Author: sayburstuff

Year 8, Day 46 (Enterprise Tests Pathfinder Payloads)

sayburstuff Year 8 , , ,

screenshot294.pngAs part of the upcoming Pathfinder missions, several probe designs need real-world testing, beyond what a simple simulation can provide.

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To help facilitate this, Enterprise is loaded with 3 of the new probes and heads to the launchpad! Mirphe will be piloting the shuttle, and Chrisnic will be onboard to supervise the launches!screenshot299.png

So far so good!  Launcher is away, circularizing Enterprise’s orbit!

-Mirphe

screenshot301.pngOnce Enterprise is in a stable orbit, the cargo bay doors open – time to test some probes! The first launch is the Mk 6 Atmospheric Probe – designed for water landings on Laythe, Jool’s closest moon and Kerbin-look-a-like!

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Probe is away!  Remote systems responding… sending it for a water landing!

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The probe drifts away from Enterprise until it’s time to fire the retro rockets that will take it to the surface…

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Probe is on course – all systems nominal!

-Chrisnic

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The parachute deploys, and the probe drifts slowly to the ocean surface!

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Splashdown!  The probe lands safely and the solar panels deploy – all systems seem to be working perfectly!

“I’d call that a success!”

-Mirphe

KSEA Search and Rescue heads out to recover the probe, and the Enterprise crew rests for a day before the next launch!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 8, Day 40 (Kerbol Two Update)

sayburstuff Year 8 , ,

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Kerbol 2 is just 4 days from its closest point with the sun, so the massive heat shield deploys!

The crafts radiators also fully deploy, and Mission Control waits as the probe speeds closer and closer to the sun!

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Even with the massive heat shield and the radiators onboard the probe, things get very, very hot.  KSEA isn’t sure if the craft will survive its first pass – perhaps the initial flyby was too close?

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At 207k above the sun’s surface the first heat alarm goes off – nothing critical, but Kerbol Two is rapidly approaching its redline! screenshot276.png

Kerbol 2 finally dips below 200k, and so far heat readings are within tolerances… barely! screenshot278.png

Kerbol 2 makes it below 140k!  The heat shield begins glowling an unsettling shade of red!screenshot280.png

Kerbol 2 drops below 130km… The onboard thermostat reads at 440.71k – very hot!

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Kerbol 2 drops below 120k!  Temperature reads… 445.3k!

screenshot282.pngThat’s it… it just dropped below 100k….

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At 95km new heat alarms go off – the craft might be approaching its limits!  Even dipping below 90km, the craft seems to be holding together!

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At 80.4km communications are suddenly lost, and the craft shrieks out its last scientific data…. Kerbol 2 is gone!

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While it was highly expected that Kerbol 2 would not survive it was nonetheless disappointing that the mission ended in a giant explosion.  Already though plans are being drawn up for Kerbol 3, which will have even more heat shielding!

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Year 7, Day 394 (Explorer 4 Crew Jumps to Midlands!)

sayburstuff Year 7 , , , ,

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Val and Orlas take the Explorer 4 Lander and do a short jump across the surface of Dres!

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The lander travels in an arc across the surface….

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Touching down at the Midlands, where Orlas and Val hop out!

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That’s probably it for landings, we don’t want to stretch the fuel reserve out too much!

-Val

 

That’s a shame, it may look a lot like Mun but scientifically it’s quite distinct!

-Orlas

If you say so Orlas… the crew readies themselves to return to orbit in a matter of days!

Year 7, Day 393 (Endeavor Launches To Check on CryoLab!)

sayburstuff Year 7 , , ,

screenshot233.pngEndeavor blasts off!

screenshot234.pngMirphe and Gilian are heading up to the new CryoLab to make sure the crew is doing ok! screenshot237.png

Mirphe pilots Endeavor in slow and carefully toward CryoLab!

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“Almost there!”

-Mirphe

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Mirphe docks Endaevor successfully, and Gillian hops out for an EVA to inspect the station from the outside.

“Things look out from the outside… we’ll have to get inside and make sure everything’s fine there too!

-Gilian

 

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“CryoLab checks out!  All systems are fully functional and life signs for Bob, Shepely, and Lluly are faint but within desired specifications!”

-Gilian

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“OK then – let’s head back to Kerbin and let these guys chill until their 100 days is up!”

-Mirphe

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Endeavor rockets throught Kerbin’s atmosphere!

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“Whew!  That was a fast landing!  Endeavor took a little damage!  We’ll need a little repairs before she flies again!”

-Mirphe

KSEA agrees that it might be time to look at improving the Crew Shuttle’s rentry control systems and upgrade a few other systems while there at it!  A Crew Shuttle refit might be on the way!

Year 7, Day 389 (Resolute Launches, Carrying CryoLab To Orbit!)

sayburstuff Year 7 , , , , ,

cryolab.pngBob, Shepely, and Luly have all been selected from the volunteers to try long term cryogenic suspension in space!  The Crew Cryogenic Research Lab, more commonly known as the CryoLab.   CryoLab will hopefully pave the way toward much longer range missions for Kerbals, as the only life support and food stuffs needed by the crew will be that needed at the endpoint, not for the entire voyage!

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Mirphe blasts off in the Resolute, and the crew holds on tight!

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“Don’t worry back there… I’ve done this lots of times!”

-Mirphe

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Mirphe pilots Resolute to the planned orbit of 140km.

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The Cargo Bay Doors open, and Luly, Shepely, and Bob climb into the Cronic Freezing Chamber!

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“CryoLab is away!”

-Mirphe

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“Well… here it goes!  See you all in a few minutes!”

-Bob

Minutes to the science team perhaps, but 100 days to everyone back on Kerbin! The solar arrays extend, and Bob, Shepely, and Luly are frozen!

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“Switching Resolute to Landing Configuration!”

-Mirphe

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Resolute rockets through the clouds toward the space center!

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“Ok… I’m in the pipe – five by five!”

-Mirphe

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Mirphe sets Resolute down for a perfect landing!  Crews start working on refurbishing the Shuttle for its next launch!

 

 

 

Year 7, Day 386 (Explorer 4 Lander Sets Down on Dres!)

sayburstuff Year 7 , , , ,

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Val and Orlas detach from Explorer 4, and head down!

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“Feel just like landing on Mun – easy!”

-Val

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The lander sets down at the Lowlands, and begins initial scientific surveys before the crew heads out!

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Orlas climbs out…

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The leaps away in the low gravity!

“This is great… I can’t wait to get more readings from Dres!”

-Orlas

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Val hops out next…

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And then the two put up the Kerbal States flag!

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“That’s one for the record books!  Let’s see if we can skip to a few new areas before heading up Orlas!”

-Val