The Space Program With No Name (updated Jan 12, 2019)

[SBKerman]

A new launch vehicle lifts off from the space center.

 

Relayer 1A/2A, second attempt to launch comsats

Spoiler

The stranding of Relayer 1 & 2 in low Kerbin orbit and the emergency abort of the planned repair mission had left the project over budget and behind schedule. Only the dire need for communication around the Mun kept it from being cancelled. With changes made to the original design, two new satellites were ready for launch on day 304.

Leaving the launchpad on a Velocity III.

The transfer stage sends the payload towards the Mun.

Deploying the satellites.

Relayer 2A after an explosive release.

While the first satellite deployed without problems, Relayer 2A sustained heavy damage to its solar panels when the detached transfer stage exploded. After having ruled out ancient curses and Kraken attacks as the cause, engineers traced the source of the accident to a badly designed retrorocket system. Although Relayer 2A continued to operate on battery power, its lifetime had been severely reduced.

 

Muna 11, final sample return mission

Spoiler

A third and final sample return mission to the Mun launched on day 331. The target landing site for Muna 11 was in the south polar region.

Launching on a Velocity IV.

Approaching the Mun.

Moments before touchdown.

After having been filled, the return capsule takes off.

The burn that will bring the collected sample back to Kerbin.

Muna 11 was a complete success, marking the end of the automated sample missions.

 

SET-6, first launch of a Celerity rocket

Spoiler

Work on the next space station had progressed rapidly and the first of two modules was nearing completion. In order to launch it, a rocket with greater lift capacity than the current Velocity lineup was needed. This led to the development of the Celerity. Capable of placing 15 tonnes in low Kerbin orbit, it had just enough power to do the job. However, before it could be entrusted with space station modules, it had to be tested.

On the launchpad.

The ground shakes as the rocket lifts off.

Separation of the two solid rocket boosters.

The second stage takes over.

Pushing the payload into orbit.

The new launch vehicle, nicknamed Celery by the launch crew, performed satisfactorily. It successfully placed a mass simulator in an 80 x 81 km orbit, showing that it could indeed handle the size and weight of station modules.

 

Venture, Quest and Shepherd, upgraded spacecraft

Spoiler

For two years, engineers had been working on the new version of the Quest resupply vessel. This had resulted in an improved propulsion section, based on the original Venture service module. In an effort to streamline production, the decision was made to incorporate the design into other spacecraft as well. Known as the Shared Service Module or SSM, it would be used in three distinct vehicles.

The new spacecraft lineup.

Venture, crew transport
Development of Block 4 aimed to simplify construction and eliminate the need for the time-consuming extraction of the mission module introduced with Block 3. The module would now be directly mounted to the front of the spacecraft. Changes were also made to the life support system and the electrical system.

Quest, space station resupply
Two versions of Quest were made availble; Block 2A and 2B. The only difference between them was the docking adapter. 2A used an older, smaller model, while 2B was equipped with the new standard sized one. Capacity-wise, 2A and 2B carried the same ammount of supplies and propellant, and both had equal storage space for other cargo.

Shepherd, space tug
As the space program prepared for new multi-module space stations, the need arose to guide those modules into place. This was the job of the Shepherd space tug. It featured an enlarged fuel tank and its front section could be equipped with various types of connections for different payloads.

 

SET-7 through 7B, testing a new launch escape system

Spoiler

The redesign of the Venture spacecraft necessitated a new launch escape system. Because of the location of the mission module, a larger, more powerful escape tower was fitted. A protective fairing covered the entire spacecraft to shield it during the early portion of the launch. This would then be jettisoned either during an emergency or when sufficient alltitude had been reached. To test the new setup, a solid fuel Leapfrog II rocket was used for the first time. This recoverable suborbital launch vehicle successfully lifted a Venture prototype equipped with the new LES. But when the escape system activated, the fairing panels didn't separate fast enough and crashed against the spacecraft. The collision was strong enough to completely destroy the entire vehicle.

The test article is ready to launch.

Seconds away from separation.

That was not supposed to happen.

The fairing panels were redesigned and a second Leapfrog II rolled out to the launchpad. Instead of risking another prototype, a boilerplate spacecraft was used. The launch was again successful and this time, the escape system functioned flawlessly.

Second test of the new LES.

A clean separation and the Leapfrog booster is recovered too.

Following the success of SET-7A, a third test was performed. Confident in the new design, management allowed the use of a second prototype. The tower pulled the mission module and crew capsule to safety.

The third test is also a success.

The command module descends.

With the new system successfully tested twice, Venture Block 4 was almost ready to fly. All that remained was a fourth and final test, scheduled for next year.

 

End of Year Report (Y5)

Spoiler

Finances
Funds: 2,080,330
Science: 155.8

Buildings
Vehicle Assembly Building at level 2
Launchpad at level 2
Spaceplane Hangar at level 2
Runway at level 2
Research and Development at level 2
Mission Control at level 3
Tracking Station at level 2
Administration Building at level 3
Kerbonaut Complex at level 3

Construction Time
VAB Rate 1 at 1.1 BP/s
VAB Rate 2 at 1.1 BP/s
SPH Rate 1 at 1.1 BP/s
SPH Rate 2 at 1 BP/s
R&D Devel. at 64 sci/day

Kerbonauts
P1 Jebediah (4)
P1 Valentina (4)
P1 Phoebe (4)
P1 Wehrsted (1)
P1 Thompdous (1)
P1 Verfal (1)
E1 Bill (3)
E1 Buzz (2)
E1 Ferny (2)
S1 Bob (3)
S1 Gersen (1)
S0 Janson (0)

( ) shows number of space flights

 

Edited July 25, 2018 by SBKerman

[SBKerman]

Testing the Munar Landing Vehicle.

 

SET-8, final test of the new LES

Spoiler

The purpose of SET-8 was to test the separation of the launch escape tower and protective fairing during a normal emergency free launch. This was the last step towards approving the system for operational use.

Taking off from the launchpad.

The spacecraft is successfully separated.

The command module parachutes to a safe splashdown.

So does the Leapfrog II booster.

It worked perfectly and the new launch escape system went into production.

 

Venture 23, unkermanned flight of Block 4

Spoiler

With all the tests completed, it was time to take the new Block 4 for a spin. For the sake of safety, this was done without a crew. The launch vehicle selected for the job was one that had been designed a few years earlier but not actually built until now. Called the Benchmark I, its 9 tonne payload capacity was perfectly suited for the 7 tonne spacecraft. Early on day 22, the rocket and its valuable cargo was ready to take to the sky.

Venture 23 on the launchpad.

Lift-off.

A clean stage separation.

The second stage breaks away after having placed the spacecraft in orbit.

It was a good launch. The Benchmark proved to be a capable vehicle and all spacecraft systems performed to specs. After ten days circling the planet, Venture 23's orbit was raised from 80 to 200 km. This was to test reentry from the altitude at which the new space station was going to operate.

Moving Venture 23 to a higher orbit.

Separation of the three modules.

The command module reenters.

Splashdown occured in the ocean east of the space center. The successful flight of Venture 23 cleared Block 4 for kermanned flights.

 

SET-9, testing the Munar Landing Vehicle

Spoiler

Another piece of hardware going through its testing phase was the Munar Landing Vehicle. Consisting of a descent stage and an ascent stage, the MLV could take one kerbonaut down to the surface of the Mun and back to orbit. During SET-9, a prototype was taken out to the runway for inspection. This was followed by a test of the separation of the ascent stage from the base structure, as would happen after an actual landing.

Ladder action!

Bill inspects the lander.

Testing the ascent stage.

Stage separation worked flawlessly.

The design borrowed heavily from the sample return probes, only at a larger scale. Four solid rocket motors, mounted around the top of the lander, pulled the upper part into the air. On a real mission, this would be followed by ignition of the ascent engine and a return to orbit. Here, the stage simply fell back onto the ground. It was a successful test nonetheless, and since everything appeared to be in good working order, the MLV, like the Venture, received clearance to fly kermanned.

 

Venture 24, full Mun landing rehearsal

Spoiler

With all the pieces coming together, management greenlit a mission to test the complete system at the Mun. First, the combined lander and transfer stage were launched into low Kerbin orbit by a Velocity IV. One day later, a Benchmark I launched Venture 24, carrying kerbonauts Verfal and Gersen.

The Munar Landing Vehicle, MLV-1, launches first.

Lander and transfer stage in orbit.

Venture 24 is launched the next day.

The first kermanned Block 4 has reached LKO.

Once in space, the crew docked with MLV-1. Using the transfer stage, they then set a course for the Mun. It was not a pleasant start to the missions as the two kerbonauts had to fly eyeballs-out. A second burn upon arrival brought their vehicle into orbit and the spent stage was jettisoned.

The fully assembled spacecraft complex.

Transmunar injection burn.

Venture 24, with MLV-1 in tow, has arrived.

Testing could now commence. The internal hatch was opened and Verfal climbed into the lander. After booting up the vehicle, she undocked and used the thrusters to move some distance away. All systems operated as designed, but Verfal did notice a rapid drop in electrical power during the free flight. She reported her findings before redocking with Venture 24.

First test of the lander in space.

The unexpected power loss was concerning, because the lander had no way of recharging its own batteries. It relied on the solar panels of the Venture for that. This led to a revision of the current mission. Originally, Verfal was supposed to take the lander down to a low orbit, activate the ascent stage and return to a rendezvous with Venture 24. The new plan called for the lander to set down on the surface under remote control, so as to not risk the life of a crewmember. Once down, it would immediately take off again. The batteries might have just enough power left to get the lander back to orbit, and if not, then at least there had been a test of the landing procedure.

The descent engine sets the lander down on the surface of the Mun.

The ascent stage takes off soon after the landing.

It was a close call but it worked. The lander made it back to munar orbit, but didn't have enough electric charge left to do the rendezvous. Instead, Verfal and Gersen had to catch up to it.

The two vehicles are docked together again.

After inspection, the lander was left in orbit and the kerbonauts prepared for the trip home. A twentysix seconds firing of the engine put them on a trajectory crossing through Kerbin's atmosphere.

The MLV ascent stage is left in munar orbit.

Venture 24 returns to Kerbin.

The command module reenters the atmosphere while the other modules burn up.

Landing in a precarious spot.

As with Venture 21, the command module came down over land. However, this time it settled on a sharply inclined slope. Afraid to move and thus cause the capsule to roll down the hill, the crew sat as still as statues for several hours until the recovery team arrived.

 

Edited July 7, 2018 by SBKerman

[SBKerman]

More kerbals join the ranks; pilots Stary and Albart, engineers Katbus, Desster and Seepond, and scientists Lisa, Tandin and Gratop.

 

Emprise II, launching the first module of the new station

Spoiler

The core module of what was to be known as Emprise II had been completed and was ready to be sent into space. Providing the heavy lifting was the newly introduced Celerity launch vehicle. The whole thing was delayed for some time as the first attempt had to be scrubbed because of a malfunctioning hold-down clamp. But on day 102, the rocket and its payload were back on the pad.

The Celerity is ready for its first operational launch.

Lifting the heavy payload with ease.

Separation of the first stage.

