CKR: A Soviet-Style KSP Playthrough

[Kerbalsaurus]

CHAPTER 0: OUR DREAM

YEAR 1, DAY 1 - LAUNCH OF THE CKR SPACE PROGRAM

200 years ago, the nations of Kerbin agreed to join into one global government, called the Communist Kerbin Republic (CKR). Ever since the start of the CKR, its citizens had always looked to the stars. Even with its shaky start, the dream stayed alive. Unfortunately, the nation formed just as the industrial revolution was starting, so the stars always remained just out of reach. Well today, the dream comes alive, with the creation of the brand new CKR Space Program. Its goal is to conquer the new frontier of space travel, and spread all across the Kerbolar system. Of course, we're thinking too far ahead. For now, we need to figure out one thing: can we even get there?

CHAPTER LIST

Chapter 1: Dawn of the Space Age

Chapter 2: Mun and Done

Chapter 3: Expanded Influence

Chapter 4: Stepping Out

Chapter 5: Advancement and Innovation

Chapter 6: Walking Among the Stars

Chapter 7: Gaining Experience

Chapter 8: Setting the Foundation

Chapter 9: Full Force

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

Well, here we go again. Another mission report. Maybe this time I'll actually get around to updating it. Why exactly am I making this mission report though? Well, I'm honestly very disappointed with the huge lack of soviet based mission reports. There are several based on NASA. Hell, even Beyond is based on NASA. But there's something about Soviet spacecraft that has character to them. The round spacecraft shapes in contrast to the sharp-pointed fairings, the round circular windows. Sure, the Soviet Union wasn't the greatest of countries, but from how much they've contributed to space travel, they at least deserve some form of recognition on the forums.

Inspirations:

@Hotaru's mission report CCKP: An Eventful Return for giving me the idea of doing a Soviet thread.

@Misguided Kerbal's mission report Starbound - A JNSQ Adventure for the semi-historical thread idea and what I'm basing my layout off of.

@TwoCalories's mission report The Sky is Not the Limt: A modded KSP1 Career Playthrough for his Kerbalized Soviet craft, as well as TwoCalories himself being a valiant friend of mine on the forums.

THIS IS NOT A PRO OR ANTI COMMUNIST THREAD, NOR A POLITICAL STATEMENT. I WANT TO SAY THAT BEFORE SOMEBODY YELLS AT ME.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Kerbalsaurus
Added link to Chapter 9.

[Kerbalsaurus]

CHAPTER 1: DAWN OF THE SPACE AGE

YEAR 1, DAY 12 - KAPUTNIK 1

Before we actually attempt to spread across the stars, we first need to figure out if it's actually possible to get to space. Some of the top minds on Kerbin have thought of perhaps the most advanced piece of hardware to date: a ball full of blinking lights. Groundbreaking. Of course, the bigger thing is what this ball will achieve. The goal of Kaputnik 1 is to put the very first artificial satellite into Kerbin orbit. And what exactly will put this into orbit? Well, only the most powerful (and only) rocket to date, the K-7! Capable of lifting a whopping 500kg to Low Kerbin Orbit (LKO)! Anyways, let's get something to space!

Engine igniton

Liftoff!

The first stage falls back to Kerbin, hopefully splashing down safely in the ocean. Also, I just realized CKP is wrong, it should be CKR. When I was writing down ideas for acronyms, I misread my horrible handwriting and thought that the R was a P. This will be fixed in a few flights though.

Orbital insertion burn

Kaputnik 1 enters orbit! The world celebrates Kerbin's new moon! While it may be just a simple metal ball with solar panels and science experiments, what it means is huge. Kerbals are no longer stuck to their home planet. Kerbalkind is now free to explore the cosmos at will. All they need is a rocket powerful enough to push them further into space.

***

YEAR 1, DAY 24 - KAPUTNIK 2

While everyone was celebrating that Kerbals had finally put something in space, some scientist thought it'd be a good idea to ask if it was possible to bring something back from space. A collective groan filled the room as all of the engineers headed back to their drawing boards. Indeed, it was maybe possible to bring something back from space. But if something was coming back, it would be coming back through the atmosphere at a very high speed. So something new was created, something called a "heatshield". They attached this to the bottom of a metal ball, and then put it on rocket.

And speaking of the rocket, scientists have made another breakthrough in the field of rocket science: adding rockets TO rockets! Yes, it's true, and they've done this with a brand new revolutionary design: boosters. These boosters feed into the main core stage of the rocket, giving it the power to continue to lift heavier payloads into LKO. The launchpad is cleared, and Kaputnik 2 begins its journey up into space.

Korolev cross?

Kaputnik 2 has entered orbit! It will remain in orbit for about a day, before its retrorockets will fire, sending it back to the surface. It'll do science and telemetry and all of that stuff while up there.

De-orbit burn

A huge fireball starts to envelope the spacecraft!

And a splashdown! Kaputnik 2 safely re-enters the atmosphere unscathed, and brings back lots of important data from space. However, we need to figure out one more thing: what does it look like from up there?

***

YEAR 1, DAY 36 - KAPUTNIK 3

The goal of Kaputnik 3 is simply to observe Kerbin. It's bringing with many more science experiments, and a camera to get pictures of Kerbin from high above. That's really all that has to be said. Hey, not all of the flights have to be that exciting.

And blah, blah, blah, space and science and such. Well it is good to explore our own homeworld, we still need to figure out something. What is it like on those other worlds that orbit Kerbin? And can we get to said worlds?

Edited October 9, 2023 by Kerbalsaurus
Added dividers

[Kerbalsaurus]

CHAPTER 2: MUN AND DONE

YEAR 1, DAY 51 - MUNA 1

After some work on the Kaputnik 1 probe bus, our scientists have created the next generation of robotic explorers: Muna. The Muna Program will carry the very first spacecraft to Kerbin;s closest natural satellite, the Mun. Hence the name. Muna 1 will be a simple orbiter, photographing the Mun and preforming various observations of it. The probe itself looks like Kaputnik 1, with an engine behind it. It's simple, yes. But if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Liftoff on Muna 1!

Once in orbit, it's discovered that Muna 1 is unable to actually get to the Mun! Yes, in a slight oversight by yours truly, the K-7 in its normal configuration is unable to fly Muna 1 all the way to the Mun. Even with Muna 1's engine. Mission control desperately tries to continue the mission, firing its main engine for as long as possible, but it's no use.

Muna 1 is put into a highly elliptical "graveyard orbit". While it could send back valuable insight on high space above Kerbin, a lack of sufficient power means it's unable to send science back to Kerbin. In the end, Muna 1 is dubbed a failure. But no worries, there's always next mission!

***

YEAR 1, DAY 66 - MUNA 2

The CKR attempts to launch the second Muna mission. Muna 2 has an improved engine and fuel tank, and the K-7 rocket carrying it to the Mun has had its standard 4 side booster upgrade. A "reliable" vehicle, and a simple mission profile. What could go wrong!

Engine ignition (main engine's looking a bit pink)

KABOOM!

Uh oh...

Warning lights flash all across the consoles at mission control. Apparently, the main core stage engine, second stage decoupler, and booster decouplers all overheated (kracken ), and the rocket lost all control. It slowly started to arch down towards the beach, as mission control and the engineers could only watch in horror.

Muna 2 was a catastrophic failure! Immediately, the K-7 is deemed an unfit and unsafe launch vehicle. Now, Korolev Kerman's design bureau will have to think of a new rocket design. They have all these K-7s lying around, why not tear them down and make something new somewhat derived from them. The next Muna flight will have a new rocket take it up, and if it fails, well, that's it for the Muna program. But you know what they say: third time's the charm..

