Homesteading the Stars

[NASAFanboy]

Chapters

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Prologue

United Pronvincal Ballistic Rocket Research Center

The sun rose over the mountains as the launch preparations for the new rocket began. A mass of fuel tanks and engines thrown together at a moments notice, the rocket still represented the best that Kerbin-or, atleast, the United Provinces could offer.

Wehner looked at the pad, at the small rocket standing glistening in the sun. The words UPDF were scrambled on the side, and a engineer was securing two fuel tanks together. The LV-909 engine stood on the bottom of the spacecraft, the newest breakthrough in engine propulsion-well, that is, until his team on the LV-45 would report in. A truck arrived, bearing fuel, and the engineer and another Kerbal ran out and began to fuel the rocket.

"The Kraken-8 represents the best in rocket technology... Actually, other than modified Q-4 rockets we got during the Big War, we have no rocket technology."

The scientist kept silent, fingering the medal the Great Leader had given him during the war. Bobfred approached him with a stack of papers, and set them on his desk, and went out to grab a cup of coffee. Wehner looked down at the papers. He looked back up. The first rays of sunlight where peeking over the mountaintops now. Hopefully the test payload was secured along with the control unit, and the rocket won't fall apart and lose control in mid-air. The Rocketry Research Division needed a success to get their funding, after all- the Parliament kept threatening budget cuts if the Kraken-8 wasn't completed in time for action in the Bali Insurrection or something...it didn't matter. He'll show them. Bobfred entered the room.

"Bobfred."

"Sir?"

"Please go perform a full system and structural check on the rocket."

"Yes sir."

"And once you're done, head over to the local Kerbucks and get me a kappuccino. Extra sugar, not decaf. Frozen, with whipped cream. Oh, plus twenty of their glazed doughnuts. Large. I need to restock the Employee lounge."

"Yes sir. I'll get it.

Back onto the launch pad, Gene was securing the last of the bolts. He had heard about the first Kraken-8 test flight, and he didn't want it to happen again. After all, the last one did almost get him laid off before he even started his job, until Wehner intervened and managed to cajole/beg/bribe Parliament into approving another million for the Airforce Rocket Division....that was enough for another month-and that was if this flight was successful. A 23-million annual budget gets you nowhere, after all. The screwdriver stopped shaking, and he took it out and patted the bolt.

"Keep in there, little piece o'metal, and I'll get to support my family another year."

"Gene!"

"Huh?"

Bobfred ran up to him, panting and gasping for breath. The rocket was shining in the early morning now.

"What's with Wehner? He hasn't left the main Headquarters for a while."

"There's air conditioning there..."

"Oh."

"Gene, can you check over everything? Wehner wants to be sure."

"Ok."

Bobfred then ran off toward the employee parking lot mumuring something about frozen coffee with extra sugar and twenty glazed donuts. Gene bent down, making sure the bolts where secure. He opened a small panel, and stuck in a metal rod. It came out wet, stick with some black substance.

"That's good. Fuel full."

He closed the panel, and secured the bolts one last time. Bending down, he felt the engine, and checked it over for cracks and dents in the bell. Nothing. This rocket was ready for launch. Another truck arrived, and several workers exited, and started carrying large red supports.

"Hello, I've managed to deliver your order from Jebediah's Metalworks. Nice day today, isn't it? Now, where should be put them?"

"Uh, arrange them around the rocket, activate them, and attach them to the fuselage."

"Got it!"

The workers put the launch clamps around the rocket and fastened them to the pad, before activating them and driving off into the distance. Jebediah...had he heard that name before? Wasn't he that cheery (And slightly insane) young airforce officer who came here one day and asked them if they had a space program, and if he could be a astronaut? No matter, there was work to be done. Gene climbed a clamp, and started to secure it to the rocket. After aligning the suction cups and structural parts, he sighed. One down, three more to go. He clambered down, and went to work on another clamp. After this, he had to touch up the paint job. It was still morning.

Back at the building, Wehner worked on his plans. Well, plans that would come to fruition if Parliament ever made a space agency. Even the current Missile research agency was criminally underfunded. And their funding was on a downwards spiral. He needed a success.

"Sir! The Kraken-8 is ready for launch! And I got your coffee! They ran out of donuts, though, so I got fifteen."

Bobfred stood there, grinning. Wehner motioned for him to come in.

"We'll launch right now. Tell Gene to hurry up, and set the engine ignition timer to Five Minutes."

"Got it. Can we get one of those little devices that you talk in and other people can hear you? Like the ones we see in old war movies of the Big War?"

"They cost money. We don't have money. Besides, you have to exercise. Now get out there and tell him!"

"Yes sir!"

