KSEA announces that mission planning for the next Duna crew has begun! Explorer 3 will be piloted by Edan, with Glenica as the mission Science specialist and Sean as the mission Engineering specialist!
Author: sayburstuff
Year 6, Day 296 (Endeavor Launches to Resupply KSS)
Endeavor is prepared for a mission to resupply the Kerbin Space Station with Oxygen! Edan will pilot, and scientists Samner and Glenica will head up to the station for training! 
The Crew shuttle reaches orbit!
“Now we just need to rendevous and the KSS crew can breath a little easier!”
-Edan
The docking is a success, and the oxygen tanks are transferred over! KSEA Mission planners will leave Endeavor docked for the next month, before returning to Kerbin!
Year 6, Day 286 (Explorer 2 Lander blasts off from Duna surface!)
The Explorer lander takes off, taking Dunwin and Mitster high into the Duna atmosphere!
“Oh wow, this lander does not perform well at all on launch. I think the center of mass might be causing her to want to tip over – better watch our ascent angle!”
-Mitster
The lander approaches Duna Spaceport…and docks!
“We’ll need to be really careful with this lander… that was a close one!”
-Mitster
“Hmm… I think I have some ideas for how to modify it using parts we have on the Spaceport! We can try for another landing after that!”
-Dunwin
Dunwin starts work on modifications to the lander… this might take a while! Meanwhile KSEA administrators think optimistically and plan for the next landing!
Year 6, Day 285 (Explorer 2 Crew Lands on Duna!)
On board Duna Spaceport, the crew of Explorer 2 prepare for the very first Duna landing! Mitster will pilot the vehicle to the surface, with Dunwin providing the engineering expertise to deal with any unforeseen issues the lander might have. Once the craft has proven itself Kimmy will head down in the next landing. A lot of consideration was given to the first crew to head down, and the pilot/engineer combination was chosen in deference to safety, as the Duna lander hasn’t been tested “live” before! 
Kimmy watches from the Observation Lounge as the lander moves away from the station…
“I can tell you now, we’re not setting down where Mission Control planned – we’re moving too fast, and if I don’t slow us down … well, it won’t be pretty!”
-Mitster
Mitster fires the landers engines, slowing the vehicle down enough to engage the parachute…
The parachute deploys!
“Oomph! That really took the wind out of me!”
-Dunwin
The lander slowly descends to the surface…
At the last moment, the engines fire again, to set the lander down gently…
“Duna Lander to Kerbin – we have set down on Duna and all systems are go!”
-Mitster
Dunwin climbs out!
Followed by Mitster, who plants the first flag on Duna!
Cheers are heard throughout Mission Control – amazing!
“We still have some samples and exploration to do before we head back, so let’s get busy”
-Mitster
The lander overshot its landing at the anomaly by 17km – a distance much farther than walking would allow. Mission Control decides that while a small “hop” is conceivable however crew safety is paramount, so a future landing can be done to investigate the lowlands – there will be no hop!
“This lander handles much differently in an atmosphere than it did on Mun, I’m not even sure I could pilot us effectively over to the lowlands… the return to orbit will be tricky enough! ”
-Mitster
The lander will remain on the surface for a few days, then head back to Duna Spaceport!
Year 6, Day 283 (Frontier 5 Laythe, Tylo Encounter!)
The Frontier 5 craft in orbit of Jool is instructed to maneuver so it encounters Laythe! 
If all goes to plan, the probe will soon do a flyby of Laythe… the maneuver should also allow for the closest ever flyby of Jool. Sadly, the scientific equipment on Frontier 5 is quite primitive compared to the gravitational scanners and other equipment on more recent probes, however an analysis of the atmosphere, temperature, and pressure should all be possible. 
Frontier 5 moves closer…
Finally Frontier 5 arrives at its closest point to Jool!
The first photographs of Laythe are transmitted back to Kerbin! The planet looks remarkably similair to Kerbin!
“Oh my – that looks just like Kerbin! Astonishing! In the distance you can see Tylo. Just amazing… I can’t wait to visit!”
-Orlas
Frontier 5 moves in close and closer….
Until finally, the probe drops below 50km… but just barely! The science transmitted on Laythe’s atmosphere is of incredible scientific importance, and has made Laythe one of the most intriguing desitnations for Kerbals in the future!
Finally, Frontier 5 moves on, leaving Jool and it’s amazing moon Laythe for future probes to investigate!
Frontier 5 soars past Tylo, its sensors only able to record some basic temperature and pressure readings in the space near the moon – researching Tylo is a job for a future explorer!
Year 6, Day 281 (Duna Spaceport Lander Readied)
Mitster remotely pilots the Duna Landing Vehicle to the Crew Docking Module.
“Well, that wasn’t so hard!
-Mitster
Mitster and Dunwin celebrate the docking by relaxing in the Observation Lounge, and taking in the impressive view of Duna!
Late last year (Y5D421), the Duna Surveyor arrived in orbit of Duna and has been dutifully mapping the surface. Mission Planners have been working tirelessly to select the best landing sites! Already, several anomalies on the surface have been found – one located in the lowlands has been selected as the first site for landing on Duna, designated Duna Spaceport Landing Site 1, or DS-LS01!
Year 6, Day 275 (Explorer 2 Arrives At Duna!)
After a 334 day journey, Explorer 2 arrives at Duna!
Mitster’s calculations were perfect, and the spacecraft arrives within 100k of the Duna Spaceport.
“Nicely done Mitster!”
-Dunwin
Explorer 2 move in to rendezvous with the station…. 
Counter-intuitively, Explorer must first move away from the station, taking its orbit out to nearly 120k, before moving closer again!
Explorer 2’s Transfer stage uses up the last of its fuel, bringing the spacecraft 50meters away from the station! 
“Almost there… almost there…”
-Mitster
Mission success! Explorer 2 docks with Duna Spaceport, and the crew flips on all the lights!
“Now we just need to get that lander over to the crew docking port, and we can make history!”
-Kimmy
Year 6, Day 245 (Explorer 2 Course Correction)
On board Explorer 2, Mitster performs a slight maneuver to encounter Duna Spaceport, adjusting the incoming Periapsis to 54k!
“Whew, I’m glad we have this habitat section to sit in while the engines fire… this would really hurt our eyes otherwise!”
-Mitster
Explorer 2 will encounter Duna in just 27 days!
Year 6, Day 244 (Duna Spaceport Arrives at Duna!)
Remote systems guide the Duna Spaceport closer and closer to the red planet of Duna!
Last minute calculations showed that the best orbit that could be achieved is a 54k equitorial orbit, so the engines fire at the appropriate time!
After the orbit is circularized, the transfer stage is completely exhausted of fuel, and ejected! Now the station will wait for the arrival of the Explorer 2 crew!
Year 6, Day 156 (Enterprise Returns Home!)
Val and Mirphe bring Enterprise down for a landing at the Shadow Valley Complex!
Successful landing! Unfortunately, the Kuark experiments didn’t seem to yield much data.
“Hmmm. We’re going to have to rethink how we research this…”
-Orlas
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 