Continuing on the second stage.

Celerity placed the station module in a 79 x 81 km orbit. It had been a successful flight apart from one minor incident where an external bracket for mounting scientific equipment came loose and was lost. The cause of this mishap was unknown, but the most likely scenario was that debris from the fairing separation had struck the part. Since this didn't have a significant effect on operations, the mission continued uninterrupted. The engines of the core module ignited and through a series of burns, brought the station to a 200 km circular orbit.

The station propels itself to the target orbit.

Solar panels and antennas deploying.

Emprise II was now ready to take on the first crew. Since the plan was to keep the station occupied continuously, at least after the second module had been attached, the space program required more kerbonauts. To meet this need, management approved the hiring of the third kerbonaut group, adding eight new members to the corps. However, the first station visit would still have to wait until after the upcoming Mun landing had been completed.

 

Venture 25, a historic event

Spoiler

After analyzing the Venture 24 mission, especially the electricity situation, engineers at the KSC made the necessary changes to the landing craft. On day 122, MLV-2 launched into a parking orbit, awaiting the crew. Valentina and Janson arrived soon after on Venture 25. After docking, they fired the transfer stage engine which sent them towards the Mun.

MLV-2 takes to the sky.

The kerbonauts follow in Venture 25.

To the Mun they go.

The transfer stage captured the combined spacecraft into munar orbit before being jettisoned. This was followed by two burns of the service module engine on the Venture to lower the apoapsis and periapsis. Valentina then entered the lander and prepared for the big moment. One orbit later, she undocked and started the descent.

Capture burn.

Valentina fires the descent engine.

It was a smooth ride all the way down. A large crater with a relatively flat floor had been identified as the best landing site in the area. Thanks to Valentina's skill as a pilot, she set down smack dab in the middle of it. Through radio and television, all of Kerbin joined her as she opened the hatch, climbed down the ladder and pressed her boots into the hitherto untouched regolith. Val had wanted to say something profound while stepping onto the surface, but all she could manage in the excitement was to giggle uncontrollably.

Landing in a crater.

There was no time for long speeches anyway. After the historic (and slightly awkward) first step, the brave explorer continued her mission. She collected samples, ran the scientific instruments carried on the lander, and planted a flag to mark the spot of kerbalkind's first Mun landing.

Planting the flag.

One very happy kerbonaut.

Soon, it was time to return to Venture 25. Val climbed back into the lander and shut the hatch. The ascent stage separated from the descent stage in a successful lift-off. It didn't take long for it to reach a stable orbit. After docking, Val and Janson moved all the collected samples and data over to the Venture. The empty ascent stage was then undocked and sent crashing into the Mun.

Climbing back inside.

Lift-off! Lets hope it didn't knock the flag over.

The ascent stage returns to orbit.

From Venture 25, the MLV is seen as a speck above the horizon.

Closing in...

... and docked!

A final engine burn put Venture 25 on the path back to Kerbin. It reentered the atmosphere and landed safely.

Returning to Kerbin.

Separation of the Venture modules.

"I should've brought marshmallows!"

The mission ends with a successful splashdown.

Upon their return, the two Mun explorers were swarmed by reporters, all of whom surprisingly showed up well before the recovery team. The media attention continued even as they got back to the KSC. When asked during a press conference if she would consider going back to the Mun, Valentina simply answered "In a heartbeat".

 

Edited July 25, 2018 by SBKerman

[SBKerman]

Awaiting launch to the station.

 

Venture 26 and 27, space station missions

Spoiler

With no ongoing Mun landings, it was time to populate Emprise II. The plan was for Venture 26 to deliver Expedition 1 to the station for a record breaking 30 day mission. Being a block 2 spacecraft and thus equipped with the old docking port, Venture 26 could dock to the smaller forward port of the station. After the 30 days had passed, but before the depature of Venture 26, Venture 27 would dock to the station's aft port. This would bring the crew up to four, setting another record. Expedition 1 would then return to Kerbin, leaving the station in the hands of Expedition 2. Launch of Venture 26 took place on day 143, boosted by a Velocity IIIA rocket.

Wehrsted and Desster are on their way to the station.

The IIIA was an uprated version of the regular Velocity III. It featured extended fuel tanks on the side boosters and upper stage. In addition to this, the tanks had been upgraded to the type first seen on the Velocity V. Improvements had also been made to the stage separation system. All in all, it was a more powerful launch vehicle at a lower price. It was also completely untested. After about a minute of flight, a fuel leak developed in one of the new tanks. The resulting imbalance in thrust caused the vehicle to spin violently out of control, triggering the launch escape system. The command module splashed down safely and the shaken kerbonauts were recovered.

"I don't know about you Desster, but I've got a distinct feeling we're not going the right way."

The launch escape system activates.

Pulling the capsule away from the failing booster.

Drogue chute deploys.

The main chute takes the crew to a safe splashdown.

The accident caused much concern. This was the fifth Velocity failure and the third in which a kermanned spacecraft was involved. A review board was put in place to evaluate whether or not the launch vehicle would remain kerman-rated. In the meantime, Venture 27 was rescheduled and Expedition 2 became Expedition 1. It launched two days later and made a successful rendezvous with Emprise II.

Venture 27 lifts off on a Benchmark I.

The first burn of the rendezvous.

Connecting with the station.

After docking to the aft port as planned, mission commander Buzz and rookie kerbonaut Albart entered the station. Inside, they found a sign left by the construction team, reading "Wipe your feet!"

 

Minmus Exploration Program, expanding the frontier

Spoiler

On day 158, the Minmus Exploration Program was made official with the signing of the Minmus Probes strategy. It was to follow a similar structure to the Mun Exploration Program, culminating in a kermanned landing on the small moon.

 

Relayer 3 and Mapper 5, satellites to Minmus

Spoiler

As part of the new exploration program, two satellites heading for Minmus orbit were launched on a single Velocity IIIA. Mapper 5 was going to scan the surface in preparation for the first landings, while Relayer 3 provided communication back to Kerbin. Unfortunately, neither reached their destination. Due to a clogged fuel line, the launch vehicle lost power and fell back to the ground.

A second Velocity IIIA takes to the sky...

... and promptly falls back down.

'Tis but a scratch.

Some components could be salvaged from the wreckage, but most of the hardware was damaged beyond repair. Having the first mission fail was a tough blow to the Minmus program. Poor quality control, tight schedules and lack of proper planning were all pointed to as the cause of the problem, but it was just speculation at this stage. Management assured that an investigation was being made, and that the program would continue with minimal delay.

 

Local science, in the air and on the ground

Spoiler

While rockets crashed left and right, the kerbonaut corps continued training for upcoming missions. Jebediah, Bob, Stary and Lisa went on an extended field trip in preparation for the next Mun landing.

The backup and primary crews for the next mission to the Mun.

Later, Jeb and Lisa made a number of flights in the SilverDart, collecting data about Kerbin's lower atmosphere. They also attempted to locate an anomaly which had been detected in the mountains by satellites, but the search turned up nothing.

The SilverDart takes off from the KSC.

Trying to spot a reported anomaly.

Landing back at the runway.

Lisa attends to the questionable very important experiments.

If all went according to plan, the next munar landing would take place later that year.

 

Edited December 9, 2018 by SBKerman

[SBKerman]

Satellite in Minmus orbit.

 

Venture 27, return to Kerbin

Spoiler

Thirty days after having arrived at Emprise II, Buzz and Albart got back into Venture 27. After undocking, they moved away from the station and began preparations for the retroburn that would take them back down to the planet. At the precise moment calculated, the engine fired.

Venture 27 leaves the station.

Retrograde burn.

Reentry as seen by the kerbonauts.

Heading for a splashdown just off the coast.

Reentry was performed directly from the station orbit at a steep angle which led to some serious g-forces. Although the spacecraft had been tested for this, it was deemed too uncomfortable for the crew. On future return flights from the station, the orbit would be lowered before the final reentry.

 

Quest 3, resupplying the station

Spoiler

In support of the next mission to Emprise II, a Quest Block 2A spacecraft carrying supplies was launched. It rode atop the troubled Velocity IIIA, a rocket that had flown twice and crashed on both occasions. This time it had been checked in minute detail before having the payload mated to it. The extra care payed off, as the launch was 100 percent successful.

Lift-off.

Quest 3 has reached orbit.

There was another problem though. During the rendezvous maneuver, which took place on the night side of Kerbin, the spacecraft experienced a temporary loss of power due to its limited battery capacity. This caused the final engine burn to continue a few seconds beyond the planned cut-off point, thus extending the distance between the two vessels. There was enough fuel to compensate for this, but even so, the design flaw would have to be addressed in future iterations of the Quest vehicle.

Heading for the station.

Successfully docked.

After a longer than expected approach, Quest 3 finally met up with the crewless station and docked to its forward port. It would remain there until Expedition 2 arrived and could unload the supplies.

 

Venture 28, launch of Expedition 2

Spoiler

Wehrsted and Desster had been slated for Expedition 1, but their mission was aborted due to a launch failure. Now they would get a second chance on Venture 28. This was a Block 4 spacecraft launched on a Benchmark I rocket.

The crew is heading for the station... again.

Separation and ignition of the second stage, followed by fairing and LES jettisoning.

Approaching Emprise II.

Expedition 2 has arrived.

The flight was free of incidents, and the two kerbonauts docked with the station. Their first task was to unload Quest 3, attached to the forward port. Incidentally, this was the first time that three different vehicles were docked together simultaneously. With all the supplies and fuel transfered over, the crew settled in for their long stay at the station.

 

Relayer 3A and Mapper 5A, second attempt

Spoiler

The first combined launch of the Minmus relay and mapper satellites ended with a spectacular crash when the launch vehicle failed. The space program would now try again, although this time, a regular Velocity III was to be used. It lifted off from the launchpad on day 187.

Moments before launch.

Everything was going fine until second stage firing. It was cut short because of an electronics failure and the stage separated prematurely. At the KSC, mission controllers worked frantically to find a solution before the satellites slammed into the atmosphere. The only viable option they could think of was to use the transfer stage to finish the burn. With only seconds left, the engine was ignited. Many brows were wiped and many neckties loosened when the announcement came that the payload had reached orbit.

The transfer stage saves the mission.

The immediate problem had been solved, but the team now faced another challenge. The emergency burn had used up almost half the fuel carried by the transfer stage. While there was still enough left to send the payload to Minmus, making orbit around the moon would be impossible. Once again, the mission controllers were put to the test. Their solution was to use the mapping satellite. It was at the bottom of the stack and its engine could be fired while Relayer 3A was still attached. Although this would reduce the lifetime of the satellite, calculations showed that it should still be able to complete its primary goal.

Mapper 5A does the work.

Commencing scan.

Upon reaching Minmus, the transfer stage was jettisoned and Mapper 5A fired its engine to capture itself and Relayer 3A into equatorial orbit. The two then separated and moved into their respective polar orbits. After a series of nerve-wracking events, the mission was finally completed.

 

SET-10, spacecraft test at Minmus

Spoiler

The next mission bound for Minmus consisted of a stripped-down version of the Venture command module. It would be used to evaluate spacecraft performance in Minmus orbit and later return to Kerbin for a reentry test. Piggybacking on the Venture were three small landers. These would set down in different biomes and send back the first data from the surface of the small moon.

