Aurora 11 starts its return from Mun! After a short several hour trip, Aurora 11 splashes down in Cape Kerman, just east of the Space Center. Welcome back everybody!
“Next time I get to land!”
-Glenica
Year 3, Day 125 (Frontier 4 Probe To Urlum Launches)
Frontier 4 launches! This time, Urlum is the target! Each of these probes are a calculated risk.. but an important one. Before more advanced missions to the outer planets can be conducted, simple questions like “Will the solar panels get enough power?” and “Will the radio actually reach that far” need to be answered firmly, not just on graph paper! Frontier 4 will reach Urlum at the start of Year 7… in 3 years and 200 or so days!
Year 3, Day 120 (Frontier 3 Probe to Neidon Launches)
Frontier 3, bound for Neidon, is rolled out of the VAB and launched! Frontier 4 will be done shortly, and will itself head to Urlum!
“These probe launches are expensive! It’s taking all of our budget to launch them!”
-Jeb
“We have to! The launch windows won’t be ideal for much longer… then we can get back to Mun launches!”
-Orlas
The trip to Neidon is a long one! The estimated encounter date will be Year 9, Day 270… in nearly 6 years!
Year 3, Day 118 (Shuttle Intrepid’s First Flight)
The third shuttle, Intrepid, takes off on its first flight! Mitster pilots the craft up to the KSS. It’s time for a crew rotation! Unusually, one shuttle will fly up and take the crew that’s returning, and a second will launch and remain docked to the station. This will allow for evacuations in case of emergencies! The plan is to cycle shuttles docked to the KSS every time there is a crew rotation.
After the Intrepid docks with the station, Endeavor blasts off, piloted by Jeb!
For the first time, two shuttles are docked at the KSS!
Not for long though… Mitster stays behind to keep an eye on the station, while Jeb, Orlas, Robart, and Samner head back to Kerbin! Endeavor will remain docked at the station.
Year 3, Day 117 (Aurora 11 Mun Mission)
Aurora 11’s mission is to explore the Mun’s Northern Basin, as well as the Midland Craters located north of the Northwestern Crater, and after surveying them to investigate an anomaly located in the Northwestern Crater itself, spotted by the Mun Surveyor probe!
Onboard systems start checking the surrounding area… amazingly the seismic scanner indicates a minor quake occuring… Mun is still geologically active. Amazing!
Kimmy climbs out of the lander…
and tries to go for a stroll! Unfortunately, the hill the lander set down on is extremely steep, and she goes tumbling down the hill!
“Ahhhhhh!!!”
-Kimmy
Thankfully, Kimmy recovers.
“Careful out here Val… that hill’s pretty treacherous! Better use your EVA jets only!”
-Kimmy
Eventually, both Val and Kimmy make it out to plant a flag, then quickly head back in. But not before Val has her own chance falling down the hill!
“Note to self: look for flatter landing sites next time!”
-Val
The lander takes off, and heads down into the nearby crater.
This time – things go much better! After collecting the necessary science, Val launches, and heads back to a stable orbit to rendevous with the Aurora 11 spacecraft! Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough fuel to check out the anomaly. Maybe next time!
Year 3, Day 113
Aurora 11 blasts off – carrying Val, Glenica, and Kimmy to orbit! This will be both Glenica and Kimmy’s first trip to Mun! 
Arriving at Mun, the team waits for the sun to shine on the landing site before heading down!
Year 3, Day 107 (Frontier 2 probe to Sarnus Launches!)
Frontier 2 launches! Unlike the first Frontier Probe, “2” will take a less direct and more fuel efficient journey to Sarnus. If calculations are correct, it will enter the Sarnus system with nearly 4,000/dv of fuel remaining… hopefully enough for plenty of maneuvering in the distant planetary system! The cost is time: the journey will take much longer than Frontier 1: nearly 2.5 years!
In a fit of excitement, KSEA authorizes the construction of 4 more Frontier Probes! The massive expenditure will be occupy most of the funding for quite some time, however several promising transfer windows are opening up soon: Neidon and Urlum! The other two probes will remain in a parking orbit of Kerbin, and are tenatively planned to survey Eve and Duna!
Year 3, Day 104
m
The Mun Surveyor is launched, and heads to Mun! Engineers are hopeful the probe will help find a good location for a permanent ground base on Mun!
The Surveyor is on it’s way!
Upon arriving at Mun, the Surveyor begins… surveying! Results should be in soon for a good colony site on Mun!
Year 3, Day 100 (Frontier 1 Probe to Sarnus Launches!)
Frontier 1 launches – once in orbit the rocket immediately follows its designed course: a one way trip to Sarnus! The rocket burns for a long time, but scientists are confident the course is correct. The transit to Sarnus should take approximately 1 year and 100 days!
Year 3, Day 89 (Frontier Probe Construction)
Development on the Frontier probes to Sarnus is finally complete! Construction begins on two of the probes: Frontier 1’s mission is to reach Sarnus as soon as possible – this will allow testing of long range communications equipment to ensure that future probes can even be contacted! Frontier 2 will take a more fuel efficient journey, with the gamble that the communications and power systems work at the extreme ranges the mission requires. Once KSEA knows the answers to these questions more advanced missions to Sarnus will be possible!
