Construction begins on the next Aurora Mun mission, Aurora 21!
Construction also begins on an expansion to the Kerbin Spaceport – to be located opposite the new Habitat Ring, the expansion will provide a safe docking area for arriving and departing spacecraft!
KSEA launches a Mk4 Scan/Relay Satellite to orbit! This probe is intended to travel to the Sarnus system, to hopefully investigate the Sarnusian moon of Slate.
The transfer window to Sarnus won’t be available for a few months however!
Malcolm blasts off in the new Mk10 Crew Vehicle!
The crew vehicle quickly reaches orbit, then Malcolm sets course for the Spaceport!
“This cabin is so roomy! Much more breathing room in here!”
-Malcolm
After rendezvousing with the Spaceport, Malcolm docks the spacecraft!
“Yikes! This centrifugal wheel is sure close to the docking ports! We should add something to make docking safer!”
-Malcolm
After some system tests, Malcolm undocks, and heads back to the surface!
The Mk10 decouples, and the command module heads back to the surface!
“Heading down… a little bumpy… but I’m on course to land just west of the Space Center!“
-Malcolm
The landing engines fire to slow down the Mk10…
… then the parachute deploys!
Malcolm climbs out, and the Mk10 is given approval for future production!
KSEA releases blueprints and announces construction of the next generation of Aurora Crew Vehicles, the Mk10!
This new design solves (hopefully) a problem the space program has had for sometime – resupply missions to Kerbin Spaceport have often required specialized equipment or utilizing expensive and overpowered launch vehicles for taking snacks and other essentials to Kerbin Orbit.
The streamlined design also forgoes the traditional escape tower for integrated landing rockets that double as an escape system and to slow the spacecraft down on return to Kerbin! Not shown is the integrated parachute that blueprint designers forgot to make note of.
Owing to the difficulties in communicating with the Discovery’s mission at Laythe, KSEA authorizes construction of two new relay satellites for the Jool system! Based on the recent Planetary Survey probes, these expansions to the Deep Space Relay Network Relays should allow for more uninterrupted communication with Laythe Spaceport, and all the explorations planned!
Bob plants a flag and places the plaque for the second landing site! Bob insisted that they ‘suit up’ as the temperature was getting cold enough it might be dangerous!
Then, all three Kerbals climb back into Endurance. Bob is so captivated by all the new science data he doesn’t even complain about the tight science bay! Next, Jeb opens the VTOL bays, and fires Endurance’s aerospike VTOLs!
“Fuel flow is steady… we have good lift… brakes off, gear up… here we go!”
-Jeb
Endurance blasts off, it’s air-fueled engines taking it higher and higher!
Once high enough, the RAPIER engines switch over to full rocket mode!
“We’re almost to orbit!”
-Jeb
Endurance reaches the Spaceport and docks!
“We’re getting so much interesting data here! We have to go back down as soon as possible!”
-Bob
“We need to be more careful next time though, these missions keep using up almost all of Endurance’s fuel! We barely had enough to get back!”
-Jeb
KSEA engineers start running simulations to see if there’s an ideal flight profile to take to save fuel! Meanwhile, Bill oversees the refueling of Endurance!
The next Explorer spacecraft is designed, Explorer 7! This spacecraft was designed as a lower cost spacecraft that would require fewer launches to prepare. Previous Explorer spacecraft required two launches: one for the spacecraft and another to deliver crew.
This was largely due to the nuclear fuel component that was part of the Pathfinder-derived vehicles.
The new design features a new Mk10 crew module at the top, which allows emergency escape options on launch. Once in orbit, the crew fires a transfer burn to Duna, then exits the vehicle and climbs from a ladder into the cryogenic stasis chamber. They’ll reverse the procedure once they arrive at Duna Spaceport!
Explorer 7 costs less than 1/10th the cost of the much more versatile and longer range Deep Space Vehicle Discovery, and is more suited to visiting Duna (and possibly Eve) than further flung missions such as Jool and beyond!
The next Duna Mission won’t be for another year – once the launch is closer, a crew will be chosen and a new mission patch will be released!
