Year 1

Year 1, Day 200

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horizonb final.pngEngineers finish plans for the next Horizon Rocket – the Horizon B!  This upgraded rocket will carry a small spacecraft capable of conducing some basic missions in space.  Breakthroughs include cargo bays for holding scientific equipment, enhanced battery power, and food supplies.  There should be enough supplies for a Kerbal to survive in space for up to 5 days!  The vessel also includes communications arrays for talking with Mission Control and two major safety features: a heat shield for protecting the craft on re-entry, and an escape tower that can carry Kerbals to safety if there are any problems during launch!

Construction on the Horizon-B will commence once upgrades to the VAB are complete!

 

Year 1, Day 135 (Horizon 6 Launch)

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screenshot59.pngHorizon 6 blasts off, carrying Val!  This will be the first night launch KSEA has performed!

screenshot62.pngHorizon 6 carries Val safely into a stable orbit.

screenshot67.pngWow!  What a view!  Horizon 6 returns to Kerbin and Val rests up!

Meanwhile, the next Horizon-A (which would have been Horizon 7)is brought in to be refurbished.  Breakthroughs in science mean new experiments and tests to be performed in space. Mitster is a bit disappointed his launch will be delayed!

Year 1, Day 134 (Horizon 5 Launch)

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Horizon 5 blasts off!  This should be a eventful mission… the first EVA (extra-vehicular-activity)… actually stepping out of the Horizon pod into space!  After reaching a very stable 100k orbit (and ensuring the engine throttle is in the LOCKED position), Jebediah steps out!

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“Wow!  Kerbin looks so… small!” What a historic mission!  Time to come home though… Jebediah sets down in the ocean west of KSC.  One of these days they’ll land on target!

 

Year 1, Day 105

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x2.pngDesigns are finalized for the X-2 Experimental Training Rocket.  This craft uses the same RT-20 boosters from the Horizon Rockets, as well as the Horizon Command Pod, but features larger wings for more stable flight.

The X-2 is designed to reach orbital altitudes to simulate launches, and for pilots to practice re-entry and splash down! Mitster will be its first pilot… once he’s done training in the X-1 that is!

Year 1, Day 103 (Horizon 4 Launch)

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screenshot37.pngIt’s Val’s turn!  Horizon 4 takes off from KSC! screenshot38.png

The final orbit is a very clean 80k. Nice work!

screenshot39.pngThat’s quite the view!

screenshot40.pngUh oh!  As some scientists had warned, the science pods on the side of the reentry capsule were exposed to excessive heat, and exploded as Val entered the atmosphere. “That loud bang was quite the scare!  Not something you want to hear as you see fire out the window!” screenshot42.png

Val and the Horizon 4 pod set down nicely in the desert, and recovery teams head out to rescue her.  Not a perfect mission, but a success!

Meanwhile construction of an X-1 begins to use in training. Engineers also begin designing an X-2, as a more capable short range training rocket. Mitster is excited to try out both!

Year 1, Day 103

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screenshot25.pngThe new Horizon-A rockets are ready and Jeb and Val are itching to try them!  The first is named Horizon-3 and if everything goes well, it will be the first craft to orbit Kerbin! screenshot27.png

The first two stages fire, and take Horizon 3 into a good apoapsis of 86k!screenshot28.png

At apoapsis the LV-900 fires, and Jeb pilots the craft into a nice stable orbit (somewhat sloppy though, without the assistance of computers!) screenshot30.png

Mission Control radar tracking confirms it: orbit achieved!  What a day!  Jeb completes one full orbit of Kerbin, then aims for what looks like KSC! screenshot32.png

Jeb ejects the orbital section. “What a shame!   It was a good ship!” he says.

screenshot35.pngJeb splashes down west of the KSC peninsula.  “Ah!  So wet!  I’m ready to get rescued guys!!”