Launching on a Velocity IV.

The fairing panels are discarded.

Spacecraft and landers heading for Minmus.

Compared to other recent launches, this one was a breeze. The only real disappointment came when a secondary experiment carried aboard the command module failed to activate. Other than that, everything went as planned. The spacecraft and landers entered orbit around Minmus, where they would remain for the time being.

 

Edited July 13, 2018 by SBKerman

[SBKerman]

Kerbonaut Katbus on EVA.

 

Emprise II, space station operations

Spoiler

Having completed their 30 day mission, Wehrsted and Desster left the station and returned to Kerbin aboard Venture 28. Shortly after they had landed, Quest 3 also undocked and made its reentry, burning up in the atmosphere.

Expedition 2 is coming home.

Disposing of the Quest spacecraft.

Next, Quest 4 was launched in support of Expedition 3. It was followed by Venture 29, carrying the new crew. Both vehicles docked successfully.

Quest 4 arrives.

Thompdous and Katbus ride the Benchmark rocket to space.

Docked to the aft port.

The two kerbonauts made their way through the station and began unloading the supplies from Quest 4. When they were done, the empty spacecraft undocked and reentered Kerbin's atmosphere to be destroyed.

Another one bites the dust air.

During their stay at Emprise II, Thompdous and Katbus made history when they performed the first EVA featuring more than one person at a time. The purpose of the spacewalk was to check the damage that had been caused by the payload fairings during launch of the station. It turned out to be minimal and no repairs were necessary. The team also made a thorough inspection of the station's service bay.

Making sure the hull has not been compromised.

Katbus takes a peek inside the service bay.

After they had completed their EVA, the crew returned through the airlock. They would spend the rest of the mission inside the station, performing scientific experiments and making Kerbin observations.

 

Venture 30, launch vehicle test

Spoiler

In response to the recent failures of the Velocity IIIA, management had assembled a group of experts to evaluate the rocket's use as a booster for kermanned flights. As part of their investigation, they ordered the launch of an unkermanned Venture spacecraft.

The test vehicle is rolled out to the launchpad.

At T minus zero, the engines ignited and Venture 30 left the ground. Everything seemed to be going fine, until it was time to jettison the side boosters. As soon as the separation occured, a powerful explosion ripped the lower half of the rocket apart. The entire thing then spun out of control and was destroyed by aerodynamic forces. Only the command module survived, saved from the blast by the launch escape system.

Rapid unplanned disassembly.

The rocket continues to break apart.

All that is left of Venture 30 is the command module.

Analysis of the accident revealed that the pyrotechnics, used to push the side boosters away from the main body, had punctured the lower fuel tank. As a result of the Venture 30 failure, the Velocity IIIA launch vehicle was grounded, pending a final decision of its fate.

 

Edited July 15, 2018 by SBKerman

[SBKerman]

Venture 31 is going to the Mun.

 

MLV-3 and Venture 31, Mun landing turned rescue mission

Spoiler

Preparations for the second mission to land on the Mun had been completed and on day 243, MLV-3 launched into parking orbit. A day later, kerbonauts Jebediah and Lisa followed. But before they could dock with the MLV, an urgent message reached the space program. A privately funded flight to the Mun had met with an accident, leaving the pilot trapped in orbit.

MLV-3 heads for orbit.

The crew is launched on Venture 31.

Plans for a rescue operation were quickly drawn up. The space program had the necessary hardware already in LKO, but there was a problem. Venture 31 could only land two people and both seats were already occupied. Launching a second spacecraft was out of the question, since it would take too long to assemble and roll out. Their only option was to drop one of the kerbonauts off at the station, thus freeing up that valuable seat. The drawback to this was that the extra maneuvering would use up irreplaceable fuel.

Heading for the space station.

There was a heart-stopping moment when the first docking attempt failed, but on the second try, Venture 31 connected successfully. The crew had agreed that a pilot was needed for the mission, so Lisa was the one to stay behind. She watched as Jeb closed the hatch, leaving her alone in the otherwise unoccupied station.

Lisa takes up residence in Emprise II.

Once undocked, Jeb performed a second rendezvous, this time with MLV-3. He plotted a course for the Mun based on the data provided to him and was soon on the way. When he arrived, he fired the transfer stage again to capture into orbit.

Docked with MLV-3.

Capture burn at the Mun.

At this point, an update was sent by the space program. It turned out that the initial information they had been given was erroneous and as a result, Jeb was going around the Mun in the wrong direction. The necessary change to the orbit would be very expensive in terms of fuel usage, but there were no other alternatives. Using both the descent stage and ascent stage of the lander, Jeb began the correction. It was not enough however, and Venture 31 was now heading straight for the munar surface. A burn of the spacecraft engine brought the periapsis up enough to avoid a collision. On the second revolution, the engine fired again to finish the plane change. Two additional burns put the Venture on a trajectory intercepting the target.

The descent stage of the MLV fires.

Continuing the burn using the ascent stage.

Venture 31 streaks across the munar surface.

With the stranded vehicle in view, Jeb began maneuvering closer. He made radio contact with the distressed pilot and the two worked out how to proceed. Using the technique developed during the Venture 10/11 mission three years ago, the pilot left his spacecraft and moved over to the depressurized mission module of Venture 31. After he had climbed aboard and shut the hatch, the module was repressurized.

There it is.

Moving between spacecraft.

Jeb was mightily surprised when he finally saw the rescuee. It was Sonny Kerman, a true legend among pilots back on Kerbin. Unfortunately, there was no time for small talk as preparations for the return trip had to be made. Several different maneuvers were discussed, but all came up short on dV. It left the crew with only one option; to use the most optimal burn and hope that the RCS could finish the job.

So close, yet so far away.

The engine was lit for the last time. It put the spacecraft in an elliptical orbit around Kerbin, with a periapsis of around 500 km. Using the thrusters, this was reduced to 400 km, then 300... 200... 100... Watching the instruments intensely, Jeb suddenly burst out "30 km! We're in the clear!" Venture 31 would pass through the atmosphere, allowing it to land.

Burning every last drop of fuel.

Finishing on thrusters.

The capsule glows red-hot during reentry.

Parachute deployed.

Jeb and Sonny pose for a photo back at the space center.

After having been brought back to the KSC, Sonny explained that a business owner named Jorby had hired him to fly a spacecraft around the Mun. However, since Jorby's company mostly specialized in accounting and cotton candy machines, the craft was not very well built. An explosion had torn it apart and only through sheer luck did Sonny survive. There were still pieces of the spacecraft on and around the Mun, and the space program was contracted to retrieve these.

 

Emprise II, space station operations

Spoiler

Prior to the launch of MLV-3 and Venture 31, Thompdous and Katbus of Expedition 3 boarded Venture 29. After undocking from the space station, they performed a number of engine burns to first lower their orbit and then reenter the planet's atmosphere. They splashed down on day 242.

Leaving Emprise II.

The burn that will take the crew home.

End of Expedition 3.

On day 260, Venture 32 launched with pilot Phoebe as the only crew member. The flight was bound for the station to pick up Lisa and bring her back to Kerbin. She had spent the past 16 days alone at Emprise after the Mun landing mission had been canceled.

The rocket rises from the launchpad.

Approaching the station.

After having picked up Lisa, Venture 32 returns to Kerbin.

Day 299 saw the launch of Quest 5, bringing vital supplies to Emprise in advance of the next expedition there. Quest 5 would be the last Block 2A version to fly. The reason for this was that management had decided not to build any more Block 2 Venture spacecraft. Because of this, the legacy docking port on the station was no longer needed and would be converted to a standard sized one.

Since the Velocity IIIA launch vehicle is still grounded, a Benchmark I is used instead.

Fairing deployment.

Quest 5 docks with the station.

Boosting the orbit.

After the Quest docking, the station's orbit was 195 x 201 km. Its main engines were remotely fired to raise it to 201 x 204 km.

 

Edited July 25, 2018 by SBKerman

[SBKerman]

Launching the next station module.

 

Emprise II, space station operations

Spoiler

Following the decision to cease Venture Block 2 manufacturing, the engineers at KSC began work on replacing the old docking port on Emprise II. Their first idea was to simply remove it and attach a new section containing a standard port. Because of the rigid and complex design of the existing structure, this proved impossible. Instead, they would construct a node that connected to the old port. This had the benefit of providing three points to the forward section of the station to which spacecraft or new modules could dock. The node also carried an upgraded control system.

Doing tests on a mockup of the space station.

Node 1 was launched from the space center by a Benchmark rocket on day 300. It made rendezvous with the station and was attached to the forward port, which had been vacated by Quest 5 a few hours earlier. The operation marked the first use of the Shepherd orbital tug. After delivering Node 1, the tug detached and was docked to one of the side ports.

Placing the node and tug in orbit.

Node 1 is installed.

Originally, Emprise II had been envisioned as a relatively short-term test of a dual module station. However, during the development of Node 1, management had extended the scope of the plan. To enable the station to grow larger, a second node was built. It was launched just thirteen days after the first one. Attached to the aft of the core module, Node 2 provided five new docking ports.

Launching Node 2.

En route to the station.

The node is attached to the aft port.

Disposing of the Shepherd.

On day 336, a Celerity launch vehicle orbited the second station module. Featuring a science lab and an experimental rotating habitation ring, the new module would allow longer missions and more extensive research. It was guided to its destination by another Shepherd space tug and docked to the aft port of Node 2. After the two solar panels had been extended, the ring was inflated. Although inadequate battery power meant it could not be fully utilized yet, the ring still greatly increased living conditions.

The second module takes off from the launchpad.

SRB separation.

Ignition of the Celerity upper stage.

An early production model of the tug is used, hence the lack of the rear fuel tank.

Emprise II grows larger.

The first Quest Block 2B was launched on day 338. Designated Quest 6, it docked to the second side port of Node 1, opposite the Shepherd. Emprise II was now ready for the next crew. Veteran kerbonaut Bill and rookie Gratop arrived at the station aboard Venture 33 after a routine flight. As Expedition 4, they would stay for 50 days, setting a new duration record in the process.

Quest 6 is launched.

Closing in on the station.

Bill and Gratop takes off aboard Venture 33.

The place is getting crowded.

Both expedition members had nothing but good things to say about the recently added accommodations. Gratop, being a dedicated scientist, was especially thrilled to work in the shiny new lab. Towards the end of their stay, they went on an EVA to check an antenna that had been damaged during launch of the second module. Repairs would have to be performed by a subsequent crew because of the lack of necessary tools. On day 403, Bill and Gratop left the station. They splashed down a few hours later, ending Expedition 4.

Assessing the damage.

The crew observe the depature of Quest 6.

Time to go home.

Expedition 4 has returned.

New additions to the complex would be launched the following year. There were also plans to keep it permanently staffed, starting with Expedition 5.

