The Jool Outpost - we ain't running out of snacks today! [pic heavy]

[mellojoe]

Notes:

• My first time making it to Jool with more than just a probe.
  
• My first time ever juggling multiple ships. Sure, it was only 2 ships, but I gained mad respect for you guys who can do this. It was nerve racking. I kept switching crafts and checking time to intercept to make sure I did, indeed, have that 30 day window.
  
• Mech-Jeb used for delta-V calculations only. All piloting was done as if it didn't exist. I find this to be more fun.
  

Thanks for reading!

Comment with any thoughts or concerns or suggestions.

Mission Control: "We have liftoff."

News Reporter: "And there she goes. The Delta II rocket lifts off into the sky carrying the satellite payload that will begin this ambitious project to the planet Jool."

Adam: "Whoa..."

Shepdous: "Adam, did you see that? All looks good over here."

Adam: "Whoa..."

Shepdous: ".... Adam? You there? ... Adam?"

Adam: *crunch crunch* "THEY HAVE Kwix Bars!"

Shepdous: "..."

Mission Control: "Stage 1 booster separation good. Stage 2 ignition go."

Harbart: "Shep, satellites are looking good. When are we scheduled to launch?"

Shepdous: "A few hours after they hit orbit, just to make sure all is well."

Adam: "Kwix Bars, y'all!" *crunch crunch* "Didn't you hear me?"

Mission Control: "Fairings separation good. Payload is in orbit."

Mission Control: "Jool Team, prepare for launch."

Shepdous: "Har, can you grab Adam? Its time to suit up."

Adam: "I'm right here, you know."

Shepdous: "... would you wipe your face, for goodness sakes man"

Adam: *crunch crunch* "What?"

-- some time later --

Mission Control: "Liftoff of the JVL Jool Launch Vehicle"

Adam: "WHOA"

Shepdous: "Liftoff looks good. Wish us luck, boys."

Harbart: "Adam, please don't get crumbs on the throttle controls."

Shepdous: "All systems good."

Harbart: "Nominal. Check."

Adam: "I can't reach my Koke Cola from my seat."

Mission Control: "We have good main engine separation. Confirm."

Shepdous: "Main engine separation confirmed."

Adam: "Guys ... I don't feel so good."

Shepdous: "Transitioning to interplanetary transfer."

Harbart: "Separation clean. We are go."

Adam: *hurk*

Harbart: "Uh, control? We are going to cut transmissions for a moment to check on someon--- er something. We'll see you at Jool."

Adam: *hurk*

-- meanwhile back on Kerbin --

Mission Control: "Jool satellites on track. Planning intercept"

Mission Control: "This is going to be a little tricky, but all seems to be going according to plan. Satellite relay should arrive 30 days before Jool Team. This gives us our window to prepare."

Mission Control: "Satellites approching Jool, prepare for deployment."

Mission Control: "Deploying"

Mission Control: "Navigating satellites into orbital positions."

Shepdous: "Control, all is well here. Approaching Jool."

Adam: "I'm fine, thanks for asking!"

Harbart: *chuckle*

Shepdous: "We are preparing for aerobraking."

Adam: "Wasn't me this time. I didn't brake anything."

Harbart: "No, Adam .... aerobraking. We're doing the slowing down thing."

Adam: "Oh, yeah... can you pass me the Keritos chips?"

Shepdous: "....."

Adam: "Holy Kerbal on a candle! WE'RE ON FIRE!"

Harbart: "Adam! Its fine! ADAM!"

Adam: "AAAAAAAAH" *munch munch*

Harbart: "Adam ...."

Adam: "What, I eat when I'm scared."

Shepdous: "Control, all is fine here. Systems nominal. Looking good."

Mission Control: ".... aaaah OK. Then, begin final burn for stable orbit."

Shepdous: "Control, is fuel gauge accurate? We seem to be going through it awfully fast."

Harbart: "Suck in your gut, boys, we are running thin."

Adam: "... that actually works?"

Shepdous: "..."

Mission Control: "Looks like a stable orbit. Congrats team."

Adam: "I DID IT!"

Shepdous: "It was a team effort. Thank you, Control."

