Year 23, Day 239 (DSV-2 Discovery Returns Home From Duna, Docks at Spacedock 2!)

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Approaching Kerbin, alarm bells go off on Discovery, waking up from Cryosleep, (the crew) is surprised to discover a series of interesting transmissions from Mission Control!

“Attention DSV Discovery – Spacedock has exploded!  Attempt no dockings! Everyone is evacuating now!”
-Recorded Message from Gene at the VAB

Mirphe, Seely, and Tamre are all a little shocked to say the least!

“We better listen to the rest of these recordings!”
-Mirphe

Mirphe, Seely, and Tamre are all a little shocked to say the least!

“Attention DSV Discovery – important follow up: We’re all ok but really do NOT approach Spacedock.”
-Recorded Message from Gene at the VAB

Mirphe frowns and plays the next message…

“Good News DSV Discovery! There is a new Spacedock!  Please contact Mission Control when you wake up!”
-Recorded Message from Gene at the VAB

“Let’s do our capture orbit, and figure out where to go from there!”
-Mirphe

Mirphe fires the nuclear engines and Discovery is captured into a 200k orbit of Kerbin!

“Welcome home Discovery! We have a bit of a surprise for you – a new Spacedock! Proceed to the following orbital coordinates!”
-Gene, at Mission Control

The new Spacedock, located at a lower orbit has been fully assembled, with the Lithium Fuel Depot docked and ready to refuel the Kerbal States fleet of exploration ships!

“We are coasting in reverse until we are lined up with the DSV Terminal… that’s a big station!”
-Mirphe

Discovery continues moving, relative to the station, backwards until it is lined up with the docking port. The craft is brought to station-keeping (no movement, relative to the station) before Mirphe pilots the craft into docking!

“I’ll get all the science data loaded up for a return to Kerbin!”
-Tamre

“Mirphe, looks like a great alignment with the docking port. We are good to dock!”
-Seely

Discovery moves slowly forward until the docking ports engage!

“Discovery shows a good connection!”
-Mirphe

“Confirmed Discovery! Welcome to Spacedock!”
-Sean

Year 23, Day 226 (Neidon II Rocket Upgrades!)

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Engineers are excited to announce upgrades for the new Neidon Rocket Launch System – the Neidon II!

While the core rocket booster remains unchanged, several important changes have been made:

  • Aerodynamic Brakes have been removed
  • New AV-T1 Winglets have been added to deal with minor instability that occurs during transition from supersonic to subsonic.
  • Analysis showed that the shape of the RCS boosters at the top of the rocket was better served being flipped, so RCS thruster assemblies were inverted.
  • Rocket numbering changed from “X” to “N” – in blueprint shown as “N-2” for Neidon Booster 2.
  • Rockets have been given a fresh coat of paint, with flag and KSEA logos moved.

Besides structural changes, the Neidon Rocket will now have the bottom S3-7200 Fuel Tank prioritized as the “landing tank”. This will move the center of mass for the booster further to the bottom, assisting in re-entry!

“The plan is to test the booster with the upcoming MPV Probe, if everything is good we’ll upgrade the other boosters!”
-Gillian, supervising upgrades at the VAB

Year 23, Day 225 (New Probe Based on MPV in Development!)

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In the VAB, engineers are working on a probe-conversion of several Multi-Payload-Vehicle platforms that are already constructed.

“Do we have any more science things we can slap on the side?!”
-Gene,at the VAB

The “MPV Probe” should be capable of roughly 4,000 d/v – easily capable of reaching most inner planets for science and mapping!

The conversion should be quick, done within just a few days – there is a renewed interest in exploring Eve – which will be the target for the new probe!

Year 23, Day 224 (DSV Fuel Depot Docks at Spacedock 2!)

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The MPV (Multi-Payload-Vehicle) that had been converted to a Fuel Depot Tug fires its engines, remotely piloted from the ground!

“OK – it’s time to complete the assembly of Spacedock 2!”
-Gene, overseeing from Mission Control

The Lithium Fuel Depot arrives at Spacedock! 

“Mission Control – this is Spacedock. We have visual on the Depot.  I am assuming direct control!”
-Edbert

Edbert uses the RCS thrusters to slowly maneuver the gigantic craft past the station, to orient the docking ports.

“Maintaining visual on Depot.  Reducing speed to station keeping…”
-Edbert

Watching from the habitat ring, Sean lines his thumb up carefully with the window…

“You look lined up really nice Edbert! Take the docking nice and slow though, we don’t want to scuff the paint on the station it’s still brand new!” –Sean, watching from the Habitat Ring

“Oh good!  Moving in for final docking procedure… thrusters firing…”
-Edbert

The massive depot moves slowly, slowly toward the station until…

…the entire station heaves slightly as the giant depot docks, and connects to the DSV terminal!

“I’m floating down to the other side of the station now…   OK, I’m here!  Connections look solid. We just need to run some of the piping to allow the DSVs that dock to refuel!”   –Sean

The MPV Tug detaches, and will deorbit into Kerbin’s atmosphere!

