Author: sayburstuff

Year 3, Day 465 (KSS Crew Rotation)

sayburstuff Year 3

screenshot486Jeb, Bob, and Samner head up in the Intrepid to rotate the KSS crew!

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Jeb pilots the Intrepid to a nice, stable orbit – entirely in the dark!

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Success!  Intrepid docks and joins the Adventure at the KSS!  screenshot499.pngKimmy, Robart, and Val board the Adventure… and head back to Kerbin!screenshot500.png

Once the shuttle is at a safe distance, Val fires the rentry rockets!screenshot506.png

“We’re coming in a little hot! I’m going to have to burn off some heat! Hopefully it won’t be a water landing!”

-Val

Thamkfully, despite overshooting the runway Val is able to set down on the Auxillary runway on the small island across from the Space Center!

Year 3, Day 425 (Aurora 16 Launches for MunBase One!)

sayburstuff Year 3 , , , ,

screenshot459.pngAurora 16 is rolled out to the launch pad, carrying Edan, Sean and Glenica… and blasts off!screenshot467.png

After orbit is achieved, the docking and transposition maneuver completed, course is set for Mun where orbit is easily achieved!

“We’re all getting pretty good at this!”
-Edan

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The lander goes down… this is the first test of the automated landing systems!

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Success!  Sean and Glenica hop out and say hi to Bill on MunBase One!  Meanwhile in orbit, Edan prepares to head back to Kerbin!

“It really is weird heading back to Kerbin by myself!  ”
-Edan

Year 3, Day 419 (First MunBase Expansion)

sayburstuff Year 3 ,

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MunBase One’s first Expansion, Module A, is launched!  The automated Sarnus V launch takes the expansion into Kerbin orbit, then transfers to Mun!

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Mission Control remotely pilots the craft down …

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The transfer stage ejects, and the module’s onboard rockets glide down to the surface.

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Small wheels on the outside of the module steer closer and closer to MunBase One!

LOOK OUT FOR THE FLAG!”
-Bill Kerman

Thankfully even with the time delay from Mun to Kerbin, Mission Control avoids smashing the module into the flag pole outside the Base!

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Success!  The module connects… after quite a bit of tricky steering.

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Looking good!  It’ll be nice to have some proper rooms!  And check out this great surface cupola! What a neat view!

-Bill

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Indeed – what a view!  Back on Kerbin, Aurora 16 gets ready to launch, for delivering the next crew to MunBase One!

Year 3, Day 409 (Aurora 16 Crew Announced, MunBase Expansion Construction)

sayburstuff Year 3

MunBaseOneModuleASean and Glenica are chosen as the first crew for MunBase One!  They’ll launch on Aurora 16, with Edan piloting and returning the craft.  Once Aurora 16 arrives at Mun Sean and Glenica will join Bill on the Mun!

Aurora 16 will carry a modified version of the standard Aurora Mun Lander capable of remote flight – this will be its first test!  Construction begins at once!

Before Aurora 16 launches however,  the MunBase Expansion will head to Mun!  Fully automated, no one’s quite sure how the landing will go… but construction should be done soon!

Year 3, Day 380 (Explorer Update)

sayburstuff Year 3 , , , , ,

screenshot434.pngExplorer, still on its long journey to Eve, is 120 days into its mission!  Chrisnic, Mitster, and Orlas have gotten to know each other’s annoying habits really well – but have also grown to be very close friends.  Good thing too – their mission still has a long way to go!  They’re all very eager to be the first Kerbals to see Eve … close up! screenshot433.png

Year 3, Day 380 (Aurora 15 Returns From Mun)

sayburstuff Year 3 , , , , ,

screenshot420.pngEdan takes off from Mun in the Aurora 15 lander – leaving Bill on the surface to tend for MunBase One! screenshot422.png

Almost docked… Success!

screenshot423.pngAfter moving back over to the Spacecraft, Edan detaches the lander, and plots a course back to Kerbin!

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“This is the first time I haven’t brought a whole crew back… feels strange!  I hope Bill is OK back there on Mun!”
-Jeb

 

“The radio’s still on Jeb!  I’m fine!  Get home safe!”
-Bill

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The CRV detaches from the Aurora Spacecraft… and begins to heat upscreenshot432.png

Finally, the crew returns home!

