Clarinsh Base and Station

[ttb]

Hi all,

Am in the process of constructing a kethane mining base on Minmus, along with a LMO station. The plan is to mine kethane and send the converted fuel up to the station, then to refuel interplanetary spacecraft from there. Also this is a test run for a base on Duna, or potentially another planet/moon. The name is from the battle cry of my Scottish clan (clan Buchanan).

I am using the Modular base pack (I think thats the right name). The base is still under construction, and the station parts are in orbit above Minmus, waiting for assembly. I will rearrange the base once mode modules have arrived. More to come...

A error I realised once in space, is that the solar panels on the trusses are spaced too close together, they extend OK but look a bit wierd as they touch each other. Once on station I will only extend the inner and outer panels.

This project bought to you by BaSA (Buchanan and Son Aerospace)!

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Thanks

ttb

Edited December 26, 2013 by ttb
Forgot to add BaSA

[KeithStone]

I like that your docked parts have a standard cone base for ease of attachment. Keeps everything lined up nicely!

[ttb]

Mission update:

Two failures to report. First, I send a long tunnel segment for the base to Minmus, unfortunately when I was constructing it in the VAB I built it upside down, with upwards firing rockets for landing. When trying to enter Minmus orbit, I forgot the rockets were facing backwards and burnt prograde rather than retrograde The segment is now leaving Munmus SOI for a Kerban orbit.

Second, I successfully landed a methane refinery on Minmus, then whilst attempting to maneuver it into position with the transporter rover, tipped it on its side. Am going to attempt to right it, using two transporter rovers and maybe Jeb when he finally lands (once the Hab module arrives)

[ttb]

Mission Update:

Our main man Jeb, the Mission Head Honcho for Expedition One, finally arrived at Clarinsh Base to supervise the righting of the kethane refinery, which went off without a hitch. Other modules arrived, including the Kethane drilling unit, the Base Control Tower, and the Hab module. After assembling for a crew photo atop the Control Tower, Jeb was busting to try out his shiny new kethane drill. He promptly got to work supervising from the Control Tower, while the others got stuck in to a case of Kerban Ale that Ribhat had sneaked onboard.

Jeb discovered that the power demands of the kethane drill far exceeded the base's power supply, so he got the Kerbal Engineers to "soup up" the next Tower of Power that is currently in transit to Minmus.

Meanwhile in Minmus Low Orbit, a fuel pod for the station arrived and docked with just enough RCS fuel to spare. Ribhat even considered making the brief trip up to orbit to "replenish" the RCS supply with some of his ale. Jeb declared that further scientific testing would have to be done to see if this actually works. Jeb has been informed that another three fuel pods are en route, with extra RCS fuel tanks this time.

The crew of Clarinsh Station, Ludtrey, Mileny and Lonard, finally thought it would be a good idea to do a brief EVA to transfer themselves from the command pod to the Hab module.

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More to come tomorrow

Thanks

ttb