Carson and Samner return from Kerbin Spacedock, arriving at the White Mesa desert facility!
“It’s good to be back on solid ground!”
-Samner
“Well, I can’t wait to get back up there!”
-Carson
Year 21, Day 395(Carson & Samner Return to Kerbin!)
Year 21
Year 21, Day 392 (KSEA Announces Sarnus Station Plans!)
Blueprints have been released for Sarnus Station, a new deep space research station to be placed in orbit of Sarnus! The station will be launched aboard one of the ultra-heavy Nova Rockets, and carried to Sarnus by a modified DSV class nuclear drive! Once at Sarnus the same nuclear reactor will provide the station with ongoing power. The new Life Support Cargo Modules add a significant amount of mass to the station, however they will hold up to 60 years of life support materials for a crew of 3!
“This is the first step to letting us conduct serious investigation of the Sarnus planetary system! Future expansions will eventually grow the station, and it may even be moved into a different orbit, depending on what we need in future years!”
-Gene, at Mission Control
Year 21, Day 360 (Aurora Base Power Upgrade Mission)
Aurora Base has been having power difficulties – occasionally it will run out of power over night! A larger battery bank is required, so a small mission to upgrade the base’s power systems is launched on a Nebula Rocket!
The reusable first stage ejects, and returns to Kerbin!
The Power Module continues it’s trajectory to Mun!
Once in Mun orbit, the Power Module starts it’s descent…
…landing next to Aurora Base!
The module rolls up and docks to the Green House module!
“Looks like a good connection… those battery banks should solve the problem! With the Green House and the life support systems all running this base takes a surprising amount of power! We may need to consider a nuclear reactor for some of our future bases where solar won’t work!”
-Bill, at Aurora Base
Year 21, Day 352 (DSV-2 Crew Starts Exploring Duna Craters!)
Seely climbs out, and repacks the landing parachute!
“There we go – repacked! I’m heading down!”
-Seely
Soon, Tamre and Mirphe climb out!
“It’s so pretty here! We have a lot of time but we should start getting science data right away!”
-Tamre
“Flag’s planted! Let’s get the science kits set up so we can start exploring!”
-Mirphe
Tamre starts setting up the science equipment!
“That’s all of it! Weather station is up and running – the forecast looks cold and windy!”
-Tamre
Year 21, Day 350 (New Mun Lander Announced!)
KSEA releases plan for a new Mun Lander! The heaviest Mun Lander yet, the Heavy Mun Lander can transport three Kerbals to the surface and move various payloads, such as Rovers or base components!
This will be the first Mun Lander that won’t be delivered with Aurora Missions – as it’s simply too big! Instead, mission planners intend to provide additional fuel to re-load the Space Port instead!
“I can’t wait to test that new lander!”
-Jeb
Year 21, Day 341 (DSV-2 Crew Heads to Duna Surface!)
After a considerable time aboard Duna Spaceport, Mirphe, Tamre, and Seely head down to the surface!
“Hold on to something everybody… these landers are pretty rough on the way down!”
-Mirphe
The rear airbrakes deploy, and the lander heads nose-first into the Duna atmosphere!
“We’re going so fast! I hope we decelerate with enough time to deploy the chutes!”
-Seely
“Chutes deployed! And just in time too!”
-Mirphe
The lander sets down on the surface of Duna! Back on Kerbin, looking over the landing metrics, Gene frowns!
“That wasn’t just a close one – that was really close! The parachutes barely had enough time to deploy! I think we need to start looking at a next generation lander for Duna!”
-Gene
Engineers start looking at prototype designs… meanwhile the crew gets ready to explore the surface of Duna!
Year 21, Day 327 (Sarnus/Slate Relay-Scanner Enters Slate Orbit!)
The new Sarnus/Slate Relay-Scanner probe arrives at the Sarnus system!
“We still have communication! All those communications dishes really do add up to create a better connection with Kerbin!”
-Gene, at Mission Control
The Slate Probe performs an orbital capture maneuver…
… then captures into a 65 degree inclination Slate Orbit!
“We have enough deltaV to maneuver the probe again if need be – but good work everybody! This is our first probe around Slate!
Indeed, previous probes to the Sarnus system have all failed – either not enough power, or not enough communications capacity. This time – it looks like a proper scan of Slate can be completed!
