Firestar I: Kerballed mission to Duna and Ike, 2 Elcanos, over 40,000 science

[Poppa Wheelie]

I got KSP for Christmas in 2019, almost exactly 3 years ago, and I’ve been playing the same Career playthrough since that time:  after work, on weekends, etc.  It’s been a great pastime for the “nothing else is going on during the Covid lockdown” period.

During this time, I’ve gone to the Mun and Minmus many times, but, until now, I had not gone interplanetary.

With KSP2 coming up, I figured it was time to finish up this career playthrough.  I sent this mission to Duna, and I have another mission enroute to Eve which will arrive shortly.  I think the science from these 2 missions will more than finish the original tech tree (and possibly my expanded tech tree), but either way, this career will be “done” after I return the Eve mission to Kerbin.

Yeah, I have lots of mods going here, including some parts mods.  This stuff looked cool when I started with it in 2019, I’ve been using all of these mods since the beginning, so I’ll keep using them through the end of this career.  If I ever do KSP1 career again, I’ll probably still use QOL mods, but no parts mods.  That would be my recommendation to any newbies just starting up a career right now.

I’ve divided this Mission Report into 8 parts, split into several posts:

1. Orbital Assembly
2. Flight to Duna
3. Duna Polar Orbital Science
4. Duna Surface Mission
5. Transit to Ike
6. Ike Orbital Science
7. Ike Surface Mission
8. The Science
9. Return to Kerbin

I’ll have to go run the Eve mission before the Duna to Kerbin window opens up, but I will return here at a later time and post updates that fill in Part 9.

[Poppa Wheelie]

Part 1.  Orbital Assembly

I planned the Ben Bova to be assembled with three launches.  Turns out I needed a fourth.

Spoiler

The first launch is for the mission fuel stack.

The second launch contains the Ben Bova engine module, plus some extra fuel for the orbital station.

This engine module and extra fuel actually arrived at the station before the fuel stack from the first launch.

Launch three contains the rover/crew hab and science module, plus the lander wings for the Duna and Ike landings.

We’ll have to dock the two sections separately.

First, dock the rover/crew hab and science module to the station.

Next, dock the lander wings.

Now we’re waiting for the fuel stack to arrive.

Fuel stack approaching.

All components docked to the station.

Move the engine module aft of the fuel stack

And move this extra tank for the station out of the way

Next, move the lander wings aft of the engine module

It won’t fit!  It looks like it should fit, but the engine bells take up more volume than it appears, interfering with the wings.  In sandbox I had tested undocking this, and it worked fine, but I had never tested docking it.  Unfotunately, this called for another launch.

I sent up an unplanned fourth launch, with an “Engine Module Extension”, plus the parachutes for Duna (which I had forgotten)

Ah, yes.  That fits nicely!

I sent Bill EVA to attach the parachutes

I deorbited all extra components from each launch, including this last one

The middle column has our ship in two halves, ready for final assembly

Docking the two halves

Fully assembled and ready to go to Duna!

Edited January 12, 2023 by Poppa Wheelie

[Poppa Wheelie]

Part 2.  Flight to Duna

Spoiler

I used a single burn from LKO to achieve the Duna encounter

After the burn was complete, encounter in 388 days

On the way to Duna (small red speck on the right)

I did a small correction burn, which resulted in a very polar flyby

Approaching Duna

Burning for orbital insertion

Resulting in a very elliptical polar orbit

Arriving at Duna

Edited January 12, 2023 by Poppa Wheelie

[Poppa Wheelie]

Part 3. Duna Polar Orbital Science

Where we'll do all "Flying High Over Duna" science from "atmospheric orbit", as well!

Spoiler

After completing orbital insertion burn, and now on the way to the very high altitude Apoapsis.  This shot taken from very close to Ike.  But maybe this belongs in the “confusing perspective” sub-reddit.

This is how far away Duna is at Ap

Flying under the south polar region.  With each pass I lowered the Ap.  I did a total of 3 Ap-lowering passes, and completed all In Space High science during that time except Western Canyon and Eastern Canyon.  I chose to skip the In Space High science for those 2 biomes (worth a total of 200 science) and lower the orbit to In Space Low.

Bill had to EVA to move an antenna to the lander section so that we could separate the ship to discard an empty fuel tank.

