Wop!" Mortimer turned to Gene. "We could always activate the launch Escape System." "Nah, lets keep on going. We can control it remotely." "Commence pitch and roll program."

"Copy that, we have an apoapsis of 120 thousand, and are climbing and an acceptable speed." Wernher told Gene. "And second stage sep."

The ullage looks good, second stage engines firing... NOW!

Wernher turned to Gene. "The service module should sep about..... now!

Commence circularization.

 "Jeb, you are clear for the first ever spacewalk." "Wahoo! Is there zero G like in the movies?" "Yes..."

"Umm i think i want to come in now." "Why?" "well, because for some reason i already ate all the food in my suit." "......... Ok Jeb, its time to sleep." Tomorrow we deorbit.

"JEB! JEB! Wake up!" "uhhhh.... do i have to?" "Yes, or you will miss the deorbit win.." Jeb turned off the radio and went to sleep. "YOU IDIOT! You missed the window. You have to deorbit now, at night."

"Ok, Jeb, get ready for reentry." The flames started to lick his pod. "What is bzzt bzz reentry?" Wernher said "Oh, thats what i forgot to tell him!" "Your remembering this NOW?" Gene yelled at Wernher.

"Don't worry, Gene. I added an automatic radar sensing parachute deployer. It was everyones first time, so i added several safety modification." Gene breathed a sigh of relief. The parachutes started to deploy.

Jeb landed, and next morning the recover team and a very angry Gene showed up to collect him.

End of part 2