First SCIENCE!, first mission report!

[Kromey]

Since I'm doing SCIENCE! now, I've decided every mission will have pre-defined objectives and mission profiles, and after-action reports. Here is my first:

Mission Objective: Escape the confines of Kerbin’s atmosphere and bring back initial observations on what space is like.

Science Objectives: Crew observations from space. Upon landing EVA to collect soil samples. All reports to be filed upon return to KSC.

Mission Plan: This is a simple manned mission into space. Flight profile calls for a simple vertical ascent, no gravity turn, and without achieving orbit. Ship design will use a simple two-stage rocket to bring the capsule into space, which will then simply fall back into the atmosphere and return to the ground safely via parachute. Once on the ground, crew will go EVA to collect soil samples and report any additional observations. Capsule to then be recovered and studied. Addendum: As it turns out, Kaerospace engineers have yet to unlock the mysteries of stage separation, therefore this was not a multi-stage rocket.

Crew: Jebediah “Jeb†Kerman

Status: Mission successfully completed; craft not reusable; demerits filed on Jeb’s permanent record

Report: After transmitting a mid-flight observational report, Jeb stayed the course and reached an apoapsis just over 112 Km above the KSC. In violation of mission parameters and without proper authorization, Jeb exited the capsule and completed the first successful EVA; despite the flagrant violation of safety protocols, Mission Control must begrudgingly acknowledge that his observations on this unauthorized expedition nonetheless brought back valuable insight into space.

On return to Kerbin’s surface it was discovered that the 5 parachutes used to slow the descent were inadequate for a completely successful landing, however the capsule managed to touch down undamaged amidst the (really quite beautiful) explosions. Jeb planted a flag to commemorate this historic success, then gathered the required soil sample before returning to the craft to await retrieval.