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Through Hardships to the Stars [Chapter 32 - Something Big II]

TheEpicSquared

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TheEpicSquared

TheEpicSquared

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CHAPTER 16: SATELLITES GALORE

Hardfield Kerman was shocked at the huge pile of documents on his desk. By SQUAD, Kerbol's barely risen above the horizon! he thought, as he sat down in his chair.

He picked up the first document. It was titled "Pompadour 1 Munar Survey Launch Document". Hardfield broke into a huge smile as he realized his gamble on commercial launches had succeeded. The Pompadour 1 Munar Survey (P1MS) was apparently built by a company called Kosmos Interplanetary Dynamics, and the satellite was supposed to be put into a polar Mun orbit. Then, it would detach 4 small landers that would land on the Mun.

Kosmos Interplanetary Dynamics had also provided their own launcher, using technology from the KSP and improving on it, to create the launch vehicle.

The massive rocket was soon delivered and assembled in the VAB.N1Mp0Rv.png

The payload was attached to the top once it arrived.PVNIm8r.png

Denken Kerman, the new head of engineering, thought that the rocket was massively overpowered for the job. But then again, he thought, Kosmos built it. We're just supposed to launch it.

And launch it they did. The Pompadour 1 Munar Survey launched in the middle of the day.6fVF2i2.png

The high TWR made it very difficult to keep to the proper trajectory. However, the booster separation went exactly as planned.OSCWZpd.png

Soon the craft was in orbit.rfFkX1Q.png

One quick TMI burn later, the P1MS was on its way to the Mun.5NvLfWC.png

The Rhino engine ignited one last time to place the spacecraft into a polar LMO.rP8zfXj.png

The landers would be landed later, as Kosmos Interplanetary Dynamics wanted to conduct health checks before the mission was continued. 

So the KSP moved on to the next payload.

***

The next payload was the Kerbin Observation Satellite 1 (KOS-1), which included a high-resolution telescope and a new experimental solar array. Another experimental engine was the propulsion system for the KOS-1, the Corvette engine. The intended orbit was a polar 250x250km orbit, easily achievable by the KSP. The strange thing was that the company that provided KOS-1 had not revealed their name, instead just answering <Classified> when asked who they were.

However, due to the fact that there was a very high-resolution telescope on board, Hardfield was highly suspicious that the satellite came from the Kerbin-Wide Surveillance and Security Agency (KWSSA). Nevertheless, the craft was accepted and soon it was being inspected in the VAB.HBLwMI5.png

The satellite had 2 Korona Lite sample return capsules, to return experiments to Kerbin. After making sure these were firmly attached to the main satellite, the whole thing was botled onto the Cormorant A-0 rocket.K6kgOzd.png

This launch would also mark the first launch of a new launch facility, located in the cold and frigid north polar ice cap to cater to polar launches. The facility was called the Zebedee Polar Launch Facility, named after the famous explorer Zebedee Kerman, the first kerbal to reach the north pole.

The facility wasn't very big, but it was more than enough for the Cormorant A-0 booster.rEjP0zs.png

With Kerbol still below the horizon, KOS-1 lifted off.vWpogrg.png

The rocket ascended as Kerbol peeked over the horizon.aTw2o75.png

Soon KOS-1 was in orbit with an apoapsis of 250km.VtSKzYh.png

After a rough circularization by the upper stage, KOS-1 separated and inserted itself into the correct orbit.NICyN3X.png

The upper stage was deorbited once KOS-1 was confirmed to be in a proper orbit.ySaiIaC.png

xHCcFmH.png

A few orbits later, after health checks were conducted, the first Korona Lite sample return capsule was detached from KOS-1.AgxiUVn.png

Its Spark engine ignited to put it on a suborbital trajectory [the plume didn't appear for some reason]wGVqZ6w.png

The Spark engine burned until it ran out of fuel, putting it onto an unusually steep trajectory.gjEb6e7.png

The capsule detached from the propulsion system at just under 115km.K8p1dmN.png

Reentry wasn't very stressing on the capsule due to the reentry profile and soon the parachute semi-deployed as planned.9MrZC51.png

Then, it fully deployed, slowing the capsule to just under 15 m/s. G6H5lSI.png

A few minutes later, the capsule safely landed in the desert.jBLeyX9.png

***

The next launch was of the Kerbol Space Telescope (KST), provided by Sandwich's Raging Rocket Co. Its purpose was to monitor the outer planets and asteroids. It only weighed 0.65 tons, well within the KSP's limits. However, its intended orbit was between Eve and Moho. This satellite would be the closest satellite to Kerbol, at least for the time being. Therefore, it would have to be launched on a Cormorant A-0 booster, to have enough D-v to get KST into its intended orbit. NI75IYo.png

GZjTP0Z.png

It was bolted onto the Cormorant A-0, with the fairing closely cocooning the payload.C8qgCYL.png

