On board Horizon, Kimmy and the rest of the crew start waking up from their Cryo-sleep!
“Good morning everyone!”
-Kimmy, Mission Science Specialist
“Good morning! Let’s get the systems ready for the approach to Slate!”
-Chrisnic, Mission Engineer
The crew rushes to the bridge – when Mitster spots Sarnus!
“Get a picture Kimmy!”
-Mitster
“Wow! That’s the first picture Kerbals have ever taken of Sarnus!”
-Kimmy
“…and look how small the sun looks from out here – wow!”
-Kimmy
The crew starts powering up systems and verifies full communication with the Kerbin Deep Space Relay Network! After a time delay, a message comes back from Kerbin!
“Horizon – this is Gene at Mission Control, back on Kerbin! We’re reading your transmissions loud and clear – good luck!”
-Gene, at Mission Control
The Horizon speeds toward Sarnus…
…and arrives at it’s close approach to Slate, the large moon of Sarnus!
“Main engine … firing! Reactor is showing full power!”
-Chrisnic
The capture burn into orbit lasts nearly 2 minutes!
Finally, the ship is captured into orbit of Slate!
“Looks like we’ve got orbit! Good work everyone! Time to disconnect the communications probe!”
-Mitster
“Comm dishes are… deployed – undocking probe!”
-Chrisnic
The probe drifts away from DSV-3 Horizon! The satellite arrays should provide full communication with Kerbin for missions!
As horizon orbits around Slate, the crew starts reviewing data from the orbital insertion, as well as collecting tons of new data from the Sarnusian moon!
Horizon’s cargo bay opens, and the science equipment on the lander starts collecting data! However, Kimmy is the first to crunch the numbers and has some bad news!
“Uh oh! It looks like Slate is much more massive than we thought… this data says that we’re dealing with a lot more gravity than the lander was designed for!”
-Kimmy
The crew discusses the situation with Mission Control, and a novel solution is found – change the mission parameters to land on the smaller Sarnusian moon of Eeloo!
“No problem – we can transit to Eeloo in 5 days! Plugging in the maneuver!”
-Mitster
Before departing, Horizon collects information over many biomes as it circles the moon – Kimmy even climbs out and conducts visual surveys for several full orbits!
5 days later, on Day 89, Horizon begins it’s maneuver to Eeloo!
The nuclear engine fires…
… and the Horizon is propelled away from Slate, toward Eeloo!
Another 5 days later on Day 94, Horizon circularizes it’s orbit around Eeloo!
“Looks like orbit has been achieved! Eeloo is pretty similar to Mun – just a bit bigger – our lander shouldn’t have an problems!”
-Chrisnic
“We just need to find a good landing site. Maybe we can repurpose one of the survey sattelites in orbit of Slate? They should have enough deltaV to make it here!”
-Kimmy
Mission Control agrees, and scientists begin working on maneuvers to bring the Slate Surveyor to Eeloo!
After the unsatisfactory performance of the lander probe designed for Pathfinder, KSEA wanted to test the upgraded lander as soon as possible. However even with Resolute on stand-by using a Heavy Cargo Shuttle to launch such a small payload seems like a waste.
Enterprise launches the next Pathfinder test payload, the Mk7 Atmospheric Probe – designed for landing on terrestrial targets, the lander has the typical 4 leg design of a lander, but with additional fuel for precise landings and in some cases, jumps on planet surfaces!
As part of the upcoming Pathfinder missions, several probe designs need real-world testing, beyond what a simple simulation can provide.
Once Enterprise is in a stable orbit, the cargo bay doors open – time to test some probes! The first launch is the Mk 6 Atmospheric Probe – designed for water landings on Laythe, Jool’s closest moon and Kerbin-look-a-like!
Val and Chrisnic blast off in Enterprise, delivering the long promised second power and solar expansion to the station! 
Jeb, Dunwin, and Chrisnic head back to the surface onboard Intrepid! Chrisnic and Dunwin are both are exhausted from their extensive EVAs installing the new solar and power systems on the station!
Intrepid blasts off, taking up to the KSS, with a cargo bay full of ladders!
Edan lines up a perfect landing…
… and sets down! Edan is developing a reputation for being a no-nonsense pilot that can handle pretty much anything that comes his way!
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 