Year 20, Day 11 (Summer and Luly Investigate Mountain Launch Site!)

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Mission planners keep insisting that launches are possible from a so-called “Woomerang” Launch Site… however before fuel, rocket parts, and Kerbals start getting diverted to the location, KSEA wants to check it out!

“We’re sending a crack team to see what’s up with this site! Good luck Summer and Luly! “
-Gene, at Mission Control

Wanderertakes off at full speed, reaching near orbital velocities as it flies toward “Woomerang!”

“There it is! Cutting engines, pulling up… deploying chute!”
-Summer

Wanderer sets down!

“Let’s check this out!”
-Luly

Luly leaves the aircraft, and heads over to the “Woomerang” site!

“That’s one of the ground stations – neat!”
-Luly

Luly checks out the launch pad.. and some kind of tower!

“Huh – there’s not much here! Just the landing pad and a tower… probably a water tower for the launch pad! Whoever used this before us didn’t build very much! “
-Summer

“Yea – we’re going to need to build a lot of facilities out here if we’re going to use it! We better head back to KSC!”
-Luly

The crew packs up in Wanderer and heads home!

Year 20, Day 10 (Explorer 7 Second Duna Landing!)

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Malcolm, Dunwin and Shepely head down for the second landing! Since this will be a landing at the Highlands, the Advanced Duna Lander has to expend a good deal of fuel to slow down before entering the atmosphere!

“We’re heading in! Approach looking good!”
-Malcolm

The landing parachute deploys, and the lander pitches up…. while the engine throttles up again to slow the descent!

Shepely and Dunwin head out to explore the surface!

“It’s so pretty!”
-Shepely

Next, Malcolm plants a flag….

…and the crew poses for their landing portrait!

“Mission Control has received your picture… lookin’ good!”
-Gene, at Mission Control

Shepley gets the scientific equipment set up, while Malcolm and Dunwin supervise!

Well, let’s get our little campsite going! We have a few weeks to work here on the surface!
-Shepely

Year 20, Day 3 (KSEA Releases Designs for Nebula Crew Vehicle!)

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KSEA releases designs for the successor to the Aurora Crew Vehicle, the Nebula Crew Vehicle (NCV) capable of carrying 4 crew to a 200k orbit!

The NCV is launched using KSEA’s first reusable rocket: the Nebula Rocket. The Nebula Rocket has previously been used to launch an Aurora Crew Vehicle and will likely be the new standard for crew launches!

The NCV is also the first Crew Pod to carry 4 passengers!

Year 20, Day 1 (Spacedock Launches!)

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The new Spacedock space station launches, carried to orbit by a massive Nova Rocket!

The solid rockets eject, and the Nova Rocket continues carrying the Spacedock core into orbit

Finally, the protective aerodynamic fairing ejects, and the Spacedock core is circularized in a 200k orbit!

“That went well! Just two more launches to go!”
-Gene

As the Spacedock core launched, the launch platform was cleared and the second component was rolled out!

The docking stage launches!

“There it goes!”
-Val

The fairing ejects, and automated systems carry the station component to rendevous with the Spacedock core!

After a successful rendevous, the two halves of Spacedock move in closer and closer…

… and connects!

“Docking achieved! Now for the fuel!”
-Gene

The Modular Refuelling Vehicle launches!

The rocket circularizes…

…then ejects it’s protective aerodynamic fairing!

Next, the fuel module attaches to Spacedock!

“That’s it! Now its time to send up a crew!”
-Gene

Seely, Kerlorf, and Edan climb into an Aurora Crew Vehicle – launched on one of the brand new Nebula Rockets – the first fully reusable first stage that KSEA has ever built!

The rocket blasts off!

“So far so good – ACV and Nebula rocket are both nominal!”
-Edan

The ACV separates from the Nebula Rocket! Meanwhile, the first stage will be performing maneuvers to return to Kerbin’s surface!