It launched in the evening of the next day.boKu858.png

The ascent went to plan.WxaT5aP.png

Soon the KST was in a parking orbit.6bsdX8v.png

A maneuver node was then set to place the periapsis in the correct position.plhisrj.png

The Skipper engine reignited less than one orbit later to perform the maneuver.ltiYW48.png

Less than a minute later, the burn was complete and the periapsis was set.xTWSoEr.png

A maneuver node was set at the periapsis for circularization, and the KST's solar panels deployed to keep the spacecraft charged during the long journey to periapsis.xTWSoEr.png

pT8CqV1.png

***

Hardfield Kerman had a lot more papers to sort through, but after 3 successful launches, he decided the work could be done the next day and went to bed satisfied that night.

Thanks to @Kosmonaut, @Angel-125, @The Raging Sandwich and everyone else who submitted a payload. They'll all be launched! :) 

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Kosmonaut

Kosmonaut

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5 hours ago, TheEpicSquared said:

Denken Kerman, the new head of engineering, thought that the rocket was massively overpowered for the job. But then again, he thought, Kosmos built it. We're just supposed to launch it.

That's just because I'm a terrible pilot and need the extra Delta-V.

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TheEpicSquared

TheEpicSquared

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CHAPTER 17: THE GRAND TOUR OF KERBIN

The KSP needed to test long-term isolation on kerbals for the trip to Duna. And by long-term they meant many munths. Trips to the Mun, even Minmus, simply would not suffice. 

Hardfield was stumped. A base next to the KSC wouldn't work, since the buildings would be visible to the crew and therefore remind the crew of civilization. 

But then, a shady anonymous kerbal rang up Hardfieldand suggested a solution. He said, "Conduct a circumnavigation of Kerbin."

When Hardfield heard this, he exclaimed, "That's utterly ridiculous! Circling Kerbin takes less than a day by plane!" 

The anonymous kerbal replied, "Not by plane. By rover."

After the call, Hardfield thought, That's actually not a bad idea... We could make it work.

So it was decided. A rover would be built for this Grand Tour of Kerbin, and a number of brave kerbals would be selected to be confined to a small space for however long such a mission would take. 

Of course, the KSP wouldn't focus solely on this rover mission. Rockets would be launched as well. Therefore, the Grand Plan needed to be changed.

After a bit of shuffling, the updated version of the plan was unveiled.

 

 

PRESENT DAY:

  • Reusable Space Transportation System (RSTS) development
  • Grand Tour of Kerbin (GTK) rover development and testing
  • SpaceLab Botany Module (BM) launch
  • Kerballed Mun Mission using Brumby Mk2 CSM & Kondor Lander (Mun Ex-2)
  • Kerballed Minmus Mission using Brumby CSM & Kondor Lander (Minmus Ex-1)
  • SpaceLab Solar Truss 1 (ST1) launch
  • SpaceLab Solar Truss 2 (ST2) launch
  • Grand Tour of Kerbin (GTK) mission start
  • Sightseer Space Telescope (SST) launch
  • Gamma Ray Observational Space Telescope (GROST) launch
  • Nuclear Propulsion Test Demonstrator (NPTD) launch
  • Ion Propulsion Test Demonstrator (IPTD) launch

 

DUNA TRANSFER WINDOW 1 START:

  • Duna Polar Reconnaissance Orbiter (DPRO) launch
  • Duna Kuriosity rover launch
  • Duna Opportunity rover launch
  • Duna Polar Resource Scanning Satellite (DPRSS) launch
  • Duna ISRU Proof of Concept rover launch
  • Duna ComSat network launch
  • Duna Sample Return Mission (DSRM) launch
  • Ike Polar Resource Scanning Satellite (IPRSS) launch
  • Ike ComSat network
  • Ike Spirit rover launch

DUNA TRANSFER WINDOW 1 END

 

KERBIN RETURN WINDOW 1 START:

  • Duna Sample Return Mission (DSRM) return to Kerbin
  • SL Ex-2 return
  • SL Ex-3 launch using Brumby CSM
  • SL Ex-4 launch using Brumby CSM
  • Kerballed Mun Mission using Brumby Mk2 CSM & Kondor Lander (Mun Ex-3)
  • Kerballed Minmus Mission using Brumby Mk2 CSM & Kondor Lander (Minmus Ex-2)
  • SL Ex-3 return
  • SL Ex-5 launch using Brumby CSM
  • SL Ex-4 return
  • SL Ex-5 return
  • Duna Orbital Vehicle (DOV) tests in LKO
  • Duna Descent/Landing/Ascent Vehicle (DDLAV) tests in LKO
  • SL Ex-6 launch using RSTS

 

Hardfield thought, We can make it work.

He was still slightly concerned about the shady character who had come up with the solution. How did he know so much? It was all very suspicious.