Bobfred ran out, and rushed outside, cursing the Parliament under his breath. The budget was a issue. Wehner looked at the watch. He had a appointment with the Secretary of Defense in a couple hours. Outside, two Kerbals scurried off the launch pad. The timer was set. It was almost noon. The few engineers in the building would be at their posts now, watching and waiting for the launch. Over the only radio in the entire center, he could hear excited chatter amongst the scientists in the control room as the timer slowly counted down. Picking up his papers and a pen, he opened the door and went down the stairwell to join in the excitement.

Five minutes later, the little rocket hurled toward the sky, blazing fire and smoke out of its engine. Wehner went to the telemetry station, and immediately began to observe the information coming from the craft. The altitude started to rise, and the speed picked up as the little rocket soared towards the sky. Several engineers looked out the window, watching as the glowing streak of light slowly disappeared as the rocket soared above the clouds, leaving a trail of smoke.

"So, I think the gasoline and sulfur combination worked."

"Sulfur?"

"Yes. Gasoline as main fuel, sulfuric acid as oxidizer. By the way, what's the odd smell in this room?"

"Uh....."

Gene got up and left, and so did the smell. A second later, he poked his head into the room.

"I'm going to take a shower. Be right back."

"Smells so much better now."

"Engine burnout in five secon-now."

"Apogee?"

"105 Kilometers. It'll land several hundred kilometers away."

"105KM?"

"Yes."

The control room cheered as rocket neared its Apogee. In space. But that wasn't the only reason they cheered. This would secure funding for some time, and they had families to support with a hefty paycheck, after all. Telemetry ceased from the first stage-the decoupler had fired, and the test payload was now plummeting back to Kerbin. Wehner was tense, slowly chewing on the ice cubes in his finished coffee. The heat shield was the only part they had not tested.

"Reentry in five..four...three...two..one!"

All telemetry ceased from the payload as it dove through the atmosphere. Some numbers came in, but they where scrambled. Suddenly, the temperature dropped, and the craft fell through the clouds, toward the small recovery ships below. Telemetry resumed. Loud cheering could be heard in the control room, and the parachutes opened, readying the Kraken-8's payload for a splashdown. Wehner looked at the readouts joyfully, and back at the smoke plume that the first stage had left, growing fainter and fainter by the second.

Gene returned from his shower.

"I'm back! What happened?"

"Mission Accomplished, Gene. Mission Accomplished."

A thousand kilometers away, the test payload bobbled in the waves as a recovery ship secured it with ropes and nets. The captain of the vessel watched as his sailor hoisted the small craft out of the water, then looked above toward the stars. This was only the beginning.

Edited November 22, 2013 by NASAFanboy

[NASAFanboy]

Chapter One

United Provinical Rocket Research Center

It was in the late afternoon, and the sun set over the horizon. The research center was quiet, most of the scientists and engineers having gone home to their respective families, and only a skeleton crew of security guards and researchers remained to work the graveyard shift. A black car with governmental markings was parked in the main parking lot. Wehner was in the Employee lounge, eating a large glazed donut while he talked with the newly appointed Secretary of Defense-a old friend of his whom he had met while on a international trip.

"As you can see, sir, the Kraken-8 missile is ready for action. The test payload has been recovered several thousand kilometers away by a UPDF missile patrol boat and is being shipped back here. The Kraken-8 is a success, which will help the Rocketry Division secure it's funding for another month."

The Defense Secretary stayed silent, and walked over to the coffee machine and started to make a cup. He frowned in disapproval, and looked toward Wehner.

"Uh-where's the cream?"

"In the upper cabinet by the sink."

"Thanks. Got it."

After pouring a whole packet of vanilla cream into his cup, the Secretary sat down in a armchair. The fireplace was running in a corner as the two officals looked at each other uncomforatbly. Finally, the Secretary broke the news.

"Wehner. I'm going to allocate more money to your Advanced Space Studies division. Actually, I'll be raising the budget as a whole. From 12 million this year, to 24 million in the coming months, and hopefully onwards to next year."

"Oh."

"And I'm going to vouch for the creation of a space agency."

Wehner paused, trying to suppress his happiness. A space agency? He stayed silent, giving time for the Secretary to keep talking. There was a brief pause as the official fumbled around for a packet of sugar and a spoon.

"Wheres the donuts?"

"In the back"

"Thank you, by kod. It's been a while and I need this coffee to get me into my nighttime shift. Now, the space- *munch*-mmmm...good. Did this come from Kerbucks? I used to work there as a high school student, y'know. Now, the space agency will be headed by you and the other high-ups in the rocketry division. How's that sound?"

"Good...budget?"