***

YEAR 1, DAY  81 - MUNA 3

Introducing, the brand new Nadir KD-1 Rocket! Derived from the K-7, the Nadir is a Munar rated launch vehicle. And if all goes well, a future variant could be Kerbal rated. On it is Muna 3, and the probe is the same probe bus as Muna 2. However, Muna 3 is  a mission on a tightrope. If Muna 3 fails, the Muna program will be cancelled, and the CKR Space Program may be put on the back burner, so resources can be focused to other parts of the planet. So it's extremely important that this mission succeeds.

Liftoff!

Orbital insertion burn

Muna 3 enters LKO! Next up comes the most important part of the flight: the Trans-Munar Injection (TMI) burn. If the spacecraft burns too late, it could be sent out on a trajectory from which is could not return, and burn too early, it could be sent hurtling into the Mun's surface. The timing here is absolutely imperative, and there's no room for error.

TMI burn begins

Muna 3 finishes up the burn.

The TMI burn is a success! Muna 3 begins its day long journey up to the Mun. Mission control can sit back and wait until the times comes to insert it into orbit. Entering orbit of the Mun will be just as important as the TMI burn. No room to mess up, or Muna 3 could be sent hurtling into deep space.

And the Burn is a success! Muna 3 enters orbit of the Mun, and sends back loads of important data! For the first time in history, the Mun is within our reach!

Kerbin dwindles just above the horizon.

But a higher goal is calling, as Kerbin still has one other moon for us to visit.

Edited October 9, 2023 by Kerbalsaurus
Added dividers

[Kerbalsaurus]

CHAPTER 3: EXPANDED INFLUENCE

YEAR 1, DAY 96 - MYATNYY 1

We've been to the Mun, but the Mun isn't Kerbin's only moon. Minmus is the smallest of Kerbin's moons, which means it'd be very cheap to get something into orbit of it. But the downside of its size is that it's much harder to get an encounter with it. What about the Myatnyy probe itself? We're just re-using the Muna probe design. It has more than enough Delta-V to get to Minmus, and it also works well. Why make a new probe? Now that mission briefing is over, let's get to actually launching this.

Myatnyy 1 is now in orbit! Before we actually fire our engines to head to Minmus, we first need to change the inclination of the spacecraft. The inclination change will match the orbit's path with that of Minmus's, making our Trans-Minmus Injection (TMI) burn more efficient. We preform our burn, and...

Our TMI burn preforms flawlessly! Myatnyy 1 begins its journey up to Minmus.

10 days later, Myatnyy 1 feels the pull of Minmus's gravity. The giant mint ball looms invitingly ahead, tantalizingly almost.

Just a few minutes before its periapsis, the mission fires its engines for Minmus orbit. Mission control's eyes are glued to their consoles. There isn't much room for error here. If Myatnyy 1 simply overburns, the probe could be sent hurtling towards the surface. And while landing on the surface would be a good idea, we would prefer to, ya know, survive landing? Fortunately, Myatnyy 1 preforms flawlessly! There is now a spacecraft in orbit of Minmus!

***

YEAR 1, DAY 118 - MUNA 4

We've orbited the Mun. But can we land on it? Proposal were made to delay a Mun landing to Muna 5, an Muna 4 would become another orbiter mission. But we had the rocket on standby, and a lander on that rocket. So we've decided to jump the gun and land something on the Mun's surface. Muna 4 will, yes, be riding on a Nadir KD-1 rocket, but to add some extra kick on liftoff four SRBs have been added to the side. Painted with stripes as, according to our engineers, it increases our rocket's "cool factor". I dunno.

Okay, I know this is a bad angle for the rocket.

SRB sep

You know the drill, do I really have to say anything? I put the more mundane parts in spoilers. I feel all of my reports could benefit from this. I just like to add the launches and such as I feel it add authenticity to the thread.

TMI burn

The lander separates and finallizes the burn, than makes its way over to the Mun. Missions like these are starting to become more and more routine, which is good news for our space program. This is good practice for future interplanetary and Kerballed missions.

Orbital insertion burn

About an orbit later, Muna 4 fires its engines for descent. We now enter unfamiliar territory.

Once at 6km, Muna 4 fires its engines again for the suicide burn.

Almost there...

Contact!

Muna 4 is now safely standing on the surface of the Mun! Pictures are coming back now... WHAT?! That's it? The Mun is nothing but gray wasteland? Well, maybe there's more to it than that. As is everything in science, we need more information. Perhaps we need better robotic infrastructure... We'll order our design bureau to do further research into it.

***

YEAR 1, DAY 137 - MYATNYY 2

Unlike Muna 4, Myatnyy 2 will be another orbiter mission. We simply aren't sure if Minmus is safe to land on. Insight gained from Myatnyy 1 showed that Minmus was made of ice. We aren't sure if a lander would sink right through, or that its engines would melt the ice, causing an uneven landing zone. Myatnyy 2 will preform a much more involved examination of the surface, paving the way for a future lander mission.

Myatnyy 2 in orbit

TMI burn begins

Myatnyy 2's own engine completes the burn

Myatnyy 2 begins it 6 day journey to the Mun. Strange, since last time it was 10 days. Does anybody know how that works?

Myatnyy 2 approaches Minmus

Myatnyy 2 safely enters orbit of Minmus, and immediately begins its focused observations of the surface. Data collected shows that there a huge flat area on the surface, all of which are extremely lander friendly. It's also found that a rocket engine won't melt the ice on Minmus, as the ice is simply to compact. Also, it's been in direct sunlight for, like, billions of years. If it hasn't melted then, it probably won't now. But that begs another question: how is a giant ball of ice floating this close to Kerbol?

***

YEAR 1, DAY 164 - MYATNYY 3

With the data from Myatnyy 2 showing that a Minmus landing isn't only possible, but easy, the CKR space program begins work on the lander. As usual, it will be the same design as the Muna landers. If they can survive a trip to the Mun, they can survive a trip to Minmus. Scientists also hope that this mission can provide insight into the origins of Minmus. A ball of ice can't form this close to Kerbol, right? Some speculate it may be a captured comet, but that doesn't explain it's almost perfectly circular orbit. While Myatnyy 3 won't exactly solve this problem, it will catapult our investigation into the matter. Krackenspeed, Myatnyy 3!

Clean booster sep!

Once Myatnyy 3 is in orbit, the standard procedures for a trip to Minmus take place. Inclination change, yada yada, and before you know it...

...we're off to Minmus!

Myatnyy 3 coats through empty space for the next week or so, before a Mint-colored light shines upon the spacecraft metal coating. It has arrived.

Minmus looms ahead of the spacecraft

Braking burn

Now we reach the most important part of the mission: the landing. While landing on Minmus may be easy, it still does have its challenges. First, its low gravity means a high TWR and slow falling rate. This will make landing very tedious and boring to sit through. Second, Minmus's cliffs have a very sharp drop off to the flats. If we were to just barely undershoot the flats, a lander-shaped hole will sit on Minmus's surface. The de-orbit burns begins, and Myatnyy 3 begins making its way down to Minmus's surface.

"1km from the surface, beginning engine puffs" - Gen Kerman

Myatnyy 3 safely lands on Minmus's surface! We have not conquered one, but now two worlds! As the CKR continues to push the limit of what's possible, many begin to ask themselves: can a Kerbal survive up there?

