Minmus Expedition 1 Executive Summary

[MaverickSawyer]

MINMUS EXPEDITION 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Crew:

Jebediah Kerman -Commander

Rayhat Kerman -Lander Pilot 1

Joewise Kerman -Lander Pilot 2

Patsen Kerman -Exogeologist 1

Hamford Kerman -Exogeologist 2

Primary Craft:

Composite spacecraft prototype

Secondary Craft:

Chariot-class Lander (x2)

Minmus-class Lander (x2)

Mission Objectives:

Test orbital assembly and fuelling operations for a large craft - SUCCESS

Test control authority of large composite spacecraft - SUCCESS

Transfer to and from Minmus - SUCCESS

Deploy a Kerbal to the surface, collect contingency samples, plant flag, take pictures, and return to the ship (Footprints, Flags, and Fotos program) - SUCCESS

Locate geologically interesting sites for later exploration - SUCCESS

Land a second lander at separate location - SUCCESS

Land a Chariot-class lander with exogeology team at geologically interesting site, perform exploration, and return to the ship - PARTIAL SUCCESS. (See details below)

Return to Kerbin from Minmus - SUCCESS

Mission Details

The five-kerb crew was dispatched to Minmus knowing that they might not return. One of them did not, and only the valiant efforts of the Mission Control Crew and Jebediah Kerman prevented the deaths of three other crew members.

INCIDENT 1: Chariot-class lander crash

After a successful landing in the highlands by Joewise Kerman, Rayhat Kerman was dispatched to scout out a landing site on the low flatlands using a Minmus-class pressurized scouting lander. Once this was completed, Joewise and Hamford Kerman boarded Geo 2 and safely landed less than a meter from the target beacon. Hamford requested an extended stay on the surface, which was granted after a reprogramming of the Minmus lander's autopilot. Joewise and Rayhat boarded Geo 2 and initiated the Ascent Guidance module of the flight computer. The craft lifted off, tipped sideways, and crashed into the surface at more than 30 m/s. The craft apparently landed with Joewise on the ground side, as Rayhay reported seeing the stars, a flash of light and heat, and being hurled from his seat at great speed. Analysis from telemetry revealed that the nearly-full fuel tank exploded, catapulting Rayhat to relative safety.

After several seconds of shock, Rayhat activated his EVA Pack thrusters and proceeded to manually insert himself into a stable orbit to enable a rescue, even though he had no idea if that rescue was coming. Thankfully, Hamford reported the explosion and resulting launch of Rayhat, and a plan was rapidly enacted to rescue him. Hamford dropped all further EVAs, and returned to the ship, allowing the single seat lander to be refuelled and dispatched on an automatic rendevous mission. This took almost an entire day, but it finally arrived 10 meters away from Rayhat, who gleefully climbed aboard and was returned to the main ship, where he remained under the watch of Jeb.

CAUSE: An accidental flip of the switch selecting guidance system input left the flight computer taking accelerometer input from Rayhat's chair, resulting in a horizontal flight.

RESULT: All future Chariot landers will have a guard installed over this switch that must be intentionally opened before actuation can occur.

INCIDENT 2: Chariot-class lander explosion

After a successful landing, an extensive surface exploration mission by Patsen and Hamford Kerman at the highlands geology site, and placing a makeshift memorial to Joewise overlooking his first footprints on Minmus, Geo 1 returned to the ship. However, less than a second after successfully docking, the Remote Guidance Unit that formed the main chassis of the lander suffered a massive explosion, rocking the entire ship and catapulting the two geologists into ballistic trajectories out of the SoI of Minmus. Rayhat and Jeb promptly jettisoned the still-docked fuel tank of Geo 1, and coached Patsen and Hamford on how to use their EVA Packs to safely decelerate into a highly elliptical orbit. After a rushed refuelling, the first Minmus-class lander was dispatched in pursuit of Patsen. However, a typo at Mission Control resulted in the lander suffering an uncontrolled crash into a mountainside. The second lander was then dispatched after a thorough round of triple checking the math. This arrived 10 meters away after a several hour pursuit. A second multi-hour flight then returned Patsen to the ship, where he proceeded to EVA across the 25 meter gap to the habitat. The lander then departed in pursuit of Hamford, who was also recovered and returned. At this point, Jebediah proceeded to board the lander, and departed in pursuit of the jettisonned Chariot fuel tank, where he retrieved the flight data recorders, geology samples, and small debris fragments lurking nearby. He then docked with the tank and deorbited it, before returning to the ship and deorbiting the remaining Minmus lander.

CAUSE: Unknown. Crew attributes the accident to the mythical boogeyman of the kerbonaut corps, the "Space Kraken". Engineering focus remains on the junction between fuel tank and RGU.

RESULT: All Chariot-class landers are currently grounded while the investigation continues. Further actions will be dictated by the results of the accident investigation.

END MISSION STATUS: SUCCESS

This mission has proven the following:

-Kerbals can operate in very low gravity environments, low temperatures, and rough terrain without issue.

-Kerbals can perform remarkable feats of ingenuity and courage in times of crisis.

-Kerbals are ready to leave the Kerbin system and proceed into deep space.

-Minmus's flatlands are made of a mysterious frozen gas that has an unusually high chemical energy potential when burned. This has been dubbed "kethane" by the crew, and the name has stuck for now. Research is ongoing into possible uses for this exotic material.

(Prepared with the help of notes from crew members collected during cruise home.)

[Commander Zoom]

Great writeup and quick thinking. Damn shame about Joewise, though.