AstroTek Space Agency - Mission Log

[Tex]

By Founder and CEO Maxwell L. Torgerson, AKA The Man in the Spacesuit

INTRODUCTION

For as long as Kerbalkind can remember, the cosmos seemed a treasure just out of arm's reach. Many nights have been spent by our ancestors gazing at the night sky with a burning in our hearts and a glazed bliss in our eyes. Impossible, it seemed, that we would ever manage to reach that goal which evolution has denied from our species. But no longer!

The AstroTek Aerospace Agency was founded with the intention of reaching for the stars (metaphorically and literally), furthering our understanding of the universe, prove our collective courage and intelligence, and realize the very goal of Kerbalkind: Sail amongst the stars like our ancestors have been dreaming of doing. With that goal in mind, let us take the first small steps and giant leaps into the space age!

THE SPACE CENTER

The location from which all future launches shall occur, and all data and experiments analyzed.

CONTENTS

Section 1: Agency Information

• Crew Roster
  
• AstroTek Space Center
  

Section 2: the Stayputnik Program

• Program Overview
  
• Stayputnik 1
  
• Stayputnik 2
  
• Stayputnik 3
  

Section 3: Project Moho

• Program Overview
  
• Static Abort System Test [uNMANNED]
  
• Simulated Failure Abort System Test [uNMANNED]
  
• Moho 1
  
• Moho 2
  
• Moho 3
  

Section 3.1: DockSat Program

• DockSat 1
  

CEO'S MESSAGE

I'm just starting this whole thing as a fun experiment and a test of my ability to focus on one long-term project, and to share with you my experience as I go about my way exploring the Kerbol System. As of this day, July 29, 2014, my experience in KSP has been almost entirely within the Kerbin neighborhood! I have performed one Dunar landing and one Dres flyby, but that has been the extent of my capabilities thus far, and I hope to remedy this by having a set series of goals. For the purposes of this mission log, I shall be using a Science gamemode for the save file; or a .23.5 Career game mode, for simplicity. I shall be editing the Science value so that I may unlock the tech tree and focus on collecting Science from the Kerbol System to record where I've been. In addition, it would be absolutely stellar (get it?) to receive feedback as I explore the system on my own, most times for the first time. I thank you in advance simply for having a look at this, and I think we're gonna have a lot of fun together. Happy launching! -Max T.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Maximus97

[Tex]

AstroTek Crew Roster

Jebediah Kerman, Jr.

Position: Test Pilot, Parts Manufacturer

Background: Jebediah "Jeb" Kerman graduated first in his class at the Kerbal Flight Academy, and has passed the psychiatric evaluation exam "by the skin of his teeth," earning a reputation for being an eccentric and reckless pilot. However, his track record speaks for itself, and his prowess as an aviator is second to none. He is often first on the list when it comes time to test new equipment, and has been known to sneak himself onto launches and flights, replacing the intended pilot or astronaut.

Bill Kerman

Position: Test Pilot, Astronomer

Background: Bill Kerman is recognized as being incredibly adept at studying celestial bodies, making several notable observations such as the discovery of Gilly, the only known moon of planet Eve. Working with formulas and a telescope his whole life, he joined the Test Pilot group to make closer observations above the ambient light of Kerbin and test new hardware.

Bob Kerman

Position: Test Pilot, Director of the Geology Dept.

Background: From his early days playing in his childhood sandbox, Bob has had a fascination with rocks and minerals. His passion led him to study Geology, and he eventually grew to found and supervise the Geology Department at the AstroTek Space Center. His time flying in the Kerbal Flight Academy led him to join the Test Pilot group, but he often prefers to study samples returned from missions in the Geology Dept. laboratory.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Maximus97

[Tex]

AstroTek Space Center

Astronaut Complex

The Astronaut Complex houses many important facilities involved with the overall governing of the Agency. Within this building lies administrator offices, office sections for ATAA employees, a visitor's center, a snack bar, and a multitude of classrooms to teach civilian and ATAA personnel a wide range of subjects from engineering to geology. This building also houses a recreation room and the classroom portion of the Kerbal Flight Academy.

Research & Development Facility

This facility is crucial to the Agency in that it contains many departments that oversee the development of new space technologies as well as research and analyze samples and photographs obtained during observation periods and experiments.

RD-1

Contains the Dept. of Incoming Parts (takes in and judges part proposals for future use) and the Chemistry Labs (analyzes gasses and chemical samples recieved from the Geology Dept. (see RD-6))

RD-2

This major research center contains multiple departments, including the Electrics Department (researches electric technology, such as solar panels and RTGs), the Wheel Department (studies function and use of wheels), Cockpit Layout Committee (self explanatory), the Parachute Committee, and the Dept. of Redundancy Department (ensures and makes sure that rockets are reliable and have a good reliability percentage for crew safety).