Edited October 9, 2023 by Kerbalsaurus
Added dividers

[Kerb24]

I love this thread! However, I feel the SRBs on the Nadir KD-1 take away from the Soviet styling. The Soviets never used substantial SRBs in any launch vehicles, so maybe replace these with liquid boosters in the future?

[Kerbalsaurus]

16 minutes ago, Kerb24 said:

I love this thread! However, I feel the SRBs on the Nadir KD-1 take away from the Soviet styling. The Soviets never used substantial SRBs in any launch vehicles, so maybe replace these with liquid boosters in the future?

Thanks! I realized that too. The Nadir is supposed to be the answer to the Zenit, but it still feels too… American. Don’t worry, Myatnyy 3 was the last flight of that variant of the Nadir-KD. I’ll have much more Soviet spacecraft down the line. Thanks for the suggestion !

[Kerbalsaurus]

CHAPTER 4: STEPPING OUT

YEAR 1, DAY 170 - ZAPAD 1

Kerbalkind has made tremendous steps and advancements in space exploration, but so far nothing will be as ambitious as what's about to be done today: a Kerbal in space. For the past 146 days, the CKR has been training the very first Kerbonauts of its space program. The Kerbonauts selected were ace pilots Dzhebediya and Valentina Kerman, world renowned scientist Bob Kerman, and revolutionary engineer Bill Kerman. After a long time of screening and training, Dzhebediya Kerman was selected to be the first Kerbal in space.

He sits in his capsule, strangely calm. His heart rate is normal, and he seems to have a very pleasant smile on his face. This just further shows why Dzheb is perfect for the job. He asserts his position in his seat, as the countdown continues. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, ignition sequence start,

3, 2, 1...

Liftoff!

The mighty Nadir KD-2 roars to life, and Dzheb is pushed back into his seat. Instead of instant fear, the sudden rush of adrenaline gives him a huge smile on his face. Zapad 1 continues high into the late-morning sky. It punches through the clouds, and outside the sky slowly turns from a bright blue to a deep black. However, the rocket's high speed means flames start to appear around the craft. While alarming at first, mission control decides that no harm is done. The mission proceeds. Not long after, the second stage separates and continues to lift Zapad higher into the sky.

Once about 50km up, the payload fairings separate, revealing the Zapad spacecraft. Dzheb finally has windows to look out of.

However, he has no time to look out. Right now he's focused on his instrument panels. After about 8 minutes in flight, the time comes for the orbital insertion burn. Now it's do or die for the mission. Will Dzheb enter orbit, or be sent hurtling back down to the oceans below?

Ter'yer re-ignition!

The burn goes perfectly! Dzhebediya has become the very first Kerbal in space!

"It the most beautiful thing I've seen, mission control! And I have the place to myself!" - Dzhebediya Kerman

Dzheb can both see and breath, which is a relief to mission control. He's also experiencing a stange sensation, zero gravity. He can just float arouhd the capsule. Or, he could, but there are simply to many expensive instruments on board. We don't want him destroying the one thing that will allow him to come home.

Speaking of which, that time comes all too soon. Dzheb's 3 orbits are up, and he sadly has to return home. He fires his back engine, and prepares for re-entry.

Zapad 1 on re-entry

Zapad 1 touches down on beaches just a few kilometers west of the KSC. His recovery will be speedy. Dzhebediya has made history today. And now a whole new world has been opened. No longer are Kerbals themselves bound to the surface of their planet, Kerbals can now leave its surface and look down upon it. Zapad 1 has changed the course of Kerbal history forever. Now comes the next question: can we repeat it?

***

YEAR 1, DAY 203 - ZAPAD 2

Zapad 2, crewed by Valentina Kerman, will attempt to repeat the success of Zapad 1, this time spending a little longer in space. The goal of this flight is to orbit Kerbin four times, resulting in a mission just a little over two hours. Much like Dzheb, Valentina is very laid back when it comes to spaceflight. Further proof why she's perfectly fit for the space program. In the early morning light, Zapad 2 lifts off the launchpad, carrying Valentina to space.

Launch Sequence

Spoiler

Valentina Kerman has become the second Kerbal in space! She's blown away from the view outside of her windows. Clouds flying over the peaceful blues of the world. She says it's the most beautiful thing she's ever seen. She settles into the capsule, and begins her 4 orbits in space.

After her two hour mission is up, she turns around and fires her engines retrograde, beginning here journey back down to Kerbin's surface.

Val returns with a bounty of science, and more knowledge about the effects of long term space travel. On the next flight, we will be more focused on scientific experiments in orbit. But first, we must answer the planets who call for us...

***

YEAR 1, DAY 231- DUNA 1

Throughout the history of Kerbal civilization, the planets have always been an inspiration for Kerbalkind. They've always remained tantalizingly out of reach though. That is, until now. The CKR will launch Duna 1, the very first interplanetary spacecraft. It's goal is to orbit Duna, and collect data around the planet. Many wonder what could be on Duna's druface. Vast Dunan forests? Huge exotic cities? Vast plains of red grass? Who knows. One scientist said that Duna's a barren, crater filled landscape, just like the Mun. He was shortly after sent on an all expenses paid trip to Kiberia. Whatever's on Duna, it must be exciting and worth seeing.

Now, what's the rocket that'll carry it up? Well, may we present to you, the next rocket in the K line. After the K-7 so rudely blew up on Muna 2, it's parts were recycled into the Nadir KD series. All except one. This one was turned into the brand new K-8 Grom! The K-8 Grom has 6 detachable side boosters, each feeding into the core stage. The core stage itself will insert us into orbit, and even preform some of the Trans-Duna Injection burn (TDI). Yes, Korolev Kerman's design bureau have outdone themselves with this one. And going out of character here for a second, this actually is a very Soviet looking rocket.

Anyways, where were we? Oh yeah, off to Duna!

Very violent booster sep. The rocket itself is fine.

Duna 1 enters orbit, and shortly after, the TDI burn is set up. Not even an orbit later, Duna 1 is off too... Duna.

Finalizing burn

With Duna 1's encounter with Duna set up, as well as a midcourse correction, Duna 1 begins the coasting period. Krackenspeed, Duna 1!

***

YEAR 1, DAY 233 - ZAPAD 3

This mission, crewed by Bob, will spend half a day in space, as well as preform more experiments. Other than that, there's really all that much to say.

Launch sequence

Spoiler

Zapad 3 arrives in Orbit, and Bob begins running experiments and logging his mental state. After half a day in space, Bob fires the Zapad's engines to head back down to Kerbin. As usual.

Zapad 3 touches down in valleys behind the KSC. However, area around the KSC is very populated. Maybe it's better we... stay away from the cities and land somewhere less inhabited instead.

***

YEAR 1, DAY 245 - KAPUTNIK 4

As we begin to expand interplanetary, crewed missions become more elaborate, and more advanced missions head off to the Mun and Minmus, we should probably start setting up a small communications system. Kaputnik 4 is a communications test satellite, built to act as a temporary relay before more advanced relay networks can be built. It'll also become Kerbin's very first Keosynchronous satellite, which means one orbit=one Kerbin day. This mission will launch on a Nadir KD-2, as it's the only rocket reasonably powerful enough to carry it to such an orbit.

Orbital insertion burn

Burn to high orbit

Kaputnik 4 enters Keosynchronous orbit! It begins to transmit higher speed data back down to Kerbin, and allows for commands to be sent to Duna 1 a little bit faster.

***

YEAR 1, DAY 264 - ZAPAD 4

Zapad 4 will be the very last flight of the Zapad program, and will be flown by Bill Kerman. However, this will still be a monumental flight, as it'll spend one day in orbit! This is really pushing the spacecraft to its limits, but future spacecraft designs will be much more comfortable, and even more advanced.