The lens protector on the surface telescope opens!
“We’re recieving signal! We should have a complete scan of the surface just in time for the Horizon to arrive!”
-Gene
The Relay-Scan probe continues it’s orbit around Slate! In 106 days it will be joined in the Sarnus system by DSV-3 Horizon!
Year 21, Day 309 (Orlas and Luly Head to Aurora Base!)
The Mun Lander takes off from Aurora Base…
… and enters Mun orbit!
“I see the lander! Computers say it’s on track for remote docking. Technology has sure come a long way since the first days of Munar Exploration!”
-Summer
The lander docks! Luly and Orlas board, and prepare to head down to the surface!
The lander undocks, and starts it’s descent!
“This is gonna be a lot of fun!!”
-Orlas
The lander sets down near Aurora Base!
Luly hops out, and heads to the airlock!
“Wow! These modular bases snap together fast!”
-Luly
Orlas hops out, and joins Luly!
“The great thing is that we can keep expanding as time goes on! Since Mun doesn’t have any water though, we’ll always need a lifeline from Kerbin! But we can use this base to test out future colonies – like on Minmus, or Laythe!”
-Orlas
“I found the door! Let’s get inside and start up the Base’s science systems!”
-Luly
“These pre-planted seedlings are already growing – amazing!”
-Orlas
“Mission Control – Aurora Base is fully functional! All systems online!”
-Dunwin
Year 21, Day 295 (Aurora Base Mover Launches, Aurora Base Construction Begins!)
A Sarnus Va rocket launches from the space center carrying a modified rover that had been converted to move Base modules!
“Good thing we had a Sarnus V rocket ready! It made this launch fast! That was the next scheduled Aurora Mission though, but it was worth it to get Aurora Base up and running!”
-Gene
Orbit is achieved! The second stage settles into orbit, deploying it’s solar panels!
After a rapid transit, the rover arrives at Mun…
…and heads down for a landing!
The Base Mover sets down amongst the deployed modules for Aurora Base, as Bill and Dunwin watch from the lander!
“There it is! I’ll head out and oversee the deployment of the Base Mover!”
-Dunwin
“That’s one ugly rover! Let’s get it deployed and see if it works!”
-Dunwin
The RCS Lifting crane struggles under the heavy weight – the Base Adapter Modules are pretty heavy!
The RCS lifter ejects, and goes flying away! Seismic instruments around Mun will monitor the impact and transmit the data back to Kerbin!
“Time to get moving!”
-Dunwin
Dunwin drives the Base Mover to the first module – the Green House!
“Got it! Interface looks good… Heading your way Bill!”
-Dunwin
The connection is made and the Greenhouse is connected!
Meanwhile, Bill scouts the are around Aurora Base and determines the base needs to be shifted about 50m north east to have a good flat surface!
Next, Bill and Dunwin both board the Base Mover and pick up the Science Module!
“Great! Another module installed!”
-Bill
With the base coming together so quickly, crew up on Mun Spaceport prepare to head down and start their surface mission!
“The start if this project was a bit bumpy, but this latest phase is going great!”
-Bill
“Yeah! We’ll be done before you know it!”
-Dunwin
The Habitat module is installed! Dunwin and Bill head inside after parking the Base Mover and the Rover near the base!
Mission Control orders the Lander to lift off and set down at the new Base site.
“Now we wait for the rest of the crew!”
-Bill
“I wonder how long until the Greenhouse is able to grow treats?!”
-Dunwin
Year 21, Day 250 (Bill & Dunwin Set Up Aurora Base!)
Dunwin and Bill board the new Aurora 28 Lander and head down to Mun’s surface!
The new rover is designed to pick up the debris from the landing!
“The lander is taking us down! It feels weird being in a remotely piloted vehicle without a pilot!”
-Bill
The lander sets down at Aurora Base!
“Oh boy! We have our work cut out for us!”
-Dunwin
“Our first problem is that the modules don’t have any command or communications equipment installed! We’re not going to be able to pilot them into place!”
-Dunwin
Uh oh! KSEA engineers start working on a solution to this latest Munar problem!
“No one ever said setting up a base on The Mun was going to be easy!”
-Gene
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 