Next, Edan intercepts Spacedock, and the crew gets ready to dock!

“Docking complete! You guys are clear to get the ring deployed!”
-Edan

Meanwhile, Val and Sean depart from Kerbin Spaceport… the now retired space station!

“Farewell Spaceport! You served us well!”
-Val

Val performs the rendevous with the Spaceport, and Sean supervises the deployment of the orbital habitat!

With a series of loud “clunk!” noises, the ring deploys, and….

“Oh boy, it worked! The ring is spinning! Let’s get over there and see how the snacks survived!”
-Kerlorf

Spacedock ejects the RCS unit used during it’s launch, and KSEA has a new, fully functional space station!

“What a long day! Everyone deserves a good rest after all that!”
-Gene

Year 19, Day 377 (Mirphe and Samner Return to Orbit, DSV-4 Endeavor Departs Moho!)

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After camping out on Moho for 64 days (a record!) Mirphe and Samner blast off, leaving behind all the science gear and the rover!

“Systems nominal… fuel supply will be… well, a little tight!”
-Mirphe

“What’s that mean!?”
-Samner

“Well, as long as I don’t make any mistakes whatsoever we probably have enough fuel to rendezvous!”
-Mirphe

“Probably!?”
-Samner

Thankfully, after reaching orbit there is *just* enough fuel to rendevous! The remaining fuel is a very low 12 d/v supply!

“Ok – we’re lined up … moving in to dock!”
-Mirphe

“Welcome aboard! It was getting boring up here! Next time we visit we need to bring a lander that can fit everyone!”
-Gillian

Samner stows all the scientific data and samples, while Gillian gets the reactor powered up!

The lander is undocked, and drifts away from Endeavor!

“Course set! We’re ready to head home!”
-Mirphe

Endeavor powers up it’s nuclear engine and the spacecraft departs Moho!

The journey to Moho has taken much more fuel than initially planned – the lack of an atmosphere or any moons means very little natural assistance with slowing down!

Endeavor flies away from Moho, heading home!

Meanwhile, the crew enters cryostasis!

“Mission Control… this is Mirphe on Endeavor! Samner and Gillian have successfully entered Cryo-Stasis.. handing over Vehicle to Mission Control! Endeavor Out!”
-Mirphe

“See you soon Endeavor!”
-Gene, at Mission Control

Year 19, Day 320 (KSEA Announces Construction of Kerbin Spacedock!)

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KSEA is pleased to announce the newest space station – Kerbin Spacedock! This fully stocked crew facility in orbit will serve as the central hub for the Deep Space Vehicle fleet, providing a place for crew to return, rest, train, and even get promoted!

The station has three distinct components: the Docking Section with three ports at the end for Deep Space Vehicles, and two on the sides for Crew Vehicles arriving from the surface. The Habitat Section provides comfortable long-term orbital living for Kerbals and has almost all the comforts of home! Not pictured is a new Fuel-Supply module that will provide in-orbit refueling and resupply of the DSV fleet!

Construction has begun on the three modules (depleting the bulk of KSEA’s funds for quite some time!) Blueprints will likely be updated as launch date gets closer, and feature-creep inevitably slows down the production!

“Kerbin Spaceport has served KSEA and the Kerbal States well for years. However, it was built with a different kind of spacecraft and a different kind of mission in mind – Liquid Fuel and Oxidizer tanks with no option for changing fuel types, and docking ports that are too close together for the DSV fleet! With Kerbin Spacedock we’ll finally have a true home in the sky!”
-Gene

Year 19, Day 314 (Mirphe and Samner Return to Moho Lander!)

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After a very long day exploring Moho (at least the 3km west of the landing site!) Mirphe and Samner return to the lander!

“Let’s see how fast we can get the rover going!”
-Mirphe

“Let’s not!!”
-Samner

Approaching nearly 25 meters per second, the rover comes up to a large ridge!