 

Year 3, Day 379 (KSS Crew Rotation)

sayburstuff Year 3 , , , , , , ,

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While work starts on Aurora 16, which will deliver the crew to MunBase One, CTS-1 Adventure blasts off from Cape Kerman, to rotate crew on the KSS! Val, Robart, and Kimmy are eager to get more training time on the KSS!  Equally eager to get back to Kerbin are Val, Samner, and Sean! screenshot406.png

Adventure docks with the KSS!  Everyone says their ‘hi’s’ and ‘bye’s’, then Jeb detaches Intrepid, and heads back to Kerbin! screenshot411.png

Jeb misses the Space Center… by a LOT!  Thankfully, the leftover fuel in Intrepid is enough to get back to the landing strip!

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“In the pipe… five by five!”
-Jeb

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Intrepid makes a good night landing, even if it was a bit bumpy!

Year 3, Day 373 (MunBase One Expansion Announced!)

sayburstuff Year 3 , ,

MunBaseOneModuleA.pngWhile Bill gets comfy on Mun, and Aurora 15 gets ready to return to Kerbin, the first expansion to MunBase One is announced: Module A!  This module will add a surface Cupola, as well as the new Mk1 Crew Habitat, providing much needed beds and personal space for the MunBase!  

Construction will begin soon on the first of several such modules.  Initial plans for additional mofules include a science  a lab, and some kind  a of vehicle for exploring the surface!!  Several astronauts have suggested development of an improved EVA jetpack to let explorers have more fuel during EVAs!

A Sarnus V rocket will take this module to Mun!

Year 3, Day 372 (MunBase One Launches! )

sayburstuff Year 3 , , , , , ,

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Shortly before launch, the final plans for the next MunBase are released: MunBase One!

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With funds running low, another MunBase launch is attempted. The new base is designated as “MunBase One.”

Because of the negative associations with “Alpha” from the MunBase Alpha disaster, KSEA felt a new name might be best. Also, it uses less room on those patches.

screenshot378.pngThe launch is successful… and MunBase One’s fairings eject.  This time, large solar arrays like those on Explorer and the KSS deploy to help keep the base powered on its journey to Mun!  Additionally, the capacitors have been removed, and a new battery, combined with a longer range relay antenna, are located at the center of the base!

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Finally, MunBase One arrives at Mun!  Mission Control orders the flight computer to begin its decent.. .screenshot386.png

Success!  MunBase One sets down!  Just under 100 meters from the initial planned site… close enough!  screenshot389.png

Up in orbit, the crew gets ready to head down and check things out!  Edan and Bill climb into the lander, and head down!  (Historians note this is the first time that a Mun Lander has been used more than once!)screenshot392.png

The lander sets down at MunBase One!  screenshot393.png

“Everything looks like it set down OK!  I’m going to head inside and see if everything’s OK!
-Bill

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Huh. Looks like the base set down about 50m from where it was supposed to!  No matter… we’ll just move the flag!

-Bill

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Bill and Edan pose for a nice landing portrait, then Bill heads inside the Base.  Edan scurries back to the lander for shelter!

“Things look fine in here!  I think we’re “Go” for you heading back up Edan… I’ll keep an eye on the base until the next crew rotation arrives!”
-Bill

The plan is for Edan to return to the Aurora 15 Spacecraft and head back to Kerbin with Bob!   Bill will remain until the MunBase One crew is assigned! screenshot400.png

Year 3, Day 360 (MunBase Alpha Disaster!)

sayburstuff Year 3 , , ,

screenshot371MunBase Alpha launches!  The Sarnus V Heavy rocket easily carries the base into orbit! The night launch goes perfectly, and before long, the base is on its way to Mun… where Aurora 15 is waiting!

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The fairings eject… and the base sails off to Mun!  A slight modification was made after some pre-launch simulations… a RA-2 Relay antenna was installed to replace the secondary Communotron antenna.  (Engineers promise it won’t unbalance the craft…. too much…)

Uh oh!  As the base heads down for landing communications are lost.

“Um, I think I saw some explosions on the surface!  Might be time to make a new base! While we’re at it, a depot in orbit of Mun might be nice too!  This pod gets pretty stuffy… even with the extra space the lander has!”
-Edan

Engineers think that a power loss led to communications failure… work on a revised MunBase beins at once!    The crew of Aurora 15 graciously agrees to stay in orbit of Mun until the replacement is complete.