 

Mapper 6/Muna 12, missions to the moons

Spoiler

Both the Munar Exploration Program and the Minmus equivalent continued with the launch of two new probes. Mapper 6 was heading for the smaller of the two moons. Its mission was to scan the surface in support of the three landers already in orbit. Muna 12 would perform a flyby of the Mun and then return to Kerbin, similar to what Muna 8 had done two years earlier. The launch vehicle selected was the Velocity II, a rare sight at the space center these days. Nevertheless, it did its job perfectly. As the payload reached orbit, Muna 12 was released. The Velocity upper stage then placed Mapper 6 on a trajectory intercepting Minmus.

For the first time since year 4, a Velocity II is rolled out to the launchpad.

Booster separation.

Burning for Minmus after dropping off Muna 12 in low Kerbin orbit.

While Mapper 6 hurtled through space, Muna 12 ignited its own engines. It passed the Mun at a distance of 1,283 km and began falling back towards Kerbin. A second burn brought its periapsis into the planet's atmosphere to ensure that the probe landed. After reentry, the parachute deployed and a flotation device inflated. The latter had been added because of the sinking of Muna 8 following splashdown. It proved unnecessary in this case, since Muna 12 landed in the very dry desert.

Departing for the Mun.

Muna 12 makes a successful flyby.

Landing back at Kerbin.

Meanwhile, Mapper 6 had arrived at its destination and was captured into orbit by the Velocity upper stage. A series of subsequent burns changed it to a polar orbit, after which the upper stage was jettisoned and sent crashing into Minmus.

The scanner is deployed.

Mapper 6 began scanning the surface, creating an extensive map of the moon.

 

SET-10, another setback

Spoiler

Armed with the biome data from Mapper 6, the first lander detached from the stack carried by SET-10. To the surprise of everyone at mission control, it immediately started spinning and no matter how they tried, they could not get it to stabilize. In the midst of the confusion, a very nervous engineer at the back of the room raised his hand. "I think we forgot to add reaction wheels to the landers", he stuttered, pointing at the blueprints.

Stuck in Minmus orbit.

He was right. The landers lacked the ability to orient themselves, thus rendering them useless. A meeting was held to solve the problem, but no consensus could be reached. In the end, it was decided to just leave the two remaining landers attached and let them be destroyed as the spacecraft returned to Kerbin. Shortly thereafter, the final burn was performed.

Slamming into Kerbin's atmosphere.

At least one part of the mission ended well.

While the Venture command module made a safe landing in the desert, the rest of the SET-10 components, including the landers, disintegrated during the atmospheric entry. It was a bittersweet conclusion to the mission. One which made management question its own eagerness to rush headlong into the Minmus program.

 

SET-11 and 12, testing a return capsule for Quest

Spoiler

While working on Quest Block 3, the engineers had the idea of mounting a reentry capable capsule in the cargo bay. Equipped with a parachute, heatshield and two small rocket motors to eject it from the spacecraft, the capsule could return scientific samples from the station. Although this would come at the cost of cargo capacity, it was a useful enough concept to be greenlit. With approval from management, a series of tests were performed. During SET-11, the capsule was ejected while the Quest was still on the ground.

The capsule shoots out of the cargo bay.

It landed hard but survived.

After the successful ground test, the setup was mounted on a Leapfrog rocket and launched into the air. Once again, the capsule ejected without problems. It landed back at the space center and was retrieved for examination.

Riding on a Leapfrog booster.

The parachute gently lowers the capsule.

Another successful test.

The system appeared viable and would be tested again when Block 3 was ready to fly. If adopted, it was going to be an optional configuration, used only when returning samples was needed.

 

End of Year Report (Y6)

Spoiler

Finances
Funds: 2,621,684
Science: 198.2

Buildings
Vehicle Assembly Building at level 2
Launchpad at level 2
Spaceplane Hangar at level 2
Runway at level 2
Research and Development at level 2
Mission Control at level 3
Tracking Station at level 2
Administration Building at level 3
Kerbonaut Complex at level 3

Construction Time
VAB Rate 1 at 1.1 BP/s
VAB Rate 2 at 1.1 BP/s
SPH Rate 1 at 1.2 BP/s
SPH Rate 2 at 1.1 BP/s
R&D Devel. at 64 sci/day

Kerbonauts
P1 Jebediah (5)
P1 Valentina (5)
P1 Phoebe (5)
P1 Wehrsted (2)
P1 Thompdous (2)
P1 Verfal (2)
P1 Albart (1)
P0 Stary (0)
P4 Sonny (1)
E1 Bill (4)
E1 Buzz (3)
E1 Ferny (2)
E1 Desster (1)
E0 Seepond (0)
E1 Katbus (1)
S1 Bob (3)
S1 Gersen (2)
S1 Janson (1)
S0 Tandin (0)
S1 Lisa (1)
S1 Gratop (1)

( ) shows number of space flights

 

Edited December 9, 2018 by SBKerman

[SBKerman]

Bob, second kerbal on the Mun.

 

MLV-4 and Venture 34, second Mun landing

Spoiler

Since the previous Mun landing had been diverted to rescue Sonny Kerman, the backup crew became the primary crew for the next attempt. Bob, a veteran of three missions and the first kerbal to do a spacewalk, would set down on the munar surface, while rookie pilot Stary remained in orbit aboard the Venture spacecraft. Following the same procedure as before, a Velocity IV placed MLV-4 in low Kerbin orbit on day 21. The crew launched the following day on Venture 34. They docked with the MLV and began the outbound trip.

MLV-4 in orbit of Kerbin.

Launching the crew.

Captured into munar orbit by the transfer stage, the crew began their preparations. They powered up the lander and ran a test of its systems. When all checks had been made, Bob entered the vehicle and shut the hatch. He undocked from Venture 34 and started the descent towards the surface. His target was East Farside Crater.

The lander undocks.

Firing the descent engine.

A few adjustments using the thrusters were necessary in order to avoid some smaller craters, but other than that, the landing went perfectly. With the engine shut down and the ladder extended, Bob left the confines of MLV-4 and stepped onto the Mun. Knowing his time there was limited, he marked the spot with a flag, said a few words, and began the most important part of the mission; collecting science.

Time to explore the surface of the Mun.

A proud moment for all kerbalkind.

Bob insists that a golf club this special lightweight instrument is an invaluable scientific tool.

"There's some fascinating soil right here."

Thanks to Bob's efficiency, there was time enough to make a short excursion away from the lander. Although he couldn't get very far on foot, he did venture a few hundred meters and collected some additional rock samples. When the time came to leave, Bob packed everything into the ascent module and activated the engine. Soon, he was back in orbit and ready for rendezvous.

A successful take-off.

Heading back to the mothership.

Docking was completed on schedule, temporarily uniting the two vehicles. After the transfer of samples and data over to Venture 34, the empty lander undocked and was sent to impact the Mun. Soon after, the crew began their voyage home.

Dropping the lander.

Venture 34 is heading back to Kerbin.

"Those buildings down there look familiar."

End of the mission.

With the successful return of Venture 34, the first block of kermanned Mun missions had come to and end. Development of a vehicle capable of landing multiple kerbonauts was in the works. If all went as planned, it would fly before the end of the year. There were also ideas of an orbiting space station, but that was still beyond the space program's current capacity.

 

SET-13, testing a rover

Spoiler

Following the failure of the Minmus landers during SET-10, the engineers had considered a different approach to the mission. Instead of building several vehicles, all with their own guidance and control systems, why not build a single machine that could move across the surface. To test this idea, a prototype robotic rover was designed.

The rover has a built in engine for landing.

Driving around the KSC.

The concept seemed promising, earning the team additional funds to further develop the project.

 

Emprise II, space station operations

Spoiler

Things were about to get busy at the station again. Quest 7 was launched on day 41, followed by Venture 35 carrying Expedition 5. The initial mission duration was to be 50 days, with the possibility of an extension. During this time, the crew would do both construction and repairs.

Quest 7 is on its way to the station.

Venture 35 lifts off with Expedition 5.

While expedition commander Jebediah checked the station's systems, rookie Seepond went on EVA to collect tools and equipment from Quest 7. After storing most of it in the service bay, he moved over to the lab section and installed a handrail in preparation for future work on the damaged antenna.

Unloading cargo.

Seepond maneuvers around the station...

... and installs the handrail.

On day 46, a Benchmark I launched two truss bases to the station. These were attached on opposite sides of Node 2. The Shepherd vehicle, used for this delivery, docked to the ventral port of the same node. Equipped with an upgraded guidance computer, it replaced the old Shepherd that had arrived with Node 1.

The Benchmark has rapidly become the new workhorse of the space program.

Payload in orbit.

The first truss base has been attached.

And the second one too.

With a new Shepherd available at the station, the old one is deorbited.

Each truss base also carried extra batteries which allowed the crew to fully activate the habitation ring. With the ring up and spinning, the go-ahead for an extension of the mission was given. Jeb and Seepond were to stay for 100 days, doubling the previous record of time spent in orbit.

 

Edited December 9, 2018 by SBKerman

[SBKerman]

It was supposed to be a routine flight.

 

SilverDagger, test flight with dire consequences

Spoiler

Day 61 was an exciting one at the space center. A brand new airplane had just arrived; the SilverDagger. It was larger and carried more fuel than its little sister, the SilverDart. The crew selected for the first test flight were Sonny and Tandin. They had been training together in preparation for Expedition 6 to Emprise II, and this would be their final exercise before going to the station.

The SilverDagger is fueled and ready.

Right on take-off, a major problem was discovered. The engines were not very powerful, forcing Sonny to hit the afterburner before running out of runway. Finally airborne, the plane showed a tendancy to drop the nose at low speeds. Despite these issues, the crew continued. They crossed the grasslands to the west and made a pass by the mountains. Along the way, Tandin operated the science package stowed in the cargo hold. As they approached the KSC at the end of the flight, Sonny lined up for the landing. All was fine until the wheels extended.

Struggling to get off the ground.

The plane loses speed quickly during turns.

Returning home after a tour of the mountains.

Aiming for the runway.

Suddenly, the plane made a sharp dive.
"She's fighting me!" Sonny exclaimed, while trying his hardest to gain altitude.
Looking at the instruments, Tandin knew the situation was bad, "We're coming in to fast, Sonny! Pull up!"
"I know! Damn it, she won't climb."
Gene Kerman, observing from the tower, could see that the SilverDagger was about to smash into the tarmac. In pure desperation, he screamed into his headset, "Eject! Eject! Eject!"
Sonny yanked the handle that operated the ejection seats. The world spun around, and then, everything went dark.

When he woke up, Sonny found himself in a hospital bed, surrounded by members of the kerbonaut corps. He looked around but couldn't see his crewmate anywhere.
"Where's Tandin?" he asked. No one replied, which worried him greatly. He asked again, more forcefully, "Where's Tandin? Is he okay?"
Still nothing. Turning to the person closest to the bed, he pleaded, "Bill, what happened to him? Please, tell me."
Bill hesitated for a second, before speaking.
"Tandin," he answered slowly, "didn't make it."
The room fell silent again.

 

Edited July 27, 2018 by SBKerman

[Pronoes]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo. Not Tandin 

[Pleb]

RIP Tandin...

[SBKerman]

On 7/27/2018 at 6:36 PM, Pronoes said:

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo. Not Tandin 

 

20 hours ago, Pleb said:

RIP Tandin...

