Kron series (Kron 6 end of mission) - temporary halt of program

[DMSP]

The last refueling mission was flown by Jebediah, Bill and Bob, who had to make sure Kron 4 was ready to do some science.

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/26241203495359987/A54B40B135A28AED3522CD96B9F1AD7B1CBDB275/

Blue tank was a delivery of pure oxidizer. Also, some additional monopropellant was brought along. The ship is ready. It's filled to the top.

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/26241203495583158/3437D8B04F609C050867B5830D4939AE4D439299/

Mission control is testing Kerty, the onboard computer while the crew is enjoying their last days on Kerbin before they head to Urlum.

Phew. I was scared ab...

THE HEATSHEILD! WHERE IS IT?

- - - Updated - - -

Oh never-mind, just noticed the struts.

Godspeed Kron 4.

[Yukon0009]

Be sure to have

playing when you do the trans-Urlum injection.

[lajoswinkler]

Jebediah talking to Kerty.

[VASMIR]

Well hey, I'll ship them in We Are the Explorers

[lajoswinkler]

I've already made the vessel cause I do stuff in advance.

Kerbal scientists and engineers have organized a farewell party for the crew. Here they are, joking about the supposedly cheap main heatshield. Valentina, Bob and Bill aren't very amused.

As most of the money went to rebuilding the frontal part of Kron 4 and launching huge amounts of fuel for it, not much as been left for anything else. Wernher decided to make a launch vehicle from spare parts found in the spaceplane hangar. And boosters.

It should work.

[VASMIR]

Are you gonna ship Jebetina/Valentiah in the story?

[lajoswinkler]

Yes, the ship will be flown by two of them. Bill is the engineer and Bob is doing science.

[VASMIR]

I mean romantically.

Edited June 15, 2015 by VASMIR

[lajoswinkler]

Oh now I see you wrote Jebetina/Valentiah.

I doubt there will be anything like that. I'd like to keep things goofy.

[VASMIR]

Thank you, there's a time and a place for shipping, and it does not really match this series.

[lajoswinkler]

Oh, I've just learned what the verb "shipping" means. All this time I thought you were talking about actual ships.

No, I do not intend to focus the story on anything like that. For all I care, they all multiply like large cells. No need for getting into complications.

[VASMIR]

Considering doing a KRON-style mission to either Jool or Putto in order to get more popularity for We Are the Explorers.

[Mister Dilsby]

Oh, I've just learned what the verb "shipping" means. All this time I thought you were talking about actual ships.

No, I do not intend to focus the story on anything like that. For all I care, they all multiply like large cells. No need for getting into complications.

Totally with you on that. Also I had to look it up too! Yeah, to me the Kerbals are children, if children were smart enough and crazy enough to go to space. So certainly they can have strong relationships but nothing...reproductive. Actually I'd like to think even they don't know where new Kerbals come from, or care. Remember, this is a species that needs to do orbital research in order to figure out how to build an extension ladder.

[lajoswinkler]

Time to leave Kerbin. Experimental junk craft cuts through air.

Some plasma as apoapsis is being extended upwards to reach 164 km.

Arriving at the parked ship.

"This is the captain speaking. Welcome to Kron 4. If you look through the window on your left, you'll see the ship."

Engineer Bill connecting the two ships.

soundtrack: An der schönen blauen Donau, Op. 314 Johann Strauss II.

[VASMIR]

How much delta-v did your Slate lander have? How much did the Tekto one have too?

[lajoswinkler]

Maybe it's somewhere in the thread. I don't know the numbers, but I know they're tailored to fit their task.

Here is Jeb, first time in the actual ship's command module.

Bill immediately took the task of bringing ship's systems online. Here's one of the pilots that got them up there, slowly backing away as Bill is messing with the science module.

Moments later, he's at the nuclear fission reactor designed to supply the ship with electricity, checking the huge radiators. That's the last time Kerbals will be anywhere near the thing.

Time to get back to the ship and freeze Bill and Bob.

Bob is having second thoughts about all this.

[Zaddy23]

Looking good. I really like how awesome the huge heatshield on the front looks.

[DMSP]

Wow, that's awesome!

How's the ship?

[lajoswinkler]

Mission control gave a go for first two burns of the third stage left over from the rocket that brought the empty propulsion unit into orbit.

Valentina took this photo of Jebediah having a sentimental moment (or just thinking about snacks) while Kerty was managing the thrusting.

Third stage dumped, fission reactor for electricity production shut down and three LV-NB engines started.

Kron 4 will do a series of burns to reach second cosmic speed.

[Yukon0009]

Do you have the Deus Ex soundtrack playing Laj?

[lajoswinkler]

Indeed.

[DMSP]

Great work!

Can't wait to see what they find!

[Windspren]

What mod is the command pod from?

[Rath]

What mod is the command pod from?

Taurus HCV

[lajoswinkler]

The command pod is from Taurus HCV.

Mun stepped in to help and reduced the final burn's delta v by some 60%.

Flinging around with periapsis a bit above 24 km.

Kron 4 has now left Kerbin's sphere of influence and is travelling in orbit of Kerbol.

In a few days, Jebediah and Valentina will once more ignite the engines to put the ship into Hohmann transfer orbit to catch Urlum. At this point, KER displays over 12.4 km/s of possible acceleration.