Kerbal Air and Space Command (KASC)

[Zedwardson]

(OOC: I have been away from the game for years, and coming back to it.  I am not a great builder of rockets, nor am I a good flyer, I have reached the Mun in the past, and decided to do missions publicly, you will see the good, the bad, and the ugly as some rockets fail badly.   I am sure my attempts to build planes will result in a number of deaths.   I am playing close to normal game, except that Kerbal deaths are "for real" and I am playing with a few mods - (4 total).   Wish me luck as I get them to various spots, try to in the future build a shuttle, and try not to kill too many Kerbals.)
---------------------------------------------------------


In Year 0, the Kerbal Defense Force (KDF) , the Kerbal Space Council (KSC) , and  the Kerbal Science Board (KSB) called for the creation of the Kerbal Air and Space Command.   

The Kerbalnaut corps is currently 10,  5 pilots, 3 engineers, and 2 scientists.   All are from the KDF who had a rocket program prior to the formation of the KASC except the two scientists who are members of The KSB. 

The only Karbalnaut who has reached space, as Jeb exited the atmosphere in Zulu-4 test of a large solid rocket booster under the KDF.

---------------------------------------------------



The fist set of missions for the KASC is project Arcturus.  The plan is using surplus "Zypher" rockets from the KDF, and the Arcturus craft that holds two kerbals, and orbit in 5 missions all 10 of the currant Corps.   This will also being testing much untried equipment.


Arcturus-1 
Commander - Jebediah (Pilot) and Deald (Engineer)  

Mission goals:  Obtain orbit,  carry out at least three orbits, and land safely back on Kerbal. 

 

Arcturus-1 On the launchpad, First stage is a Zypher IRBM, top is the two Kerbal Arcturus craft.   This is variation A that allows for EVA and has a escape tower in case of rocket failure.  

 

Liftoff of the Arcturus-1

 

 

A shot of the space center as the rocket rises

Arcturus-1 begins it turn to obtain enough Delta V to get into orbit.  

Staging works, and the rocket begins to speed up as the weight is less and it no longer hitting the atmosphere.

No longer needing the escape tower, it is removed 

 

Power cells are extended and the Arcturus-1 has met primary mission goal of reaching orbit, Proving the Arcturus Launcher (Zypher-Arcturus) has the proper force to get in orbit, though it is noted the fuel is a close thing.

 

First orbit is mostly testing out the craft and testing handoffs on ground communications.

Sunrises never get old.

The secondary mission goal, to carry out a EVA is also taken care of, even if Jeb had to check the manual to get proper control of his jets.  EVA was about one minute as a proof on concept.  

 

A goal of landing in the desert region for more science is added at the third orbit as the craft tests it ability for reentry.

 

Reentry goes well , for the most part, however mission planners start to note it looks like the Arcturus-1 will land in water.

one more major mission failure point, the landing paras

 

They work, and  Arcturus-1 does it slow drop to the surface.

Mission success.

Arcturus-1  is a major success.

All major components tested and work. 
Obtained orbit
EVA carried out
Crew landed safely.

The next mission will be Arcturus-2, which will use the Arcturus-B setup and carrying a scientific payload into orbit. 

[Zedwardson]

The KASC Press conference Announced a series of future missions and Mission Goals.

Project Arcturus

Arcturus-2: Test the Arcturus-B setup (no emergency tower, central para) and power generation.
Arcturus-3: Launch in a lower orbit to test fuel limits of the Arcturus craft.
Arcturus-4: test the Arcturus-C (Docking version) and test docking procedures with a robot craft, test fuel transfers
Arcturus-5: Reserve mission in case Arcturus 2-4 has mission issues.   otherwise it to carry out scientific research in LKO.  

Project Loki

Project Loki is a mission to develop a standard small rocket for orbital sat launches.   Will be concurrant with Project Arcturus (Arcturus-4 will be docked with a payload launched by a Loki Rocket)

Communication sats

KASC has been tasked though the economic division to launch regular Communication sats, this will be used both for missions and for commercial use such as TV, radio, telephone, and other communication services.  

