Aurora Program

Year 2, Day 370 (Aurora 7 Lands On Minmus)

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screenshot627.pngVal pilots Aurora 7 closer to Minmus, then transfers over to the lander with Bob! screenshot629.pngThe lander detaches, and Val pilots the lander to a good landing site. screenshot631.png

“I think I found a good spot!  Adjusting course…”
-Val

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The Aurora 7 Lander touches down!  The crew waits a short time for Kerbin to be in radio range before heading out! screenshot639.png

Bob is the first out!

“Wow!  It’s like the ground is made out of ‘bounce’!”
-Bob

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Val hops out next.

“Weeeeee!”

-Val

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Val and Bob are the first Kerbals on Minmus – what a day!   The two spend some time gathering space rocks and other scientific data. (Truthfully, Bob does most of the science, Val spends her time jumping around…) screenshot650.png

Before long, the power is running out, and the two have to head back to the Aurora Spacecraft.  The ship burns back to Kerbin, and should arrive in just under a week!

“That was a lot of fun!  We’ll have to come back again!”
-Val

 

 

Year 2, Day 338 (First Mun Landing!)

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screenshot558.pngAurora 6 arrives at Mun!  After a few short maneuvers, the craft is brought into a fairly close 40k orbit.

screenshot559Mitster and Bob move into the Lander, and separate!screenshot560.pngThe lander moves lower, and lower…

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Almost there!

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Mitster hops out!screenshot569.png

Followed by Bob!
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Mitster plants the flag!
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The two pose, then start collecting some rocks and other scientific data. screenshot589.png

After several difficult but exciting hours collecting Mun-stuff, Mitster and Bob blast off, and head to a rendezvous with the Aurora 6 Spacecraft! screenshot591.png

After docking, Mitster and Bob transfer over, being sure to take all their vaulable science with them!

“That exterior illumination sure proved valuable – docking on the dark side of Mun would have been a real trick without ’em!”
-Chrisnic

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Mitster makes a small course correction on the way back to Kerbin…

“If these numbers are right, I think we’ll set down just outside of the Space Center!  Really!”
-Mitster

The Aurora Spacecraft is designed with a fairly large “reserve” fuel pool, to allow corrections for… imprecise maneuvers.  This extra fuel lets Mitster correct a rather wide departure from Mun into a fairly precise return maneuver for Aurora 6!

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The crew makes it to the surface – welcome home guys! screenshot605.png

The crew returns to KSC, and shakes lots of Mun-dust out of their boots!

 

 

 

 

Year 2, Day 317 (Aurora 5 Launch)

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screenshot516.pngThe Aurora 4 Crew is reunited for Aurora 5… hopefully this time goes better!  The rocket is rolled out in the early morning. What a sight!screenshot518.png

Blastoff!   The Sarnus V takes the Aurora 5 Spacecraft into orbit… Where the crew trains with docking and transposition.  Things don’t go smoothly at first, but eventually Mitster gets the hang of it!screenshot523.png

Docking is achieved!  It’s essential this be performed well, as the maneuver for the actual mission to Mun will be done on the way to Mun, after the insertion burn has been completed! screenshot526.png

The Aurora Capsule sets down just off the coast of the old runway.  Time to head home… Good job guys!  The Aurora 5 Lander is left in orbit.  The mission is deemed a complete success… Aurora 6 will be the next launch, and will (with any luck) head to Mun!

Year 2, Day 307

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screenshot502.pngMitster, Robart, and Chrisnic are chosen to be the first crew to take the Sarnus V Launch Vehicle up to orbit!screenshot506

The launch goes perfectly!   However during the orbital maneuvers, sensors indicate the Oxidizer on the Aurora Spacecraft is leaking!  Good thing this just a test in orbit!screenshot510.pngFor safety, the mission is scrubbed, and the crew returns home.  Sorry guys! Thankfully a second Sarnus V Launch Vehicle has been under construction and should be ready to go, for another test.

“We’ll get this right!  Just hang tight everyone!”
-Bill, Senior Engineer

Year 2, Day 290

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screenshot484.pngKerbSat 2, an additional communications satellite, is launched.  It is identical to KerbSat 1, except for a longer range communications dish similar to the one on Explorer 1.  KSEA engineers realized only too late that by the time Explorer 1 reached Eve, the antenna on board the probe would reach Kerbin, but the relay satellite wouldn’t be able to transmit back!  The launch goes well, and the satellite is put into a high polar orbit over Kerbin.

Additionally initial construction work begins on a Aurora 4 – the first test of the full Mun-mission Sarnus V rocket stack.  The current thought is to launch, test the docking and transposition maneuver, then re-enter to test the Aurora Spacecraft.  If all goes well Aurora 5 should be set to go to Mun!

Year 2, Day 281 (Sarnus Launch Vehicle Announced!)

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KSEA excitedly releases the plans for the Sarnus V launch vehicle!  The Sarnus Rocket itself has been through several trial runs while construction the Kerbin Space Station, and with just a few modifications to the basic lifter design a Mun Mission should be quite possible!

The Launch Stage blasts off, firing the primary engine as well as the two (recoverable) solid rockets.  The solid rockets detach, and the main engine carries the rocket to an altitude of about 90k.  Along the arc of the launch (once the primary engine stops firing) the Orbit/Munar Insertion Stage fires as the Luanch Stage detaches and falls back to Kerbin.  Once orbit is achieved, the same stage carries the Aurora Spacecraft and the Mun Lander toward Mun!  Along the way the craft performs a docking and transposition manuever.  The Aurora Spacecraft itself will then orbit Mun, and the Lander will head down.

That the plan, anyway!  A test launch will be done as soon as funds can be found to build one of the things!