"I'm going to ask Parliament for a billion. Or half, at least. The agency will be independent, so you'll be reporting directly to the President. Thanks for the coffee, by the way."

"Ah, you're welcome. We have lots more."

"Great!"

The Secretary looked at his watch, and picked up his jacket. It was getting late, and he had to catch his flight back to the United Provinical Capitol. He took a quick peek at wahat was happening outside. One of his bodyguards outside was chatting with a security guard, while the other was pacing relentlessly. His driver was reading a novel with a flashlight, and another of his guards was staring at the door. Turning from the window he immediately excused himself.

"I have to go now. I'll forward my proposal to the President."

"Goodbye, sir. And good luck. Was this all?"

"Yeah. I was going to check on the Kraken-8, but since you launched it already-what a neat surprise anyways, I ought to give you more funding. Budget cuts for this division aren't fair-since you do a very good job and all that, but atleast I can override Parliamentary decisions in the Department of Defence. Heh, I owe you for bailing out my grades in Advanced Kerbin Sciences while I was in university-and lots more. Oh, and one last thing."

"Huh?"

On the way out of the door, the official suddenly paused and turned around to face Wehner. The Secretary extended his hand, grinning.

"A favor for a old friend of mine. Au revior for now, Director Wehner. I'll see you at the capitol."

Edited November 21, 2013 by NASAFanboy

[Patupi]

Nice start, keep up the good work. Are you planning on going through the whole history of the Kerbal's space program?

Note:

Sulfuric acid can be an oxidizer, but sulfer on it's own can't I believe. It's more to do with what's bound to the sulfer in sulfuric acid rather than the sulfer itself. Also note I'm not a chemist so so I might be off on details, but I'm almost positive about the sulfer.

[NASAFanboy]

Nice start, keep up the good work. Are you planning on going through the whole history of the Kerbal's space program?

Note:

Sulfuric acid can be an oxidizer, but sulfer on it's own can't I believe. It's more to do with what's bound to the sulfer in sulfuric acid rather than the sulfer itself. Also note I'm not a chemist so so I might be off on details, but I'm almost positive about the sulfer.

My main goal is to go up until the first manned Duna landing, then see how it goes from there.

[KSK]

Nice start, keep up the good work. Are you planning on going through the whole history of the Kerbal's space program?

Note:

Sulfuric acid can be an oxidizer, but sulfer on it's own can't I believe. It's more to do with what's bound to the sulfer in sulfuric acid rather than the sulfer itself. Also note I'm not a chemist so so I might be off on details, but I'm almost positive about the sulfer.

Yup - sulfur won't do much but concentrated sulfuric acid is an oxidant. Also highly corrosive, hygroscopic and generally nasty to handle. Nitric oxide might be a more Kerbal-friendly choice - it's used in hybrid motors (think SpaceShipOne) here on Earth and also in amateur rocketry - apparently it burns well with polyethylene and other polymers, so I imagine it should go reasonably well with gasoline (or a heavier hydrocarbon fraction - that fuel looks a little too black and sticky to be refined gasoline). Plus there's something fairly Kerbal about using laughing gas as rocket fuel

Sorry - chemist here! Whichever propellant you end up using, this is nice writing - your style has developed a lot. Looking forward to seeing what the Rocket Research Center does with their bigger budget!

Edited November 21, 2013 by KSK

[NASAFanboy]

Chapter Two

The Rocketry Research Center was abuzz with excitment as the two military transport trucks pulled up into the parking lot in the afterglow of the early morning. Several airforce soldiers opened the doors, and immediately started carrying out a new type of device noone had ever seen before-let alone seven of them together. Even the sight of the armored transports was enough to excite-after all, the nearby small suburban town's did get much excitment, and large armored military trucks is not a sight to be seen everyday. Wehner stood in the crowd of curious onlookers, and immediately recognized the device.

"Hey! That's the LVT-45! Our Propulsion teams have delivered!"

The small crowd of engineers cheered as the servicemen saluted, and started to carry the engines into the storage building. The Propulsion team had done an excellent job with the engines, and the scientist's couldn't wait to try it out. Wehner picked up a blueprint for the Hulfry-1 Exo-Atmospherical Orbital Sounding Rocket, and smiled. With the new budget raises in the Advanced Kerbin Science's division, he could now afford follow the plan he had waited months to try. After all, he still had one of those experimental payloads in backup storage. He looked toward his blueprints, and stroked the paper softly. This is a idea today, but it shall exist by next week. And who knows? It might push Parliamentary support for the space agency and get them to listen to the Secretary of Defense's advice!

