Panic on the Mun

[peadar1987]

After the resounding success of the Mani 16 Mun landing, the pressure was on to produce something even bigger, grander, and more impressive to keep the attention of the public.

Bill and Bob Kerman on the Mun

President Kixon's request was that a permanent base be set up on the Mun.

KSP scientists and engineers slaved for literally minutes designing a habitat and modifying the heavy-lift Mjolnir rocket to carry it to Munar orbit. The landing site was chosen as the rim of a crater near the Munar north pole, a "peak of eternal light", to provide a constant supply of power to the solar panels.

The rocket was fuelled, rolled out to the launch pad, and two brave Kerbonauts strode out to take their seats in the command module. They were:

Dobo Kerman: Second space flight, and was the command module pilot on the successful Mani 16 mission. Married with 14 children. Has a particular dislike for avocados.

Lanbin Kerman: First space flight. Prone to an itchy nose when wearing a space helmet

The countdown from mission control was creeping closer to zero.

Five... Engage throttle... Four... Engine power steady... Three... SAS Engaged... Two... Throttles set to take-off power... One... Release Clamps... Zero...

...

...

...

Dobo Kerman: "Kerbal Mission Control, this is Maní 17. We have cleared the tower. All systems nominal. Starting countdown for first stage separation."

Lanbin Kerman: "Hold on, what was that noise..."

More on how this story develops over the coming days...

[peadar1987]

Dobo: "Relax, rookie, it's just the rocket flexing. These old girls do that. It's what happens when you stick a monster of a first stage on a relic from the Gungnir program."

Lanbin: "But it seems rather a lot. In training, we never..."

Dobo: "You're not in training now, no egghead in mission control is going to hit you with some contrived "unplanned failure", just sit back and let SAS take care of the rocket. Preparing for first stage separation. The ride will get a lot smoother once we jettison that extra mass."

**KLUNK**

Dobo: "First stage separation conf..."

**CRASH**

**Alarms suddenly erupt from every corner of the cockpit**

Lanbin: "What the kerb was that?! I thought you said the ride would get smoother after separation!"

Dobo (struggling with the control stick): "I did. Mission Control, this is Maní 17, we have lost pitch control. Please advise..."

**Maní 17 veers further and further off course as the two Kerbals in the cockpit desperately hunt for the source of the problem**

Lanbin: "Control surfaces all responding to input, RCS online, Monopropellant delivery system operational, all fuel tanks sealed... Oh my..."

Dobo (Eyes bulging with the effort of holding the control stick): "What is it?"

Lanbin: "We've lost a kerbing engine!"

Dobo: "Come on, get it started again, the handle is just on your left"

Lanbin: "No skipper, we have literally lost an engine. Engine 4 is gone"

Dobo (Hand moving towards the abort handle): "Okay kid, remember that smooth ride I promised you. This isn't it."

Lanbin: "No, wait, I think we can save the mission..."

...To be continued...

[GeneralMDBK]

Oh nice, love the story line. Keep it coming.