Emergency Kerbal Return System

[Foursh]

NEW: The EKRS prototype

[spoiler=]

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Here's a situation you've all probably faced before - you've carefully piloted a lander into orbit around Minmus, selected a perfect landing site and began your descent without incident, but due to an unintended last second lithobraking maneuver your Kerbonauts find themselves stranded.

Rescue missions are costly and take time to prepare, not to mention the possibility that the rescue ship could also crash, doubling the number of stranded Kerbals.

Thankfully, there is now a better solution.

The Emergency Kerbal Return System - a reliable*, cost effective way to safely deliver Kerbals from Minmus to Kerbin. Delivered in advance to Minmus' surface, a single EKRS station can offer immediate rescue to 32 Kerbals.

Step 1 - Landing

The first step, and possibly the most difficult one, is getting this thing on Minmus. You're going to have to build your own launch/landing stage because mine was awful, but if you need help getting started, this is what it looked like:[spoiler=]

Those rockets on the top made landing almost impossible. If I did it again I would attach them to the sides. Also, if you installed the fuel bug fix you will need a slightly larger rocket.

I'm going to assume that you know how to get to Minmus, and understand basic orbital maneuvers.

Once you get there, you'll have to land at a specific spot on the surface:

[spoiler=]

It's where the orbit path intersects the ground, on the retrograde side.

If you manage to land intact, give yourself a cookie because the hardest part is behind you.

Step 2 - Launch

Operating the EKRS is fairly straightforward, but it's a bit fiddly.

First you must prepare the system by disabling fuel flow on all three fuel tanks and activating the upward facing engines. Next, press the zero key to extend the 'masts' and 1 to retract the first mast again (2-4 will retract the others). 5 and 6 will rotate the tops of the masts. Align the first decoupler with the large engine.

Now stand the Kerbal to be rescued on top of the small rocket engine. Quicksave at this point, because there is a very good chance that something will go wrong. To launch, throttle to 100%, reactivate one of the fuel tanks (not the one farthest from the crew pod, it won't feed the large engine), hit the space bar and immediately press 'x', as quickly as you can. Switch to the Kerbal before he gets too far away, and try to find the decoupler flying somewhere below you.

Step 3 - Freefall

Use the EVA pack to catch up with the decoupler. Once you match speeds with it, briefly timewarp to stop its rotation (try to have it horizontal). Grab the ladder and check your orbit in the map view. Unless you are incredibly lucky you be headed toward a close fly-by or an impact trajectory. Hop off the ladder and push up or down to adjust (this is the second hardest part). Try to get the periapsis between 29km and 34km - I think the sweet spot is about 30km.

When the orbit is correctly tuned, let go of the ladder and timewarp toward Kerbin. When you start to drift away from the ladder, exit timewarp, grab and let go of the ladder, warp again, repeat.

If you drift into the decoupler, wait until you pass through it before coming out of timewarp (watch the end of the video to see why).

Step 4 - Re-entry

Hold on tight.

This craft requires the Damned Robotics mod: [thread]9675[/thread]

_{* Up to 25% survival rates}

This was the first working design of the EKRS. It's all stock, easy to use, and it comes with a pre-built launch vehicle. Unfortunately it has only a single shot, but if you'd just like to try blasting a Kerbal to salvation, without the hassle of the full size EKRS, you could try this.

Edited September 18, 2012 by Foursh

[The Destroyer]

Nice! turns out the little kerbals have quite the grip!

[MrMadGameplay]

I have had so many Kerbals stranded on Mun and I just end the flight most of the time, but now I might just give this a go

[Foursh]

To be honest, it isn't actually a very practical rescue solution. It works, technically, but it's pretty challenging to survive re-entry, and the whole thing is clumsy and difficult to use. I did it mostly to see if it was possible.

[Elven_sword]

It's like a planetary MOOSE vending machine!

[Ronox]

Hahahah that's genius!

[Foursh]

I finally added instructions. I should have done it sooner, but I'm lazy

[Tommygun]

Impressive, I would never get the timing right.

[kockaspiton]

Brilliant, just brilliant!

[Lazurkri]

My god this is ballsy! but awesome if it works... I currently have a Kerbalnaut skimming the upper atmosphere of Kerbin, not sure if he'll be able to hold on....