 

The poor guy didn't even get to space.

[SBKerman]

Rover roving around on Minmus.

 

In memory of Tandin

Spoiler

Two weeks had passed since the fatal accident. During this time, all pending missions had been postponed. Jebediah and Seepond, still having 40 days left at the station, were recalled. They hastily finished up their work and boarded Venture 35.

Expedition 5 returns early.

With the entire kerbonaut corps gathered, a simple service was held at the monolith near the space center. Sonny, discharged from the hospital, planted a flag and delivered a heartfelt speech, honouring their fallen comrade.

The group arrives at the monolith.

Planting the flag.

Sonny addresses his fellow kerbonauts.

A moment of silence.

 

Nomad 1, Minmus rover

Spoiler

On day 100, activities at the space program resumed with the launch of Nomad 1, a rover heading for Minmus. It was carried to its destination by a Velocity II rocket and descended to the surface on its own power. After making a successful landing in the Great Flats, from where it returned scientific data, the rover drove a few km to the Lowlands biome.

Launching from the KSC.

In Minmus orbit.

Nomad 1 descends towards the flats.

Slowing down.

The rover has landed.

Exploring the Lowlands.

The hilly terrain leading from the Great Flats to the Lowlands invoked the Kraken proved too steep for the small rover. However, there was still enough fuel left to make a short hop to a different area. Wanting to get the most out of the mission, management approved the maneuver. A few engine burns later, Nomad 1 set down in the Midlands.

Taking off from the surface.

Another landing in progress.

After a successful jump, the rover finds itself in the Midlands.

All available data was collected and transmitted back to the space center. Having completed its primary task, Nomad 1 was powered down.

 

Emprise II, space station operations

Spoiler

Early on day 113, after Quest 7 had undocked from the station and deorbited itself, Quest 8 was launched. It made the standard two hour rendezvous and docked with Node 1. Later during the day, Venture 36 took off from the KSC with Verfal and Ferny aboard. As part of Expedition 6, they would remain at the station until the end of the year. Their mission involved a lot of work to the outside of Emprise II, and to support this, Quest 9 was launched on day 128. It carried not only supplies, but also tools the crew needed. Once Quest 9 had docked, Ferny went on an EVA to move the tools to the space station's service bay.

Quest 8 is launched.

Followed by Venture 36.

Quest 9 leaves the launchpad a few days later.

All docked.

Ferny collects the tools delivered by Quest 9.

The first major job of Expedition 6 was to assemble two truss structures that would eventually hold an array of solar panels. Day 143 saw the launch of the four sections that made up these trusses. Guided by a Shepherd tug, the payload was docked to the upper port of Node 2.

Launching the parts.

Docked to Node 2.

As soon as the station entered sunlight, the crew commenced the spacewalk. Ferny began by attaching a handrail to the left truss base to help stabilize himself. With help from Verfal, he then moved each section from the payload adapter and attached them end to end. Once the left side was finished, they moved over to the right side, repeating the process there. Finally, Ferny attached handrails to the end of each truss. These would be used later, when mounting the sections holding the solar panels.

Ferny carries an extra bottle of jetpack fuel on his back, just in case he runs out.

Attaching the handrail.

The first truss is completed.

Finishing the second truss.

Looks sturdy.

A job well done.

The EVA ended just as the station entered the dark side of Kerbin. Having performed the first large-scale construction work in space, the two tired kerbonauts would get some well deserved rest before moving on to the next task. Coming up on the agenda was the repair of the broken antenna on the science module.

 

Edited July 29, 2018 by SBKerman

[SBKerman]

Installing a new antenna.

 

Venture, Endeavour and Peabody, the future of kermanned space flight

Spoiler

For over six years, the Venture spacecraft, in all its different forms, had provided kerbalkind with access to space. Although it performed this service admirably, it had its limitations, the most glaring of which was crew capacity. A replacement had been in development for some time, but progress was slow. This needed to change. With missions to the space station, and to the Mun and Minmus, the call for a new transport vehicle was pressing. By order from management, a number of design proposals were drawn up. Of these, three were selected for further development, with prototype testing beginning the following year.

Venture Block 5
Block 5 was intended as a temporary solution for trips to the space station, until the other designs were flight ready. It replaced the expensive mission module with a more basic unit, thus lowering the cost of each vehicle. The amount of supplies carried was also reduced since the spacecraft would only fly independently for short periods.

Endeavour
The design for Endeavour had grown out of earlier development work. Similiar to the Venture, it was based around a command module, which carried a crew of three. Using lessons learnt from previous flights, it was equipped with airbags for protection during landings in rough terrain. The main engine used monopropellant, allowing it to share resources with the RCS, thus simplifying the propulsion system. A new kermanrated launch vehicle was also part of the proposal.

Peabody
The most daring and unorthodox of the new designs was that of the Peabody shuttlepod. This was a small space plane launched on a reusable rocket. It had room for two crew and two passengers, and would make a runway landing upon return. The launch vehicle used a combination of parachutes and propulsive breaking to allow it to be recovered. While there were some concerns about safety, the design was intriguing enough to be selected.

 

SET-14, testing a retrieval system

Spoiler

After the rescue of Sonny Kerman, the space program had been contracted to retrieve pieces of his spacecraft still remaining in munar orbit. To safely land these pieces back on Kerbin, engineers at the KSC were developing GRUNT, the Grab and Return Unit. Equipped with either a claw or a docking port depending on the situation, GRUNT could attach to an object and drag it into the planet's atmosphere. Using parachutes and an inflatable heatshield, the entire assembly would then make a soft landing. By day 159, a working prototype was ready for testing. Unlike the planned operational unit, this prototype used a Shepherd orbital tug for propulsion. The test subject was a Celerity upper stage in low Kerbin orbit.

Launching on a Benchmark I.

The GRUNT prototype is placed in orbit.

Claw activated.

After launch, the GRUNT made rendezvous with its target and grabbed hold of it using the claw. It then deorbited itself and the target, aiming for a landing in the ocean.

Closing in on the target.

Capture!

Deorbit burn.

The wide heatshield protects the combined GRUNT and rocket stage.

A large parachute allows for a safe descent.

Moments after splashdown.

It had been a successful test of the system, and the engineers could begin work on a more refined version. One more test was then scheduled before the real mission could take place.

 

Emprise II, space station operations

Spoiler

On day 160, Ferny began a spacewalk to remove what was left of the old antenna on the station's science module. He attached the parts to the Shepherd that had brought the truss sections. When the work was done and Ferny had returned inside, the Shepherd undocked and fired its engine to initiate reentry. Shortly thereafter, Quest 8 and 9 also undocked and deorbited.

Ferny removes the remnants of the old antenna...

... and attaches them to the Shepherd.

After undocking, the Shepherd fires its engine.

Soon after, it burns up in the atmosphere.

Quest 10, the last Block 2B to fly, was launched on day 176. It docked to the upper port of Node 2, delivering a large ammount of supplies. Quest 11 launched on day 178. This was the first operational Block 3 and the first to be equipped with a return capsule. As part of its cargo, it carried the new antenna for the science module.

Quest 10 launches at night.

The last Block 2B docks to Emprise II.

Quest 11 follows two days later.

Approaching the station.

Quest 11 docked to the station's aft port. Ferny then began another spacewalk, during which he unloaded the antenna and attached it to the old mounting point. He also placed some scientific samples in the return capsule, before closing out the EVA.

Ferny inspects his handiwork.

The new antenna is deployed.

As Quest 11 reentered the atmosphere, the capsule was ejected. Protected by a small heatshield, it survived the descent and landed by parachute.

The return capsule shoots out from the cargo hold.

Screaming through the upper atmosphere.

Parachute deployed.

Planning now began for the next step in the evolution of Emprise II. Because of limitations in the design of the original core module, management had decided to replace it with a new one. Training began immediately, so that the crew would be ready to perform this complex task by the end of the year.

 

Edited November 5, 2018 by SBKerman

[SBKerman]

A new space station module is launched.

 

SET-15, second GRUNT test

Spoiler

After the successful flight of the GRUNT prototype, the engineers at KSC had finalized the design. One more test was on the schedule before it could be put in operational use. The target, as before, was a spent Celerity upper stage. Launch took place on day 194.

Lift-off.

Claw extended.

Maneuvering into position.

The launch into orbit and rendezvous with the target all went well. Using the claw, GRUNT attached itself as close to the centerline as possible. It then began the deorbit burn.

The engines fire to deorbit GRUNT and its target.

Entering the atmosphere.

All four parachutes are deployed.

Successfully landed.

The single large parachute had been replaced with four slightly smaller ones. These deployed on the mark and lowered the craft to a gentle splashdown. With the system proven, GRUNT was now ready for its first proper mission.

 

GRUNT 1 and 2, retrieving space junk

Spoiler

The goal of the first two GRUNT flights was to return pieces of the failed spacecraft that had brought Sonny Kerman to munar orbit. GRUNT 1 took off on day 233. Because it was going to the Mun and not just LKO, it was launched on the more powerful Velocity IV rocket.

Rising on a pillar of flame.

The reliable booster continues the ascent.

Fairing separation.

GRUNT 1 is on its way to the Mun.

Approaching the target.

After having entered orbit around the Mun, GRUNT 1 executed the rendezvous. The target was the cabin section from which Jebediah had rescued Sonny the previous year. Using its claw, GRUNT latched on to the piece with a firm grip. With the objective secured, the main engines were fired for the return trip.

A final burn to return to Kerbin.

The large heatshield has no problems handling the hot reentry.

The mission ends in success.

The first piece had been retrieved and was taken in for inspection. It showed no signs of major damage from the handling. The operation was thus allowed to continue, and twenty-three days later, a second GRUNT took off from the space center.

GRUNT 2 lifts off from the launchpad.

Burning for the Mun.

Grabbing the second piece of Sonny's doomed spacecraft.

Another hot reentry.

Parachutes deployed.

Landed.

It was another perfectly executed mission. The space program now had a viable way of returning fairly large items from space, an ability which could come in handy in the future. The two pieces of debris were handed over to the customer, who payed handsomely for the job.

 

Emprise II, space station operations

Spoiler

Quest 12 launched on day 275 to deliver fresh supplies to the station. It replaced the departing Quest 10, which had been docked to the upper port of Node 2.

Launching Quest 12.

Separating the protective fairing.

The spacecraft breaks free from the booster.

Arriving at the station.

The time had now come to commence operation Facelift, the goal of which was to replace the core module of Emprise II. The first phase was to detach the old core and move it to the aft port of the station. There, it would remain until the new one arrived. The operation began with Verfal and Ferny boarding Venture 36, which was docked to Node 1 at the front of the core module. After the entire complex had undocked from the station, the crew used the spacecraft's thrusters to move the core some distance away. A Shepherd tug, remaining from an earlier mission, was moved from the station to the aft port of the core. At this point, Venture 36 let go of the core and left the rest of the maneuvering to the tug. It moved underneath and then up behind the science module, before finally redocking the core to the station.

Moving the core away from the rest of the station.

The Shepherd tug undocks.

In a precision maneuver, the core is guided to the back of the station.