Orbital insertion burn

Bill begins his day long mission

Upon return, Bill will land in the middle of the desert. This will be the future landing zone for all missions, desert's are flatter and contain less people.

And as Zapad 4 touches back down on Kerbin, bringing an end to the Zapad program. But bringing a new beginning to space exploration.

Holy god my hands and head hurt... This isn't some secret story thing, I'm just stating a fact.

Edited October 9, 2023 by Kerbalsaurus
Added dividers

[TwoCalories]

I love how you have a Russian-esque name for Jeb. I can't remember it lol, I know him as Counter-Jeb.

[Kerbalsaurus]

16 minutes ago, TwoCalories said:

I love how you have a Russian-esque name for Jeb. I can't remember it lol, I know him as Counter-Jeb.

That's actually what Jebediah is in Russian: Dzhebediya. Dzheb for short. It looks like a mouthful, but it's really pronounced exactly like Jebediah except there's a z sound in between J and e.

[Kerb24]

3 hours ago, Kerbalsaurus said:

future spacecraft designs will be much more comfortable, and even more advanced

Are you not going to do Voskhod? Jokes aside; awesome chapter and you've definitely improved the rocket designs to be more Soviet.

[Kerbalsaurus]

I just wanted to ask you guys, should I call the planets by their English names or should I call them by their Russian names? Here's a translation for each of them below (romanized, of course):

Moho - Mokho

Eve - Yeva

Gilly - Dzhilli

Kerbin - Kerbin

Mun - Mun

Minmus - Minmus

Duna - Duna

Ike - Ayk

Dres - Dres

Jool - Dzhul

Laythe - Leyt

Vall - Val'

Tylo - Taylo

Bop - Bop

Pol - Pol

Eeloo - llo

Edited October 8, 2023 by Kerbalsaurus
Found out what Eve was.

[Toaster355]

31 minutes ago, Kerbalsaurus said:

I just wanted to ask you guys, should I call the planets by their English names or should I call them by their Russian names? Here's a translation for each of them below (romanized, of course):

Moho - Mokho

Eve - Vera*

Gilly - Dzhilli

Kerbin - Kerbin

Mun - Mun

Minmus - Minmus

Duna - Duna

Ike - Ayk

Dres - Dres

Jool - Dzhul

Laythe - Leyt

Vall - Val'

Tylo - Taylo

Bop - Bop

Pol - Pol

Eeloo - llo

*I'm unsure about Eve

I'd prefer the Soviet names. Not too different from their English names, and adds to the Soviet immersion.

Awesome thread too!

Edited October 8, 2023 by Toaster355

[TwoCalories]

44 minutes ago, Kerbalsaurus said:

I just wanted to ask you guys, should I call the planets by their English names or should I call them by their Russian names? Here's a translation for each of them below (romanized, of course):

Moho - Mokho

Eve - Vera*

Gilly - Dzhilli

Kerbin - Kerbin

Mun - Mun

Minmus - Minmus

Duna - Duna

Ike - Ayk

Dres - Dres

Jool - Dzhul

Laythe - Leyt

Vall - Val'

Tylo - Taylo

Bop - Bop

Pol - Pol

Eeloo - llo

*I'm unsure about Eve

I think it's a good idea, like Toaster said.

Also, I'm looking to design my own flags. What tools did you use to make the flag of the CKR?

Edited October 8, 2023 by TwoCalories

[Kerbalsaurus]

1 hour ago, TwoCalories said:

Also, I'm looking to design my own flags. What tools did you use to make the flag of the CKR?

Here it is: https://tennessine.co.uk/flags/

I imported the Kerbin picture from my computer. It's pretty easy to use and learn.

You could also use google drawings. That's what I used to make the flags of Beyond and the UKA.

Edited October 8, 2023 by Kerbalsaurus
Typos

[Kerbalsaurus]

CHAPTER 5: ADVANCEMENT AND INNOVATION

YEAR 1, DAY 286 - KAPUTNIK 5

Homeworld observation has been on the minds of engineers at the Kerbal Cosmodrome. Kaputnik 5's goal will be to do exactly that. It's flight profile will take to a 100x100km polar orbit of Kerbin, allowing it to cover every part of Kerbin. This will pave the way for future meteorological, scientific, and "security" satellites. The rocket carrying it will be the standard Nadir KD-2, as it's payload versatility is perfect for our space program right now.

Kaputnik 5 safely enters orbit! It'll preform various science experiments, valuable to scientists back down on Kerbin. Due to a time crunch though, Kaputnik 5 has no solar panels or any way of power production. The satellite operates for 3 days before coming just another piece space junk.

***

YEAR 1, DAY 312 - MUNA 5

The CKR will be launching a brand new design of Mun probe today, called the Muna Blok-C (which will also be used at Minmus). The Blok-C is a much more advanced orbiter than the orbiters used on Muna 2 and 3, and Myatnyy 1 and 2. And with data gathered from these missions, we can pave the way for technology that will land Kerbals on the Mun and Minmus in the near future. The orbiter will preform long-term observations in orbit of the Mun, and help us to understand more about Kerbin's closest natural satellite.

Spoiler

TMI burn

Muna 5 begins its day long coast to the Mun

MOI burn

Muna 5 enters successfully enters orbit of the Mun, and begins sending back tons of data. Color photos of the Mun do in fact confirm: the Mun is a ball of gray dust. But the interesting thing is that this ball may be filled with ancient rocks, some maybe leftover from the formation of the Kerbolar System! The Mun is a treasure trove of science, important for learning the origins of our planet, and even ourselves! Future advanced landers will provide more insight on the Mun, as well as more in depth Mun probe missions.

***

YEAR 1, DAY 386 - MYATNYY 4

Using the same design as Muna 5, Myatnyy 4 will also preform close observations of Kerbin's mintiest moon. Data sent back from Myatnyy 3 proved to be quite interesting: Minmus is made of ice. Not dry ice, water ice. How? Did water once flow on Minmus's surface? Much like the Mun, Minmus is a treasure trove of scientific discovery. Myatnyy 4 will also preform a deep data scan of Minmus, and send back information long term to Kerbin. The dark skies above the Cosmodrome wait for Myatnyy 4 to lift up into the sky.

Spoiler

Myatnyy 4 enters orbit, preforms its inclination change, sets up its TMI burn, and begins its journey to Minmus.

Coasting period begins

Myatnyy 4 enter Minmus's SOI

Approaching MOI burn (which I didn't get any pictures of)

Myatnyy 4 enters orbit of the Minmus! Data sent back is much clearer than the earlier missions. Color pictures sent back show that Minmus is in fact sparkly. Very sparkly. Also, around Minmus is a strange halo of ice particles, most likely forming and falling back to surface in a sort of faux-snow. Further study is needed

***

YEAR 1, DAY 356 - ZAKAT 1

Today is the launch of the next crewed program of the CKR: the Zakat Program. The Zakat Program is the next generation of crewed spaceflight, incorporating things like "comfort" and "environment". Also, the Zakat crew module is capable of holding TWO Kerbals. Some may say we just bolted in another seat into the Zapad capsule and reinforced with zip ties. ...No comment. The Zakat, being a bit heavier than the Zapad, required a new launch vehicle to be constructed. Hence, the Nadir KD-3, pretty much a Nadir KD-2 with and upgraded first stage.

