Janus VIII (Kerminai IX) Wiki Campaign Mission.

[tg626]

Having fun doing the campaign missions from the wiki. I used the name Janus rather then Kerminai, because, well I can't follow the instructions exactly? That would be very not Kerbal!

I also corrected the number (edited the Wiki too) because it was Gemini VIII that had Neil and the faulty RCS that spun out of control, not IX.

Anywho, I had a "Real life" experience eerily similar...

Since Neil used a computer, I did too, using MechJeb to perform the rendezvous and docking.

First issue was the rendezvous, where for some reason I shot past the target vehicle at considerable speed. Then the RCS went dead, leaving me drifting and spinning, I had Jeb override the autopilot, but all controls were unresponsive. No RCS, no main engine thrust, nothing.

Then just as mysteriously, all control returned. So, I manually altered course to return to the target vehicle. As I got close I triggered the docking autopilot and the thing went a bit wonky. At first it was violently oscilating back and forth. Just as I was about to abort the AP, it settled down, so I "rode it out". As it neared the end, I realized I was off target by a bit (this was my first time using the docking AP, I usually do it manually, so I wasn't sure what was "normal behavior"). Moments later I hit the target vehicle, sending tumbling away.

Only then did I realize I had no mono-propellant left.... I must have used it up doing the jitterbug on approach.

At this point I had Jeb execute an emergency deorbit burn and landing... He survived.

All in all, an all too realistic Gemini 8 Mission in KSP.

Edited July 9, 2014 by tg626