Poor Kerbal's space program - no contract career with standard lifters

[TheFlyingKerman]

According to our great prophet, the future of the Kerbal lies in the stars. Recently, our scientists realize the planets are not merely mirages in heaven but places - with oceans and an atmosphere - that can be theoretically reached by spacecrafts. We, the Truth Foundation Kerbin, must colonize the promised land secretly, using only the modest resource from our followers, before the heathens have a chance to pollute the place.

Explanation: this is both no contract career challenge, and standard lifter challenger, with the objective of reaching all places and colonizing some planets.

 

[TheFlyingKerman]

The narrow path to science.

Spoiler

The Flea was the only rocket engine we've got. The first test was a ground test on the runway.

With that little extra science, we unlocked the thermometer, which was promptly fitted to the sounding rocket,and lifted off

That in turn unlocked the barometer, and after several more test flights, the material lab.

And we were able to launch a flight, breaking the upper atmosphere for the first time, without risking our test pilot.

Next, we decided to explore Kerbin with rovers and planes.

After these research we managed to build a bigger version of the Flea engine. The Hammer propelled our first sounding rocket into space!

And the science was recovered.

 

 

Edited December 5, 2022 by TheFlyingKerman

[Maria Sirona]

Epic! What counts as having a colony on a planet?

[Superfluous J]

Yay I love attempts at the No Contract Challenge.

[TheFlyingKerman]

21 hours ago, Maria Sirona said:

Epic! What counts as having a colony on a planet?

There would be a base of some sort. I haven't decided the scale. My computer doesn't like mega ships so it would be more spread out.

 

12 hours ago, Superfluous J said:

Yay I love attempts at the No Contract Challenge.

Yay. I think the original challenge is a little simple, so this would be a much longer career, just to see what can be done with limited cash.

[TheFlyingKerman]

The first orbital lifter produced by TFK, the R-4 was an advanced design... sort of. It was the first multi-stage rocket, combining the Thumper SRB with the Terrier, the first LFO engine to be adopted. However, it was designed with minimal cost and part count in mind, and its lifting capacity was an unremarkable 1.8t to LKO.

Orbit and beyond.

Spoiler

The last sub-orbital experiment showed that space is vacuum. A spacecraft would therefore be able to stay in orbit forever. Since the full capacity of the R-4 lifter was not well understood, our engineers decided to send another probe into orbit. The probe was equipped with state of the art probe core, with SAS, strong reaction wheels, and long range antenna.

After a few days of experiments, it set course for a greater target -- the Mun. There was some sensation as the probe approached the Mun and being captured by its gravity... and we got more cash.

With the income we upgraded the tracking station and mission control. Then our mission control crew plotted a course correction, that slingshot the probe out of Kerbin's SOI. A few days in Sun orbit and another burn, the probe returned to Kerbin. The first Kerbal made object returned from space.

 

[TheFlyingKerman]

 

Kerbals in space.

Spoiler

If the R-4 can propel a probe into orbit, why not a Kerbal? So our engineers fitted a Mk1 capsule to the upper stage of the R-4 rocket, then successfully launched Jeb Kerman into a polar orbit. He spent about one Kerbin day, did several EVA's surveying Kerbin as the planet rotated below him, before safely landing back to the sea east of KSC.

A few days after the success of the first manned mission, our engineers manage to stretch the delta V of the space craft, by adding a third stage, powered by two tiny Ant engines. With this 'upgrade' Val Kerman managed to enter Munar orbit, performed a similar survey, then returned to Kerbin.

 

 

 

Meanwhile on Kerbin

Spoiler

For the two manned missions we received a lot of contributions. We upgraded R&D to level 2, developed the critical precision engineering and electronic tech. Again Bob the scientist tested the new seismic sensor.

 

Edited December 8, 2022 by TheFlyingKerman

[TheFlyingKerman]

Most Kerbals were skeptical when we built our R-4 lifter. A few heathens tried to copy us, with more powerful boosters, and most failed miserably. Imagine their reaction when they heard rumors that our new rockets, with only 1.5t payload capacity, have done away with staging arrangements, and being powered by a modest LFO engine, and used low tech parts all around.

The secret of our new invention, the S-2F, is that it is an SSTO (S stands for SSTO), capable of gliding back to KSC every launch, to be recovered and reused. This dramatically cut down the launch cost to about 1000 Kerbucks per flight (vs 2500 Kerbucks for the R-4).

After upgrading the VAB and launchpad our engineers added two Flea side boosters to the fuselage, increasing the payload to 2.3t and dubbed the variant S-2G.