RD-3

Houses the Secretarial Society (responsible for PR, HR, and all phone calls and e-mails) and the ATAA Medical Center (performs regular checkups on all ATAA personnel and declares astronauts fit or unfit for missions). In the basement lies the Centrifuge and other training facilities, including a full gym and rooms for practicing flag deployment and RCS Jetpack operation)

RD-4

The hub for the entire R&D complex. Contains administration offices, the communication room (which helps coordinate recovery efforts), and 11^1/2 presentation rooms for technology and procedure demonstrations, as well as a stage for Karaoke Night.

RD-5

This entire building is dedicated to the Propulsion and Controlled Explosion Department, and includes blast-proof walls and a state-of-the-art Wind Tunnel/Engine Testing Vent. This is where not only rocket fuels are designed and tested, but also researches the application of monopropellants and Xenon propulsion.

RD-6

RD-6 houses the Geology Department (headed by Bill Kerman, studies geological samples from missions and determines their makeup) and the Snack Research Board (develops recipes for delicious and nutritious snacks for astronauts and ATAA employees).

RD-7

Easily recognizable for its sizable observational telescope, this building houses the Astronomical Department, which observes celestial bodies and studies their makeup, as well as oversees the functions of any space-based telescopes and cameras.

Vehicle Assembly Building

As the name implies, this is where rockets and their payloads are assembled preceding a mission. Also contains a small area where astronauts are prepped for their missions.

Spaceplane Hangar

Houses any and all vehicles pertaining to aeronautical flight, including mantainence and refuelling systems. Also houses a debriefing room, and the entire building is shared with the Kerbal Flight Academy.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Maximus97

[Tex]

Stayputnik Program

Program Overview and Objectives

The Stayputnik Program will be a series of three unmanned launches to test propulsion systems and rocket design for the next big step in aerospace engineering. Over the course of the missions, ATAA will gain experience dealing with the production and operation of spacefaring systems and develop procedures for use with future space programs. The entirety of the Stayputnik Program will be centered around three main points.

1) Develop techniques for building reliable and efficient rockets.

2) Train ATAA mission controllers to guide spacecraft operations, recognize and analyze faults, and solve problems regarding spacecraft control.

3) Test technology for use in future programs, including but not limited to propulsion, fuel systems, electrical systems, recovery procedures, and orbital capability.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Maximus97

[Tex]

Stayputnik 1

Specific Mission Objectives

1. Test the newly developed Boxer-9 booster rocket.

2. Place an unmanned probe successfully in Low Kerbin Orbit (LKO).

3. Take photographs of Kerbin with an onboard camera for analysis in velocity and landmark detection.

Post-Mission Debriefing

The Stayputnik 1 launch far exceeded expectations. Using the newly-christened Boxer-9 1.25m Lifter, the Stayputnik 1 probe was put into a circular 120km equatorial orbit. Launch conditions were ideal at the final countdown, and the liftoff was completely successful.

It was reported roughly seven seconds after stabilizer clearance that the vehicle was on a 2-degree sideslip and was losing course. Mission controllers yawed to counteract the slip and the vehicle was brought back on course. Due to unforseen radio interference, precise mission data regarding the timeline of events was lost.

The strap-on boosters were jettisoned successfully [precise time lost], but the separated boosters collided into the core stage and resulted in the partial disintegration of the boosters. The core stage was fortunately unharmed, and photographic images show the collision before and after.

After core stage 1 separation in orbit [precise time lost], the orbital insertion stage was discovered to have 97% fuel levels (after completion of a minor circularization burn). Due to this, mission controllers determined to leave the insertion stage coupled with the probe body to reduce orbital debris, and thus the insertion stage is visible in onboard mission photographs.

The success of the mission has resulted in much beneficial data about the operation and design of basic spacecraft and unmanned probes, and the lessons learned during Stayputnik 1 will aid future programs immensely!

Photograph Gallery

The Stayputnik 1 Probe assembled with the Boxer-9 1.25m Lifter vehicle.

The total assembly of Stayputnik 1 on the launchpad.

This collection of photographs shows a rough sequence of events during ascent.

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This final collection shows the photographs taken during the photography experiment portion of the mission.

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Mission Status: SUCCESS

Edited July 30, 2014 by Maximus97

[Parkaboy]

Great report, lots of neat details! I'm curious to see how your space program will develop from here!

[Tex]

Thanks a million! I'm working on the Stayputnik Program as we speak! Well, I will be as soon as I finish dinner.

