Year 7, Day 346 (Resolute Launches After Refit!)

screenshot119.pngThe Heavy Cargo Shuttle (HCS) Resolute launches!   Mirphe volunteers to pilot the refitted Shuttle!

This will be the first flight after the major refit done to overhaul the craft, which included:

  • Improving flight characteristics both on launch and return
  • Upgrade the launch vehicle to provide more power.
  • Increase the launch vehicle recoverability.
  • Adding cool lights.

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This is also the first flight of the refitted HCS Launch Vehicle!

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Mirphe pilots Resolute into an 100k orbit, then plots a course to rendezvous with the Kerbin Space Station!

 

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“I’d call that a success!  Taking Resolute back down to the surface now!”

-Mirphe

screenshot126.pngMirphe sets Resolute to Landing Configuration – the spacecraft’s 3 Air Brakes deploy, and the Elevons are all locked. At 25k the craft switches to Flight Configuration, and prepares to approach the landing strip at KSC!

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“Tracking looks good… speed at 1400 m/s and dropping!”

-Mirphe

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Mirphe fires Resolute‘s maneuvering engines to line up the shuttle with the landing strip!

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Resolute touches down!

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“Perfect landing.  The Refit appears to check out – Resolute flew great!”

-Mirphe

Indeed, KSEA is very pleased at the new HCS Refit!  Plans are made to upgrade the other Heavy Cargo Shuttle, Enterprise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 7, Day 345 (Kerbol Two Solar Probe Designed)

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A joint effort between KSEA (the Kerbin Space Exploration Administration) and KOAA (the Kerbin Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) has led to the development of the next solar probe, Kerbol Two!

With greater heat shielding and with the increased range of the massive Jool II rocket combined with the very efficient Atomic Rocket Motor this new solar probe has nearly twice the range of the previous Kerbol One probe!

 

Year 7, Day 313 (Explorer 4 Arrives at Dres!)

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Val, Orlas, and Robart report that the Explorer 4 has arrived at Dres!  The spacecraft’s engines fire to circularize in a roughly polar orbit of the distant world.

Huh, for coming this far out I wasn’t expecting it to look like another Mun!

-Val

Indeed, Dres does look very much like Kerbin’s sattelite Mun. Unlike Mun though, no Kerbal has set foot on a world this far out!

Anytime we get to visit another world I’m excited, even if they all look like Mun!

-Orlas

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Year 7, Day 270 (Heavy Cargo Shuttle Resolute Refit Update)

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KSEA releases plans for the refitted Heavy Cargo Shuttle (HCS) Resolute!  After initial tests Enterprise will be similarly refit.

Heavy Cargo Shuttle Refit Goals:

  • To improve flight characteristics both on launch and return
  • Upgrade the launch vehicle to provide more power.
  • Increase the launch vehicle recoverability.
  • Add cool lights.

Engineers and scientists are confident that all these goals will be met!

Year 7, Day 264 (Jool Surveyor Pol Fly-By!)

screenshot100.pngJool Surveyor approaches Pol!

screenshot102.pngInstruments record that Goo Scans are… unusual to say the least. Tentacles grow up from the goo, reaching up, then break off.  Bizarre, but fascinating!

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As the probe passes over Pol’s highlands, gravity scans indicate multiple layers on the world’s surface.

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Electricity this far out is proving to be the mission’s main obstacle, transmissions require a great deal of the craft’s power!

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The onboard multi-spectral scanner is also able to get the first close look at the surface! Future passes will hopefully add to the data and help create a full picture of the surface.

In all, a very successful start to the Jool Surveyor mission!

 

Year 7, Day 263 (Explorer Heads Home!)

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Kimmy, Dunwin, and Mitster all board Explorer 2, and wish Duna Spaceport farewell!

“It’s a shame we can’t stay!”

-Kimmy

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Other Kerbals deserve a chance to explore Duna… we’ll be back!””

-Dunwin

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Well I want to get back… I can’t wait to get my chance at flying that shiny new Super Duna Lander!

-Mitster

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Explorer 2’s journey home will take 314 days!

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