Solar panels saved my mission in an unusual way

[KBMODIGITY]

I decided tonight to go for a Mun polar landing for science. Designed the ship. Got it to the Mun. And "sorta" landed. Even with lights I couldn't see ground until 20 meters above the ground according to KER. Well at that close I was able to abort 3 times after noticing I was about to land on a 45 degree + slope. My 4th attempt looked good, so I went for it and even though my wide base my lander still flipped over. Well I thought it was stable, so said hell, lets do some EVA, thinking "I can figure out a way to upright this vessel." Well I EVA and I'm holding onto the ladder and I say to myself the ground looks funny but its SOOOO dark,, just has to be a texture thing. Have my kerbal release and woosh.. I didn't realize my craft was sliding down a mountain,lol. (wish I had screen shots of it). I see my lander fly away from me down a mountain (guess I didn't realize the slope) I start chasing and it settles after only breaking one landing leg of 6.

I get to the ship, one leg gone,, ok I can deal with that. I decide to do science cause THERE HAS TO BE A WAY TO GET HOME!!!! I do an F5 just cause I know a lot of attempts with a sideways craft will end in disaster. First I try torque and RCS to turn my craft with minimal thrust pointing uphill. KABOOM!!!!. Tried the same going downhill. KABOOM!!! Tried combinations of speed and direction with landing gear up or down and all were KABOOM!!!

Right as I was about to give up, I said, ughh,, well since I play with TAC life support maybe I can do a rescue mission. Lets open the solar panels so I can at least get this fine brave kerbal some heat in what may be his last fine hours and extend his chance of being rescued.

Well what happened was this

http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/3281181583578401234/5D659F1137B60857BAA419A974D385A729A6C4AE/

This was before solar panels

http://cloud-4.steampowered.com/ugc/3281181583578403759/4DA92815836A9008DB7649A184007F206EFD680D/

Well having the solar panels out it raised the direction I was pointing JUST enough over the horizon so with RCS and torque I was able to take off from the mun and gain some altitude and make and orbit then burn back home. Amazingly NOTHING BROKE. Not even the SOLAR PANELS. I Had them symmetric in 3's and thought at least 2 have to break. None did.

Moral of the story. Think of Apollo 13, there is always a way to get home no matter how hard it seems or what difficulties you face

[Streetwind]

Haha, nice one! Enjoyed reading that story.

[Rarity]

Moral of the story. Think of Apollo 13, there is always a way to get home no matter how hard it seems or what difficulties you face

That's a feel-good bit of advice, but it's hard to back up. I've got Jeb sitting in a Cupola module with absolutely nothing other than a wide beam spotlight on Laythe...

[xcorps]

That's a feel-good bit of advice, but it's hard to back up. I've got Jeb sitting in a Cupola module with absolutely nothing other than a wide beam spotlight on Laythe...

Use a magnifying glass duct taped to the face of the spotlight. Photon acceleration!

[Madrias]

Jeb, Bill, Bob, and Mitfrid are currently sitting happily in a rover on Eve. They've still got battery power, and still have solar panels, but the landing/lifting engines are broken. However, there is still a functioning docking port on the device, so when I get around to sending a rescue mission, I'll be able to pick their 30 ton craft up and hopefully carry it out of Eve's dense gravity well.

Or maybe I'll send them a ride home instead in a comfortable Hitchhiker Can. Save the hassle of having to lug their bloody rover around.

[A Pig that flys]

Is there a way I can return a kerbal from an orbit around the sun with no fuel? lol

[Cashen]

Is there a way I can return a kerbal from an orbit around the sun with no fuel? lol

Does he have a docking port?

[A Pig that flys]

Does he have a docking port?

nope it's just a cockpit with a small fuel empty fuel tank and a jet with some landing gear. I kind of over-shot Minmus a little and was flung into the suns orbit. I then used the little fuel I had left to try and swing myself back to kerbin, but it didnt work. I guess I could try and knock it off course with another rocket and see if that sends it somewhere

[Cashen]

nope it's just a cockpit with a small fuel empty fuel tank and a jet with some landing gear. I kind of over-shot Minmus a little and was flung into the suns orbit. I then used the little fuel I had left to try and swing myself back to kerbin, but it didnt work. I guess I could try and knock it off course with another rocket and see if that sends it somewhere

You could launch a mission with an empty seat in a command pod and try to rendezvous with him in solar orbit to bring him back.

[Tortoise]

You could launch a mission with an empty seat in a command pod and try to rendezvous with him in solar orbit to bring him back.

Or use the claw. Or launch a manned vessel with an extra seat.

[Cashen]

Or use the claw. Or launch a manned vessel with an extra seat.

The manned vessel with the empty seat was what I had in mind, yeah. Like the 3 man capsule with just 1 or 2 guys in it.