Mission Planners have decided to try a landing at Tekto, a moon of Sarnus! Very little is known about this moon, so a Mini Scanner/Lander (that conveniently has been under development!) will be launched to attach to the nose of Explorer.
If a landing is possible the crew will attempt it, if it looks like the landing is too dangerous, Explorer will transition to a different moon to attempt a landing.
Edan, Samner and Rozer will launch to orbit along with a lander to dock with Explorer in orbit!
“Clocks ticking everyone.. let’s get this mission going!”
Leaving in around 100 days, the Far Horizons mission will head to Plock and it’s moon Karen! The mission will require phenomenal acceleration to reach Plock in about 3 years!
DSV-5 Intrepid – Moho Orbit
Having just arrived at Moho, the crew is preparing a mission to the surface any day now!
Laythe Spaceplene ‘Resolute’ – Heading to Laythe
The second Laythe Spaceplane is a slightly improved design that will provide a second SSTO Crew vehicle for Laythe! It should arrive at Laythe Year 23, Day 195
DSV-2 Discovery – Returning Home from Duna!
The Discovery Crew are on the way home from a successful mission to Duna! They should arrive at Kerbin on Year 23, Day 239!
Laythe Spaceport – Jool/Laythe Orbit
Laythe Spaceport is currently hosting the DSV-4 Endeavor crew! They’ve taken the Laythe Spaceplane, Resolute, to the surface and back for science and are preparing to return home!
DSV-3 Horizon Returning to Kerbin from Sarnus/Eeloo
The DSV-3 Horizon is on it’s way back home after landing a crew on the Sarnusian moon of Eeloo! They are due back Year 25, Day 387!
Duna Spaceport – Duna Orbit
Currently unoccupied – the Duna Spaceport is awaiting the next crew to arrive and explore the Red Planet! The next DSV mission will likely carry a new lander design as well!
DSV Fuel Depot – Kerbin Orbit
The only surviving component of Kerbin Spaceport, this massive Lithium Fuel depot is awaiting a yet-designed addition to provide docking and a small Crew habitat. The new docking module will ideally be reused as future Lithium fuel components are launched!
DSV-1A Explorer – Kerbin Orbit
The newest DSV is in Kerbin Orbit awaiting a crew and a mission payload for it’s next mission (to be announced!)
Sarnus Space Station
A new station design, Sarnus Station will provide a home base for crews exploring the distant ringed world of Sarnus! It is expected to arrive in Sarnus Orbit Year 24, Day 276!
Aurora Base – Mun Surface
Ongoing research mission at the Mun’s surface! Current crew: Bill, Luly, Dunwin
KSEA also has several vehicles on standby, ready to launch within an hour:
Nebula Crew Vehicles
All 6 Nebula Crew Vehicles are on Kerbin, but only 1,4,5 and 6 are on standby to launch. The other crew Vehicles are undergoing repairs! The mission to supply Explorer-A will use one of the Crew Vehicles in a Sarnus Rocket stack!
Crew Shuttle Program
Both Crew Transport shuttles are on standby to launch – CTS-1 Adventure and CTS-2 Pioneer! Pilots would like a third Shuttle built, however the main hold up is what to name it!
Several vehicles are under development/construction as well:
Experimental Nuclear Waste Barge – designed to service the DSV Fleet.
Duna Communication Relay Mission – a mission to provide full communications coverage to Duna.
The most far-flung mission ever attempted is ready to launch – the Far Horizons mission to Plock! While there is some debate about whether or not Plock is actually a planet or maybe an asteroid, most Kerbals do agree that it is quite interesting regardless!
The powerful Nova Rocket carries the probe off the launch pad!
“Wow -look at it go!” –Edan, watching from Mission Control
The Nova Rocket’s first stage detaches, falling toward Kerbin…
… while the second stage lifts the probe to a very high orbit of 900k!
The protective fairing ejects right before the orbital circularization manuever begins!
“Looks like a good launch people! Now let’s start systems checks… make sure we’re ready for Plock!” –Gene, at Mission Control
Mission Control will spend the next week testing subsystems and ensuring that Far Horizons is ready for it’s trip! Departure is expected by the end of the year!
Mission Control decides to test Pioneer by having it dock and inspect the recently launched DSV-1A Explorer! This is also a training run for KSEA’s newest pilot, Edbert!
“I can’t wait to see the new Explorer! “
-Edbert
Pioneermaneuvers into a close rendevous with Explorer ….
“Lining up to the docking bay… alignment looks good…”
-Jeb
As soon as the connection is confirmed, Edbert volunteers for his first EVA – to investigate the new DSV and confirm safe detachment of the boost stage!
“Wow – this ship is big!
-Edbert
“The reactor looks good… sensors indicate no dangerous radiation levels.. I think we’re good to eject the boost stage Jeb!”
-Edbert
“OK – boost stage is ejected!”
-Jeb
The boost stage drifts away – and Edbert gets back into Pioneer!
