Getting a Kerbal into space!

[hugix]

As people might know, the Russian "are we in space yet" science instrument is nothing more than a pluche toy hanging in the cabin. Once it starts floating you're in space.

During the last Soyuz TMA launch we had a discussion in the chat. We should get a Kerbal pluchie to go to space!!

Lets work as a community and try to get a real Kerbal into space!

[lajoswinkler]

I support this idea. The best chance is to talk to American astronauts who go to ISS.

[Nuke]

i have a feeling all we have to do to accomplish this is for squad to actually have officially licensed plush kerbals made, and sell them in the store. it will only be a matter of time before an astronaut takes one up.

[NASAFanboy]

Or we could collectively put our knowledge together and design our own rocket.

[EuSouONumero345]

Result:

[Motokid600]

I'd so buy a kerbal bobble head. Or a kerbal hulu girl. ( should totally be an iva prop btw )

[EpicRootHairCell]

All we need is to get an astronaut to approach squad about doing it, squad would happily have a plush toy made for the purpose, just think of the publicity they would get.

[spaceman1999]

What about the Shpeways' Kerbals?

[Javster]

I think I was there during that chat. Were the forums down at that point?

You'd have a good chance if you convinced an astronaut who liked KSP.

[SemiaCloud]

Or we could collectively put our knowledge together and design our own rocket.

I agree!

[ChrisSpace]

I agree too. Building our own suborbital rocket to send a kerbal into space would be the single biggest achievement, and best PR stunt, in Squad's history. Aerojet rocketdyne would be a very good choice for a propulsion systems supplier, and reaction wheels, batteries, power systems, flight computers, antennas and communications systems shouldn't be too hard to find suppliers for.

Another route would be to launch a cubesat with the kerbal inside. The KSP community cubesat seems to have completely forgotten the "KSP" part as they seem to have left behind the goal of making their cubesat KSP-themed, so we cant count on them. I already have a list of possible suppliers for any cubesat mission

The best, but most expensive, route would be to carry the kerbal to the moon with Astrobotic technologies. the costs can already be approximated at https://www.astrobotic.com/configure-mission

[Starwhip]

Or we could collectively put our knowledge together and design our own rocket.

Design, maybe. Manufacture, eh, that's a bit harder.

I'd try everything to get a NASA astronaut or other to take along the plushie in question before having a crack at a homemade sounding rocket.

[Bill Phil]

Design, maybe. Manufacture, eh, that's a bit harder.

I'd try everything to get a NASA astronaut or other to take along the plushie in question before having a crack at a homemade sounding rocket.

And then see the Kerbal float around the ISS...

[dryer_lint]

I'd try everything to get a NASA astronaut or other to take along the plushie in question before having a crack at a homemade sounding rocket.

Doesn't shipping one pound into space cost something like a million dollars? I know that's probably exaggerated clickbait, but still... don't astronauts have to get stuff approved?

[LABHOUSE]

Yeah, but they can have any one kilo of stuff they want.

[RainDreamer]

Well, there are people in KSP community already working on having a cubesat in space. Wonder if we can add a kerbal plush in it watching over the moss.

[ChrisSpace]

RainDreamer, read my first post. The KSP community cubesat seems to have forgotten about the kerbal theme, to the point they are considering naming their cube 'spinsat' or 'moss-sat', neither of which are even KSP-related. Additionally, they are not even planning on starting to get funding anytime soon, and will probably not even start their kickstarter until everyone else is no longer interested in the project.

We cannot rely on them.

[ChrisSpace]

I agree too. Building our own suborbital rocket to send a kerbal into space would be the single biggest achievement, and best PR stunt, in Squad's history. Aerojet rocketdyne would be a very good choice for a propulsion systems supplier, and reaction wheels, batteries, power systems, flight computers, antennas and communications systems shouldn't be too hard to find suppliers for.

Another route would be to launch a cubesat with the kerbal inside. The KSP community cubesat seems to have completely forgotten the "KSP" part as they seem to have left behind the goal of making their cubesat KSP-themed, so we cant count on them. I already have a list of possible suppliers for any cubesat mission

The best, but most expensive, route would be to carry the kerbal to the moon with Astrobotic technologies. the costs can already be approximated at https://www.astrobotic.com/configure-mission

Oh, there is one other option I forgot to mention: Putting the kerbal inside a pocketcube. A pocketcube is basically a smaller version of a cubesat (5x5x5 cm instead of 10x10x10 cm). More details can be found at http://www.pocketqubeshop.com/

[ChrisSpace]

Really, no responses?

[ChrisSpace]

Come on, let's keep this thread alive!

[Ethanadams]

Well then what do you think we should do and how

[ChrisSpace]

What do we do? we keep the discussion going until we have a good idea of what we are going to do and how. Will our kerbal be launched on the LBSP rocket, or a pocketqbe, or a cubesat, or something else? This could be the biggest PR stunt in squad's history and nobody even seems to care!

[worir4]

What do we do? we keep the discussion going until we have a good idea of what we are going to do and how. Will our kerbal be launched on the LBSP rocket, or a pocketqbe, or a cubesat, or something else? This could be the biggest PR stunt in squad's history and nobody even seems to care!

I think you would be better of doing one of those weather balloons. Making an entire rocket is quite hard. Even if we could, forum members are spread right across the world so even if we had 10 people that could build a rocket (e.g right tools, engineering skills) we wouldn't be able to bring them together. Also the cost would be very large.

[hugix]

I think the easiest way is a pluchy in a Soyuz. KSP is very popular in NASA and other agencies, and there will be a pluchy of some sort in a soyuz anyway, so it might as well be one promoting a STEM game.

Here's an image of such a toy hanging in the capsule.

Edited May 5, 2015 by hugix

[ChrisSpace]

I Like that plan, especially since it is different from the community cubesat or LBSP.