End of phase one.

The most complex part of the operation was completed and Venture 36 redocked. The next step was to launch a new station module, which would be used to store supplies, tools and equipment. On day 277, a Celerity rocket rose from the launchpad. All seemed to be going well, until fairing separation.

The storage module is launched.

The strap-on boosters are jettisoned.

That was not suppose to happen.

At least, the damaged module got into orbit.

The fairing panels struck the payload, causing severe damage. One of the two solar panels was torn off and the forward compartment, containing the docking mechanism and internal storage space, was completely destroyed. Although the module reached orbit, it could not be used in its current state. A backup unit was made ready and, following a test of a larger fairing, launched successfully. It was docked to Node 2.

Testing the new fairing.

A second launch attempt.

The module has arrived.

Docked in place.

Not wanting to let the remaining supplies in the damaged module go to waste, the engineers at KSC began formulating a plan to salvage what they could. Their first thought was to bring it back down using a GRUNT, but the module proved to heavy for this to work. Instead, they came up with the idea of sending a crew to jury-rig a docking port. Management, although hesitant, approved the plan.

 

Edited December 9, 2018 by SBKerman

[SBKerman]

Verfal inspects Emprise II from a distance.

 

SET-16 through 20, testing new Venture design

Spoiler

Earlier in the year, the space program had announced a Block 5 version of the Venture spacecraft. Since then, the design had evolved substantially. So much so, that it warranted a new designation. Block 5, in its original form, was cancelled, and Venture T took its place. The development team couldn't agree whether the T stood for transport or taxi, but the name stuck. Testing began on day 332, with an all up launch of the first prototype. Problems were encountered early on, although not with the spacecraft, but rather the booster. For the first time since its debut, a Benchmark I failed during launch. Due to faulty wiring, the second stage malfunctioned, leaving the payload on a suborbital path. To get the most out of it, the main engine of the Venture was fired until all fuel had been depleted. This extended the flight, giving the engineers more time to test the spacecraft systems.

SET-16 is launched at night.

Extending the range.

It's still a short flight.

Landing safely.

SET-16 wasn't a complete failure, as most of the objectives were met. It did however force a rescheduling of the next orbital launch, since all current Benchmark rockets had to be checked. In the meantime, SET-17 tested the separation of the fairing and launch escape tower, while SET-18 completed a successful pad abort. The latter also proved out the protective airbags used during landing.

The escape tower is activated.

Good separation and parachute deployment.

Coming back down.

A successful test.

On day 358, SET-19 launched atop an inspected Benchmark I. This time, everything went well and the spacecraft reached orbit. During the flight, tests were made on the engine and thrusters, as well as on the new fuel cell introduced with Venture T. This was probably the most prominent change to the original design, doing away with the solar panels of the earlier versions.

Launching SET-19

On orbit.

The reentry is nominal.

Heading for a splashdown.

One final test, SET-20, was conducted on the ground. It focused on the separation of the new service module. Once this had been completed, Venture T was given the thumbs up by management to start flying kerbonauts.

 

Venture 37, salvaging damaged station module

Spoiler

Venture 37, crewed by Albart and Katbus, launched on day 406. Their main mission was to rendezvous with the damaged station module and attempt repair. They would also spend a few days on orbit performing experiments.

Minutes before launch.

The upper stage breaks away, having done its job.

In preparation for the mission, Venture 37 had been equipped with a detachable docking port. On the fourth day, the crew met up with the station module and Katbus began the EVA. She removed the docking port from the spacecraft using a specialized tool. She then carefully moved it over to the front of the module and began fastening it. The operation progressed slowly, but was eventually successful. Having finished the job, the crew remained in space for one more day before returning home.

Katbus steps outside.

The docking port has been attached.

Performing the deorbit burn.

Venture 37 reenters the atmosphere.

The mission ends.

With a functioning docking port, the once crippled station module could now be brought to Emprise II.

 

Emprise II, space station operations

Spoiler

Expedition 6 was coming to a close, leaving the crew with one final task before departing the station. During their last EVA, the two kerbonauts transfered items from the storage compartment of the old core over to the new storage module. They left some supplies behind and also made sure all fuel tanks on the core were filled up. Having finished this work, the crew spent the last few days preparing the Venture spacecraft for the trip home. After 307 days in space, Verfal and Ferny said good bye to Emprise II.

Moving stuff from the old core.

Departing the station.

Separation of the spacecraft modules.

Expedition 6 has officially concluded.

The new core module was scheduled to launch early next year, at which point the old core would undock from the station. Its ultimate fate was not yet set in stone. The initial plan was to deorbit it, but there were some who wanted to find alternative uses. For the time being, it would be moved to a higher orbit pending a decision.

 

End of Year Report (Y7)

Spoiler

Finances
Funds: 916,076
Science: 167.9

Buildings
Vehicle Assembly Building at level 2
Launchpad at level 2
Spaceplane Hangar at level 2
Runway at level 2
Research and Development at level 3
Mission Control at level 3
Tracking Station at level 2
Administration Building at level 3
Kerbonaut Complex at level 3

Construction Time
VAB Rate 1 at 1.1 BP/s
VAB Rate 2 at 1.1 BP/s
SPH Rate 1 at 1.3 BP/s
SPH Rate 2 at 1.2 BP/s
R&D Devel. at 64 sci/day

Kerbonauts
P1 Jebediah (6)
P1 Valentina (5)
P1 Phoebe (5)
P1 Wehrsted (2)
P1 Thompdous (2)
P1 Verfal (3)
P1 Albart (2)
P1 Stary (1)
P4 Sonny (1)
E1 Bill (4)
E1 Buzz (3)
E1 Ferny (3)
E1 Desster (1)
E1 Seepond (1)
E1 Katbus (2)
S1 Bob (4)
S1 Gersen (2)
S1 Janson (1)
S0 Tandin (0) *KIA*
S1 Lisa (1)
S1 Gratop (1)

( ) shows number of space flights

 

Edited November 5, 2018 by SBKerman

[Kerbinchaser]

I love the charts! It's interesting to read your flight log and see the launch vehicles. So cool! 

[SBKerman]

10 hours ago, Lo Var Lachland said:

I love the charts! It's interesting to read your flight log and see the launch vehicles. So cool! 

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoy it. The charts are a bit time consuming to put together, but I like the overview they give.

[SBKerman]

A bad start to the year.

 

Emprise II, space station operations

Spoiler

The new year began with the launch of the new core module for Emprise II. However, because of a sensor having been accidentally installed upside down, the Celerity launch vehicle immediately made a sharp turn and flew straight towards the KSC.

Launching on day two.

This is not good!

Well, at least mission control is safe.

Impacting near the spaceplane hangar.

All that's left is the damaged core module, still tucked inside the fairing.

The rocket crashed into the ground next to the SPH, flinging debris all over the place. The payload section was thrown across the runway and ended up several hundred meters away. Through sheer luck, no one was injured. The hangar building suffered damage, but the biggest hit was to the space program's pride. That and its bank account. While the pieces were picked up and preparations started on the backup unit, activities at the station continued. The damaged storage module that had received a new docking port late last year was brought to the station.

Quest 12 leaves the station to free up a port on Node 2.

The module arrives...

... and is docked.

The plan was for the next crew to salvage everything useful from it. The module would then be discarded. With the docking operation completed, it was time for the second attempt to launch the new core. On day 53, a new Celerity rocket blasted off from the launchpad.

Trying this again.

SRB separation confirmed.

Staging.

The core module is in space.

After having delivered the core to the station, the Shepherd tug is detached.

Everything proceeded according to plan and the core module was docked to the front of Node 2. Two days later, Venture 38 launched Expedition 7; kerbonauts Katbus and Janson. This was the last Block 4 version of the spacecraft to fly. Subsequent missions would use the new Venture T.

Night launch.

Final flight of Venture Block 4.

The first task for the new crew was to oversee the undocking of the old core module. Since no decision had yet been made on what to do with it, the core was moved to a higher orbit and powered down. Once this was completed, Katbus and Janson began activating the new modules that had been added to the station.

The old core undocks.

One of the tugs, no longer needed, moves away to be deorbited.

Much work still lay ahead, as year 8 was shaping up to be a busy one.

 

Edited November 8, 2018 by SBKerman

[SBKerman]

First flight of Venture T.

 

SilverDart, exploring Kerbin's tundra

Spoiler

On day 70, Jeb and Bob left the space center on a scientific mission in the SilverDart jet. This was the first time since the SilverDagger tragedy one year ago that a long duration flight took place. The target was Kerbin's tundra far up north. At one point, the flight was almost called of when the crew lost visibility due to dense clouds just as they passed over a mountainous area. However, the mission continued and Jeb eventually landed the SilverDart at the planned location.

Flying beneath the northern lights.

The crew observes the ice shelf before landing.

Planting the flag.

Luckily, the mountains are visible on the journey back.

Home sweet home.

The two kerbonauts returned safely to the KSC at the conclusion of the mission, bringing with them large amounts of data from one of the most remote locations on the planet.

 

Venture T-1, first flight of the new design

Spoiler

Venture T, the latest variant of the Venture spacecraft, was ready for its maiden voyage; a short trip to the space station and back. The pilot's seat was occupied by Valentina, veteran of five previous missions. She would fly alone on this one, testing each system and subsystem to make sure the vehicle was ready for service. Launch took place on day 105.

Venture T-1 launches on top a Benchmark I.

Setting course for the station.

Docked.

Everything proceeded as planned. Valentina stayed at the station for ten days, helping Katbus and Janson with various tasks. Once the visit was over, she got back into Venture T-1 and undocked. Two burns of the main engine lowered the orbit of the spacecraft, before a third and final burn brought it in for reentry.

Time to return.

Striking the atmosphere of Kerbin.

The new design includes airbags in case of a rough landing.

Splashdown!

Valentina has finished her sixth space mission.

After returning to the space center, Val spoke highly of the craft and its new features. Her only concern was with the mission module. Although it had separated cleanly from the command module, it remained in close proximity for much of the reentry. This could potentially lead to a fatal collision between the two pieces. On the previous Block 4 model, the mission module was pushed away by additional pyros, but these had been removed in the new design to reduce cost. The immediate solution was to make changes to the reentry procedure in order to minimize the risk. Management also ordered a more indepth study of the problem.

 

SET-21 through 25, Endeavour spacecraft tests

Spoiler

While Venture T was being tested in space, the next generation spacecraft was put through its paces on the ground. SET-21 and 22 focused on the launch escape system. First, a normal jettisoning of the tower was performed. This was followed a day later by a test of the abort sequence. The engines in the tower fired, but due to weak links connecting the structure to the command module, the tower broke loose and left the capsule behind.

The launch escape tower fails to pull the capsule away.

The detached capsule is left balancing precariously on top of the stack.

While the test article for the launch abort was being fitted with stronger bolts, the engineers focused on the service module. With SET-23, each step of the module's operation was tested and each part meticulously checked. A number of flaws with the interstage were found, prompting a change to the design.

Problems are encountered while testing launch and reentry operations.

After some tweaking, the full sequence is performed successfully.

