Exploring the Kosmos - NOT LONGER MAINTAINED

[Kerminator K-100]

This page documents my first KSP playthrough. A few days ago I installed the Kerbal Health mod and realized that all my craft would kill the Kerbals inside in a few days. I had found this blog: https://kerbalstates.wordpress.com/ (I think the forum profile is @Saybur Stuff) and it inspired me to document my playthrough like this. I also am a big fan of @purpleivan and his content inspired me to make my own content. The posts may be slightly image heavy but I want to show how to build similar things (looking at how other users build helped me come up with my designs).

Mod List: 

Spoiler

ABCORS - Orbital reference mod    Thanks to @linuxgurugamer for this mod, its one of my favorites

ASET

B9 part switch

Better Burn Time

Community Category Kit

Community Resource Pack

Click through Blocker

Distant Object Enhancement

DMagic Orbital Science    -   Thanks to @DMagic for this mod, its one of my favorites

Environmental Visual Enhancements

KIS - Also one of my favorites, thanks @IgorZ

Kerbal Alarm Clock

Kerbal Engineer - Thank you @cybutek

JSI (Raster Prop Monitor)

Mech Jeb 2

Near Future Props

NF Solar, Spacecraft, Propulsion, and Construction

Scatterer

Spectra - My favorite visual mod of all of the mods I've seen, Thanks @Avera9eJoe

Stockalike Station Parts Expansion Redux - Love the way the station parts look, Thanks @Nertea

Tarsier Space Tech - Thanks @JPLRepo

Toolbar Controller

Trajectories

TweakScale

Who Am I

Zero Mini AVC

 

 

Edited August 22, 2020 by Kerminator1000
Fixed the way I said things

[Kerminator K-100]

Prologue  - Year 9 Day 17

Shock ran through the KSC at the news.

Werner Von Kerman was being fired!

The former rocket designer had been the sole director of the KSC since Gene Kerman had died (a horrific accident involving Jeb's second cousin, the Administration building, and a rouge rocket) and, as rumor claimed, had been doing a terrible job of directing ever since. The rumors were true though. Werner had been more obsessed with personal glory and the pursuit of little blue pieces of Science than he was with crew safety. Stories had been told of the old "Kerbal way" to build things. Werner's personal motto was "Moar Boosters!" which was a slogan frowned upon by Mortimer Kerman as an expensive way to go to space. 

Werner's more recent PR disasters had been the last Duna mission where Jeb, Bill, and Bob were stuffed into a MK1-3 capsule for 4 years and sent into the black expanse of space. They had come back with horror stories of Bill chili breath and Jeb's obsession with never washing his socks. When they had come back Bob had stuffed himself into a dark closet in the back of the Astronaut Complex, ironically the same closet Jeb stored his socks and shoes in, and was refusing to leave until all chili and blue cheese had been thrown into Kerbol.

However the biggest disaster had been the deorbiting of the old Hitchhiker station with the crew in it! The same crew who had been in it since Year 2! Werner had refused to send a rescue ship and the whole crew had died. However the crew miraculously showed up two hours later in the Astronaut complex, talking about Krakens, bits, bytes, and something called a settings menu. The physiologists diagnosed insanity.

So Werner was being given the boot. The question now was who should replace him as director. Jeb was to proud of his accomplishments to be put as a lowly director, Bill loved to be in space, Bob was... incapacitated, and Val wanted to be able to beat Jeb to the surface of somewhere. Many other Kerbals just wanted to be in space. The former test pilot Megwig Kerman was the most promising candidate. She was a huge believer in safety and artistic spacecraft designs. 

She was sworn in Year 9 Day 17, a day only marred by the fact that Werner had stolen all of his craft designs and destroyed all the ships in orbit.

Edited July 31, 2020 by Kerminator1000
Fixed some wording

[purpleivan]

16 hours ago, Kerminator1000 said:

The posts may be slightly image heavy...

Nothing wrong with that

Edited August 1, 2020 by purpleivan

[Kerminator K-100]

With Werner deposed and Megwig now in charge a mission needed to be completed. Megwig had been working in the background,
designing and developing a new Mun lander. This new lander used much less fuel than previous designs and utilized the new 
OLS (Orbital Launch System) rocket. Jeb and Bill immediately signed up for the maiden voyage but Bob took a little more 
convincing.

Bob: "Only if Bill leaves his Chili and Blue Cheese hot dogs at home."

The rocket is now on the launchpad. The mission's first hurdle happened after the technicians locked the hatch

Bob: (Shrieking) "I said I wouldn't go if he brought them! I can already smell the cheese"

The rocket blasted off without a single problem besides some crumbs spilling onto the back wall of the capsule.

Slowly the rocket tipped over for its gravity turn.