(I will be playing a sub-game were communication sats companies are hiring KASC to launch commercial comsats, and over time they will fail and need to be replaced)  KerbKom is the inter-government sat service, while there will be commercial companies that will rise, fall, and then get taken over by other companies.  

Project Orion

After Arcturus will be the Orion, which will be using a 3 man capsule, and this will be a Standard lift system for much of the game (like Soyoz) and will be used at least to explore Mun and Minmus 

Liberty Station

Designers are debating various proposals but Liberty Station is a orbital station to be a fuel depot and science station for various missions.  It will be inspired by Mir most likely.

Classified missions

The KDF is putting the demand for various military missions to be carried out.  

Plane development

it will be a bloody affair, but I will be trying to learn how to build a plane in KSP.   

[Zedwardson]

Arcturus-2

This will be a night launch, the kerbonauts will be Valentina (Pilot/Commander) and Obgard (science)

 

Night launches are always nice.  

 

Rising to the Sun



Orbital burn complete

This mission focused a fair bit on the science, and two goos were taken and used to make science



The "B" has some various changes, no excape tower, and the shoot is on top, and not on the side.   Handrails have also been added after the reports from Mission 1 indicated they were needed to grab hold of the craft. 



After eight orbits and testing out various subsystems and radioing back science data, a short retro burn takes place and reentry begins.



After two missions, various issues have been identified, however one of the glowing reports is how nice it behaves in reentry.



The landing site turned out to be less then ideal



Landing subsystems worked as hoped.

 

It was a long drop hoping that they ended up in the valley, and not on the hill and start rolling.

 

The craft landing safe and sound.  



Various issues were identified: It does not have much delta V to speak of, it can reach orbit, and deorbit, but not much else.   The top being the hatch is also leading to various issues.  such as the inability to open the hatch after landing.   Thirdly, power generation is  enough for operation, but radio communications is limited to when the  craft is in the sun to make sure it has enough power in orbit.  Future missions of this type may change its nature due to the limits of this craft.  

the KASC is reviewing 3-5, and may just launch them solely as small science simulators and to gain crew experience before moving onwards. 

 

[Zedwardson]

The launch complex saw a number of sat launches today.

 

A flight test of the Vulcan Blok B booster is carrying a classified payload for the Kerbal Defense Forces (KDF) Reconnaissance office (RO). It is thought that this is a Imaging Sat for the KDF-RO. The Vulcan Blok B is a heavy launcher that is intended ot be lofting major orbital elements and interplanetary probes.  While the mission did not need a booster of this size, the KDF agreed to pay for the launcher as it may be used for large military payloads in the future. 

These sats consist of a imagery sensor with a film return package (that returns both the film and the expensive sensor) It is thought that they use a modified SB-301 Sat bus.  

Trackers indicate that it it was put in a 40 degree inclination.  

However due to the massive fuel remianing due to the test of the Vulcan Blok B, it was seen carrying out various orbital modifications.  (Editors note, it has over 3,000 deltaV left).  Most of these flights will be using the smaller and cheaper Loki Launcher.

Sat watchers have nicknamed this craft the KSS-01 "Looking Glass" system,  These will be take images for 1 month then deorbit.   A small, but good steady stream of income for the KASC.

 

The 2nd notable launch was the rolling out of the KerbKom-1 Communications sat. This is the first launch of the "Loki" launcher, which uses simple technology (the reliant and swivel liquid fuel engines, and some basic solid rocket boosters. Loki technologies indicate this is a Loki 1131 launcher (Standard tank 1st stage, standard tank 2nd stage, 3 SRBs, with one control wheel.)  (Editors note, these launchers are loosely based on the "Thor Delta" and "delta" launchers that served the US space program for decades of flight.)

Launch is uneventful, even if it has to plow though the air with its large package.

The main advantage of the Loki Launcher (other then cost) for Com sat launch is that it is a very clean launcher (no space junk!) , the Terrier engine on the SB-301 (Songbird) class com sat finishes putting it in a LKO of 100k KM.

