Year 5, Day 56 (Aurora 17 Arrives at Minmus!)

June 28, 2017 sayburstuff Year 4 Edan, Glenica, Harmony Space Station, Minmus, Samner, Shepley

Aurora 16 arrives at Minmus, and Edan pilots the spacecraft to dock with Harmony Space Station! Glenica has been waiting for a crew for sometime now!

Aurora 17 docks! Edan and Shepley quickly transfer over to the lander, eager to get their turn down on Minmus!

Mission Planners have decided the next area for exploration will be a region in the lowlands of Minmus designated HSS LS04-A, where orbital scanners have detected an unusual anomaly.

The lander sets down – and already Edan spots the anomaly.

“That looks like one of those Monoliths! Strange though, I’d swear it was green, not black like the others!”

-Edan

Edan is right – the monolith appears to be the same dimensions as the others found, however it has a slight green hue to it. How unusual! Shepley performs all the scientific experiments he can, gets a surface sample, then the explorers return to the Research Lander!

Edan pilots the lander into orbit…

Then docks with Harmony Space Station! The crew will stay for a short time before heading back to Kerbin.

Year 5 Day 34 (Guardian IR Telescope Starts Tracking Objects Near Kerbin!)

June 27, 2017June 27, 2017 sayburstuff Year 4 Guardian Infrared Telescope

After 217 days in space, the Guardian Infrared Telescope finally reaches its required orbit, and begins object tracking asteroids near Kerbin that may pose a threat, or might be interesting to visit.

Year 5, Day 19 (Intrepid Launches on KSS Repair/Upgrade Mission!)

June 27, 2017June 27, 2017 sayburstuff Year 4 Chrisnic, CTS-3 Intrepid, Dunwin, Kerbin Space Station, KSS Upgrades, Problems, Val

Intrepid blasts off, taking up to the KSS, with a cargo bay full of ladders!

It takes a lot of work.. but Chrisnic and Dunwin are eventually able to install both the ladders and grip surfaces as well as the new module’s solar panels, and even add some decorative lights! Decorative safety lights.

The new panels deploy succesffuly!

“Well, will you look at that! Those are some big solar panels!”

-Dunwin

After a … mostly… successful mission, Enterprise prepares to head back to Kerbin. Edan will take the craft down himself, while Chrisnic will stay on the KSS to train!

Edan lines up a perfect landing…

… and sets down! Edan is developing a reputation for being a no-nonsense pilot that can handle pretty much anything that comes his way!

Year 5, Day 18 (Frontier 8 Moho Flyby!)

June 26, 2017 sayburstuff Year 4 Frontier 8, Frontier Probes, Moho

screenshot1472

Frontier 8 flys by Moho! Sensors record temperature readings, as well as trace atmospheric levels near the world (it appears to be a near vacuum, although trace levels are picked up.)

The flyby is a short one, as soon as it began, it seemed, it was ending. Frontier 8 will drift without fuel in a solar orbit forever, but it made history as the first spacecraft to reach Moho!

Year 5, Day 13 (Enterprise Launched to Upgrade KSS Power and Solar Systems!)

June 25, 2017June 25, 2017 sayburstuff Year 4 Chrisnic, CTS-3 Intrepid, Dunwin, Edan, HCS-2 Enterprise, KSS Upgrades, Problems

Enterprise launches! Edan will pilot the Heavy Cargo Shuttle to orbit and rendezvous with the Kerbin Space Station, and Dunwin will supervise the initial installation of the solar power unit, and then perform EVAs to complete installation from Enterprise’s cargo bay!

“Orbital Assist Vehicle is away… heading to the station!”

-Edan

Dunwin reviews the mission parameters as Enterprise rockets towards the KSS!

Enterprise arrives at the KSS and the module detaches!

Installation proves very difficult, with Chrisnic leaving the station to assist Dunwin!

“This is just impossible! There’s no way to get a grip on anything!”

-Chrisnic

Chrisnic and Dunwin return to the KSS, taking the extra parts from Enterprise, while Edan tries a “first”… docking Enterprise itself to the Kerbin Space Station!

“Almos there… almost there…”

-Edan

Wow – everyone is very suprised that the docking actually worked. The KSS was never designed to dock such a large craft, but Edan showed that it was possible!

“Now let’s all hang tight and wait for Intrepid!”

-Edan

KSEA decides to send up Intrepid to deliver some parts to allow the installation of footholds and other gripping surfaces for the station!

Year 5, Day 9 (KSS Solar Expansion)

June 25, 2017 sayburstuff Year 4 HCS-2 Enterprise, KSS Upgrades

Enterprise is readied with a new payload that will expand the Kerbal Space Station’s power generation and storage needs!

The new “Megalador” solar panels were designed for deep-space applications, and the KSS will serve as an ideal testbed for the technologies!

Year 5, Day 9 (Frontier 8 Nears Moho!)

June 24, 2017 sayburstuff Year 4

Meanwhile, far away from Kerbin, the Frontier 8 probe to Moho rockets toward the very hot world closest to the Sun!

Unfortunately, scientists now thing that an orbit of Moho using the Frontier 8 probe will be impossible – the probe only has about 2400 d/v onboard, and circularizing around Moho would require over 10,000 d/v!

Year 5, Day 8 (Duna Surveyor Departs Kerbin for Duna!)

June 24, 2017 sayburstuff Year 4

The first stage of the Explorer 2 mission is away! The Duna Surveyor fires its engines and starts its high speed journey to Duna!!

The orbital stage detaches, and the monopropellant driven LV-95 engine carries Surveyor the rest of the way!

Year 4, Day 406 (Adventure Launches to upgrade KSS Solar Systems!)

June 24, 2017 sayburstuff Year 4 Chrisnic, CTS-1 Adventure, Jeb, KSS Upgrades

The newly refitted Adventure takes off, carring Jeb and Chrisnic up to the KSS! The mission: To relocate the solar arrays on the Space Station!

“Ground Control, this is Jeb. Low Kerbin Orbit achieved! Heading to rendezvous with the Station!”

-Jeb

The Crew Shuttle Program is rapidly becoming one of the mots used spacecraft in the KSEA arsenal. These small, dependable vehicles have become the standard for getting Kerbals to low orbit!

Once Adventure docks, Chrisnic gets out and begins rearranging the Solar Panels on the station to a more optimal configuration!

“There we go! That should make for a better layout!”

-Chrisnic

Placing the solar panels along the relative “top” of the station provides for better solar coverage. With the job done, Adventure disconnects, and heads back to KSC! Chrisnic stays on the station for a short time to familiarize himself with the station!

Have fun up here Chrisnic! I’m heading back to KSC!

-Jeb

After performing its de-orbit burn, Adventure detaches its cargo bay!

After a quick, but very hot re-entry…

Jeb sets down for a perfect landing at the Space Center. Nice!

Year 4, Day 405 (KSS Docking Expansion)

June 21, 2017June 22, 2017 sayburstuff Year 4

The long promised update of the KSS docking port has come! The launch will send the new docking module into orbit on an Aurora Rocket, and the module will travel to the Space Station for remote installation.

The launch is the first orbital test of the most impressive part of the new docking module, the Crew Lounge, to make life just that much more comfortable in space! This module is identical to the new Crew Lounge to be utilized on the Duna Spaceport, which is currently in orbit of Kerbin awaiting its launch window. Installing this module on the KSS will allow testing of the module before Duna Spaceport departs. The Space Taxi attached to the old docking port detaches and moves to a safe distance.