Year 10, Day 226 (Explorer 5 Crew Lands on Duna!)

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KSEA announces that Explorer 5 will be setting down in the Eastern Canyon – a site that is thought to be a similar to the Western Canyon, only a great deal more easterly.

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Bill, Bob, and Val board the Super Duna Lander and head down to the surface!

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“OK, starting our descent. Hang on everyone!”

-Val

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The Super Duna Lander speeds down to the surface! Right before landing the airbrakes are stowed and the gear is deployed, as the rockets fire one last burn to slow down before landing!

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“Contact!  We’re on the surface! ”

-Val

The crew prepares to head out and explore the Eastern Canyon at Duna!

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The crew waits until sunrise, and starts exploring!

Year 10, Day 202 (Explorer 5 Arrives At Duna Spaceport!)

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Explorer 5 Arrives in Duna Orbit, and the on board systems automatically eject the Kerbin-Orbit docking adapter (The larger “senior” size docking port is required for docking to the Spaceport!)

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Val thaws from cryogenic stasis first!

Alright – I’m moving Explorer in to dock with the Spaceport!

-Val

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Bill and Bob thaw next!

The crew reports feeling fine, even after such a long cryo-sleep!  After a week the crew’s health will be evaluated and if all is well, the first landing will commence!

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Year 9. Day 135 (Explorer 5 Launches!)

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Explorer 5 is rolled out to launch, an exciting new chapter in Kerbal exploration of space!

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Blastoff!   The massive Jool IV rocket lifts Explorer 5 to the clouds…

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…. and beyond to orbit!

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“Mission Control, this is Malcolm on the X-9!  Mitster and I are OK for take off!”

-Malcolm

 

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The X-9 will fly the Explorer 5 crew to the spacecraft!

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Malcolm flies the spacecraft on launch, with Mitster supervising.

“So far so good!”

-Mitster

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Explorer 5 reaches orbit, and Malcolm starts the rendezvous maneuvers to meet up with Explorer 5!

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“OK… the X-9 is a bit tricky with its RCS controls… this might take a few tries!”

–Mitster

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It does take awhile, but eventually the X-9 docks with Explorer 5!  Val, Bill, and Bob all transfer over!

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OK guys… I’ll go first!  Glykerol levels normal… initiating freeze!

-Val

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“It worked!  Our turn… see you in a few minutes Bob!”

-Bill

With that Bill throws the “freeze!” lever, and the crew of Explorer 5 is in stasis, ready for the trip to Duna!

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Malcolm brings the X-9 in for a landing!

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“Mission Control, Malcom here!  I’m in the pipe, five by five!”

-Malcolm

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It’s a tricky night landing, but Malcolm brings the X-9 home!  All of Kerbin now waits for Explorer 5 to depart!

 

 

 

Year 9, Day 100 (Explorer 5 Construction!)

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KSEA releases the finalized design for the Explorer 5!  This prototype is hoped to be the future of deep space crewed transportation, making years or even decades long missions pass in as little time as an afternoon nap for the crew!

Val, Bill, and Bob have been training hard for the mission!

This first mission will be to Duna, but if all goes well it will be utilized in a future crewed mission to Jool!

 

Year 8, Day 63 (CryoLab Update!)

screenshot360.pngIt’s been 100 days since Cryolab was put into orbit, and Mirphe pilots Intrepid launches to check on the crew!  Bill is along for the mission to see how the lab (and crew!) have held up. screenshot362.png

Docking complete!  Go see if our guys are OK Bill!

-Mirphe

Luly, Shepely, and Bob all thaw from their cryogenic sleep!

“Wow – feels like I just fell asleep!”

-Bob

Bill checks the crew and the Cryo equipment out…

Everybody and everything seem to check out!  I think we’re good to head back to the Space Center!

-Bill

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I’m in the pipe – five by five!

-Mirphe

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An (almost) perfect landing!  One of the dorsal airbrakes took some damage, but repairs shouldn’t be a problem.  The Cryo-crew is taken directly to the medlab!

 

 

 

Year 7, Day 389 (Resolute Launches, Carrying CryoLab To Orbit!)

cryolab.pngBob, Shepely, and Luly have all been selected from the volunteers to try long term cryogenic suspension in space!  The Crew Cryogenic Research Lab, more commonly known as the CryoLab.   CryoLab will hopefully pave the way toward much longer range missions for Kerbals, as the only life support and food stuffs needed by the crew will be that needed at the endpoint, not for the entire voyage!

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Mirphe blasts off in the Resolute, and the crew holds on tight!

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“Don’t worry back there… I’ve done this lots of times!”

-Mirphe

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Mirphe pilots Resolute to the planned orbit of 140km.

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The Cargo Bay Doors open, and Luly, Shepely, and Bob climb into the Cronic Freezing Chamber!

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“CryoLab is away!”

-Mirphe

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“Well… here it goes!  See you all in a few minutes!”

-Bob

Minutes to the science team perhaps, but 100 days to everyone back on Kerbin! The solar arrays extend, and Bob, Shepely, and Luly are frozen!

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“Switching Resolute to Landing Configuration!”

-Mirphe

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Resolute rockets through the clouds toward the space center!

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“Ok… I’m in the pipe – five by five!”

-Mirphe

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Mirphe sets Resolute down for a perfect landing!  Crews start working on refurbishing the Shuttle for its next launch!

 

 

 

Year 4, Day 396 (KSS Crew Rotation!)

screenshot1396.pngEndeavor completes a minor refit to its orbital maneuvering system.  Ever since the rear cargo addition was added to the Crew Shuttles orbital handling has been off, it’s hoped that this update will make the craft easier to control during docking!   In addition, air brakes developed during the Heavy Cargo Shuttle Program have been scaled down, and installed on Endeavor.  Hopefully they assist in landing safety! screenshot1397.png

Today, Val pilots Endeavor to orbit, taking Robart and Orlas up to the KSS for a crew rotation!  This might be the last launch to make use of the lower docking ports on the KSS, as engineers are designing a new Observation Lounge for the station, based on designs developed for Explorer 3!   Getting the huge addition into space will help test how practical it will be for the Explorer crew!screenshot1399.png

Endeavor arrives at the KSS!

“This new orbital maneuvering system works a LOT better than the old design.  We should refit the rest of the Crew Shuttles ASAP!”

-Val

screenshot1402.pngShepley, Jeb, Bob depart in the Intrepid, which is due for its own upgrades once it returns to Kerbin! screenshot1403.png

Jeb soars Intrepid down to the runway… screenshot1404.png

…for a perfect landing!

“Let’s get this thing refitted… I can’t wait to try out the new design!”

-Jeb