Year 21, Day 194 (Aurora Base Launches to Mun!)

June 18, 2021June 18, 2021 sayburstuff Year 20, Year 21 Aurora 27, Aurora 28, Aurora Base, Aurora Crater, Bob, Colonies, Gene, Jool X Rocket, Mun

Aurora Base is finally ready to launch! This complicated mission will involve one very large payload launched to Mun Orbit, then 3 separate landings delivering all the components of the station. The first landing will carry the Habitat and Science Modules. The second will carry the Greenhouse and Life Support systems. The third module will carry the Command Module!

In the evening of Day 194, the Jool X rocket blasts off from the Space Center carrying Aurora Base!

The second stage carries the Aurora Base modules to orbit…

… then to Mun’s Orbit!

Once in Mun orbit the three landings commence.

“Let’s keep our fingers crossed everyone! These landings have to be timed precisely for the modules to arrive undamaged!”
-Gene

The Habitat and Science modules descend to Aurora Crater!

Then land just next to the Aurora Rover from the Aurora 27 mission from Mun Spaceport!

Then, the complicated part! One module breaks off, and is piloted away using RCS!

Eventually the next detaches, and rolls to nearby safety!

“That wasn’t so bad! Just two more to go!”
-Bob, at the Space Center

The Green House and Life Support modules land next…

.. landing just next to the other modules!

Aurora Crater is starting to fill up with some very expensive Kerbal hardware!

Next, the Command Module heads down!

“Telemetry is good. Speed is good. Command Module should be good to set down – fuel’s looking pretty tight though! “
-Bob, at the Space Center

At the last second, the Command Module detaches from the descent vehicle, and the upper mounted RCS system (the same that’s used to deploy rovers in Aurora Missions) takes the Command Module to the surface of Mun!

“Looks like a good set of landings people! Let’s get some crew out there to get started!”
-Gene

A crew will be launching soon from Kerbin to construct the station on the next Aurora mission – Aurora 28!

Year 21, Day 180 (DSV-5 Intrepid, KSEA’s Next Deep Space Vehicle, Launches From The Space Center!)

June 15, 2021June 15, 2021 sayburstuff Year 21 Bob, CTS-3 Intrepid, DSV-5 Intrepid, Gene, Jeb, Jool Heavy Rocket, Kerbin Spacedock, Sean

The Next Deep Space Vehicle, DSV-5 Intrepid is ready to launch! Named after the retired crew shuttle CTS-3 Intrepid, DSV-5 is a Horizon Class DSV, identical to Endeavor and Horizon!

“Wow – that rocket looks big, even from way over at the Tracking Station!”
-Bob, on his way to watch the launch of DSV-5

Mission Command starts calling out rocket status summaries, until finally…

“Lights are green – DSV is go for launch!”
-Gene, at Mission Control

“Look at ‘er go!”
-Bob, at Mission Control

The Jool Heavy Rocket carries the spacecraft higher…

… and higher!

At a 200k orbit, the side stages eject, and Intrepid circularizes it’s orbit around Kerbin!

“Computers say we have a good orbit! Let’s remotely rendevous it with Spacedock and get a crew over there!”
-Gene

Intrepid is remotely piloted until it rendezvouses with Spacedock!

“Mission Control – this is Jeb at Spacedock Control – we have a visual on Intrepid!”
-Jeb

“Wow – I always forget how big these DSV’s are until you see them next to Spacedock!”
-Sean

While Mission Control can pilot the DSV’s remotely for the precision connections needed for docking pilots are always preferred – so Jeb EVA’s outside Spacedock and heads over to Intrepid!

“Mission Control, I have left Spacecdock and am en route to the DSV!”
-Jeb

Jeb sets his EVA rockets to “FULL SPEED DANGER!” and speeds toward the DSV!

“Radar shows you going 10 m/s, make sure you leave enough time to slow down!”
-Sean, on Spacedock

“Don’t worry, I’m a professional!”
-Jeb

Jeb slows down, just in time, and grabs the hand holds under the nose of DSV-5 Endeavor at the last second!

“Got it! Connection made, heading to the cockpit!”
-Jeb

“Eyes on the prize Jeb – let’s get this bird in the nest!”
-Gene

“Roger that.”
-Jeb

Jeb activates the RCS thrusters and matches speed with Spacedock, then orients the massive spacecraft with the docking ports!

“Starting final docking maneuvers…”
-Jeb

“Mission Control… Jeb here… I’m in the pipe, five by five…”
-Jeb

Intrepid slowly moves in to dock until finally, just as the sun sets…

“Intrepid – you show a solid lock – welcome back Jeb! I can’t wait to get over there and start up Intrepid‘s reactor!”
-Sean

Year 21, Day 178 (Aurora 27 Crew Return to Mun Spaceport!)

June 13, 2021 sayburstuff Year 21 Aurora Base, Aurora Program, Mun, Mun Spaceport, Orlas, Summer

Summer and Orlas blast off from Aurora Crater!

“I think we found a great site for the new Base!”
-Summer

“Agreed! It’s not just scenic either… there’s a lot of interesting science to be done at that location!”
-Orlas

Summer pilots the lander to a rendevous with Mun Spaceport…

… and docks!

“Alright, let’s get ready for the arrival of Aurora Base! “
-Summer

Year 21, Day 142 (Construction on New Eve Communications Network Begins!)

