First development, mapping & rover to Duna. R.I.P. Joefred Kerman (very image heavy)

[Baleur]

Inspired by the success of the recent interplanetary initiative by KSP, where a brave kerman being was lost while setting first foot on an alien planet...

.. the team at KSP decided it was time to reach Duna, as organized and properly as possible.

First they needed some sort of staging area in Kerbal orbit, a refuelling and restocking station. The first segment of the KISS was launched.

Fully outfitted with solar panels for electricity, plenty of auxillary 'just in case' oxygen tanks and a large inflatable habitation module.

The blue light indicates the "top" part of the station, where the crew hatch and the main ladder running up to it can be found.

Boosting it into a circular orbit while entering the night side.

The red light indicates the "bottom" part of the station, reserved for sensory equipment and the link back to KSP.

The final rendevous as the second station segment was launched, identical to the first. Docking was tricky business, the RCS thrusters were barely enough to maneuver the slow lumbering beast, but success at last!

A brave kerman investigating the docking procedure, checking the seal, confirming the completion of the station.

Ladders extended on the first station on the right, one of the habitation modules on the left.

As the automatic guidance system radiates near the docking ports, the fellas over at KSP are pleased. Jim Kerman is as well.

The first mapping satellite is launched, launch stages seperated!

Mapping Kerbin has begun, a step on our own world, to reach the others.

Another satellite launched at the Mun. Anomalies detected, cows mutilated, movies obsessing over black rectangles are aired.

The next more advanced satellite headed for Duna, finally, is seperated.

The nuclear engine boosting its way to Kerbal escape velocity, overheat at 40% and holding steady. Full thrust.

Upon arrival in Dunar orbit, the KSP engineers convince mission control to run a pass around Ike. "We might as well map 2 balls in one go, eh?".

Easier than expected, mapping the small moon was quick and effortless with an orbit of 60 degrees inclanation.

Final thrust towards Duna once more.

Orbit adjustments for a 70 degree inclanation, the red planet fills the cameras.

Seperation of the satellite itself, the interplanetary stage is now left to eternity in orbit.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.. -Spuknil

Surprise visit from KSP, due to an uncommon disregard for public awareness, neither the launch nor the launch vehicle was recorded! (sorry about that, i was so excited i forgot to take screens of it!).

The Dunar lander makes its appearance to the world known.

Equipped with a rover below the capsule, a sensory instrument dish above the capsule, solar panels, oxygen supply to last a week and three fuel pods designed to assist in landing along with three heavy duty parachutes.

The fuel spent to get this somewhat heavy vehicle to Duna was too much, more than expected.. As such the three lander engines had to be used for deceleration and orbit adjustments to a nearby anomaly detected by the mapping satellite.

Braking maneuvers initiate, it's time for final descent!

When disaster strucks! The fuel readout was ignored in favor of "ooh"s and "aah"s over the ever closer surface.

With an apoapsis of 81.000km and a periapsis of 50.000km, there was simply not enough atmosphere to slow the vehicle down!

Joefred knew he had come this far, and there was no way back. He literally went out and pushed.

Each successive pass at the apoapsis, a new series of pushes.

Close disaster strikes at the final push, after bringing the periapsis down to 37.000km, Joefred is almost spun out of control into deep space, but quickly makes a recovery!

Admiring the view, he recedes back into his chair in the capsule, knowing that all that remains now is to wait for the aerobraking. 30.000km.

As he's getting ever closer, his heart beats stronger as the predictions put his landing trajectory into the night side of Duna. This was never planned. 24.000km.

Fuel tanks empty, RCS tanks empty, he had nothing to rely on besides the parachutes. 21.000km.

10.000km, his nerves can take no more, the darkness of the rusty dust below him plays tricks on his depth perception. He deploys the parachutes early.

After an excruciating minute of free fall, it seemed as the parachutes would fail.. And then they deployed. Thank the gods of Kerbol!

Turning on the landing lights, the empty terrain below looms closer.. The air is filled with a rusty hue.

No Dunians in sight, no canals in sight. This was a dead planet.

Touchdown, relief at last! Turning off the landing lights, and switching to the rover lights, exploration can commence.

Jettisoning the trio of well served parachutes and descent engines, Joefred drives off some distance to test the rover.

Obligatory rcs-jumping exercises.

After a few minutes sprint back to the descent engines, he decides to check who to thank for weaving those life saving parachutes.

"DANGER", seemed to be the individual responsible for saving Joefred's life. "Danger Kerman, i owe you my life." he thought quietly to himself.

A quick rcs-jump back to the rover, his exploration senses run wild.

It turns out that 40km/h in free rcs-jumping-flight can knock a kerbal landing on his feet out cold for several minutes.

Eventually, he recovers and makes it back to the rover.

Being too excited, too reckless, he starts picking up too much speed. 60km/h on a downhill slope, the rover starts to tilt..

Disaster strikes!!

Joefred Kerman, we hardly knew you. May your head forever rest in the sand. So say we all.

[um3k]

I has a sad for Joefred.

[zekes]

What mods are you using? I like them!

[0jam3290]

RIP Joefred. Also, it looks like Probodobodyne, Bace, Tosh's Carts, and a few others I may or may not know.

Edited September 28, 2012 by 0jam3290

[Baleur]

Indeed, Probodyne, Bace, Carts, Down Under Aerospace, Erkle Warp Clamps, Navigation Lights, Truss Pack, RocktCo and Munar Institute.