Newgel Kerman's escape from orbit

[sssomeone]

A bit of backstory: I was playing around with the new career mode when the accident happened. I was planning a trip to minmus for science and profit to invest in landers. I was inspired by Scott Manley's video of this emergency technique. I'll be honest, when I watched it I didn't think it had any practical use.

The orbit went well, better than most. Newgel Kerman reached 100km above the surface and, with some slight difficulty as the Mun was blocking the most ideal angle, the intercept occurred. He knew the journey wouldn't be a short one and had packed more than enough supplies, hopefully he would be back home with his family soon enough. He had total confidence in the mission, as the design had make it to the Mun three times already and despite him not being as experienced as his colleagues, he was sure the mission would go smoothly.

It was a beautiful moon and the experiments revealed a lot of interesting and ground-breaking science for potential landing coming later. Newgel happily waited went over the data and facts before the time for the return burn. Hitting the throttle the engines roared to life bringing the craft into a return trajectory fairly easily due to the minute gravity. Using the RCS Newgel was able to put the periapsis at 30km, enough to safely hit the atmosphere so the forces would not be lethal. Feeling confidant he hit stage.

The command centre was deathly quiet. The situation was dire. The force needed to separate the command module from the ship had pushed the periapsis up to 65km, and with all the engines and RCS blown off to save weight for the landing things where not looking up. Newgel had been waiting for over a week, doing two orbits to slowly bring himself down. However it seemed the third orbit would intercept the moon and push his periapses even further up to 95km. beyond the atmosphere. He would never get back. Bill spoke through the microphone. "I'm sorry Newgel, if you're lucky we might be able to send a craft up to get you?"

"Don't worry, I did my part"

"Would you like to EVA, just watch the stars for the next few years?"

Suddenly Newgel had an idea

The team watched intently. It was 30 minutes from apoapsis and Newgel had just gone on EVA. He began to move himself towards the end of the ship. Suddenly he fired straight forward, slamming into the back of the craft. "ooh… did that hurt?" asked Bob

"Worth it"

Bob Bill and Jeb watched in surprise as the craft begun to slow, its periapsis moving lower and lower, into the atmosphere. Newgel was pushing his craft in the place of engines, using the thrust in his jetpack. After a few seconds he returned to the craft happily. His ingenious and creativity had saved the mission, and the science with it.

Two weeks after takeoff, Newgel's craft splashed down safely and was recovered, Newgel was overjoyed to return to his family and friends and his bravery will be remembered by the space program.

[DJEN]

Amazing indeed, if I were to say.