Going to the Mun, first steps.

[Galane]

After experimenting a bunch to see how things work in KSP, Alan Aerospace Recycling & Packaging (AARP) has developed a set of vehicles that will (should, hopefully) set three Kerbals onto the Mun and return them safely to Kerbin.

The culmination of the BLB (Big Light Booster) test series is the RD-BLB-70K-plus. Through purchase of new components from ReStock, all of the previous R&D of the BLB series has turned out to be pretty much a loss after adding the Thunder Max components to AARP's inventory. Note that the five small engine mounts on the Thunder Max adapter are unused. There *is* such a thing as too much thrust. P.S. Plus just means it's had another engine and a Rockamax 64 shoved in between the AARP Stock Lander 1 and the Thunder Max first stage. RD is for Reduced Diameter, which it is compared to the asparagus monstrosity of stock parts this replaced.

In this configuration, the vehicle barely makes it to a 70KM orbit with a bit of fuel left in the Rockamax 64, an essential component of the planned mission after refueling at the Depot Marko 1-0. A minor modification with four small diameter stretchy tanks attached to the Rockamax was required to leave enough fuel for maneuvers to rendezvous with the depot.

That's two full Rockamax 64 tanks in a 70KM orbit with a Skipper strapped onto one end with enough fuel to de-orbit after the big tanks are emptied, or fuel can be transferred to the small tank to boost the depot to a higher orbit.

The third vehicle in the mission plan is the L2B-FT, which is simply the L2B-M1 with the ladders, landing legs, and four Kerbal storage compartment removed and the compartment replaced with a second fuel tank. Our chief engineer has forgotten what the L2B stands for but he does remember that FT is for Fuel Transfer and the M1 was a one-off used for crew transfer tests from the RD-BLB-70K-plus.

Here we have the RD-BLB-70K-plus with Rockamax 64 still connected and refilled. docked to the Depot along with an L2B-FT. The L2B-FT was launched first and only then was it discovered that there wasn't enough fuel remaining in its big tank to finish the rendezvous.

The decision was made before (hastily modifying then) launching the RD-BLB to transfer most of the fuel from the L2B-FT to the depot after filling the RD-BLB's tank. This turned out to be a fortunate event because attempts to save fuel in the RD's big tank resulted in problems docking, leaving only 7 units of monopropellant when a secure dock was finally achieved. 100% of the remaining monopropellant in the L2B-FT's tank was transferred then the ship was undocked and deorbited into the ocean.

The VAB crew is hard at work, modifying an L2B-FT to enable it to reach orbit with more fuel remaining. After it docks and refills, the two ships will leave for the Mun and should arrive with plenty of extra fuel to top off the lander for its return to Kerbin. Prior to decoupling from its Rockamax tank to prepare for Mun landing, the RD-BLB will dock with the L2B-FT and transfer all remaining fuel to it.

[Galane]

I'd thought about adding an RCS tank to the depot but had enough problems getting just the two big tanks in orbit. I'll get a shot of the craziness that gets those tanks into space. With all the fuel it takes, it's like a battery powered battery charger.

It's likely that optimizing the ascent profiles would work better, but all these launches have been made with the default that MechJeb uses.

[Galane]

An L2B-FT2 approaches the Depot Marko 1-0 (mark 2, but not actually renamed) The L2B-FT2 is simply the L2B-FT with the 3rd stage engine removed and the two separate fuel tanks replaced by one of the same capacity. The weight saving gets it to orbit with more fuel left. This one is actually about to fail to dock due to running out of monopropellant after docking with the old depot to drain its fuel for transfer.

All aboard! The new depot with no vacancy.

Upper left is the L2B-FT (Fuel Transfer). Upper right is the RD-BLB-70K-plus. Lower left is the L2B-FT-MT (Fuel Transfer Monopropellant Transfer). Lower right is the L2B-FT2 with strap on auxiliary RCS tanks just for the operation to empty and deorbit the old depot.

Apparently Kerbals crystallize when left in orbit for too long. Shortly before this happened, their heads turned transparent, showing only disembodied teeth and eyes floating above their space suits.

The depot on the pad. Modifications for four ports plus RCS added more weight and drag than removing the nose cones saved. (All this time I thought the cones were a help instead of a hindrance. Aaargghhh.)

[Galane]

Skipping all the booooring going to the Mun stuff you've seen before.

Rendezvous in Mun orbit to empty then kick away the lander's Rockomax 64. (It's titled Goodbye Support but then I looked closer and, oops, that's docking, not cutting loose.)

Going down. MechJeb is burning a lot of fuel. Realization hits that we didn't go down to anywhere near close enough of an orbit.

Touchdown and ready for Bill to EVA. Happy faces all around! Get out, plant the flag, climb back in and let's get out of here. We've been in space so long we'll have to take ten showers and they'll have to burn out the lander then douse its hulk with bleach before the scrapyard will take it.

Something isn't right! The autopilot seems to be confused by a ship with engines pointing both ways and all it wants to do is reverse orbit direction, burning all the fuel, before doing anything else. Having no experience with this, Mission Control decides to poke the reset button then quickly strip down a Depot Marko 1-0, stick a standard Clampotron on top and boost out a full Rockomax 64 to dock with the lander to ensure plenty of fuel for any further "Mechanical/Organic Pilot Interface Issues" or MOPII which may occur.

Mun Rescue One has delivered us a present of a giant tank of fuel so we can be as incompetent as we wanna be on the way home.

Skipping all the tedious mucking about in hyperspace between Mun and Kerbin on the way back, we're back home, at night so nobody can see how embarrassed we are at how long this simple trip has taken. At least we made it back alive and learned some things.

AAAAAAHHHH! So that's what naked Kerbals look like! Jeb, get back in the ship and get dressed! He did, and did. Came back out looking normal.