Year 11, Day 129 (Explorer 6 Launch, Adventure Delivers Crew!)

sayburstuff Year 11 , , , , , , , , ,

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Explorer 6 blasts off from the space center!

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In orbit, the fairing deploys. Looks like a good launch!  That means the the crew can head up! screenshot493.png

During the orbit the launch pad was cleared, and CTS-1 Adventure was readied for launch, piloted by Edan!

“We’re all a little jealous you three get to be the first crew to Jool – but we know you’ll do great!”

-Edan

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The Crew Shuttle Launch Vehicle seperates and heads back to Kerbin, while Adventure finishes it’s climb to orbit!

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Orbit achieved – shouldn’t be too long before we rendevous!

-Edan

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Adventure moves in for the rendevous…

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Almost there!

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Connection!  Mitster, Glenica, and Sean transfer over and begin pre-flight inspections of Explorer 6!

“Everything checks out!  Let’s light this candle!”

-Mitster

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“Adventure is undocking – good luck Explorer 6!”

-Edan

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Explorer 6 fires its engines and heads away from Kerbin!

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Before long Explorer 6 is past Kerbin’s sphere of gravitational influence.

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Alright everybody, time for CryoStasis!  See you guys in a few minutes!

-Glenica

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“Ok – my turn! ”

-Sean

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“Ok Mission Control- Sean and Glenica are in good shape, setting timer and activating my Cryo-Pod.  Explorer 6 OUT!”

-Mitster

Explorer 6 will now run on automated pilot, reaching Jool in 1 year, 362 days!

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Meanwhile, Adventure is heading to Kerbin Spaceport for the second leg of it’s mission, to return crew from the Spaceport back to Kerbin!

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After rendevous with the station, Mirphe moves Adventure in to dock!

“Alright, lining up for docking!”

-Edan

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Connection looks good Edan!  Welcome to Kerbin Spaceport!

-Orlas

 

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Year 11, Day 112 (Explorer 6 Crew Announced!)

sayburstuff Year 11 , , , , , ,

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With construction already underway on Explorer 6, KSEA announces the crew roster for what will be the most distant and ambitious crew mission yet – the first trip to Jool!

Mitster was the commander of the Explorer 2 mission to Duna and has a reputation as an acomplished pilot and mission commander. Glenica was the lead scientist on the Explorer 3 mission to Duna as well as several Aurora missions to Mun and Minmus.  Sean was also on Explorer 3, as the chief engineer. He was also the mission lead on MunBase One!

Many robotic probes have made the journey to Jool, laying the groundwork for the communication systems there – the mission itself is straight forward, reach Jool and return to Kerbin using the DSCCV (Deep Space Cryo-Stasis Crew Vehicle), almost identical in design to Explorer 5!

Year 10, Day 345 (Explorer 6 Development Begins)

sayburstuff Year 6

KSEA Logo

Planning for the first  crewed mission to Jool has begun – tenatively to be named Explorer 6!  The spacecraft itself will be nearly identical to Explorer 5, utilizing cryo-stasis chambers to keep the crew alive for such a long journey!

A new variant of the Jool Rocket will be utilized to provide the maximum amount of deltaV to the craft.  KSEA promises blueprints and interesting mission patches will be coming soon!

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Design blueprints for Explorer 5, which Explorer 6 will be heavily based upon!

Year 10, Day (Mirphe Flies Endeavor to Rescue Jeb from KSS)

sayburstuff Year 10 , , ,

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The Endavor launches, piloted by Mirphe!

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It’s time to (finally) rescue Jeb from the KSS, and bring an end to that station’s remarkable run!

“Orbit achieved!  Setting course for the KSS! ”

-Mirphe

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“Endeavor is at the KSS!  Moving in to dock… ”

-Mirphe

“Is that you Mirphe?  Come on in the atmosphere is fine!!”

-Jeb

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High above Kerbin’s deserts, Endeavor spins around (always a good trick!) and docks with the station! Jeb helps Mirphe gather all the important Science that needs to return to Kerbin, and the two return to the Crew Shuttle and undock!

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Endeavor is clear of the station – preparing to return to KSC!

-Mirphe

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The two watch out the cabin windows as the KSS gets further and further away…

“I’m going to miss that place – it was our home away from home.  Now it looks so … small. ”

-Jeb

Endeavor performs its de-orbit burn, and starts to descend!

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“Here we goooooooo!”

-Jeb

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Endeavor falls from the sky like a comet, glowing red and moving fast!

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“I see the Space Center – I’m in the pipe, five by five!”

-Mirphe

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A successful landing!  The Crew Shuttle didn’t even lose any of the aero-brakes!

“Good landing Mirphe, couldn’t have done better myself!”

-Jeb

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“Is it good to be home Jeb?”

-Mirphe

“It’s good to get off that station.. I think I was getting a little stir crazy in there!  But I can’t wait for the next mission!”

-Jeb

Jeb and Mirpe return to the Astronaut Center, and recovery crews begin work to ready Endeavor for its next launch!

 

sayburstuff Year 10

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The science crew on Kerbin Spaceport announce the Kuarq experiment is ready to return to Kerbin!  The Aurora Payload Vehicle detaches…

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… and heads to the surface!

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The spacecraft lands just 30k from the Spaceport !  Science staff at KSEA are pleased to report a great deal of science was recovered from the experiment!  Engineers note that the Payload Vehicle could use another design pass, as it handled very poorly during docking maneuvers.

Year 10, Day 227 (Science Payload Launches for Kerbin Spaceport)

sayburstuff Year 10

Another Science Payload launches for Kerbin Spaceport!  It is unknown what kind of repeated results can be gained from the Cyclotron, this mission will find out!

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The payload vehicle has been slightly redesigned, with an updated docking adapter to allow closer docking to the cyclotron itself.

The vehicle docks with the station and the crew starts studying the results on the study canisters!

Year 10, Day 226 (Explorer 5 Crew Lands on Duna!)

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KSEA announces that Explorer 5 will be setting down in the Eastern Canyon – a site that is thought to be a similar to the Western Canyon, only a great deal more easterly.

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Bill, Bob, and Val board the Super Duna Lander and head down to the surface!

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“OK, starting our descent. Hang on everyone!”

-Val

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The Super Duna Lander speeds down to the surface! Right before landing the airbrakes are stowed and the gear is deployed, as the rockets fire one last burn to slow down before landing!

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“Contact!  We’re on the surface! ”

-Val

The crew prepares to head out and explore the Eastern Canyon at Duna!

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The crew waits until sunrise, and starts exploring!