Year 17, Day 345 (Training Flight of X-10 Wanderer!)

The X-10 Wanderer is done, and having passed basic safety tests is ready for a test flight! Val, Glenica, and Dunwin prepare to take the plane on a test flight – first to test basic landing systems, then to test a water landing! This will also be a good training flight for future crew to Laythe!

The VTOL Aerospikes work well enough on Kerbin to provide vertical thrust, however the plane can only maintain vertical flight for a short time!

“Let’s head over to the pyramids, that should be an interesting place to land!”
-Val

Val sets Wanderer down right next to the pyramids! Unlike Endurance, Wanderer has much bigger parachutes to deal with the higher gravity of Kerbin!

Val, Dunwin, and Glenica all get out…

…and have a good look around the pyramids!

“Wow, these are right near the Desert Site! Hey, we should call it the ‘Pyramid’ Launch Complex!”
-Glenica

After everyone has a good look around, Wanderer takes off!

“Everyone keep hold of your life preservers! We should set down slow enough, but I have no idea if Wanderer is going to even float!”
-Val

All horizontal thrust is cut, and Wanderer slowly drifts down to the water!

With a loud “kursplursh!” the X-10 sets down in the water!

“Oh wow! I can’t believe it worked! If the X-10 sets down slow enough, it’s just fine!”
-Dunwin

Indeed – Val gets out and confirms the space, er, watercraft, is just fine!

After a little VTOL blast to get out of the water, Wanderer heads back to the Desert Site… now called the Pyramid Launch Complex!

“Pyramid Launch Complex… I’m in the pipe, five by five!”
-Val

Wanderer touches down, right where it took off! KSEA relays the information back to Laythe, however engineers are divided on actually trying this stunt on Laythe!

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