He put the antenna here, on the lower landing section

Bill then returned to the ship

Separated the lander, engines, and empty fuel tank, turned around and released the empty tank, then turned around again to redock with the rest of the ship

Lowering Ap again as we pass under the south polar region

Doing some science while In Space Low

Once all In Space High and In Space Low science was completed, I lowered the orbit to only just above the atmosphere

And then dropped the Pe to slightly inside the atmosphere

And finally the entire orbit was within the atmosphere

Flying High over the south polar region again

I made a total of 10 atmospheric orbits and collected all of the Flying High science, worth a total of 1740 science points.  I tracked the In Space High and In Space Low science in the same way, and you can see that all science collected so far totaled 7484.

[Poppa Wheelie]

Part 4.  Duna Surface Mission

We'll get Surface and Flying Low science from all Duna biomes, while completing an Elcano circumnavigation of the planet.

Orbital Plane Change and Duna Landing

Spoiler

Orbital Plane Change

Spoiler

We completed the Duna Orbital Science portion of the mission in a polar atmospheric orbit. First order of business, then, is to raise the Ap by burning at the equator

At the new Ap we’ll convert the polar to equatorial, and raise the Pe out of the atmosphere

Next, lower the Ap to a pretty circular equatorial orbit

Duna Landing

Spoiler

In preparation for landing, Bill has to EVA to put the antenna relocated earlier back into its original location

 

Next, separate the rover and dock the rover dorsal port with the “underside” of the lander

Move some fuel around for the landing

Separate the lander and orient retrograde, then a burn to lower Pe into the atmosphere

Just entered the atmosphere

Descending thru the atmosphere

Parachutes show all safe to deploy

Chutes deployed

Chutes fully opened

I landed under chutes only at approx. 11 m/s.  Landing gear handled it nicely, with no need for a rocket assist

Unlocked the hydaulic piston, lowered it, undocked the rover

Everyone got out for a team photo and the required flag planting ceremony

The Elcano Run (exactly like the Cannonball Run, only different)

Spoiler

Here is the route I took. The initial flag is number 1, and I placed a waypoint marker at each of the other locations as I reached them, until returning to the landing location, marker 17.  I deleted some planned stops between numbers 4 and 8 when I realized that the contract for those was for flying over certain locations (not surface).  I also added some markers where there was no science and no contract, just to prevent too much distance with no marker.

Night 1

Spoiler

We’re underway!

This is how I got Flying Low EVA Reports for each biome: Bob jumped.  The transcript for each of these EVA reports is almost identical:  “Look at me, guys!  I’m flying!”  Somehow, the science team back at the KSC can get 40 science out of each of those reports.

Progress so far. The landing site is to the southeast, the Midlands marker in the middle, and the Lowlands marker to the northwest.  You can see the 2 locations for the contract that I declined.

Day 1

Spoiler

Dawn on Duna just as we arrived at the Northern Shelf

Still morning when we got to the beginning of the Midland Canyon biome

Kerbolrise on Duna, with Kerbin (top) and Moho

Science for a contract in the Midland Canyon

Four planets, upper right to lower left:  Kerbin, Moho, Eve, Jool

My rover was underpowered.  I didn’t have enough battery power to run the scanner arm. So we couldn’t scan this thing, but Bob could climb on it!  If Minmus is made of mint ice cream, are there giant chocolate chips in these things?

Bob investigating Blueberries.  We couldn’t scan them, but we could take some home to Kerbin

Back on the road

We had to halt operations to wait out an eclipse.  Couldn’t see a thing.  Why should it be darker during the eclipse than during the night?  I had to deal with this several times on both Duna and Ike.

Bob investigates a Duna Stone

Caught some pretty big air on this trip, most notably on downhills in the Highlands

Also saw a few visual anomalies, like this one.

Duna surface altitude record so far:  6013m

Kerbol set before I got to the planned science stop (number 11) at the Craters biome

Night 2

Spoiler

Progress so far, through waypoint 11 at Craters biome

Just arriving in the southern polar Poles biome

Arriving at the Polar Craters biome on the route.  Visibility in the polar biomes at night is pretty good!