As the rocket reached 40 kilometres the flames began to lick against the fairing. At the very top the brand new abort 
system broke through the atmosphere. Unbeknownst to all, technicians had forgotten to set up the abort system.

With the rocket now above the atmosphere it was time to deploy the fairing. 

Now that orbit now achieved the two craft separated to begin the begin the first part of the mission

"Artemis you are go for Mun Transfer Burn"

To save fuel this mission used more correction burns. With the practiced eye of a trained professional kerbonaut
(His words, not mine) Jeb lined up the maneuver marker on the navball with "That pointy thing that means our ship"

It was at this moment that the VAB team realized that they had forgotten to install the lander's antenna. It was still
packaged so the team decided to return the antenna and collect the money as a bonus.

Bob is looking much happier now that he is in space and collecting science again.

Bob: "Is that the Mun!"
Jeb: "You know we went there on Werner's rockets right?"

The ship slid into a textbook orbit around the Mun and began preparations for descent. Jeb stopped to take a quick Kerbin rise picture.

With the deceleration burn complete the lander fell silently toward the Mun.

A few hundred meters above the surface the engine turns on to slow the fall with a horrible lurch.
Bill: "I shouldn't have had the last five chili-cheese dogs!"

"KSC, We have landed!"

To make it up to Bob for making him sit with Bill, the KSC decided to let him plant the flag.

Bill then climbed out and helped Bob set up the experiments.

Before climbing back inside for second dinner and a nap. Bob decided to go for a run but forgot how low the gravity was and tripped over his own feet.

With Bob and Bill back in the ship the KSC decided to leave the surface exploration for the next day.

[Kerminator K-100]

Year 9 Day 21 - Return of Artemis 1
After a bit of a rest inside the capsule (a 20 hour nap to be exact) Bob was sent exploring. The mission goal: These weird boulders.

Bob looked pretty happy to be out exploring.

After a bit of jet packing Bob made it to the first of the four or so boulders

"We've heard rumors that these boulders are fake, can you confirm that Bob?" - KSC
"Yup, definitely fake." - Bob

As Bob turned to head back he looked at the fuel gauge on his suit.
"Looks like its going to be a long walk back." - Bob

As Bob began his multi-hour walk back, Jeb relaxed in orbit.
"You might want to walk a little faster, I'm running out of snacks." - Jeb

With Bob back, he and Bill hurried to leave before Jeb started eating their snacks.

After some time in orbit the craft got within eyeball distance.

Closer...

Even closer... 

Super close... 

And docked! 

The crew transferred the science and fuel, Bill flew a quick circuit around
the ship to inspect it. 

The ship burned for Kerbin. 

A few hours later the crew reentered Kerbin's atmosphere and things heated up very quickly.

Both inside: (Jeb ended up eating all of Bob's snacks) 

And outside: 

Bob seems to have cheered up a bit. 

He actually seems a bit too happy for being in the middle of aerobraking.

The parachutes deployed without a hitch... 

... and dropped the craft to a soft landing in the desert. 

The first Artemis mission had gone off without a single hitch, except for the missing antenna, and was a good sign for the KSC. Work began immediately on a new space station to perform extra experiments and data.

Edited August 3, 2020 by Kerminator1000

[Kerminator K-100]

Year 9 Day 27 - The Noicatse Station
With the maiden voyage of the Artemis program a success, work began on a refueling space station for longer missions. The first part, the station core, was to be sent up first. A name had been chosen: Noicatse (A kerbalise word meaning Station). 
This Station uses @Nertea's mod SSPXr for the crew quarters and control room.

The core was sent up on a Jool IV rocket, a modified version of a Saturn V.  

"We have liftoff!"  

Staging went off without a hitch and the rocket shot through the flames. 
 

The fairing deployed perfectly, giving everyone a perfect view of the core.  

A perfectly circular 100 km orbit was reached and the solar panels were deployed.  

A new type of booster was being tested, one that could deorbit after launching its payload.  

As the booster deorbited cameras on it saw something interesting... (Left side and on the big chunk of land if you can't see it right away)
 

... After seeing this picture several unmarked black SUVs pulled up outside the KSC. Within a few hours a new mission was being planned, one that could  Take pictures from orbit in order to spy on kerbals.   (REDACTED)

Telling anyone about the text you have just read will end with you being prosecuted for treason and thrown into jail. Just ignore the entire last bit from the picture down.    -    KIA (Kerbal Intelligence Agency)

The next mission was planned, the first crew to visit the new station.