Mission Control OK’s the next landing, at Laythe’s peaks, along the equator! As the Laythe missions progress, a few things are already clear: solar panels do NOT work well this far out, and the Deep Space Relay Network needs significant improvements around Laythe! In fact, once the Endurance lands, all communications is lost with Kerbin! A new X-10 is under construction, that will launch to Jool at the next window to supplement operations and provide a backup!
Jeb, Bill, and Bob fly through the alien atmosphere, until they spot the landing site!
“That’s the spot! “
-Jeb
The X-10’s dual mode RAPIER engines allow very specific landing selection, something that can be tricky on atmospheric planets! Jeb pilots Endurance until it’s right on top of the target!
“Chute deployed – airbreakes deployed… VTOL bays open, firing vertical aerospikes!”
-Jeb
Endurance slowly decends to the surface!
“Hey, I see Vall back there!”
-Bob
“Huh? Val’s back on Kerbin!”
-Bill
“No silly! Vall with two ‘L’s’! The moon!”
-Bob
Endurance lands safely, and after getting all that sorted out, Jeb leaves to inspect the landing site!
“Hey! I just noticed, the indicator on the suit says the air here is close to Kerbin! I’m gonna take my helmet off!”
-Jeb
“You don’t know if it’s safe!”
-Bob
Jeb takes his helmet off and takes a few breaths…
“Seems fine!”
-Jeb
Bill and Bob climb out! Bill repacks the parachute, and checks on the X-10, while Bob starts taking samples!
“Remarkable! The air here seems very close to Kerbin! We might even be able to set up a sustainable colony here!”
-Bob
Jeb, Bill, and Bob excitedly discuss the possibilities opened up by the discovery that Laythe has a breathable atmosphere!
Luly wants to check out an “island” near the landing site, so Val rockets the lander over to the little hill!
“I’m going to get a sample of that green sandstone!”
-Luly
“Huh… it’s looking more and more like Minmus once had several liquid oceans… but it’s too small, and it’s too cold…. how mysterious! We better get this sample back to Kerbin!”
-Luly
Explorations continue on the island, where an even bigger rock is found!
“This one’s even rockier and even greener!”
-Luly
After a continued examination, Luly and Val determine it’s time to return to the ACV!
Eventually, the lander returns to orbit!
“Mission Control, this is Aurora 20 – we’re headin’ home!”
-Val
Later, the ACV command module splashes down, west of the space center.
“Welcome home! Let’s get those samples to the lab! I wonder if they’re edible…”
-Gene
Jeb climbs out of Endurance to set foot on Laythe!
“Looks just like the deserts back on Kerbin – except for the big Jool in the sky!”
-Jeb
Next, Bill squeezes his way out from the Science Bay into the cockpit, so he can get outside!
“That science bay has a seat, but that’s about it! It’s good to stretch my legs! Time to get this parachute repacked… easier here than up in orbit!”
-Bill
Bob decides to walk around the landing site to see what’s nearby!
“There seems to be a lot of … stuff!… on the surface…”
-Bob
“Oh hey – it’s a rock!”
-Bob
Bob does a thorough examination of the strange Laythe rock… but mostly plays ‘king of the hill’ and tries to plant a flag on top!
“Bah! The stone is too strong! I can probably chip away some sample bits though!”
-Bob
“Hey – speaking of flags, we need to plant one here!
Jeb plants the flag of the Kerbal States on Laythe, and everyone poses for their landing portrait!
“Once we get communications back with Kerbin, they’re gonna flip!”
-Jeb
Indeed – communication from the surface appears impossible, at least with the equipment Endurance brought along!
After a full survey of the landing site, the crew heads back up!
“Ok – future missions will be longer, but the mission plan is a quick down and back! Opening VTOL bays… activating Verticle Lift Aerospikes!”
-Jeb
“Fuel flow looks good!”
-Bill
Endurance slices through the sky, until the friction heats up the spaceplane!
Once the atmosphere is thin enough, Endurance’s RAPIER engines switch to orbital mode, and power the rest of the flight, to circularize the orbit around Laythe!
“OK… RAPIER engines switched to off… orbital maneuvering for Laythe Spaceport!”
-Jeb
Endurance reaches the spaceport, with just enough fuel to do so!
“That was a close call! We only had about 30 d/v left! We’re going to need to be careful and not stray too far from equatorial targets!”
-Bob
Jeb docks Endurance at the spaceport, and the crew warms up some snacks!
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 