On day 183, the launch escape system was tested once more. This time, it worked as intended. The tower pulled the capsule high into the air, giving the parachute time to deploy. As the capsule descended, the heat shield was jettisoned and the airbags inflated. Right before touchdown, four small rocket engines fired to further reduce landing speed.

Second pad abort test.

Dropping the heat shield.

Retrorockets fire to slow down the capsule.

Endeavour is ready... or is it?

Even though all objectives had been met, albeit with some difficulty, management was not yet convinced about Endeavour's flightworthiness. More development time was deemed necessary, pushing the first orbital test flight to the end of the year.

 

Venture T-2, tourist flight

Spoiler

It had been five years since the space program last flew tourists and demand for this service had grown ever since. The matter could no longer be ignored, leading management to finally open the doors for new applicants. Interest was overwhelming with hundreds of individuals wanting to fly into the (relatively) unknown. After a thorough selection process, a handful were chosen and began training. First on the list was a kerbal by the name of Jenory. Together with veteran kerbonaut Phoebe, she would visit Emprise station. On day 200, the two launched aboard Venture T-2.

Phoebe and Jenory takes off.

Docking with Emprise II.

Soon after docking, a worrying call came in from mission control. The engineers at KSC had discovered a flaw in the parachute deployment system used on both Venture T-2 and Venture 38. It was not known exactly what affect this could have on reentry and landing, but in a worst case scenario, the parachutes would not open at all. A contingency plan was being worked on, but for the moment, the crew were stranded.

 

Edited December 9, 2018 by SBKerman

[SBKerman]

Note: At his point in the game, I moved the save over to a KSP 1.4.5 install. Everything seems to be working fine so far. I lost some mods (mostly visual) and added a few new ones. I also installed the Making History expansion.

 

Katbus and Janson on EVA.

 

Venture T-3 and T-4, replacement spacecraft

Spoiler

Emprise expedition 7 and the visiting crew of Phoebe and Jenory had gotten stranded on the station after it was discovered that the parachutes on their respective spacecraft had a serious design flaw to them. In order to solve the problem, two replacement vehicles were being readied. To make room for the first of these, Venture T-2 undocked and returned to Kerbin empty. As feared, the drogue chute deployed way to early during descent and was ripped apart. After a very rough fall through the atmosphere, the command module made a hard landing on its main chute. While it did technically survive, the capsule sustained heavy damage. Had the crew been on board, they would likely have suffered bruises and broken bones.

The unkermanned Venture T-2 leaves the station.

Performing the deorbit burn.

A harsh reentry.

The main parachute unfolds successfully.

Venture T-3, which had been slated to fly the next visiting crew, was launched the night after T-2 had returned. Since it carried no kerbals, it was filled with supplies to restock the station. It docked with Emprise II a few hours later. With a functional return vehicle now at their disposal, Phoebe and Jenory were able to complete the ten day visit as planned.

Venture T-3 is launched.

Arriving at the station.

Ten days later, the spacecraft undocks with Phoebe and Jenory aboard.

The crew makes a safe landing.

Fourteen days after the departure of the visiting crew, Venture T-4 launched for the station. It replaced Venture 38, giving expedition 7 members Katbus and Janson a fresh vehicle to return in once their mission was over. After their old spacecraft had left, the two kerbonauts boarded Venture T-4. They undocked it from the aft port and redocked to the front of the station.

With no crew aboard, the launch escape tower is omitted.

Fairing separation.

Venture 38 deorbits itself.

As the command module reenters the atmosphere, the drogue chute is torn apart.

The main chute brings the capsule down to a hard splashdown.

Venture T-4 is moved to the forward facing docking port.

With the parachute problem solved, normal operations could finally resume. The crew had an extensive EVA planned which was now behind schedule.

 

Emprise II, space station operations

Spoiler

A new module was being prepared on the ground, but before it could launch, the Emprise II crew needed to do some clean-up work. The plan for the truss mounted solar panels had recently been scrapped which meant that the truss sections already installed would need to be dismantled. Disposal of the damaged storage module, temporarily docked to the station, was also on the agenda. On day 243, Katbus and Janson began what would become the longest spacewalk to date. Working methodically, they took the trusses apart and attached the pieces to the storage module. It was slow going, but eventually everything was secured and the EVA ended. Next, the module undocked and was moved away from the station by its Shepherd tug. Once at a safe distance, the engine on the tug ignited, sending the whole thing into the atmosphere.

The two kerbonauts begin their long workday in space.

After several hours, the truss sections have been secured and the storage module undocks.

The attached Shepherd tug deorbits the module.

Burning up in the atmosphere.

With three ports cleared, Emprise II was ready to receive new modules. On the ground, the last of the preparations were being carried out. This included testing the fairings to make sure nothing was damaged during deployment. The payload was then integrated onto a Celerity vehicle and rolled out to the launchpad on day 263. The following night, the countdown reached zero.

Fairing deployment is tested on the ground.

Nothing is damaged.

Launching at night.

The launch into orbit was problem-free and the first rendezvous burn showed no signs of trouble. However, as the actually rendezvous began, the main thrusters malfunctioned. At first, it seemed as if the docking would have to be called off, but thanks to backup thrusters and some careful maneuvering, the operation was successful. Following docking, the Shepherd tug was deorbited. Katbus then went out on another EVA to remove some external connectors that were no longer needed. Finally, the solar panels were deployed.

Despite problems, the new module is successfully brought in for docking.

Katbus goes on a second EVA.

Extending the solar panels.

The new module added a small greenhouse and additional life support equipment to the station. Two habitation modules were also being planned. Once those had been added, the station would be considered completed.

 

SET-26 and 27, testing a Mun lander

Spoiler

As the space station was nearing completion, focus began shifting back to the exploration of the Mun and Minmus. One of the challenges was still to land kerbals on the surface. It had been done twice with the MLV, but this vehicle was very rudimentary and didn't support advanced missions. To solve the problem, several different designs for kermanned landers had been proposed. The first to be tested was called Venture L. Based on the new Venture T spacecraft, it featured an enlarged fuel tank and a more powerful engine. A mock-up had been built to test ingress and egress.

Extending the ladders.

Jeb and Bill exit the capsule.

They have no problems using the ladders.

The next test was of the launch escape system. Since the design lacked the mission module of Venture T, the engineers brought back the old Block 2 LES. It proved as reliable as ever, pulling the capsule to safety in a simulated abort.

The launch escape tower has been fitted.

Engines ignite.

The capsule lands safely.

Venture L was envisioned as a self-contained taxi to and from the Mun, eliminating the need for an additional spacecraft during the transfer. Since the lander itself couldn't sustain a crew for any extended period of time, it would have to be used in combination with some form of surface base. Development would continue, with more tests planned for next year.

 

[SBKerman]

Peabody shuttlepod early during reentry.

 

Peabody Flight 1, first mission for the shuttlepod

Spoiler

One of the new spacecrafts being worked on was the Peabody shuttlepod, a winged glider launched by a reusable booster. By day 285, this unique concept was ready to fly for the first time. Because of the complex nature of the landing procedure, the engineers wanted a pilot on board. Management was hesitant to place a kerbal in such an experimental vehicle, but put out the call for volunteers nevertheless. Sonny Kerman answered that call.

The unconventional vehicle on the launchpad.

The first leg of the ascent was terrifying for the kerbonaut. Several times, the launch vehicle was millimeters away from going out of control. Had he not been strapped in, Sonny would have been thrown out of his chair. It was not until the upper atmosphere was reached that the ride became smoother. At this point, the first stage boosters were jettisoned and parachuted to a safe landing. The central core ignited and continued the push into space. It was supposed to bring the Peabody all the way to orbit, but because of the less than optimal launch profile, it ran out of fuel before it could do that. Sonny was forced to use the shuttlepod's engines to complete the burn.

Lift-off!

Successful staging.

During the second half of the launch, the vehicle is more stable.

The central core separates.

Using its own engines, the Peabody makes orbit.

Protected by a heat shield, the core booster fell back to Kerbin. As it got lower in the atmosphere, a set of parachutes deployed to slow it down. While it failed to reach the intended landing site, the core did survive splashdown and was recovered.

Going back through the atmosphere.

Parachutes deployed.

Not a perfect landing, but at least nothing broke.

The next step was for Sonny to rendezvous with the old Emprise II core, now named Experimental Station 1 or simply XS1. After docking with it, he entered the station and activated its control systems in preparation for the upcoming Venture T-5 mission. He also used some of the station's fuel to partly fill up the tanks on the Peabody. The orbital insertion and subsequent maneuvering had drained them more than planned. Unfortunately, it turned out that even with the refuling, there was not enough dV for a standard reentry. Sonny had to return from a much higher orbit than planned. He calculated the burn time as best he could, but since the Peabody was new and untested, he had to do a lot of guesswork.

Sonny docks the Peabody to XS1.

Encountering the first thin layer of the atmosphere, Sonny switched from the flight computer to the reentry computer. It would help keep the vehicle at an angle to bleed of speed and to protect the crew compartment from the intense heat. The system worked as intended, but Sonny overshot the KSC. He switched back to the flight computer and activated its glide mode. Beneath him the terrain was rugged and not at all suitable for landing. Since he didn't have enough airtime left to turn around and reach the runway at the space center, his only option was to ditch in the sea.

The vehicle survives reentry.

Splashing down hard.

No worries. That'll buff right out.

The Peabody proved to be very stable in flight, but even so, the landing was hard. Sonny could see pieces of the airframe shoot past the canopy as he hit the water. Luckily, the cabin itself remained intact. When the vehicle finally came to a stop, Sonny was able to climb out of the wreck unscathed.

 

Venture T-5, construction work in space

Spoiler

Venture T-5 launched on day 300, carrying kerbonauts Valentina and Desster to XS1. Their job was to dismantle Node 1 and move one of its standard docking ports to the front of the station. This was similar to what had been tested on the ground two years earlier, before the node was built. Back then, the operation proved unfeasible, but now, with better tools, it should work. Incidentally, Node 1 had been launched exactly two years prior to the Venture T-5 flight.

Venture T-5 lifts off.

After docking, Desster began the EVA. His first task was to remove the port and attach it to a temporary fixture on the station. Next, Valentina undocked Node 1 and moved it a few meters away. Desster then reshuffled the components on the node to make sure it was balanced for transport. He also removed the node's control unit and installed it on the station. Finally, he attached the docking port properly.

Preparing the docking port.

Val moves the node out of the way.

This allows Desster to continue the job.

All done.

The work was completed and the crew returned home after a short rest period. They brought the node with them for disposal. It remained connected to the mission module as the latter was jettisoned. Both burned up during reentry.

Venture T-5 brings the node along.

A nominal reentry.

Another successful mission comes to an end.

Although the main purpose of the mission had been to test on-orbit construction and repair techniques, it also brought Experimental Station 1 to semi-operational status. No decision had yet been made as to the future of the station, but several ideas were being entertained. It would remain in orbit for the time being.

 

SET-28 through 30, continued testing of Endeavour

Spoiler

A major redesign had been done on the Endeavour spacecraft since it was last tested. It had received a shielded docking port, upgraded parachutes, floatation devices instead of regular airbags, and a brand new service module. The most radical change however, was the emergency escape system. Rather than using a tower, the new service module was equipped with two powerful solid rocket motors that would push the spacecraft away from a failing booster. They could also be used as backup deorbit engines. To check the reliability of the new system, three tests were performed. The first was a pad abort followed by two inflight aborts.