[Tex]

Stayputnik 2

Specific Mission Objectives

1. Test the full capabilities of the Boxer-9 1.25m Lifter.

2. Place a Stayputnik probe into High Kerbin Orbit (HKO).

3. Photograph Kerbin for mission camera calibration.

4. Photograph the Mun to possibly help determine future landing sights and study the Mun's features.

5. Attempt to photograph Minmus to test camera technology.

Post-Mission Debriefing

The Stayputnik 2 launch was primarily a test of the Boxer-9 1.25m Lifter rocket for determining its effectiveness for use in the rapidly-approaching Project Moho. Once again, the launch far exceeded performance expectations, even with new modifications adding nearly a ton of extra weight in the form of RCS blocks and fuel, and the addition of sepratrons to ensure vehicle safety during strap-on booster separation. An incident did occur, however, that was directly related to the sepratrons. See paragraph 3.

As in the case with Stayputnik 1, Stayputnik 2 also began a slight sideslip, but due to a swift response from flight controllers, the vessel was not as seriously affected as Stayputnik 1 was. The sideslip is currently being attributed to the placement of the Boxer-9 launch stabilizers, and it is a matter that will be tested with Stayputnik 3.

Just after strap-on booster separation, the sepratrons (which were intended to direct the spent boosters up and away from the core stage) caused both boosters to roll ahead of the core stage before colliding with each other. The collision did not extend to the core stage, and the boosters went on to successfully fall away from the vehicle as intended (see picture 3 in photo album 1).

The probe was successfully placed in a stable ~35,030km orbit, and is currently operating between the orbits of the Mun and Minmus.

Flight data recovered from the Stayputnik 2 launch will be a major factor in identifying faults with the Boxer-9 booster system and help ensure reliability and safety when the booster is adapted for Project Moho. Current planned revisions include a redesign of the booster separation system and a reduction in the amount of RCS fuel present in the core stage.

Photograph Gallery

The modified Boxer-9 1.25m Lifter coupled with the Stayputnik probe. Note the addition of RCS systems and sepratrons.

Stayputnik 2 on the launch pad.

The below photograph album shows the rough sequence of events of the Stayputnik 2 launch and orbital insertion.

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This photograph album is a collection of the mission photographs taken by Stayputnik 2 to test camera function. Due to the high altitude of Stayputnik 2's orbit, the pictures did not contain the level of zoom or detail required of the mission, and no photograph of Minmus is available.

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The below picture is a Mission Control computer image representing Stayputnik 2's orbit in relation to other objects in the Kerbin neighborhood.

An artist's rendering of Stayputnik 2 in orbit.

Mission Status: SUCCESS

Edited July 30, 2014 by Maximus97

[Tex]

Project Moho: Static Abort Test

The Project Moho Kapsule has been in development behind the scenes of the Stayputnik Program, and the first round of testing has begun.

Supported by launch stabilizers, the unmanned Moho Kapsule was successfully aborted and the parachute system test completed. The test demonstrates the ability of the pod to abort during a launch failure and successfully separate from the failing booster underneath. The abort system consists of four Sepratron boosters that have been repurposed.

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Mission Status: SUCCESS

[Fox62]

Intriguing. I must observe this further.

[Tex]

Excellente! I hope to put on a good show as I further explore the Kerbol system!

[Tex]

Stayputnik 3

Specific Mission Objectives

1. Test the capabilities and updated systems of the Boxer-9 1.25m Lifter.

2. Perform scientific readings of temperature and gravity from outside Kerbin's atmosphere.

3. Successfully perform a Kerbin escape trajectory.

4. Perform scientific readings from interplanetary space.

Post-Mission Debriefing

The launch of Stayputnik 3 went exceedingly well, and the design changes made to the Boxer-9 somewhat improved the quality of the launch procedures. The strap-on booster separation was a key point, as, for the first time, the jettisoning of the boosters was completely successful as mission photographs show.

In addition to changes to the booster itself, the configuration of launch stabilizers was also changed to provide equal support from all sides, and so no sideslip was reported similar to that of Stayputniks 1 and 2.

Unfortunately, directly after the first of the planned three sets of scientific readings had occurred (the readings were accurate), the on-board batteries of Stayputnik 3 gave out while trying to transmit the data to Mission Control for analysis. The data of the temperature scan was retrieved in its entirety, but the gravitation reading was abruptly cut off as the batteries died.

Even more unfortunately, the readings were performed prior to the vehicle's orbital insertion, meaning that the vessel was on a suborbital trajectory when the batteries lost power. The vehicle was destroyed.

The loss of a spacecraft is very damaging in terms of lost knowledge. Because the vehicle was entirely destroyed, we will not know the true outcome of the mission, and any changes made were for naught. However, the loss is inspiring in itself by forcing all of those involved with the program to move forward and make up for lost time. While it is quite unfortunate that this was the last launch of the Stayputnik Program, Stayputnik 3's mission objectives will be divided between Project Moho and a hitherto unnamed probe program.