Now, let's meet our mission's crew. First, we have commander/pilot Valentina Kerman, and second we have Scientist Bob Kerman. Both of them have been carefully selected for the mission, which will last 1 week (6 days).  During that week, experiments on long term crew habitability will be preformed. Anyways, enough talking about the mission. Let's get to flying it.

Liftoff!

Stage 2 ignition.

Orbital insertion burn

Zakat 1 has entered orbit! Val and Bob settle into their pod, and begin all of the sciency stuff. They start to run onboard experiments, and log down their mental state.

Bob, being absolutely obnoxious to Valentina

It's a long week in the capsule. Even with all of the snacks and board games, being stuck with the same guy in a small ball must be tiring. Although somewhat disappointed, the two Kerbals are also relieved to finally be returning home.

Zakat 1 on re-entry.

Touchdown in Kerbin's deserts

Zakat 1 has proven that Kerbals can survive in space for a long period of time. Now come the next question: can Kerbals themselves survive in the vacuum of space?

Edited October 9, 2023 by Kerbalsaurus
Added dividers

[Kerbalsaurus]

CHAPTER 6: WALKING AMONG THE STARS

YEAR 1, DAY 363 - MUNA 6

The quest to improve Munar infrastructure and research continues, as today Muna 6 will take off from the Kerbal Cosmodrome. The goal of this mission is to enter a polar Munar orbit, gathering data from every part of the Mun, getting a low definition map of its surface, and other such sciencey things. Muna 6 will be using the standard advanced orbiter design. If it works, it works. No need to change it (in real life the Soviets continued to use the R-7, so that's the mentality I'm following).

Orbital insertion burn

TMI burn

While en route to the Mun, Muna 6 has to preform a mid-course correction burn. Getting into a polar Munar orbit would be way too expensive from LKO. A little engine puff is needed, that's all.

Now we just sit and wait

MOI burn

Muna 6 deploys its science systems, and begins its long term observation mission. The Mun is being brought ever closer.

***

YEAR 1, DAY 385 - DUNA 1

Duna 1 preforms a little mid-course correction en route, making it's encounter with the red planet a bit closer. Krackenspeed, Duna 1! See you at Duna!

***

YEAR 1, DAY 386 - MYATNYY 5

Just like Muna 6, Myatnyy 5 will also place itself into a polar orbit of its intended destination. Nothing much to say. Just observations of Minmus, midcourse correction, yada yada you get the gist.

Launch sequence

Spoiler

TMI burn

Myatnyy 5 begins its journey to Minmus.

Mid-course correction manuever

Myatnyy 5 enters the influence of Minmus. Mission control had the idea of getting a picture of Kerbin this far out, as cameras had never actually done that before. We're so busy flying off to other worlds, we never really take the chance to look back at our own. And from this distance, what the probe captures is stunning. There's Kerbin and the Mun, two bodies dwindling in the black abyss of space. If a poet were to see this, we're sure they'd have something profound to say. Unfortunately, we aren't poets.

MOI burn

Let the mission begin!

***

YEAR 1, DAY 401 - ZAKAT 2

Crew: Dzhebediya, Bill

Kerbalkind will once again be attempting the impossible. Ever since the first Kerbal looked up at the stars, he dreamed of walking with them, standing along side them. Zakat 2 will attempt to make this dream a reality. With the invention of the inflatable airlock and a pressure suit capable of surviving the world outside of a spacecraft, the CKR will attempt to put a Kerbal on an Extra Vehicular Activity, or EVA. The rocket lifting it will once again be the Nadir KD-3,  being the only rocket powerful enough to lift the Zakat spacecraft into orbit. Who will be the Kerbal who steps out of the airlock though? Well, after much consideration, it's decided that Dzheb will be the first Kerbal to step out. Presuming his blood doesn't boil and his eyes don't melt out of their sockets, a new door to the cosmos will be opened. Kerbals will no longer be trapped in the confines of their own spacecraft. They will now be able to move around in space at will. The crew climb into the capsule, and wait for the greatest adventure in space exploration yet.

Spoiler

Stage 2 separation (All that and still not many screenshots of the launch.)

With Zakat 2 now in orbit, the crew now begin to prepare for the spacewalk. The airlock goes under a rigorous testing routine, and Dzheb, with the help of Bill, gets his EVA suit on.

After two orbits of Kerbin, the airlock inflates and Jeb steps through the door. While at first blinding, his eyes quickly adjust. He turns around to face the spacecraft, and Bill takes this photo of him:

CREW VERBAL LOG

DZHEBEDIYA KERMAN: I'm at a loss for words here, mission control. This is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen!

GEN KERMAN: Where sure of it, Dzheb. How are you feeling? Any boiling blood?

DZHEBEDIYA KERMAN: None I can feel, Gen! In fact, my blood is the opposite of boiling. This is perhaps the most serene thing ever!

GEN KERMAN: Alright, well, we'll give ya a few extra minutes. Enjoy your 8 minutes of free flying, Jeb!

Although technically not allowed to do this, given the fact the EVA was supposed to last 5 minutes, the CKR decides not to punish him. Everyone was caught up in the moment, so the government decides to let it slide. If the Premier's alright with it, well, so are we. The 8 minutes passed all to quickly to Jeb, and before he knew it, he had to step back inside the airlock. He took one last look at Kerbin, and then stepped back into the airlock. He describes it as one of the saddest moments of his life.

Once Dzheb gets unsuited, he and Bill close up the airlock, and jettison it.

Due the pressure suit taking up so much space, the crew will only be able to spend about four days in space. Once the mission time is up, Zakat 2 points its engines retrograde and begins its journey back down to Kerbin's surface.

Zakat 2 touches down in the Deserts of Kerbin, carrying with it a legacy that will last for years to come.

***

YEAR 1, DAY 411 - MUNA 7

The next generation of landers has arrived. The goal that has been set for Muna 7 is to gain a deeper understanding of the Munar surface. On it are experiments never befire done on the Mun, as well as advanced cameras and comms equipment. Hopefully this lander will also give us insight on technology that could be useful for a crewed Mun landing, which is niow the new goal of the program. How we'll achieve this is still being questioned, but we'll find a way. But before we get too lost in though, we first need to actually land this thing on the Mun.

Liftoff!

TMI burn

Approaching the Mun.

MOI burn

One issue discovered during the braking burn is that Muna 7's TWR is a little low. While not drastic, mission controllers have been advised to practice caution during landing.

De-orbit burn

So close...

Contact!

Muna 7 lands on the Mun without a scratch! It begins its long term experiments, and the data it sends back is tantalizing. The rocks on the Mun tell a story that can't be fully deciphered. At least, not without bringing them back to Kerbin. Yes, talks begin in the Design Bureau about a possible sample return mission. However, such a mission seems risky with the current technological level of the space program. For now, we need to prove just a bit more before bringing back a souvenir from one of these other worlds.

Edited October 14, 2023 by Kerbalsaurus
Fixed broken image link

[Kerbalsaurus]

NEW CHAPTER

Edited November 26, 2023 by Kerbalsaurus
Picture dissapeared

[Kerbalsaurus]

CHAPTER 7: GAINING EXPERIENCE

YEAR 2, DAY 10 - MYATNYY 6

A new year has dawned upon Kerbin, and the CKR starts it off strong with Myatnyy 6: an advanced lander mission. The flight profile will be exactly the same as Muna 7's, but going to Minmus instead. The lander is equipped with scientific instruments that will give more insight into Minmus and its past, as well as the current condition of the moon. Many scientists have been confused about the data returned from Minmus. An icy moon just doesn't seem right... Some of the top scientists on Kerbin have proposed the idea that Minmus is made of mint ice cream, hence its icy nature and minty color. Other have proposed Minmus is some ancient alien artifact, left behind for Kerbals to find and learn from. Less boring theories include that Minmus is made from leftover ice chunks after Kerbin's formation, Minmus is actually a rocky body covered in ice, or that it's a captured comet. Let's see what the data says.