“Ahh! Watch out for the bump!”
-Samner

Thankfully, after going ‘airborne’ for only a moment, the lander sets back down safely and continues on it’s journey back to the lander!

“Nothing to worry about Samner – sorry for the scare! We trained for this back on Kerbin, I’ll keep us safe!”
-Mirphe

“Whew! Ok good! Hey, let’s use the headlights of the rover to get a better picture of us in front of the flag!”
-Samner

Parking the rover a little away, Samner and Mirphe pose for their landing portait…

…then head back to the rover to rest! They’ll stay on Moho for several days, and may go on another rover trip soon!

“Excellent work – all three of you!”
-Gene, back at Mission Control

Year 19, Day 313 (Mirphe and Samner Explore Moho!)

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Mirphe and Samner head west from the landing site, at the highlands, hoping to reach the midlands! So far the rover initially designed for Duna appears quite capable on Moho!

“Definitely no problem with power… we’re so close to the sun the solar panels are almost dangerously hot!”
-Samner

Suddenly, a strange rock formation appears on the horizon…

“What could that be!?”
-Mirphe

Mirphe drives the rover closer and closer!

“Temperature is rising as we approach… be careful!”
-Samner

It looks like some kind of massive magma formation – Kerbal astronomers call them “Moon Frowns!”
-Samner

“Well that’s a terribly silly name! “
-Mirphe

“The technical name is a Wrinkle Ridge… it’s the result of magma settling after cooling!”
-Samner

“I think ‘Wrinkle Ridge’ is even sillier!”
-Mirphe

Samner directs the scanning arm, taking proper measurements of the ‘Wrinkle Ridge!’

Year 19, Day 313 (Mirphe and Samner Depart Endeavor and Land on Moho!)

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After resting for a day, Mirphe and Samner board the Moho Lander! Gillian will stay aboard Endeavor to monitor the mission!

“Undocking lander from Endeavor … I’m going to gently fire the RCS thrusters to move us to a safe distance!”
-Mirphe

The Moho lander moves away from Endeavor, and comes to a holding position 100m away from the spacecraft!

“Ok, you’re clear to detach the rover from the lander!”
-Gillian

The rover detaches, and Mirphe remotely pilots the rover, and slowly moves toward the lander, orienting itself to dock!

“OK – rover is stationary. Moving the lander in to dock!”
-Mirphe

“We have a solid connection! Prepare for landing!”
-Mirphe

“Prepared!!!”
-Samner

The aerospike engine fires, and the lander moves down to the surface!

The lander makes a quick descent – dropping from the low orbit of 15k it takes almost no time at all to reach the surface!

“Landing in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1….”
-Mirphe

“Contact! We have touched down on Moho!”
-Mirphe

As the aerospike landing engine cools, the crew prepares for surface exploration!

“Deploying the rover!”
-Samner

It’s a close one, but after a flipy and tipsy ejection from the lander, the rover sets down on the surface!

“Yikes! Maybe you should deploy the rover next time Mirphe!”
-Samner

“It’s ok! Besides, even if it flipped the RCS-deployer is so powerful we could probably use the thrusters to fix it!”
-Mirphe

The antenna arrays, cargo bay, and ladder deploy… and Mirphe heads out of the lander!

“Ground feels nice and solid! Your turn Samner!”
-Mirphe

“Oh wow!”
-Samner

Samner climbs out…

…and runs over to Mirphe!

“Why don’t you plant the flag Samner?”
-Mirphe

Samner pulls out a Kerbal States flag, and plants it in the ground!

After planting the flag, Smaner starts unloading the science equipment!

“That about does it! Equipment is all set up… fully powered and it looks like we’re getting a signal!”
-Samner

Next, Mirphe and Samner watch as the Rover-Deployer takes off!

“There it goes!”
-Mirphe

Samner and Mirphe climb into the rover… and head out!

“It’s time for adventure!”
-Samner