He sighed alone, as he once again realized all projects had to get through the President. Picking up the phone, he called Madfield, silently praying for the approval of the project. The cheering was growing fainter outside as the LVT-45 was safely deposited in the storage facility and the transports returned to base.

"Allo?"

"Hello? Is this Wehner? The Secretary of Defense has been recommending the space agency proposal to me, and he say's you're fit to command it. Are you sure about that?"

"Yes-and this is abotu something different. The LVT-45 engines just came today from our propulsion engineering team, and I badly want to launch a orbital satellite."

"A orbit satellite? Good idea....maybe. I'll approve funding on the program, and see how it goes."

"So it's a green light to go?"

"You could say that. I have to hang up now, the Speaker of Parliament is meeting me in a couple minutes. Wish you the best of luck. Oh, and about the space agency-I'll forward the proposal to him and recommend you for the job. G'bye"

*click*

Wehner grinned and tried not to laugh out of delight. The project had been approved, given the green light, allowed, funded, everything! His dreams where coming true-now all that remained was his efforts. And sure as hell, he would try. He looked back over his blueprints, and called oer his assistant.

"Bobfred!"

"Uh-huh?"

"I want you to do a engine test with Gene, Tom, and Adam."

"Sir, my legs are aching. I don't want to walk anymore. When will you buy these little devices that we see in the old war movies?"

"Just shut up. If they're aching, then you get muscle. You're single, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Keep it up, sooner or later you'll be strong enough to attract any kerbette you want. Now get out there and tell them! We got a engine test today!"

The LVT-45 was the breakthough in rocket propulsion, being the only engine not completely derived from the Q-class rockets the coalition forces had recovered in the Big War almost a decade ago-a great war that had caused the collapse of many great civilizations and empires, and had ravanged the surface fo kerbin, killing many Kerbals in the process. The scars of the war was still apparent on Kerbin today-especially into the rocket division. Wehner was forever marked by what he had experienced during the war as a military officer in charge of R&D, and forever carried with him the scars and reputation he had acquired. But that was of no interest now-the LVT-45 was sleek, modern, and reported to have a thurst ability four times that of the LV-909, and with a fuel conservation ability that rivaled it nonetheless. The rocket division was proud of it-and they had a good reason to be so-after all, it was among the best engines in the world, and the best that money could buy.

On the launchpad, the technicans hauled out a LVT-45 and began to attach to to a fuel tank and supports. This was be it's first firing test, and they needed to keep up the success that had started with the Kraken-8-and, after all, they had families to feed.

"Gene! Can you get the umblical cords attach to the fuel tank?"

"Ok. I'm on it."

Wehner stood off to the side with a group of engineers with clipboards and sensory output recievers.

"Yep! We're ready lads! Let's go!"

"Ignition timer set to a minute! Everyone, off, run, and hit the ground once the thrust starts!"

"GO GO GO"

The technicans scrambled off the launchpad as fast as they could, and the rocket suddenyl burst to life behind them, spraying smoke out toward the blue sky. There was clapping amongst the engineers as the readouts came. A couple faces fell as bets where lost, but the mood was greatly positive among them.

"Nice one!"

A couple chuckles and a "Congrat's, Gene" rolled through the scattered group of engineers, followed by a high-five and a quick passing around of a bottle of wine. The engine stopped firing, and the fuel meter reached zero. The engine test was successful, and exicited chatter broke out amongst the researchers. But another group was watching intently.

"Nice. I think it would be interesting if we managed to get the Rocketry Agency to launch a science satellite."

"Yeah. I have some connections in the government-we might be able to pull some strings in the Parliament to get them to launch a science satellite."

The three astronomers stood in the forest clearing as the white plume of smoke slowly faded in the sky, scattered by the wind as the sun shone overhead. It was around noon.

Edited November 22, 2013 by NASAFanboy

[NASAFanboy]

Chapter 3

Jebediah Kerman paced the floor of his office restlessly. He had just submitted his fiftieth proposal for a manned spaceflight programme to Parliament, and noone was taking him seriously. Despite his reputation as a hard-working, intelligent, and young airforce officer, noone would take his ideas seriously. Oh, that, and the fact his father, Jebediah Kerman the Second, owned a junkyard. He had wanted his firstborn kid to go into the military, and here he was, a young Lieutenant Colonel wasting away after his Fighter Wing was disbanded. But hey-the pay was good, and so was the food-and the perks. Free vodka, what could beat that?

The young officer sipped from his glass of Vodka has he stared at the map of Kerbin in silence. A private entered the room and saluted.

"Sir. I got the morning paper like you asked."

"Great. I'll go at it soon."

"Yes sir. Is there anything else?"

Edited November 22, 2013 by NASAFanboy

[Danish_Savage]

Great. Your writing style is very good.