Photograph Gallery

This photograph shows the Stayputnik 3 probe. This craft is different from Stayputniks 1 and 2 because it was designed to operate in interplanetary space. It comes equipped with a more sophisticated solar array, scientific instrumentation, and a large (and untested) communication dish.

Stayputnik 3 on the launch pad.

The below album shows a collection of events from liftoff until main engine cutoff, shortly before the battery incident.

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This album was taken from the Mission Control computers, showing the maximum altitude the vehicle would reach and how long until the craft was expected to splash down.

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Mission Status: FAILURE

Edited July 31, 2014 by Maximus97

[Fox62]

So, lesson learned, wait until you are in a stable orbit with solar panels open before doing that.

[Tex]

Project Moho

Program Overview and Objectives

Project Moho is to be the first manned space program that ATAA will have undertaken. The Project will use a series of one-man Kapsules to carry out scientific experiments in LKO as well as test hardware and orbital procedures such as rendezvous and docking. Sending Kerbals into space is a goal that must be accomplished successfully in small-scale flights before much larger programs can begin, and Project Moho aims to accomplish this over a series of six missions.

1) Continue testing and refinement of the Boxer-9 1.25m Lifter (as final adjustments were not completed due to the loss of Stayputnik 3)

2) Train ATAA mission controllers to guide manned missions and follow protocols regarding the operation of pressurized spacecraft.

3) Test technology for use in future programs, including but not limited to propulsion, fuel systems, electrical systems, recovery procedures, and orbital capability.

4) Test the ability to rendezvous and dock with various spacecraft including probes and other manned vessels.

[Tex]

Moho Simulated Failure Abort System Test

The second and final planned test of the Moho Kapsule (particularly the Abort System) was successfully completed, resulting in useful data regarding the function of the Kapsule Sep Engines. The vehicle survived the abort, descent, and splashdown unscathed, and provides a good estimate of what the result of a Moho mission will look like. The SFAS Test also allowed recovery forces a chance to efficiently recover a manned pod.

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Mission Status: SUCCESS

Edited August 1, 2014 by Maximus97

[Tex]

Moho 1

Specific Mission Objectives

1. Achieve orbit with a manned spacecraft.

2. Perform passive medical experimentation on the effects of microgravity on the Kerbal body.

3. Test camera equipment from within the kapsule (the astronaut will be given a camera to use during missions for documentation)

4. Perform passive medical experimentation on the effects of atmospheric reentry on the Kerbal body.

5. Test and further develop procedures and technology regarding radio communications with manned vessels in orbit.

Post-Mission Debriefing

The mission was a complete success in every regard. The Boxer-9 Lifter performed flawlessly even after a reversion to an older system with larger strap-on boosters (as it was decided that changes to the Boxer-9's design contributed to the loss of Stayputnik 3).

Jebediah Kerman, on his first mission, performed the mission effectively and proved the capabilities of manned spaceflight. With a camera he was given to document the mission, he was able to provide images that were not only informative, but quite beautiful as well.

Reentry and splashdown was also successful, though the kapsule did land approximately 50km off-target. Further testing during missions are planned to provide a closer recovery distance.

In addition to medical experiments, several scientific readings were taken and have provided new data about Kerbin itself and the space immediately surrounding it. Further missions are being planned to further elaborate on this knowledge.

Photograph Gallery

This first album documents the ascent of Moho 1.

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The second is a collection of photographs taken by Jebediah Kerman during the mission.

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The final album is comprised of several post-mission computer images with information regarding Moho 1.

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Mission Status: SUCCESS

Edited August 5, 2014 by Maximus97

[Tex]

Moho 2

Specific Mission Objectives

1. Achieve orbit with a manned spacecraft.

2. Perform passive medical experimentation on the effects of microgravity on the Kerbal body.

3. Place the Moho 2 Kapsule into Mid or High Kerbin Orbit

4. Perform an Extravehicular Activity when the Kapsule reaches target orbit

5. Test and further develop procedures and technology regarding radio communications with manned vessels in orbit.

Post-Mission Debriefing

The mission went very well, resulting in large amounts of useful data about spacecraft operations.

Bill Kerman was the selected astronaut, as per the crew rotation for Project Moho. Flying his first mission, he performed admirably. His photographs documenting the spacecraft passing the day/night line on Kerbin's surface have gained considerable media attention, and have increased interest in the space program.

The only problems during the mission occurred during the retrofire phase. Problems with correcting the retrofire burn resulted in Moho-2 landing a continent off-target, the effects of which included a long recovery time and the damage and partial destruction of the kapsule. Further Project Moho missions will be testing retrofire procedures to result in more accurate landings.

Photograph Gallery

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Mission Status: SUCCESS

Edited September 19, 2014 by Maximus97
It was about time I finish the mission...

[JPmAn]

What will you call the Gemini equivalent?