Edited December 15, 2022 by TheFlyingKerman

[justabeanie]

I love NCCs, but with that being said I'm really bad at them. Still, this looks like an awesome little mission report and I'm excited to see where the Truth Foundation goes next.

[TheFlyingKerman]

Minmus Lander I Mission

Touching the moon.

Spoiler

From a close distance in orbit, the moon looked like a big rock, according to Val who had seen it, but is it really a rock that one can land on? The only way to find out is to land a spacecraft. This time we turned to Minmus. Our engineers barely fitted a lander to the R-4 lifter.

The flight was uneventful. The R-4 rocket lifted the Minmus Lander I into LKO, then the probe performed gravity assist with the Mun to get to Minmus. After a few orbits surveying the small moon, the probe landed. After a few hours the experiments were complete. The Material bay module was dumped. Then the probe lifted off and returned to Kerbin.

 

 

[TheFlyingKerman]

Mun Lander I Mission

Spoiler

A few days after Minmus returned, we turned to the Mun. We didn't have a sufficiently powerful lifter for a Munar lander, but our engineers designed a docking mechanism that allowed two spacecrafts to transfer fuel.

Minmus Relay I became the first payload delivered by the S-2F lifter.

While Minmus Relay I underway to the Mun, S-2F was recovered. The next day it lifted Mun Lander I, a slight modification of Minmus Lander I, into orbit, and then the booster was recovered again. Mun Lander I  proceeded to Mun orbit and docked with Minmus Relay I and refueled.

Then the Lander landed on the East Crater (err I forgot to take a screenshot). Again after a few hours, dumped the science module, lifted off again and docked with Minmus Relay I to refuel for a second time. 

To make recovery easier, Mission Control ordered the probe to do another orbit over Kerbin, then landed it on the mountain range west of KSC.

As for Minmus Relay I, it proceeded to Minmus to serve as a relay there.

 

 

 

 

[TheFlyingKerman]

Mun Rover I Mission

Spoiler

Even with the first successful Mun landing we still knew very little about the Mun. We picked a landing site that was safe to land, and from our orbital survey our scientist identified more interesting features. Are those what we are looking for among the stars? We could send more landers, but that be too expensive and inefficient. One of came up with idea after watching his kids playing with a toy car -- just put some wheels on the probe.  It took a month to build a vehicle strong enough to transverse the rocky terrain of the Mun. After testing on Kerbin, the Mun Rover I was sent into space by the S-2G lifter.

Transferring to and landing on the Mun was straightforward, a bit with tight Delta V margin.

After completing the checkup and material experiment the driving began. We arranged a ground crew to drive the rover a few hours a day, stopping occasionally to transmit science back (it carries a thermometer, barometer and seismic sensor). From the landing site at Northwest Crater, we drove east. We found an alien memorial,

then we moved southeast to find a monolith at the base of a small crater,

then after a long drive across lowlands and highlands, we eventually reached an arch formation above the northern edge of the east crater.

This concluded the first phase of the driving expedition.

 

 

 

 

[TheFlyingKerman]

Minmus Rover I Mission

A treasure hunt

Spoiler

The moons obviously look like lifeless rocks. While the artifacts found on the Mun were interesting (but not ground breaking - similar artifacts had been known on Kerbin) there were noting of economic value for would be space colonists. However, once the Great Prophet said "seek and thou shalt find", and some of our scientists theorized some minerals could be potentially converted into fuel. They even built some scanners to detect such material. Clearly, our Sparo-3C rover which had enjoyed great success on the Mun, was the perfect platform for such scanner.

So our engineers built another rover, and sent it into orbit with the S-2F rocket again. After arriving at Minmus orbit, the Minmus Rover I first docked with Minmus relay I (mentioned in this post

) for more fuel, 

then landed on the Great Flats of Minmus.

Then, to calibrate the scanner, we'd have to send an astronaut to bring back surface samples for further studies. It's Jeb's turn to go. The S-2G sent him into orbit. 

His capsule, the Minmus Command I, went straight to land on Minmus, and the rover was directed to join him.

From the landing site at eastern Great Flat, Jeb drove north up the high peak, then continued north, descending to the small Flats, then turned southeast to the Greater Flat, finally crossed the plateau west of the Greater Flat back to the starting location.

Completing the driving mission, Jeb lifted off in Minmus Command I and landed back on Kerbin.