First test of the new abort system.

The capsule lands unharmed.

The next two tests require Leapfrog II boosters.

All six solid rocket motors fire.

Activating the abort system.

First the drogue chute opens.

Then the three main chutes.

Finally, the capsule splashes down.

As all three tests were successful, management approved an unkermanned suborbital flight of the spacecraft. Planned to take place before the end of the year, this would be the first step towards finally getting Endeavour operational.

 

[SBKerman]

The main parachutes of Endeavour 1 fully deployed.

 

Endeavour 1, suborbital hop

Spoiler

Development of the Endeavour spacecraft had reached the point were it was ready to be tested in space. Launched by a Velocity IV rocket, the unkermanned Endeavour 1 made a successful suborbital flight.

Lift-off!

The Velocity IV upper stage places Endeavour 1 on a suborbital trajectory.

Jettisoning the protective panels.

The spacecraft fires its four main engines to extend the range.

Reentering the atmosphere.

First, the drogue chute deploys to slow the capsule down.

Then, the three main chutes take over.

The test ends with a good landing.

The only minor problem during the flight occured when the spacecraft separated from the upper stage of the booster. The bolts did not release properly at first, causing the upper stage to be dragged along for some distance before breaking free. This had a negligible effect on the mission, but would be fixed in time for the next flight.

 

Peabody Flight 2, second test flight

Spoiler

With the shuttlepod repaired and its launcher refurbished, it was time for the second flight of the Peabody. Once again, the pilot's seat was occupied by Sonny Kerman, as no one else was crazy enough he was the most qualified kerbonaut to fly the thing.

Let's hope this ride is smoother.

Booster separation and burn into orbit.

Sonny and the Peabody are back in space.

The first half of the launch was still unstable, but less so than on the previous flight. After separation of the first stage boosters, the vehicle performed a decent gravity turn. Although the core stage failed to reach orbit, it was at least heading for a proper landing.

The core booster falls through the atmosphere.

Looks like this time, it will land on, well, land.

The parachutes slow the booster down.

Extending the landing legs.

Perfect!

All five boosters of the launch vehicle were recovered intact and brought back to the KSC for refurbishment. In space, Sonny prepared for the retroburn. After a single orbit, he fired the engines and reentered Kerbin's atmosphere. This time, his calculations were exact. With great skill, he brought the Peabody in for a near perfect runway landing.

The reentry is on the button.

Lining up with the runway.

Sonny nails the landing.

During final approach, Sonny deployed the landing gears and airbrake. As the wheels touched down, a drag chute unfurled to further reduce speed. The stubby spacecraft lurched from side to side for a few seconds before coming to a stop, unscathed and on the tarmac. The second flight thus ended successfully, proving that while more work was needed, the concept was viable.

 

Venture T-6, first crew rotation

Spoiler

The next expedition to Emprise II, scientists Bob and Gersen, launched on day 420 and docked a few hours later. Upon entering the station, they were greeted by Katbus and Janson. For the first time, command was handed over in person from one crew to the next.

Venture T-6 rises from the launchpad.

Docked to the station.

Following a televised event celebrating the new achievement, Katbus and Janson boarded Venture T-4. They closed the hatch, undocked, and returned to Kerbin after 365 days in space. This was the last flight of the year.

Venture T-4 brings the crew home.

Expedition 7 ends with a splashdown.

After their colleagues had departed, Bob and Gersen settled into their new home. The plan was for them to stay at the station for an entire year. During this time they would be visited by a number of crews flying short duration missions.

 

End of Year Report (Y8)

Spoiler

Finances
Funds: 1,200,551
Science: 18.2

Buildings
Vehicle Assembly Building at level 2
Launchpad at level 2
Spaceplane Hangar at level 2
Runway at level 2
Research and Development at level 3
Mission Control at level 3
Tracking Station at level 2
Administration Building at level 3
Kerbonaut Complex at level 3

Construction Time
VAB Rate 1 at 1.2 BP/s
VAB Rate 2 at 1.2 BP/s
SPH Rate 1 at 1.3 BP/s
SPH Rate 2 at 1.3 BP/s
R&D Devel. at 64 sci/day

Kerbonauts
P1 Jebediah (6)
P1 Valentina (7)
P1 Phoebe (6)
P1 Wehrsted (2)
P1 Thompdous (2)
P1 Verfal (3)
P1 Albart (2)
P1 Stary (1)
P4 Sonny (3)
E1 Bill (4)
E1 Buzz (3)
E1 Ferny (3)
E1 Desster (2)
E1 Seepond (1)
E1 Katbus (3)
S1 Bob (5)
S1 Gersen (3)
S1 Janson (2)
S0 Tandin (0) *KIA*
S1 Lisa (1)
S1 Gratop (1)

( ) shows number of space flights

 

[SBKerman]

Expanding the roster; pilots Jopont, Luwell and Lomal, engineers Tatiana and Catbur, scientists Lembas, Verger and Sivin.

 

Benchmark and Velocity, the old and the new

Spoiler

As the space program renewed its exploratory efforts, the need to upgrade the current fleet of launch vehicles was recognized. To adress the situation, management reviewed all active development projects and selected the most promising ones. These were then given top priority.

Benchmark rocket family: IA, IB, II S, II S2, II S4, II M and II H

The success of the Benchmark I vehicle made it a natural target for expansion. An upgraded version called Benchmark IA was the first step. Although slightly shorter than its predecessor, it retained the same reliable flight characteristics and payload capacity. Next was the Benchmark IB. By adding two solid rocket boosters to the design, this version upped the capacity to 15 tonnes.

The Benchmark II platform had been under development for a few years. It came in three variants; Standard, Medium and Heavy. The Standard (S) was the base version and could carry 16 tonnes to low Kerbin orbit. Equipped with either two or four small SRBs, this was increased to 17 and 18 tonnes respectively. The Medium (M) used two large SRBs, which gave it a payload capacity of 25 tonnes. Finally, the Heavy (H) version strapped two additional cores to the standard configuration, resulting in an unprecedented 52 tonnes to LKO. Before this massive rocket could be used, both the launchpad and the VAB would have to be upgraded.

Velocity rocket family: I, II, II+, III, IIIA, IV, V, VA

The venerable Velocity family of boosters had been the backbone of the early space program, but it was beginning to show its age. With more versatile and reliable vehicles becoming available, the decision was made to retire the entire lineup. It was not quite the end for the old workhorse though. An ongoing effort to modernize the design had resulted in the new E-series.

Velocity evolution: IV, E1, E2

Under the Velocity Evolved program, engineers had looked at ways to improve the old vehicles. After studying many different ideas, the team settled on a design based on the reliable Velocity IV. First out was the E1. It used the same engines as its forebearer, but featured new fuel tanks and a guidance system derived from the Peabody launch vehicle. Because of the additional weight of these upgrades, payload capacity dropped slightly to 13 tonnes. The next step in the evolution was the Velocity E2. With new engines and a streched first stage, it could place up to 15 tonnes in low Kerbin orbit. This was also the rocket that would launch the Endeavour spacecraft. Other E-series variants were also on the drawing board, but had yet to be finalized.

 

Quest 13, resupplying Emprise II

Spoiler

The first launch of the year was a Quest spacecraft, bringing fresh supplies to the crew of Emprise II. It launched on day 9 and made a successfully rendezvous with the station two hours later.

Quest 13 lifts off.

Docking with the station.

Quest 13 would stay docked for almost a hundred days, giving Bob and Gersen plenty of time to unload the cargo.

 

Mapper 7 and 8, continued exploration of Kerbin and the Mun

Spoiler

After a year of station building and vehicle testing, the space program returned to its roots by launching two new mapping satellites. Mapper 7 lifted off on day 23 and was carried into a 150 km polar orbit by the first operational Benchmark IA rocket. After having completed a global resource scan, the satellite used its onboard engine to extend the orbit to 750 km. It then started a high resolution scan of the planet's terrain.

The first Benchmark IA stands ready on the launchpad.

Heading for polar orbit.

After completing the initial scan, Mapper 7 increases its altitude.

Performing the second scan.

On day 43, an identical satellite was sent to the Mun. It successfully reached polar orbit and performed the same two scans. Using the data returned by Mapper 8, scientists at the KSC were able to identify possible landing sites for future kermanned missions. These sites were then photographed in detail by Palantir Mun.

Another Benchmark IB takes off.

The upper stage sends Mapper 8 to the Mun.

Scanning the surface.

The old Palantir Mun imagning satellite takes photos of key areas.

Next in line was Mapper 9, still under construction at the space center. When completed, it would be sent to Minmus.

 

Peabody Flight 3, third time's the charm?

Spoiler

Having studied the previous two flights in detail, the engineers made a number of changes to the Peabody Launch Vehicle. With an improved control system, additional stabilizing fins and new parachutes, the PBLV was ready for its third launch. Once again, Sonny Kerman would pilot the shuttlepod.

The modified PBLV proves to be more stable in flight.

It still fails to orbit the shuttlepod though.

Following a burn of the main engines, the orbital insertion is completed.

The core booster comes down over land.

Deployment of the new parachutes.

Please don't fall over.

Although landing rather precariously on a slope, the core booster remained upright. It was successfully recovered shortly after and reunited with the rest of the launch vehicle back at the space center. Meanwhile, the Peabody had completed its single revolution around the planet. Sonny pointed the craft retrograde and fired the engines. Following a nominal reentry, he began the glide towards the runway. However, the burn had been too long, making it impossible for him to reach the target. Realizing this, Sonny made an emergency landing in the grassland west of the space center.

Sonny's view of the reentry.

So close, yet so far away.

Landing in the grass.

All is fine.

Both vehicle and pilot survived without injury. Despite a rough landing, the mission was a success. It proved that the changes made to the launcher had resulted in a much more stable ascent. If the next flight was equally successful, management would clear the Peabody for operational use.

 

Venture TM-1, testing an improved spacecraft

Spoiler

On day 100, Venture TM-1 was launched with veteran kerbonaut Wehrsted and rookie Tatiana aboard. This was a modified version of the new Venture T, incorporating a number of improvements into the design. These included changes to the life support system, reaction control system, and communication array. The use of explosive bolts to separate the mission module from the command module before reentry was also reintroduced.

Launching on a Benchmark IA.

The upper stage places Venture TM-1 in orbit.

The crew observes the departure of Quest 13.

Docked at the forward facing port.

After rendezvous, Venture TM-1 remained at station keeping while Quest 13 departed. It then docked at the freed-up port. As the hatches opened, the crew was greeted by Expedition 8 members Bob and Gersen. This was the first of three short duration visits planned for the year. Wehrsted and Tatiana stayed aboard the space station for ten days, before returning to Kerbin.

Performing the deorbit burn.

A fiery reentry.

About to splash down.

The updated spacecraft had passed the test, prompting the retirement of the T-model. Venture T-7 and T-8, remaining in inventory, would be the last to fly.