Year 2, Day 317 (Aurora 5 Launch)

January 19, 2017January 19, 2017 sayburstuff Year 2 Aurora 5, Aurora Program, Chrisnic, Mitster, Robart

The 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!

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!

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!

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

January 19, 2017January 19, 2017 sayburstuff Year 2 Aurora 4, Aurora Program, Chrisnic, Mitster, Problems, Robart

Mitster, 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!For 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

January 16, 2017January 16, 2017 sayburstuff Year 2 Aurora 4, Aurora Program, Communications, Sarnus V

KerbSat 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!)

January 16, 2017January 16, 2017 sayburstuff Year 2 Aurora Program, Blueprints, Sarnus V

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!

Year 2, Day 254 (Mun Lander Announced)

January 15, 2017 sayburstuff Year 2 Aurora Program, Blueprints, Minmus, Mun

KSEA unveils the design for the Mun Lander! A prototype is being built to experiment with on Kerbin, and allow crews to practice the vehicle! The lander itself is designed to operate in the very low gravity of Mun and Minmus… the practice lander will be built with a heavier engine to allow more thrust, simulating the Munar environment.

Once training is complete, the Aurora Program will have a Crew Vehicle, a Lander, and the powerful Sarnus V-Heavy rocket to carry them both to Mun and beyond! All of Kerbin is abuzz with excitement!

Year 2, Day 250 (New ACV announced)

January 14, 2017January 14, 2017 sayburstuff Year 2 Aurora 3, Aurora Program, Blueprints

In response to the near loss of Aurora 3, KSEA designs the next iteration of the Aurora Crew Vehicle, the Mk4. With better onboard supplies and an enhanced power system utilizing solar panels the new ACV should be a good platform for future KSEA missions!

Year 2, Day 204 (Station Service Vehicle Announced)

January 9, 2017January 9, 2017 sayburstuff Year 2 Aurora Program, Blueprints, Kerbin Space Station

To conduct ongoing research at the Kerbin Space Station, regular deliveries of science vehicles will be needed. KSEA scientists and engineers have been working on two designs – one, a re-usable space plane, the other a more standard cargo pod based off the Aurora Program’s design.

After hours and hours and hours and hours of simulation, the Space Plane plan is thrown in the trash bin… the much simpler Aurora Program-derived vehicle is given the green light! Using the most recent version of the Discovery Rocket, the Discovery 5, the SSV is launched into orbit, and can carry a small payload to the KSS, and return the payload back to the surface.

In addition to ferrying science experiments, this should also provide a simple means of delivering food and other important supplies!

Year 2, Day 169 (Aurora 2 Launch)

January 4, 2017 sayburstuff Year 2 Aurora Crew Vehicle, Aurora Program, Jeb, Kerbin Space Station, Samner

Aurora 2 launches from Cape Kerman! The re-designed Aurora Crew Vehicle is carried into low orbit, Jeb and rookie scientist Samner are both looking forward to spending some time in space! screenshot391

While Samner will be working on any number of interesting science experiments, Jeb is there solely to assist with the construction of the station. A good pilot is needed to guide some of the Modules into place!

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“Almost there…. ”
-Jeb

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“Almost… ”
-Jeb

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“Got it!”
-Jeb

Aurora 2 docks with the Kerbin Space Station! Now the combined crews just wait for the Science Module to launch!

Year 2, Day 164

January 2, 2017January 2, 2017 sayburstuff Year 2 Aurora Program, Kerbin Space Station, Sarnus Rocket

Engineers start working on the successor to the Discovery Rocket – the Sarnus! Sarnus 1 will (hopefully!) be able to take not just the Aurora Crew Vehicle to Mun and Minmus, but also a lander. Details are still being worked out, but recent advances in rocket technology promise some major advances!

Work is also proceeding simultaneously on the next Kerbin Space Station module – a science module designed to allow a permanent science lab in orbit! The expansion will be nearly the size of the existing Space Station, and provide room for many more Kerbals, as well as new equipment and a more easily accessible docking ring.

Everyone agrees that while Orlas’s recent piloting of the Cupola Module was heroic, it’s probably a good idea to have a pilot stationed, at least temporarily, on the KSS. No one is sure who it’ll be yet, but the next Aurora Mission is looking to be pretty clear – deliver more crew to the KSS, including a pilot!