In order to keep the mission secret, Jeb did not receive a heroic welcome for completing the first manned landing on another celestial body.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TheFlyingKerman]

We definitely need more lifting capacity than the S-2F/G rocket. After months of work and tens of thousands Kerbucks of R&D money spent, our engineers produced the ground breaking Skipper engine with both excellent ISP and unmatched thrust, and the S-3D reusable SSTO rocket powered by it. It is capable of lifting about 9.5t into LKO, for the cost of 4000 Kerbucks. Some argue it is the ideal rocket of this type. It is definitely a workhorse.

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by TheFlyingKerman

[TheFlyingKerman]

Darkness before dawn

Spoiler

In preparation for inter-planetary missions we were investing heavily. The advanced RA-15 antenna, that would enable a probe at Duna to call home, alone cost 45000  Kerbucks to research, together with tens of thousands for the S-3D rocket and other advanced systems. The Truth Foundation faced serious financial difficulty. Our pilots turned to performing shunts, discovering several more derelicts (like a temple in the desert, an abandoned space center, a crashed UFO near the north pole a couple more monoliths) to raise money.

 

 

[TheFlyingKerman]

From the Minmus surface samples we did found traces of ore over the lowlands. Our next mission was trying to find ore on other planets. As our lead scientist remarked, we were playing cosmic lottery.

Jool surveyor I Mission Pt 1

Spoiler

The first inter-planetary mission was sent to the smaller moons of Jool, Bop and Pol. The spacecraft consisted of an orbital scanner, a relay module, and a rover for surface scans. Because funding was tight some science equipment had to be left out. The S-3D rocket sent everything into orbit in one go.

A few days later the probe set course for Jool. The lifter returned to KSC.

Duna Lander I Mission Pt 1

Spoiler

The Duna Mission had a similar objective as the Jool one. It would survey both Duna and Ike.

The tanker and relay module was sent into orbit, again by the S-3D lifter.

Then joined by the lander and rover section, sent up by the S-2G.

The combo departed for Duna a few days after Jool Surveyor I.

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by TheFlyingKerman

[TheFlyingKerman]

In order to reserve funding for the Jool and Duna missions, the manned Mun mission was postponed. As the inter-planetary probes were underway, we still had some funding available. After some careful calculations by our accountants on the back of an envelope, an astronaut walking and planting a flag on the Mun would earn us 25000 Kerbucks for bonus, enough to pay for a mission provided its cost could be kept minimal, and then we could sell the science for more cash. So we went ahead.

Mun Command I Mission

Spoiler

The mission plan we similar to the Mun Lander I mission. First, a tanker, the Mun Relay I, rode the S-2G into orbit and transferred to the Mun.

Followed by the Mun Command I, riding the same S-2G lifter, carrying Val.

The two docked in Mun orbit, where Mun Command I was refueled.

Meanwhile, knowing how rough the Munar landscape was, Mun Rover I on the Munar surface was called up to survey a safe landing site -- on the midlands northwest of the East Crater. Then Val landed a few kilometers from the Rover.

The landing site was convenient for a rovering trip. Val drove east to the highlands,  down the East Crater, then drove west to the small Crater, then returned to the landing site. Then She lifted off and returned to Kerbin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TheFlyingKerman]

Duna Lander I mission Pt 2 continue from here

On 12/23/2022 at 5:11 PM, TheFlyingKerman said:

Duna Lander I Mission Pt 1

Spoiler

After some 300 days of flight, the combo arrived at the Duna system. An easy aero braking at the Duna atmosphere and the combo inserted into Ike orbit.

After a few days orbiting Ike,  mission control found a flat site. The lander and rover section separated from the relay and landed on Ike.

Then Ike Rover I began its long term study of the surface of Ike.

Then Duna Lander I lifted off to dock with Duna Relay I in orbit.

The combo headed to Duna.

The Lander took the material bay / parachute module to the surface of Duna, landing on the Midland Sea.

After a few days the experiments were complete. Duna Lander I dumped the module and lifted off again.

And we got a problem. Simulations showed that the drag from the Duna atmosphere was greater than expected, and Duna Lander I would not have enough fuel to achieve orbit . Fortunately Duna Relay I had plenty of fuel. Mission arranged a tense sub-orbital rendezvous and docking, and used the fuel on broad Duna Relay I to circularize.

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by TheFlyingKerman

[TheFlyingKerman]

Soon after Duna Lander I arrived at Duna, the transfer window to Eve was approaching, and debate on what to do with the window heated up. The engineers argued we didn't have the right tool to study Eve. Even if our Sparo-2 rover could survive the violent landing on the purple planet it would not have the power or speed to drive any useful distance. A better rover would require new parts costing tens of thousands to research, and our treasurer would not approve the funding. However, our first successful Duna mission drew a lot of contribution, and Admin expected similar income if we can travel to Eve. At the end, we decided to send a limited mission to Gilly.