Edited August 3, 2020 by Kerminator1000
Redacted sensitive information

[Kerminator K-100]

Hint from a government leak:

Spoiler

If you drag your mouse over the blacked out text you can read it

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by Kerminator1000

[Kerminator K-100]

Now that the Noicatse station had been launched a crew was needed. The mission was planned for two months and is planned to see the launch of a fuel arm and a science arm. The brave kerbonauts picked were Kerbrett Kerman - Pilot and captain, Enster Kerman - Scientist, and finally Derbrett Kerman - Engineer. 
The crew had brand new craft to launch them to the station: The lightweight OLS and the CTC (Crew Transport Capsule).  

The rocket shot off the pad, to Enster's excitement, however Derbrett was regreting setting foot on this rocket.  

Staging was slightly worrying, though fortunately all that blew up was an engine plate. The official stance of the KSC is that it was to give the rocket an extra boost.  

The fairing came off on schedule, revealing to Derbrett that there had not been an abort system. He now is refusing to ever leave the station. 
"For all I know the idiots in the VAB forgot a heat shield!" - Derbrett

Enster was still pretty happy about everything.  

The CTC in all its glory:  

While rendezvousing with the station the crew noticed something using the distant object enhancement equipment: The Station and Minmus.  

Now that they were nearing the station, Derbrett seemed a little happier.  

Because Kerbrett had picked this time to nap, the Mech Jeb computer unit was switched on for the approach. 

Unfortunatly for Kerbrett though she had to wake up for the docking, Mech Jeb giving the KSC difficulties.  

Having docked the crew settled in to their new home.
Kerbrett seems to be in awe of the control room.  

Meanwhile Enster and Derbrett settled in for a nap and snack. 

Edited August 18, 2020 by Kerminator1000

[Gargamel]

Moved to MR by request.

[Kerminator K-100]

Day 28 - Artemis 2
The sun rose that morning over the KSC latest mission: The Artemis 2. 

The mission goals were to replant KASA's (A new agency that had bought out the KSC, the letters stood for Kerbal Aeronautics and Space Agency) flag on Minmus.

The rocket shot off into the black sky, with Jeb, Bill and Bob riding on the top. They were told that they were going to miss the historic Jool mission but they were at least getting to land somewhere. 

The fairing deployed and the ships manuevered around each other.  

As the ship flew past Kerbin, they saw the KSC and the Island runway.
"Hey Megwig, I can see mission control from here!" - Bill 

A few days later the craft slipped into Minmus orbit, where the crew would wait for the Jool Mission to leave before landing.
 

[Kerminator K-100]

Day 28 - 35 - Artemis Returns

With the Jool mission temporarily delayed for repairs to the spacecraft, the Minmus mission went ahead with the landing.

The target was a large flat plateau that was marked for future bases.

 

The lander touched down a few kilometres away from the proposed site and exploration commenced.

Bill had forgotten the KASA flag and planted the US flag instead.

Once everyone was back the kerbals rocketed away for Kerbin.

However the Jool mission was being delayed once again, to the anger of Valentina.

Edited August 18, 2020 by Kerminator1000

[Kerminator K-100]

Day 43 - CTS launch

Note: This is not completely my design, I got the base idea from this website and modified it slightly to fit my needs.

After being yelled at by the government for spending so much money, KASA decided to make a reusable shuttle.

Crew Roster:

Commander: Jeb Kerman

Copilot: Hanvan Kerman

Mission Specialists: Linford Kerman, Katfrid Kerman, and Gerdred Kerman

Engineer: Ronler Kerman

Presenting the first KASA shuttle, the Crew Shuttle Transport (CTS):

The engineers had had many problems putting the shuttle on the side of the tanks and decided to just stick it on top.

After a fairly typical launch the shuttle made it to space and the crew realized that the booster was cross feeding from the shuttle's tanks, but fortunately there was plenty of fuel and the mission continued.

Hanvan is a big fan of @JustJim Kerman''s bestselling book, Emiko Station and panicked when he saw a red glow.

Nothing to worry about Hanvan, no Thompberrys here.

A few hours later the shuttle arrived at the station

The current crew was excited to see new faces and broke out the supply of Khampagne they were keeping. The CTS crew was to stay for four days before returning, and the NS crew was on their final week on the station so a party was needed.

After that night though Jeb was claiming that he needed a few weeks to recover from that party before he came home.

UP NEXT: KASA will finally launch the Jool I mission (maybe)

Edited August 18, 2020 by Kerminator1000

[Kerminator K-100]

4 hours ago, Kerminator1000 said:

UP NEXT: KASA will finally launch the Jool I mission (maybe)

Update: The mission was going fine until a random kraken attack, unfortunately the transfer window is too far away to launch now so I will have to wait ~189 days for the next

[KerballingSmasher]

On 8/18/2020 at 10:09 AM, Kerminator1000 said:

no Thompberrys here.

YESSSSSSSSS

[Kerminator K-100]

Unfortunatly the same kraken attack that took the Jool mission, destroyed all craft and messed up the save. So I ended that save but will still post mission reports here.