Adam: "I got the top off this darn Koke Cola. Stubborn bugger."

Shepdous: "..."

Mission Control: "All three satellites deployed correctly, Jool Team in stable equatorial orbit. All is go."

Shepdous: "Confirm. All good."

Harbart: "Roger that."

Adam: "Which one of these is us, again?"

Edited August 30, 2013 by mellojoe

[mellojoe]

Shepdous: "Control, sending image now. You have got to see this view."

Adam: "Whoa"

Harbart: "Whoa"

Mission Control: "Copy that, boys. Whoa, indeed."

Adam: "I brought cake if anyone wants a slice."

Shepdous: "Not now, Adam! We've still got work to do."

Adam: "Its here somewhere. One of those cabinets, I think."

Harbart: "Adam ... "

Harbart: "Adam? Adam? Do you copy? Adam?"

Shepdous: "Har, what's going on down there?"

Harbart: "Shep, you aren't going to belive this..."

Adam: "Hey, guys! This wasn't the cabinet with the cake in it."

Harbart: "Adam, get back in here."

Adam: "No way! THIS IS AWESOME!"

Shepdous: "Harbart, is he doing what I think he's doing?"

Harbart: "If you look out the window, you'll see for yourself."

Shepdous: "Har, what are we going to do with him?"

Adam: "HEY GUYS! YOU MADE IT!"

Mission Control: "If you kerbalnauts are done having fun, there is some work to be done, you know."

Shepdous: "Roger, Control."

Harbart: "Roger."

Adam: "Oh yeah! My cake!"

Edited August 26, 2013 by mellojoe

[mellojoe]

UPDATE: Phase 2, The Harbart Saga

Adam: "Oh no. Oh no no no. OH NO."

Shepdous: "What's going on?"

Adam: "We have a problem."

Shepdous: "What is it?"

Adam: "How soon until a rescue ship can get here?"

Shepdous: "Adam, what is going on?"

Adam: "WE'RE OUT OF PUDDING!"

Mission Control: "Jool Team, come in, Jool Team."

Adam: "OH THANK KERBIN"

Harbart: "We are here, Control, go ahead."

Mission Control: "A resupply vessel has been commissioned. We are going to bring you guys home and send a new crew to take over for a while."

Harbart: "Oh? Really?"

Shepdous: "Control, we thought this was an extended operation."

Mission Control: "This thing has turned political, and we have loads of new funding. The Jool Outpost is now the jewel of the skies. That's what they are calling it during the elections last week."

Shepdous: "Can't say I'm unhappy to be going home so soon."

Harbart: "Yeah, I think I'm very much OK with this."

Adam: "DID YOU TELL THEM WE'RE OUT OF PUDDING?"

Shepdous: "..."

A new launcher has been designed. This one is much more effecient.

Liftoff.

Pushing away from Kerbin and headed to deep space.

Arriving at Jool

Through sheer luck (because there is no way I could plan this good) we finish our circularization burn using nearly the last of the fuel in our drop tanks.

We drop the heavy outer tanks and switch to RCS for docking.

The Jool System as it appears now.

Edited August 30, 2013 by mellojoe

[mellojoe]

I ran out of time for formatting, so I'm going to stick the pictures up for now. ENJOY!

6 Kerbal Spacewalk!

Juggling 6 kerbals in space is way more difficult than I ever imagined. these spacesuits are not designed for being stationary...

Swap out crew and get ready to see if we can make it home.

Burning for home

Plenty of fuel. Hurray!

Deorbiting over KSC. I left the engines attached longer than I usually do because I was a lot closer to KSC than I usually am. I saw an opportunity...

I've never gotten this close before on just parachutes...

I mean, REALLY close

TADAA!

Edited August 30, 2013 by mellojoe

[Blue]

Using RCS for those satellites is quite ingenious! Those things are probably the lightest sats I've ever seen that are capable of self-propulsion. I'm gonna totes steal that.

It's also a pretty handsome space station..

Nice work!

[HAMsmith]

Great mission and write up!

[DerekL1963]

Nice... I'm totally 'borrowing' that station design.

[The Jedi Master]

Awesome. Have some rep, my good friend.

[Nor9864]

Wow, that was awesome! Nice work!