“OK Edbert – this is your landing… take us home!”
-Jeb
Edbert fires the engines and Pioneer starts a rapid descent!
“Oh wow – that was a steep descent angle – this is gonna be a close one!!”
-Jeb
Pioneer survives the reentry – and Edbert angles the craft right at the base of the landing strip!
“Approach needs to be pretty steep or we’ll overshoot… if we don’t pull up at the last second…”
-Edbert
“If we don’t pull up at the last second it’ll be someone else’s problem – just focus on the landing!”
-Jeb
“Woooooohoooo!”
-Jeb
Edbert pilots right at the strip.. then pulls up at the last second…
…skittering off the runway, but landing Pioneer in one piece!
“Oh wow – what a landing!”
-Edbert
Teams head out to recover the shuttle and crew!
“That landing had a lotta moxie in it – nice work Edbert!”
The new Pioneer 2 Crew Shuttle is ready to launch! Jeb and rookie pilot Edbert will take the new shuttle up for it’s maiden flight! While Pioneer is a new spacecraft it has been designed to be as identical as possible to the refit Adventurecrew shuttle!
“Launch looks good – all systems nominal – what a ride!”
-Jeb
“Not too bumpy either! “
-Edbert, piloting in the front seat
As the spacecraft reaches it’s maximum dynamic pressure, or Max-Q, all systems continue as planned!
“The engineers must have screwed all the bolts in pretty well, this is where the parts would start falling off if they hadn’t!”
-Jeb
As Pioneer’s trajectory reaches a 200k periapsis, the aerodynamic-escape-system launches, and the shuttle detaches from the Nebula Rocket!
Turning around using its RCS, the Nebula Rocket fires it’s engines to perform a landing at KSC! Once recovered the rocket will be transported to White Mesa, where it will be refueled and refit to be launched again!
“We have achieved orbit! As exciting as this is, I can’t wait to land!“
The original Explorer was the first Deep Space Vehicle constructed by the KSEA. While it was ultimately a flawed design in many respects, it was the start of the Explorer program to explore the solar system! The next true DSV was DSV-2 Discovery, the test bed for a truly reusable interplanetary space ship. Most of Discovery’s systems were implemented in the Horizon Class Deep Space Vehicle, named after DSV-3 Horizon – Horizon Class ships have become the workhorses of the Kerbal Space Program and comprise the bulk of the DSV Fleet! The Kerbal States now has four Deep Space Vehicles and will soon be adding a fifth!
Honoring the legacy of the DSV program, the next DSV will be named Explorer, and retain the DSV-1 number, but with an “A” indicating it’s the second ship to bear the name! Construction has already begun – and the next mission has already been chosen – a journey to Sarnus!
Endurance slowly drifts away from Laythe Spaceport!
“Systems nominal – what a view!” -Robart
The Spaceport grows smaller and smaller, set against the impressive sight of the giant green planet of Jool!
Endurance is scouting a site for a future colony on Laythe! One promising (and scenic) site is Crater Island!
“Readings show we’re on the right course – cloud cover’s still to thick for visual confirmation!” -Val
Endurance finally drops below the clouds, and Crater Island becomes visible!
“We’re lined up with a good flat landing spot – deploying chute! Horizontal engines are switched off – activating VTOL pods!” -Val
The spaceplane’s parachute deploys, it’s air brakes lift, and the VTOL pod doors open – providing the final bit of thrust needed for a safe landing!
Endurance touches down! Robart is the first out!
“Incredible! You’d almost forget this was another world until you look up!” -Robart
Kerlorf plants the Kerbal States flag, and the crew sets up a camera to take the traditional “landing portrait!” The Endeavor crew will be busy for the next few days, setting up science equipment and experiments on the surface, as well as checking out the landing site!
“Ok – we have about 20 days to investigate this site – let’s get working!” -Val
“Incredible! You’d almost forget this was another world until you look up!” -Robart
The challenge of exploring Laythe led to the most complicated engineering project that KSEA had ever done: the X-10 Laythe Spaceplane! This engineering marvel is capable of delivering three Kerbals from Laythe orbit to the surface and back!
There are actually two X-10 Laythe Spaceplanes now – the LCV-1 Endurance, which is currently docked at the Laythe Spaceport, and the LCV-2 Resolute, which is en-route to Laythe now!
Previous flights of the X-10 have followed the above flight plan, and the Endeavor crew will follow it for their upcoming mission! The only question for the Endeavor crew is… where to land! Thankfully mission planners have some ideas!
The first landing site proposed is Crater Island – The second is the Crescent Bay/Crescent Sea area! The landing at the Crescent Bay may involve a water landing, however engineers aren’t sure the craft can survive that! During the design phase it was considered but not actually planned for. And with no other ships or crew nearby if anything went wrong there might be a very big problem! Some engineers want to try a water landing on Kerbin before authorizing one on Laythe!
Ultimately, it’s hoped that a good spot for a research base can be found!
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 