Doing science in the little area of Polar Highlands on the route

And then doing science at the point where the Southern Basin touches the Polar Highlands.  I put 1 waypoint marker down here to cover both

Now we’re heading north through the night, arriving at the Western Canyon at dawn

Day 2

Spoiler

Doing science at Western Canyon at dawn of Day 2

This is how I got “Flying Low” science at each biome – we “hopped” the whole rover off the ground for a moment, just like Bob jumped for the Flying Low EVA Reports.  I used 8 Spider engines (2 on each wheel), with fuel from the little gold baguette belly tank

Progress thru the Western Canyon

Heading West Northwest from the Western Canyon

Oh no!  Here comes eclipse number 2!

Eclipse finally clearing

Science at the Northern Basin

Progress thru the Northern Basin

I had several crashes and reloads on this trip, plus several very close calls.  Jeb saved this one from catastrophe by putting it up on 2 wheels for a while.  He may be a crazy man, but he’s quite the pilot!

From the Northern Basin I headed approximately 260 degrees until I hit the equator, where I dropped another marker

Kerbol is setting at the end of Day 2

Night 3

Spoiler

Making good progress westward

I recorded several flyovers of the mothership during Night 3, the only night we spent on the equator.  Here is one of those flyovers

Eclipse number 3, in the middle of the night, occurring on the other side of the planet, yet making it too dark to move on this side of the planet.  Had to wait this one out as well.

This section of terrain was pretty rough.  Here we are doing a 30.5 degree pitch climb

But we set a Duna surface altitude record for the trip, at 6392m

Descending towards the Eastern Canyon.  Almost there

Science at Eastern Canyon

Progress thru Eastern Canyon

Day 3

Spoiler

Dawn on Duna day 3 as we ascend out of Eastern Canyon.  I mentioned earlier that the rover was underpowered.  Climbing was a real grind. I only had enough batteries for 30 seconds of steep climb, then we needed to stop for a minute or more to recharge batteries.  In some places like this climb out of the Eastern Canyon, I went from very low altitudes (lower than Lowlands) to the very highest Highlands. Lesson Learned:  more juice for much longer sustained climbing.  I also set Friction from 1 to 2 on all wheels for this entire trip.  This worked very well.  I could stop with brakes on a 30 degree pitch uphill, and not slide backwards.

Another visual anomaly, that I call “One of these things is not like the others”.  The ridge is right on the equator, and this thing is extending out into the air.

Here is another visual anomaly shortly afterwards

I already had science from Craters, but I dropped a waypoint marker just because of distance

It’s difficult to travel directly along the equator.  There is often a ridge right on the line, and there are often other obstacles, like this one.  Yeah, I’m pretty sure those are chocolate chips – big giant ones!

Another visual anomaly.  You can see the equator lined out at the upper left corner of the Game Paused window

We’re making good enough westward progress at this point that Ike is actually rising in the West

Just a beauty shot

OK, the horses can smell the barn now. The crew feels like we’re almost done with this Elcano

At 100km from the our target (the flag near the lander), we got this target indicator

It’s getting late. We want to complete the Elcano before Kerbol sets

Less than 1km to go!

Elcano complete!

I don’t know what any of these numbers mean, or if they tell me anything useful

Last marker (number 17).  Elcano mission complete!

 

 

[Poppa Wheelie]

Part 5. Transit to Ike

Spoiler

Bill climbed out to remove unneeded parts: 8 spider engines and scanner arm

After docking the rover back to the lander, we transferred the remaining LF from rover belly tank and then dropped that tank as well

We were hoping to launch before the next eclipse, but no luck.  We had to wait this one out as well.

Finally, ready to launch!

Liftoff!

Circularization

Preparing to match velocity with mothership

Approaching mothership with RCS

Burning for Ike

Part 6.  Ike Orbital Science

I decided not to attempt an Ike polar orbit.  I saw that I could get all but 2 polar biomes from an equatorial orbit.  This also saved on dV, and on time – I got all In Space High science within 1 orbit, and all In Space Low within a second orbit.

Spoiler

Doing science from In Space High above Ike

Ike is very close to Duna

Beauty shot

Doing some In Space Low science above Ike

Finished all Ike orbital science

Edited January 12, 2023 by Poppa Wheelie

[Poppa Wheelie]

Part 7.  Ike Surface Mission

Ike Descent

Spoiler

Undock the lander and orient retrograde

Begin the landing

Almost there

Landed!