Then it restarts to put in in KTO

 

Then fires a third time to place it in a circular orbit. Kerbkom-1 is owned by Kerbstat, a inter-government organization to provide space communication services. Various private companies are also planning hire up sat launches. Kerbkom-1 is expected to have 10 years of service.

Kerbkom-1 is placed over "the eye" and provides 12 C-band communication transponders, 2 are leased by tv channels, and other 10 are being leased to various telephone and data groups and governments.

Note:  Unless someone wants to know more, since these will be regular launches, I will just note when they are completed unless there is a launch failure or such. 

[Zedwardson]

Didn't realize 1.8 was coming out so soon, might start a new fresh game for 1.8. 

Edit: All my mods are working fine (I am running near stock) so onward we go

Edited October 17, 2019 by Zedwardson

[Zedwardson]

Launching of Arcturus-3 (Note, this is using the 1.8.X upgrade)

 

Using a modified B capsule (with the return of the sidewall decent system) the goal is to check to see if a lower altitude is workable and to test in orbit use of hte KerbKom-1 ComSat.

 

 

Staging is uneventful though there is not much of a glide phase due to the very low orbit.

Claudrin (Pilot) and Bill (Engineer and Commander) are on this flight.

 

Turns out that the low orbit doesn't add any to the fuel reserve, and gives a much more quick and tough orbit.

 

The comsats are working, so to test the ability of the craft, ground control asked for a immediate deorbit since the science package was useless in space.

 

The aim was the spaceport, but the mountains look like more likely location.

Shoot is opened quickly to avoid the hills

 

 

Landing is rough, and there is some worried looks as the pod rolled.  It also impacted at higher then desired speed, there was some worry that the mission would be lost.  However it stopped rolling.

On exit, the pod even rolled more, but survived, however a fair bit of observational and dirt samples where collected. The KDF (Kerbal defense forces) also liked the idea of a quick orbital run for observational missions.

 

A mission to place a science and com sat in a specific order was given, so the faithful Loki launcher was rolled out.

Takeoff was nominal, but ground control started noticing a wobble that kept getting more out of control.

Control, we have a problem!

Ionic Sat-1 launch is a contingency. payload lost. The Boffens insist that it was not the launcher, but the unusual layout of the Iconic sat. So the launch of KerbKom-2 was continued as scheduled.

 

O dear, ... The Loki is grounded as a launcher..

 

A backup booster, (still unnamed) is used to launch KerbKom-3 into KerbCom-2 orbit, and launch the Ionic Sat replacement. Both Missions are seccessful.

A oddball but useful com network is starting to form.

A rescue mission was accepted by the KASC, and then we see that there is no hope for a rescue.  

In addition, some ugly planes are starting to be produced to test out various flight controls.  

 

Up next, two probes to Mun Orbit! 

 

[Zedwardson]

Just as a note: I picked up the DLC Breaking Ground, and so I will be doing a completely new start. Thanks for reading this, and I will be starting a new narration shortly with the breaking ground and so on.  

[The Flying Kerbal]

I've only just found this and enjoyed it immensely!  Looking forward to you picking it up again.

[Zedwardson]

5 hours ago, The Flying Kerbal said:

I've only just found this and enjoyed it immensely!  Looking forward to you picking it up again.

thanks!

I upgraded to 1.8 and picked up both DLC, so I moved to a new narrative that follows the same path.   
 

I will also be making a RP-1 narrative as well.  

[KerballingSmasher]

6 minutes ago, Zedwardson said:

a RP-1 narrative

Oh... good luck on that one. That's hard!

[Zedwardson]

Yeah, I am going to call it a RP-1/RPG as I am reserving the right to add funds or so on when (not if) I paint myself in a corner for narrative reasons.  

[The Flying Kerbal]

Great stuff, I must hop right over to the new thread and see what you've been getting up to.  And good luck with the RP-1 narrative too.