Liftoff!

TMI burn

Leaving Kerbin...

...and approaching Minmus!

Myatnyy 6 enters Minmus orbit, and after one orbit of Minmus (to get proper targeting), it burns its engines for the surface.

De-orbit burn

500m from the surface...

And contact! Myatnyy 6 successfully lands in the highlands of Minmus! The data it sends back is quite intriguing... Seismic data indicates that the interior of the Moon still churns in some sort of fashion, indicating an interior that may have some heat. This backs up the idea that Minmus is a rocky moon. Its surface is in fact made of ice, and further backs up the findings from past Myatnyy missions. Minmus is made of super compact ice. The design Bureau is also now finalizing its design for a sample return mission. Just one more advanced lander mission to the Mun and Minmus, and the we'll be all set for a return mission.

***

YEAR 2, DAY 20 - ZAKAT 3&4

Zakat 3 Crew: Gvenori, Stadun | Zakat 4 Crew: Burkal', Durdas

Zakat 4, standing by for launch at the New Dessert Cosmodrome.

In order to prepare for ever more complex future missions, the CKR needs to find something out: can two spacecraft meet each other in space? Short answer, yes. Long answer, performing such a feat will require very precise maneuvers to actually have two spacecraft meet up. This process is called orbital rendezvous. Zakat 3&4 will perform such manuevers today. At first thought to be a silly idea, engineers did the math and the Zakat spacecraft is in fact capable of orbital rendezvous. The plan flight engineers came up with was if we launch Zakat 3 into a 200x200km orbit, Zakat 4 will be able to perform the actual rendezvous burns. It'll be launched into 100x100km orbit, as usual, giving plenty of room for an orbital meetup.

Now, the Kerbal Cosmodrome doesn't have the capabilities of multi-launch flight plans like this. So, a new cosmodrome had to be built. Originally the first rocket test sight, it has now been turned into the second major hub for the CKR Space Program: the Dessert Cosmodrome. From now on, this launch site will be used for either multi-launch missions or unimportant satellite missions. With all of this exposition out of the way, its time for space. Zakat 3 will be launching first from the Kerbal Cosmodrome.

Liftoff on Zakat 3!

Orbital insertion burn, 200km up.

With Zakat 3 in orbit, it's Zakat 4's turn to fly up.

Once Zakat 4 enters LKO, preparations begin for the rendezvous. First off, Zakat 4's inclination is not aligned with Zakat 3's. It has to an inclination change burn. Easy enough.

Plane change

Now comes the fun part: actually planning the rendezvous. Now, in order for the rendezvous to actually be successful, Zakat 4 has to burn at a very specific point. This point is when Zakat 3 is right on top of it. Zakat 4 has to wait a few orbits before it comes time to burn.

Rendezvous burn

And the burn goes flawlessly! All that Zakat 4 has to do now is just wait and coast up to Zakat 3. Once it arrives, It'll fire its engines retrograde relative to the target, and slow down to a complete stop next to Zakat 3!

The spacecraft are now literally right next to each other! The crew wait until the sunrise, and then a Kerbal from both spacecraft step out to meet each other.

CREW VERBAL LOG

BURKAL' KERMAN: So, uh, how's your day been?

STADUN KERMAN: I've been inside of spacecraft all day. You?

BURKAL' KERMAN: Same.

...

...

Absolutely riveting conversation. Both Kerbals spend about 5 minutes on EVA, before heading back into their spacecraft. Once both crew are inside, the airlocks are jettisoned, and the spacecraft separate.

Both missions spend about 4 days in orbit, just like Zakat 2. One after the other, both touch down in Kerbin's deserts.

The touchdown of Zakat 4 marks the end of the Zakat Program. While bittersweet to some, to others this is the beginning of the true adventure. As we speak, a brand new, very "advanced" spacecraft is in the works. When it will first fly is a mystery, but administration is aiming for sometime hopefully mid-year. We'll just have to wait and see.

***

YEAR 2, DAY 30 - KAPUTNIK 6

Bing, bang, boom! In just 30 days, 4 spacecraft are heading up! This is a very busy time for the space program, but many take this as a sign of it prospering! Kaputnik 6 isn't much, just a little scientific satellite, which will perform science in high space of Kerbin. Cool, but not ground-breaking. Hey, they can't all be winners.

Launch sequence

Spoiler

Boom! Science!

***

YEAR 2, DAY 35 - MUNA 8

Muna 8, while the exact same spacecraft as Muna 7, its mission profile is very different. For, you see, Muna 7 will be attempting a landing on the Munar South Pole! Muna 6 showed us several pictures of both the Munar north and south poles. The Munar north pole is too mountainous and treacherous to attempt a landing. The south, on the other hand, has several flat areas and craters. Therefore, that was the landing site selected.

Liftoff!

TMI

MOI

Muna 8 begins to de-orbit, as Kerbin dissapears below the horizon.

Muna 8 successfully lands at the Munar south pole (better than the actual Russian south pole attempt)! It's position has put it in eternal sunlight. Data sent back from the south pole is... disappointing. The Munar south pole is exactly like the rest of the Mun, and where the water might be is in eternal shadow. Maybe a mission too... rove around its surface could help. Hmm...

***

YEAR 2, DAY 60 - MYATNYY 7

This mission is much like Muna 8, except it will be going to Minmus and landing at its north pole instead. The North pole is not as treacherous as the south, so it's been deemed and optimal location. So, here go's another mission!

Launch Sequence

Spoiler

And Myatnyy 7 is off to Minmus! All that's has to be done on the way is a mid-course correction burn.

De-orbit burn

Another happy landing! The CKR has been on fire this year, but things are about to calm down. We have more advanced Sample Return landers to work on, and the next generation of crewed exploration. You'll all just have to wait to see that...

This is the CKR Space Program, signing off.

[TwoCalories]

I've been looking to do a Munar south pole landing. I've heard it's treacherous, but how treacherous is it? Also less important, but how are the views of Kerbin?

[Kerbalsaurus]

3 minutes ago, TwoCalories said:

I've been looking to do a Munar south pole landing. I've heard it's treacherous, but how treacherous is it? Also less important, but how are the views of Kerbin?

It's not that hard. Maybe you may need to fine tune your landing a bit, and make a quicksave, but really it's exactly like landing on the Mun normally. And the views of Kerbin are amazing! That is, if the mountains don't cover it up.

[Kerbalsaurus]

I PROMISE there will be a new chapter soon, I just had to redo the first flight of the next chapter like seven times and now I’m kinda sick of my own spacecraft.

[Kerbalsaurus]

Quote

I PROMISE there will be a new chapter soon, I just had to redo the first flight of the next chapter like seven times and now I’m kinda sick of my own spacecraft.

Alright, by soon I guess I meant a month. Time really slips by, doesn't it?

***

CHAPTER 8: SETTING THE FOUNDATION

YEAR 2, DAY 120 - DRUZHBA 1

Crew: Bardok, Spokoynyy, Alisa

For 60 days the cosmodrome may have seemed completely silent. But inside, it was the perhaps busiest place on Kerbin. Workers for both the CKR Space Program and the Korolev Design Bureau (KDB) have been working hard day in and day out on the CKR's newest manned spacecraft: the Druzhba Spacecraft. The Druzhba Spacecraft is capable of carrying three Kerbals into orbit at once, complex rendezvous maneuvers, and even has the capability to dock to other spacecraft! The CKR hopes to use it in future manned missions to the Mun and Minmus.