The team was so excited to be on Ike, they forgot to plant a flag.  We’ll have to take care of that when we return.  Meanwhile, Bob got science from Midlands.

Ready to leave the landing site and begin the Elcano

Ike Elcano Circumnavigation, stopping at every biome for all the science

Spoiler

This is the route I took.  The lander icon is the beginning, and I placed a waypoint marker at each of the other locations as I reached them, until returning to the landing location, marker 8.  I added some markers where there was no science in order to prevent too much distance with no marker. Also, the Latitude markers on the left and right are WAY off.  Marker 2 was actually at 76N, for example.

Elcano underway

Getting science at Central Mountain Range biome

Progress so far from right to left

Doing science in the Polar Lowlands

As we got very close to the North Pole, KER thought we were in the South Pole biome

Parked very close to the North Pole.  No anomalous behavior.

Bob at the North Pole

Progress over the North Pole

From the North Pole we went south on Longitude 160E until we hit the Eastern Mountain Range biome

Bob found a Duna Ejecta rock and decided to bring it home in sample bags

Location of our stop at the Eastern Mountain Range biome

This is my max jump record for Ike so far, 35m

This is the only visual anomaly I found on Ike (upper right of this image)

Doing science in the Lowlands

Progress thru the Lowlands

Science in South Eastern Mountain Range, and progress through that point

I dropped another marker as we crossed the equator

Doing science in the Western Mountain Ridge biome, and progress through that point

Finally arrived at the actual South Pole biome (not the one as reported by KER when near the north pole), and did science there

Approaching the Ike South Pole with Duna, Kerbol, and 4 planets visible

At the Ike South Pole

Bob planted a flag at the Ike South Pole

Although we told him not to, Bob stepped exactly on the South Pole

Waypoint marker at the Ike South Pole

Heading north to return to the lander, one more eclipse is about to happen

Once the eclipse cleared, dropped a marker

Lander in sight!

Jeb docked the lander, then the team got out for the flag planting ceremony (which they had forgotten to do when they arrived).  Elcano circumnavigation of Ike is complete!

[Poppa Wheelie]

Part 8.  The Science

During this mission, I got (almost) all of the stock science, plus some additional science from mods.  I missed a few biome/situation combinations on both Duna and Ike, and I forgot to bring any EVA Experiment Kits, so I missed out on that.  Still, I’m anticipating over 40,000 science points for the mission upon return to Kerbin.  Here’s how that breaks down.  Contracts also got me a little more science, and I recorded some science while within the Kerbol SOI on the flight from Kerbin to Duna.  I haven't figured out how much science those things brought in, yet.

I used this spreadsheet to keep track of the science as I collected it within the Duna and Ike SOIs.  Within each situation (In Space High or Low, Flying High or Low, Landed, etc.) I hid rows in order to see only the relevant part of the sheet.

Look in the upper left corner.  Overall, within the Duna and Ike SOIs, I got 44,325 science:  40,815 from stock experiments, and 3510 from experiments provided by mods

Here's a further breakdown for Duna:

Spoiler

Overall, Duna was worth 30,455 total, 24,980 from stock, and 2115 from mods.

Duna In Space High.  2065 total, 1840 from stock, 225 from mods, 100 per biome

Duna In Space Low.  3689 total, 3479 from stock, 210 from mods, 196 per biome

Duna Flying High.  I actually did 11 polar orbits inside the Duna atmosphere for 1740 science, all 1740 from stock, 0 from mods, and 100 per biome.

Duna Surface and Flying Low.  22,961 total, 21,281 from stock, 1680 from mods, 1589 per biome.  I drove a longer circumnavigation around Duna than a direct equatorial path would have taken, in order to hit every biome, as well as to satisfy several contracts.   At each biome, I also got “Flying Low” science by “jumping” with the entire rover, and by having the scientist jump for the Flying Low EVA Report.

And more detail for Ike:

Spoiler

Overall, Ike was worth 12,060 total, 11,100 from stock, and 960 from mods.

Ike In Space High.  1465 total, 1240 from stock, 225 from mods, 100 per biome.  I chose to skip the polar orbit, so I missed 200 science, 100 each from the Polar Lowlands and South Pole biomes.