Year 23, Day 202 (2nd Laythe Spaceplane Resolute Arrives at Jool!)

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Launched over a year ago, the Laythe Spaceplane Resolute has finally arrived in the Jool system, and rapidly heads to orbit Laythe!

The Jool transfer stage fires, circularizing the orbit!

“We have a good signal from Laythe! Resolute has arrived and is in a stable orbit – when the crew of Intrepid arrives they’ll have another spaceplane ready for them!”
-Gene, at Misson Control

In just 75 days the crew of DSV-5 Intrepid will arrive, as they continue scouting for a good colony site!

Year 23, Day 168 (Power and Light Expansion for Aurora Base on Mun Launches!)

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The Power and Lighting module for Aurora Base is fitted to a Neidon rocket!

“Let’s hope this module does the trick… there are some pretty cold nights on Mun and the power situation up there is getting critical!”
-Gene, at Mission Control

The rocket blasts off!

The second stage separates, and moves free from the booster….

… while the rocket turns around to re-enter the atmosphere!

“Telemetry is good… the booster is on course…”
-Gillian

The re-entry is easily visible from the ground as the Neidon booster hurtles toward the VAB!

“Wow! It’s coming down almost on top of the Space Center! I hope it doesn’t land on anything too expensive!”
-Gillian

Thankfully, the booster lands right next to the flagpole – avoiding any costly explosions!

“This is our best landing yet – well done people!”
-Gene, at Mission Control

Meanwhile, in a 200k orbit of Kerbin the Light and Power module begins its short journey to Mun!

Once captured into Mun orbit, the module begins its descent!

The Munar transfer stage separates, and the expansion begins its pre-programmed descent to the Mun’s surface!

“Mission Control!  I can see the module from here – looks like a good landing!  The descent stage has ejected, and we have remote control of the module!”
-Dunwin

Dunwin carefully drives the module remotely from the base, while Bill, Luly, and Orlas watch on!

“Mind the Mun Rocks Dunwin!”
-Orlas, at Aurora Base

“I’ve got it, I’ve got it!”
-Dunwin

Dunwin carefully drives the module into place, until….

… a series of loud whirs and clunks signal the automatic docking mechanisms have engaged!

“You did it Dunwin!”
-Luly

“Confirmed!  The RTGs are providing a good flow of energy to the base battery banks, and the lighting system is even working!”
-Bill

With that, everyone breathes a big sigh of relief!  The power troubles at Aurora Base have been a persistent irritation!

“Nice job people!  We saw a problem and we got it fixed!  The entire purpose of Aurora Base is to test hardware for future ground bases on other worlds – and now we know a little more!”
-Gene, at Mission Control

Year 23, Day 165 (DSV-5 Intrepid Leaves Moho for Kerbin!)

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“All the science from the lander is stowed – experiments are safe and ready for return to Kerbin!”
-Bob

Once the science is safely secured, the lander separates and drifts to a safe distance!

“Let’s get that reactor powered up so we can leave orbit!”
-Carson

“You got it! Reactor showing 100 percent – you are go for full thrust!”
-Sondo

The DSV engine fires, pulling a massive amount of energy from the reactor….

… until Intrepid soars away from Moho, heading home to Kerbin!

The three Kerbals climb into the Cryo-chamber to make the trip back to Kerbin!

“Cryo-systems are good… I’ll go first!”
-Sondo

The liquid glykerol flows from the storage unit into Sondo’s cryo-vault… safely freezing him for the journey!

“Brr! It’s always so cold in here – let’s get this freezing over with!”
-Bob

Bob is safely frozen, and Carson transmits one more message back to Kerbin!

“Mission Control… handing over control to you, starting Cryo-Freeze!”
-Carson

Intrepid will take just 100 days to reach Kerbin – the DSV program has allowed trips that used to take almost a year take mere months!

Year 23, Day 162 (Kerbin Spacedock 2 Habitat Ring Deployed!)

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In orbit of Kerbin, the Spacedock 2 crew deploy the habitat ring module! Veteran engineer Sean and new-hire Pholie spend the morning deploying the rotating habitat ring!

Pholie and Glenica, watching from the Orbital Cupola supervise the deployment!

“Now that the station is functional we can start getting some real scientific work done up here! I can’t wait for the next DSV arrival!”
-Glenica, Senior Station Scientist

“Habitat rings have locked – and we are good to start rotation!”
-Sean, chief engineer on the station

“Deployment looks good from here!”
-Edbert, viewing from the Crew Vehicle docked at the station!

With the station now fully functional, mission planners prepare to eject the orbital boost stage, and then dock the Lithium Fuel depot to the station, completing the new Spacedock!

Year 23, Day 161 (Advanced V.I.N.C.E.N.T Lander Announced!)

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The Kerbin Space Exploration Administration is excited to announce the next-generation of crew landers: The Variable Inclination New Crew Exploration & Telemetry (VINCENT) Lander!

“Not only does this new lander have more capability than any crew lander we’ve made yet, we designed it to take advantage of the DSV cargo bays! “
-Gene, Speaking at the VAB Lander Research Labs