The rocket, called the K-8 Druzhba, has had a... complicated design history. Originally the rocket was going to be a standard K-8 Grom. But simulations showed that the rocket would be too top heavy, and go crashing into the ocean after the gravity turn began. So, instead, a whole new rocket was designed. The rocket, while sharing some of the core design design choices of the K-8 Grom, is much more it's own thing now. However it's still similar enough to be part of the K-8 lineage.

And, guess what it includes now. That's right, a Launch Escape System (LES)! The LES is designed to fire it's motors away from the rocket, carrying it to a safe distance to deploy it's parachutes. Originally, the abort systems on our spacecraft would just be the landing retro-rockets, which could hopefully pull the command module away, and then the Kerbonaut onboard would possibly be able to jump ship manually. And, according to simulations, this would probably work only about 60% of the time. Not good odds. This increase of safety aboard our spacecraft will hopefully carry on to the future, providing more reliable spacecraft for long term missions. Only time will tell.

Anyways, where were we? Oh, right. Off with the mission!

"Engine ignition, and liftoff on Druzhba 1!" - Gen Kerman

"Go for booster sep." - Gen Kerman

"Roger, booster sep." - Bardok Kerman

The spacecraft fairing separate, revealing our glorious machine!

"Druzhba 1, you are go for orbital insertion." - Gen Kerman

"Shkiper reignition successful! We are on our way!" - Alisa Kerman

Stage 2 is ejected, and Druzhba 1 is now floating freely in orbit! The crew look down on Kerbin in awe, and stretch their legs in the increased space inside the spacecraft. Due to complaints from crew during the Zapad and Zakat missions of the very little leg room during their missions, engineers added a little extra habitable area sort of like another module, and the crew can move into and out of the area at will. Also, this extra habitable area doubles as an airlock! Instead of carrying around that bulky inflatable airlock, Druzhba flies with an airlock built into the spacecraft! Maybe it's still not all that practical, but it's better than that crappy inflatable one.

Now, back to the mission. Once in orbit, Druzhba 1 will perform several tests of its systems. The first of these tests will be a test of its monopropellant systems. This will require the spacecraft to fire it's thrusters, forward, back, up, down, and side to side. This is done on Flight Day 2. Que the montage!

Once done that, Druzhba 1 will perform an inclination change to align with Minmus's orbital plane on Flight Day 3. This will really just be a test of how well the Druzbha's engines behave on orbit. Que montage again!

"Inclination change proceeding smoothly, mission control." - Bardok Kerman

Oh, I guess there wasn't much of a montage there.

On Flight Day 3, Bardok steps into the habitat/airlock, and upon opening the hatch, his breath is taken away from the completely unobstructed view of Kerbin.

"Looking down at our planet, I've had an amazing realization. A realization that make shake our entire world view. I'm in space, and those losers aren't! Haha, I win!" - Bardok Kerman

While on EVA, Bardok has to make a visual inspection of the spacecraft. Make sure everything stayed in place and what not. Everything looking good, he takes a chance to look out towards the Mun. Someday, he thinks to himself. Someday I'll be there. Maybe he will. Only time will tell.

After about 15 minutes on EVA (the longest yet!), he makes his way back aboard Druzhba 1. He says that it was sad stepping back inside the spacecraft, but hopes that his EVA experience will not be his last. His optimism is paying off though, as the CKR sees him as a valuable pilot in the future.

Druzhba 1 spends another three days in orbit, collecting data and photographing Kerbin. However, as missions do, it eventually comes to an end. Druzhba 1 faces its engines retrograde, and begins its journey back down to Kerbin's surface.

"Mission control we are beginning our de-orbit burn. Ignition of the engines was successful." - Alisa Kerman

Druzhba 1's main command module now makes the trip back alone, as it was the only part of the spacecraft meant to return to Kerbin.

"Chutes deployed successfully." - Alisa Kerman

"And a perfect inflation! Prepping landing retro motors." - Alisa Kerman

And like that, Druzhba 1 safely lands in the deserts of Kerbin! Rescue teams are quickly dispatched to their location, so they should be back at the cosmodrome in a few hours. Druzhab 1's success means that future missions are coming, and continued testing of the spacecraft may finally prove capable of the Mun and Minmus flight it was meant for. All we have to do is see where the program goes.

***

YEAR 2, DAY 130 - MUNA 9

While the crewed division was quite busy with Druzhba, they at least had a plan with what the payload looked like. Muna 9 was the exact opposite. The payload was in a constant development hell, and coupled with the current cosmodrome expansions, issues piled up high. Engineers, scientists, and even janitors were throwing around ideas for what the actual lander should look like. The lander had 500 different designs thrown around, some cheaper and more realistic, and others so outrageous and bizarre that nothing short of mining out every resource on Kerbin would make them possible. In the end, a "little" two stage lander was picked. The probe will fly to the Mun, do some science experiments, pick up some surface samples. and then return back to Kerbin after a day on the surface. Pretty straight forward... on paper.

"Liftoff on Muna 9, on its journey to and back from the Mun!" - Gen Kerman

"Clean booster sep!" - Gen Kerman

Muna 9 enters LKO with no error. But the journey's not over yet. Mission control immediately gets to work setting up the spacecraft's TMI maneuver, and before you know it...

"We are go for TMI!" - Gen Kerman

We are go fo- hey! I was gonna say that!

Muna 9's deep space tug stage finishes up the burn, and Muna 9 enters the coast period. The probe will be put on hibernation mode to save energy on the way there.

"We are go for our MOI burn." - Gen Kerman

"Roger, re-igniting LV-909s." - Kris Kerman

Muna 9's de-orbit burn

"We are 700 meters from the surface, continuing suicide burn." - Gen Kerman

"Contact!" - Gen Kerman

Muna 9 is now standing on the Munar surface! However, the job is STILL not done, as now Muna 9 has to collect science. A lot of it. It's brought practically the whole suite of science experiments, and most importantly Mun rocks are picked up. Many Mun rocks. Scientists back on Kerbin simply drool at the thought of having their very own Mun rocks to pick at and study, and if money was still a thing in our society, we're sure these rocks would go for millions.

After a day on the Munar surface, the upper stage of the lander is separated and fires it's engines, beginning its long journey back to Kerbin. Interestingly, engineers wanted to launch the spacecraft into a retrograde orbit. This was essentially a stress test of all of the lander's systems

"Ignition of the ascent stage engine. We're on our way home!" - Kris Kerman

"Kerbin return maneuver in 3,2,1... re-ignition of ascent stage engine, we're on our way back to Kerbin." - Gen Kerman

The return capsule has quite a fiery re-entry, entering Kerbin's atmosphere at speeds of over 3,000m/s!

"Chute deployed, and we are back home!" - Gen Kerman

Yes, after 4 days in space, Muna 9 returns with the very first samples of the Munar surface! Recovery teams quickly circle the spacecraft, pick it up, and carefully extract the load of samples the spacecraft collected. These will be handed to R&D immediately, who will study the rocks and further distribute them to other labs around Kerbin. The data collected from these rocks will give us further information into not just the birth of the Kerbin system, but the birth of the entire Kerbolar system! It's an exciting for the CKR Space Program, and more exciting are certainly to come.

