Kerbin Surveyor alters it’s course slightly to gain a better angle at Kerbin!  Similar designs based on the Surveyor are being developed by KSC scientists to better explore and map the other worlds of the Kerbin system!

KSEA may launch more Surveyor sattelites in the future, most likely dual-purpose communication / mapping designs to increase coverage of Kerbin.

Construction begins on two new rockets… a KSS Science Mission to test the effects of loiw gravity on plants, and a life support resupply mission to the KSS.

Both payloads will launch on Discovery Rockets!

The KSEA and KSGS satellite, Kerbin Surveyor, launches and reaches a slightly inclined polar orbit of 331k!

With any luck this satellite should last long enough to fully map Kerbin’s surface.

The crew takes some time to relax, celebrating the success of the probe landing on Eve!  Everyone takes a quick spin outside the craft!

After the successful landing of the Atmospheric Probe on Eve, Explorer moves on to the next phase of its mission the exploration of Eve’s small moon, Gilly. 

Explorer changes it’s inclination to match that of Gilly!

“Won’t be too long now … we’ll see how well the new lander works!”

-Orlas

Morning comes, and with it, the sun!  The Explorer Atmospheric Probe is recharged, and starts relaying information about the surface!  The images relayed back show an eery, purple surface, with a strange sea, glowing green from the Eve sunrise!

Instruments show Eve is as beautiful as it is dangerous… Atmospheric pressure is extreme, as is the gravity.

“Landing, once we get past the heat of reentry, should be easy. Taking off from the surface is going to be very difficult… A fully assembled Aurora Rocket launched from the surface of Eve would have trouble making orbit!”

-Orlas

Explorer circularizes its orbit above Eve, achieving an orbit of 122k!  As Explorer finishes its orbital burn, Mitster checks out the fuel gauges.

“Getting Explorer back into Kerbin orbit is going to be a real trick.  I’m starting to think that we’ll have to use the LARC as a lifeboat when we get back!”

-Mitster

Everyone is a little disappointment that Explorer may not be able to be re-used… However the concern about fuel is exactly why the LARC was developed!

It’s time to send the first atmospheric probe down to the surface!  The probe disconnects…

Then the small solid rockets drop it out of orbit… and toward Eve!  Sensors indicate that the parachutes deployed, and the craft touched down… just as battery power runs out!  Thankfully, there was time to order the solar panels deployed.  The crew onboard Explorer (and everyone back on Kerbin) wait anxiously to see if the little probe survives the night on Eve!

Construction begins on Kerbin Surveyor 2 – an advanced planetary scanner.  This mission is a joint venture between the KSGS (the Kerbal States Geological Survey) and KSEA!

Launched into an inclined polar orbit, the sattelite should allow a good look at Kerbin’s surface.