Gilly Lander I Mission Pt 1

Spoiler

Funding limitation meant we had to fit our mission into the S-2G lifter. Gilly Lander I was powered by 3 Ant rockets, carried a magnetometer and seismic scanner to study Gilly, as well as a relay for future use.

The probe lifted off KSC, and then transferred uneventfully to Eve orbit. And then mission control found that Delta V was on the tight side, so Eve Relay I was detached early, left on a high elliptical orbit.

Then mission control carefully maneuvered Gilly Lander I to intercept with Gilly, for minimal Delta V. Then landed the probe on the lowlands Gilly.

 

 

[TheFlyingKerman]

With the contributions from out Gilly landing, we upgraded R&D to level 3 our scientists and engineers were having a field day researching some cutting edge technology.

Mun Surveyor I Mission

Spoiler

The first new toy we researched was the gravity scanner. We decided to test it before equipping new deep space probes. Since we've got extra capacity, an ore scanner was threw in. Another routine S-2F flight lifted the probe into orbit.

After completing gravity scans of Kerbin, Mun Surveyor I moved into polar orbit of Minmus to perform a full gravity scan of the small moon.

Then the experiment was repeated over the Mun.

Then the probe landed back to the ocean just off the KSC coast and recovered. We collected hundreds of science points.

 

 

Edited February 1, 2023 by TheFlyingKerman

[TheFlyingKerman]

Since antiquity there had been debates whether Dres exists or not. Clearly sending a probe was the only way to settle matter.

Dres Lander Mission Pt I

Spoiler

The Dres probe mission plan was similar to Ike. The S-2G lifter launched the Lander and Rover section into orbit. To maximize Delta V and minimize mass, the Rover section was propelled by 2 Ant engines, and the lander section 3.

Then the 2-stage transfer and relay was sent using the S-3D lifter.

To save Delta V the fuel of the lifters was used to complete the rendezvous. Then the sections docked.

Dres Lander I set course for Dres. The drop tank was staged off during the ejection burn... which broke the magnetometer. The mission will proceed with one less experiment.

 

 

 

[TheFlyingKerman]

Half a Kerbin year had passed after Dres Lander I left Kerbin. Duna Lander I was ready to return from Duna.

Duna Lander I Mission Pt 3 continue from here

On 12/30/2022 at 9:20 PM, TheFlyingKerman said:

Duna Lander I mission Pt 2

Spoiler

After waiting 1.5 year over Duna orbit, Duna Lander I took fuel from Duna Relay I, then undocked and set course home. The ejection burn was less then 700 m/s.

It would take another 300 days for Duna Lander I to go home. Otherwise the flight was uneventful. The probe splashed down on Kerbin with the help of a parachute, our first interplanetary mission was complete!

 

 

[TheFlyingKerman]

Gilly Lander I Mission Pt 2 continue from here

On 1/5/2023 at 2:34 PM, TheFlyingKerman said:

Gilly Lander I Mission Pt 1

 

Spoiler

A few day after Duna Lander I departed Duna, Gilly Lander I was on the move again. Mission control attempted a biome hope to the nearby midlands, but it landed on a dangerous slope, so after a few minutes hurriedly correcting science, the probe lifted off again to orbit Gilly. A few days later the probe left Gilly, ejecting to a favorable around Eve for returning to Kerbin. After another few orbits, at the beginning of year 4, the probe burned for Kerbin.

 

 

[TheFlyingKerman]

Year 3 was also a good window to Eeloo, so we decided to send a rover. That does mean the mission to Jool have to be further postponed.

Eeloo Rover I Mission Pt 1

Spoiler

For this mission, our engineers upgraded the M1 wheel to the TL-2R model, that should increase top speed to 56m/s, and the side solar panels were replaced by retractable one, to receive more sunlight. After the upgrade, the rover weights about 0.9t. The mission had to be fitted to the S-3D rocket. So our engineers adopted a 2-stage transfer design (a Terrier for first stage, a Spark for second stage). A modest RA-15 relay antenna (which was NOT powerful enough to communicate with lv3 DTS while at Eeloo) completed the package.

 

After launching the probe we only have a few thousands Kerbucks left.

Edited February 1, 2023 by TheFlyingKerman

[Maria Sirona]

47 minutes ago, TheFlyingKerman said:

(which was NOT powerful enough to communicate with lv3 DTS while at Eeloo) 

Oof... You have set yourself up for some trouble