June 13, 2021 sayburstuff Year 21 Aurora 23, DSV-3 Horizon, Eve, Eve Communications Network

There has been renewed interest among researchers on Kerbin to explore one of the most hazardous planets: Eve! Missions to the cloudy purple planet have been frequently plagued by problems. The intense temperature, the high gravity, and the super dense atmosphere make Eve fairly easy for small spacecraft to land but nearly impossible for large vehicles set down – let alone take off from again!

To facilitate missions a new upgraded communications network is required, and with the upcoming window a Sarnus rocket will carry two small relay probes, identical to those carried by Aurora 23 for DSV-3 Horizon’s mission to Sarnus!

Year 21, Day 139 (Life Support Delivery to Spacedock!)

May 1, 2021 sayburstuff Year 21 Jeb, Kerbin Spacedock, Modular Payload Vehicle, Sean, Spacedock Refuelling

A Modular Payload Vehicle, carrying Life Support supplies for Spacedock, blasts off from the White Mesa Rocket Complex!

The first stage ejects, and returns to KSC, while the second stage continues on to orbit.

The spacecraft arrives at Spacedock…

… and docks!

“Oh good – new snacks!”
-Jeb

“The oxygen and water is nice too!”
-Sean

Year 21, Day 137 (Explorer 7 Returns to Kerbin from Duna!)

May 1, 2021 sayburstuff Year 21 Duna, Dunwin, Explorer 7, Malcolm, Shepely

As Explorer 7 speeds towards it’s intercept with Kerbin, the automated systems thaw the frozen crew!

“Brr! I could use a hot chocolate!”
-Dunwin

“Me too! Waking from cryo-sleep is always so chilly!”
-Shepely

“Well, don’t worry! It’s about to get a whole lot warmer!”
-Malcolm

One by one, the crew suit up, and transfer over to the Command Module!

Once inside, everyone straps in for the re-entry!

Explorer 7 heats up, but Duna-bound spacecraft are well shielded for these fast reentries!

“Hold on! Hold on! Almost there!”
-Malcolm

The chute deploys once the spacecraft is slow enough to be safe!

“Looks like a good deploy!”
-Dunwin

Explorer 7 sets down in the grassy fields west of the Space Center! Rescue craft are dispatched to recover the three Kerbals and the trove of data recovered from Duna!

Year 21, Day 130 (Laythe Spaceplane Resolute Launches for Jool/Laythe!)

May 1, 2021 sayburstuff Year 21 Edan, Jool, Laythe, LCV-1 Endurance, LCV-2 Resolute, X-10 Laythe Spaceplane

The second Laythe Crew Vehicle spaceplane is launched from KSC!

The spacecraft enters orbit… and waits!

Resolute will leave Kerbin in about 400 days for an express trip to Jool/Laythe. This new Laythe Crew Vehicle is almost identical to the current LCV-1 Endurance, but with improved science payloads (including water detection systems) and improved power systems. The solar panels have been removed, and the craft’s onboard power supply has been buffed up to survive longer on Laythe!

“I can’t wait to fly that on Laythe!”
-Edan, at Mission Control

Year 21, Day 115 (KSEA Announces Aurora Base Munar Research Facility!)

April 29, 2021May 1, 2021 sayburstuff Year 21 Aurora Base, Aurora Crater, Blueprints, Colonies, Mun, Orlas, Summer

While scientists are still grumbling that the lack of water means the outpost will likely never be self-sustaining, KSEA is nonetheless excited to release plans for Aurora Base – the next Munar Outpost! The name was chosen to honor the Aurora Program, which paved the way for every crewed KSEA mission!

The site chosen by Orlas and Summer has been named Aurora Crater.

Unlike previous Munar Outposts, this one will have a greenhouse and supplies to make habitability long term, if not permanent (with minor support from Kerbin.)

Construction has already begun, and the Outpost will be launched on a Jool-X rocket soon!

Year 21, Day 108 (Aurora 27 Finds Possible Colony Site – But No Water!)

April 29, 2021 sayburstuff Year 21 Aurora 27, Colonies, Mun, Orlas, Summer

After traveling for several days, Summer and Orlas have still not found any water on Mun!

“These surface readings are a 1:1 match for orbital readings… there appears to be NO detectable water here at all! We can try digging with equipment in future missions… but I don’t think we should plan on any base that has water sourced from Mun itself!”
-Orlas

“Some good news though… we’ve found a nice flat area that is rich in most other resources! It’s also quite scenic!”
-Summer

Mission Control review the data… there’s a lot of disappointment that Mun seems to have no water, but Orlas helpfully makes a point:

“There are plenty of other worlds to colonize! We can use Mun as a testbed for future sites that may also not have water, for long term but not self-sustaining colonies!”
-Orlas

At the original landing site for Aurora 27, the lander is remotely piloted up…

…and then to the new site found by Summer and Orlas!

“Look! There it is! These new landers are so advanced!”
-Orlas

The two Kerbals drive the rover back to the lander, and camp out while Mission Control decides the next move!

Year 21, Day 105 (Aurora 27 Blasts Off – Heading to Mun Spaceport!)

April 28, 2021 sayburstuff Year 21 Aurora 27, Aurora Program, Colonies, Gilian, Mun, Orlas, Sarnus Va Rocket

Summer, Gillian, and Orlas blast off in Aurora 27 – launched on top of a Sarnus Va Rocket!

This will be Summer’s first command, and the first mission to Mun specifically to find water!

So far, orbital scans have indicated that there is NO water… but that can’t be right! Aurora 27’s mission is specifically to find water along the Mun’s equator!