 

 

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TheEpicSquared

TheEpicSquared

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Hey everyone, RL stuff has been acting up a bit so I haven't had time to play KSP, but I don't want that to affect new chapters. Because of this, the next few chapters will probably contain only text and no pictures (if they do contain pictures they'll probably be from google). 

Oh, and chapter 18 should be out later today or tomorrow.

Spoiler

Get ready for a plot twist! :wink: 

 

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TheEpicSquared

TheEpicSquared

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CHAPTER 18: BY SQUAD...

A young intern who went by the name of Amelie Kerman was up doing the night shift at the tracking station. Having only arrived a few days ago, she was not yet entirely trusted and only had access to the cameras on K-Sat 2, the second satellite launched by the KSP. The camera was currently pointed at the Mun's horizon. The gray world was boring and dull, with spotty craters dotting the surface. In comparison, Kerbin looked beautiful as it rose over the Mun's horizon. The lazy swirling patterns of the clouds was calming, almost soporific. Before long, Amelie felt the drowsiness take over and her body relaxed. 

Wake up! she told herself I'm supposed to be tracking satellites, not taking a nap! She yawned and got up, heading over to the break room where the koffee was. Pouring herself a cup, she smiled as strolled back to her seat. She then resumed looking at the view of Kerbin from K-Sat 2.

It's so small... so insignificant.

"That's the first thing every kerbonaut says when they see Kerbin," a voice said. Amelie jumped. She hadn't noticed Jebediah walk in the door, and she certainly hadn't noticed that she had said her thought out loud.

Jeb grabbed a cup of koffee and sat down at an adjacent console. A few clicks later, a video feed appeared on Jeb's screen. It was being filmed by KEOSAT-1, the first keostationary satellite. Kerbin was a perfectly round disk, and the Mun was just rising from behind the thin wave of Kerbin's atmosphere. Amelie looked over. "By SQUAD, that's a nice video."

"It's even better when you're out there yourself". Jeb gestured in the general direction of the sky. "So what are you up to..." Jeb peered at Amelie's name tag, "...Amelie?"

"Just doing my job, Jeb. I'm an intern, so not much of a job yet. Just to make sure that none of the satellites randomly explode," Amelie replied. After a pause, she said, "What about you, Jeb? Shouldn't you be in bed at this SQUAD-forsaken hour of night?"

Jeb sighed and took a swig of his koffee. "I often come here when I can't sleep. Nightmares. The orbit lines are very calming to me."

"You? Nightmares?" Amelie asked, surprised.

"Yes. I'm not that fearless guy that everyone thinks I am. In fact, remember Merkury 1?"

"Yeah, first kerbal in space. Which happened to be you," Amelie responded cautiously. Where's he going with this?

"Well, not many people know this, but I nearly bailed out from the flight."

Amelie spluttered and nearly dropped her koffee. "But you looked so confident before launch!"

"I was, until the week before the flight. Nightmares nightly. First it was the air supply running out, then a fire onboard, then the LES failing to pull me out of danger, then my heatshield disintegrating. The night before, I couldn't get one second of shut-eye. So I came here. It calmed me down. After a few minutes, I regained my confidence. Luckily the mission went off without a hitch..." Jeb trailed off and his eyes narrowed.

Amelie quickly looked at the screen that was playing live video from KEOSAT-1. A tiny speck of light, taking up only a pixel on the screen.

Many people would have dismissed the spot as a star and gone back to their business. Jeb, however, being a seasoned kerbonaut, knew the difference between a star and sunlight glinting off metal.

Amelie asked, "What's that?"

"Amelie, check for any satellites close to KEOSAT. Within rendezvous distance, please".

"On it." Amelie wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but he judgement told her in was something serious, from Jeb's tone.

A few seconds later, Amelie reported, "Nothing close enough for rendezvous. Do you think it could be KEOSAT's upper stage?"

Jeb replied, "No, we deorbited that last week. Debris from a collision maybe?"

Amelie shook her head. "We've had no collisions as of yet. What is it?"

"Hold on... it's coming closer..."

Jeb turned on the screen recorder in the console as the metallic object neared the satellite.

"It's coming closer... it'll hit the satellite!" Amelie said tensely.

Before Jeb could say anything the object whizzed by the camera, missing KEOSAT-1 by mere millimeters. Jeb said, "Play back the footage, Amelie."

She nodded and tapped a few keys. Jeb closely studied the slowed-down footage.

"Pause it right there!" Jeb burst out suddenly.

Amelie hit the spacebar, a few frames too late. 

"Back a bit.." Amelie obeyed.

"Forward a few frames... there!" Jeb exclaimed. "Enhance the image..."

The lines and edges of the picture instantly became clearer. The sight on the screen was truly astounding.

"By SQUAD..." Jeb breathed, astonoished. "What is that..."

 

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