Ike In Space Low.  2373 total, 2163 from stock, 210 from mods, 196 per biome.  By skipping the polar orbit, I missed 392 science combined from the Polar Lowlands and South Pole biomes.  However, while on the surface I was able to jump for all of the In Space Low science in the Polar Lowlands, and for the EVA Report from the South Pole biome.  So by skipping the polar orbit, I only missed out on 140 science, not 392.

Ike Surface.  10,032 total, 9072 from stock, 960 from mods, 1224 per biome.  I also drove a crazy route around Ike, again to hit every biome (and to see the poles).

 

Edited January 12, 2023 by Poppa Wheelie

[Poppa Wheelie]

Part 9.  Return to Kerbin

Ike Ascent, rendezvous and docking, and return to Low Duna Orbit

Spoiler

After removing the parachutes, we waited for the mothership to come around, then Liftoff!

Dropped the rover undercarriage

We rendezvoused with the mothership, docked, transferred fuel, and moved the rover body to the front of the vehicle.  I don’t have screenshots for all that.

Then burned for Duna

Actual Return to Kerbin

To Be Continued...

In Low Duna Orbit I had MechJeb build a maneuver node for the return to Kerbin, and I set an alarm for 340 days.  I have another ship that will be arriving in Eve SOI in only 31 days, so I will go work that Eve mission, and I will return to this post with updates at a later time.

[18Watt]

@Poppa Wheelie, fantastic transit of Duna and Ike!  And you did both CBs with the same rover!  Awesome!

I really enjoyed seeing how you tackled that problem, and managed to re-use a rover on two CB's.  Your rover was certainly interesting.  The first thing I noticed was your choice of rover wheels.  The wheels you used have not behaved well for me, so kudos to you for using those.  I remember a year or two ago another Elcano veteran ( @Scarecrow71 ) used those wheels on Minmus, and I cringed because I've always struggled to use those wheels.

Anyway, nice job, and I have you added to the leaderboards!  

[Poppa Wheelie]

10 hours ago, 18Watt said:

The wheels you used have not behaved well for me

I originally had problems with steep climbs and descents.  The brakes would not  hold, and I would slide down until the ground flattened out.  I was good to go after I set the Friction from 1 to 2 on all 4 wheels.  No further issues.

[Poppa Wheelie]

Part 9.  Return to Kerbin (continued)

In the first section of Part 9, above, we transitioned from Ike back to Duna.

Wait for transfer window, Duna escape and transit to Kerbin, transfer to SSTO in LKO, return to KSC

Spoiler

I had MechJeb determine the next transfer window and create the maneuver node.  Then I set an alarm for 340 days.

Begin Duna escape burn

Leaving Duna system

Kerbin encounter in 241 days.  Set another alarm.

As the Ben Bova approached Kerbin, we launched the Chuck Yeager to bring the crew, and the Ben Bova hab section, back to the KSC.

The Chuck Yeager approaches Bartlett Station

The Ben Bova beginning orbital insertion burn

Bob did EVA and took all science from the lab and brought it into the cabin.

Approaching Bartlett Station

Stopped at 9.6m away and split the Ben Bova into two pieces.  The hab section will go back to the KSC in the cargo bay of the Chuck Yeager.  The lab, fuel, and engines will dock with the station.

Hab section moving towards cargo bay

Ugh!  It didn't fit quite close enough to dock.  I had only tested undocking this combination, I hadn't tested docking them back together again.

No problem, Bill got out and moved the cargo bay docking port slightly and everything fit

Then we docked the lower part of the Ben Bova to the station

Time to go home!  Undock the Chuck Yeager.

Descending through the atmosphere

Raised pitch to slow down faster

Approaching runway

On the runway

Science after the recovery.  Earlier I reported that I recorded all science in a spreadsheet as it was collected.  My spreadsheet shows over 44,000 science, but I only got credit for 33,511.8 science here, including science for returning the Duna and Ike landing vehicle, and for World's Firsts, which were not included in my spreadsheet.  I'm not sure what the issue is here.  Maybe the command pods have a limit to how much science they can hold?  Or the scientist has a limit?  I don't know.  Any ideas?

Mission Complete