***

YEAR 2, DAY 148 - YEVA 1

Kerbalkind once again prepares to extend its influence even further than the Kerbin system. This time, we have our focus set much closer into the Kerbolar system. Her purple majesty, Yeva. Many have speculated what may be waiting for us on Yeva. Some say that, due to it's purple color, it may be very similar to Kerbin. Couple this with the fact that Eve is a similar size to Kerbin, Kerbals who suspect this may not be too far off. Yeva 1 is pretty much a sister probe to Duna 1, but with... oh, no, it is the exact same probe. With the exact same launcher. Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

"Liftoff on Yeva 1, carrying Kerbalkind to the planets!" - Gen Kerman

Is this just me, or is it kinda funny to see the hammer and sickle on the side of a building meant to look like NASA's high bay assembly building.

Yeva 1 finds itself racing a comet on liftoff.

Yeva 1 firing its engines for orbit

Once in orbit, ground teams immediately begin preparing for the burn to Eve. This is easier said than done. At the time of launch, the Mun was positioned in such a way that it would always get in the way of every burn we did. And its position was annoying enough that we couldn't use this to our advantage at all. In the end, spamming skip orbit enough got us a good position for a maneuver. And now...

We're off to Yeva!

"Setting probe to hibernation mode. Good luck, Yeva 1." - Gen Kerman

***

YEAR 2, DAY 160 - MYATNYY 8

Myatnyy 8 will follow the exact same mission profile as Muna 9. Nothing else to add. The interesting thing about this mission is more the destination itself. The past few missions to Minmus have shown that Minmus itself is an interesting place. Despite not having an atmosphere, Minmus does in fact have weather! However, the exact way this happens is quite a mystery. Samples of both Minmus's "clouds" and surface ice will be collected, and scientists on Kerbin will use this data to understand more about Kerbin mintiest and most mysterious moon.

Launch Sequence

Spoiler

"Liftoff on Myatnyy 8!" - Bobak Kerman

"All is looking good for Myatnyy 8, we are go for orbit." - Bobak Kerman

Once Myatnyy 8 enters orbit, well, you know the procedure.

"Go for TMI!" - Bobak Kerman

Myatnyy 8 begins the coasting period of its mission.

I will tell you all that I did not get any pictures of the whole orbit process around Minmus, as at this point I was just so sick of the mission. I already had to redo it twice, so I gave up on screenshots and just flew the craft. But I did get pictures of the landing, and that's the cool part.

"We are beginning our descent down to Minmus's surface, I need all controllers on standy in case anything goes wrong." - Bobak Kerman

"1km up, speeding up suicide burn." - Kris Kerman

"Almost there..." - Bobak Kerman

"Contact! Myatnyy 8 is standing on Minmus's surface!" - Bobak Kerman

After a quick celebration in mission control, work begins on running the experiments on board the spacecraft, as well as the collection of samples on Minmus's surface. After a day on the surface, the ascent stage fires its engines and Myatnyy 8 begins its journey back to Kerbin.

Another success under our belt! Myatnyy 8 is quickly recovered, and the mission comes to an end. Myantyy 8 has brought back perhaps some of the most important data in spaceflight to date. However, our engineers and scientists have one more idea for Munar and Minmus exploration, and they expect it to fly sometime late in the year. You all will have to wait to see that.

***

YEAR 2, DAY 180 - DRUZHBA 2&3

Crew: Dzhebediya, Bob, Bill; Valentina, Stadun, Derdas

We always talk about the capabilities of the Druzhba spacecraft, now it's time to put them to the test. Druzhba 2 and Druzhba 3 will be a test of rendezvous and docking. The spacecraft is, after all, equipped with a docking port. Once docked, both spacecraft will spend a week in space together. Dzhebediya and Valentina will also perform an EVA together, much like Zakat 3 and Zakat 4. Afterwords both Druzhbas head back home one after the other. It's a pretty straightforward mission.

Also, due to the expansion of the Kerbal Cosmodrome, pieces of the spacecraft no longer have to be sent to the Dessert Cosmodrome for launch. All of our rockets can be sourced right here. It really streamlines the whole assembly process, as well as save a lot of fuel for the spacecraft during rendezvous. Granted, the changed inclination would be good to do further stress tests on our spacecraft, but really it's better for the engineers this way. The Dessert Cosmodrome is better for satellite launches, anyways.

"Liftoff on Druzhba 2!" - Gen Kerman

"LRBs depleted of fuel, separate now Druzhba 2." - Gen Kerman

"Clean sep, Baikerbanur!" - Bill Kerman

"Ignition confirmed on stage 2." - Bill Kerman

"Alright mission control, starting our coast to apoapsis." - Dzhebediya Kerman

"Rog, Druzhba 2." - Gen Kerman

"Druzhba 2 orbital entry established. Good flight!" - Gen Kerman

"Alright, thanks Baikerbanur! Tell Druzhba 3 that we can't wait to meet up with them." - Dzhebediya Kerman

"Will do." - Gen Kerman

With Druzhba 2 in orbit, it's now Druzhba 3's turn to liftoff from the Cosmodrome.

"Woooo, I love that feeling mission control! You gotta send me on more missions!" - Valentina Kerman

"Clean booster sep, mission control!" - Derdas Kerman

"Good to hear! And Druzhba 2 reports that they can in fact see your contrail from liftoff!" - Bobak Kerman

"Orbital entry established, Druzhba 3." - Bobak Kerman

"Rog, Bobak." - Valentina Kerman

With no time to waste, Druzhba 3 immediately gets to work setting up their rendezvous with Druzhba 2. Inclination changes, rendezvous burns, the works. Before you know it, they're already at the spacecraft.

Slowing down at rendezvous.

"Approaching Druzhba 2." - Valentina Kerman

"Docked! Miss me, Dzheb?" - Valentina Kerman

"Tease me all you want, I still hold the title for farthest flying Kerbal." - Dzhebediya Kerman

"For now." - Valentina Kerman

Dzhebediya and Valentina face off outside their spacecraft. For the next five minutes, the words "I'm" and "better" were exchanged in that order continuously.

Dezhebediya and Valentina boarded back into their spacecraft after a very mature discussion, and Druzhba 2&3 stayed in orbit for the next week. During that time, much of Kerbin's surface was photographed, and the crew played a game of Linkor, perhaps one of the best board games the CKR had created. It's not a very eventuful mission otherwise. After the week is over, both Druzhba 2 and 3 separate and go their separate ways.

Druzhba 2 on re-entry, with the airlock module burning up behind it.

Druzhba 2&3 with their parachutes deployed

We've proven long duration spaceflight, and we've proven that two spacecraft can dock together in orbit. But what if we did... both at the same time?

Edited December 11, 2023 by Kerbalsaurus

[StateOfBurgundy]

Hey I've been reading through you log, and its really cool, it even inspired me to do a Soviet based campaign, but I have 2 questions, are you playing Sandbox, Career or Science, and what are those visual mods for the kerbonauts? They have beards and diffrent hair... I am awaiting your response!

[Kerbalsaurus]

4 hours ago, StateOfBurgundy said:

Hey I've been reading through you log, and its really cool, it even inspired me to do a Soviet based campaign, but I have 2 questions, are you playing Sandbox, Career or Science, and what are those visual mods for the kerbonauts? They have beards and diffrent hair... I am awaiting your response!

Thanks! I’m glad I’ve inspired you to play a Soviet campaign. It’s challenging to design spacecraft in that style, but really fun too. As for your questions, the mode this save is on is sandbox, as I like to play with the infrastructure buildup without the grind of career, and the mod for the Kerbal heads is @shaw’s amazing mod texture replacer.

 

[StateOfBurgundy]

Thank you! Товариши!