Blueprints have been released for Sarnus Station, a new deep space research station to be placed in orbit of Sarnus! The station will be launched aboard one of the ultra-heavy Nova Rockets, and carried to Sarnus by a modified DSV class nuclear drive! Once at Sarnus the same nuclear reactor will provide the station with ongoing power. The new Life Support Cargo Modules add a significant amount of mass to the station, however they will hold up to 60 years of life support materials for a crew of 3!
“This is the first step to letting us conduct serious investigation of the Sarnus planetary system! Future expansions will eventually grow the station, and it may even be moved into a different orbit, depending on what we need in future years!” -Gene, at Mission Control
Big news from the Aurora program – the Aurora Command Module has been upgraded using a modified Nebula Crew Vehicle capsule, and the lander has been modified to allow easier re-use from Mun Spaceport! These changes will allow FOUR crew to journey to Mun from now on!
The crew is announced: Two engineers, Bill and Dunwin, the Mission Commander Malcolm, and Luly will be the mission Scientist!
Aurora 28 blasts off on top of a Sarnus Va rocket!
The rocket carries the spacecraft up to a 600k orbit of Kerbin…
…then departs for Mun!
“Even with 4 crew this new module is so roomy!” -Bill
This will be the first launch for the 4-crew variant of the Aurora Spacecraft… the module is identical to the Nebula Crew Vehicle which has a perfect record!
The Crew Lander is slightly modified with more fuel and life support and an improved refueling system!
Aurora 28 arrives at Mun Spaceport!
“Aurora 28… we have you on tracking… our docking ports are all full though!” -Summer
The old lander ejects, as does the Aurora 27 Command Module, and Aurora 28 docks!
“We need to get some adapters up here to make more room for more spacecraft!” -Malcolm
Plans are begun for some expansions to the Spaceport to allow for more docking ports… while the crew prepares to head down to Aurora Base!
Aurora Base is finally ready to launch! This complicated mission will involve one very large payload launched to Mun Orbit, then 3 separate landings delivering all the components of the station. The first landing will carry the Habitat and Science Modules. The second will carry the Greenhouse and Life Support systems. The third module will carry the Command Module!
In the evening of Day 194, the Jool X rocket blasts off from the Space Center carrying Aurora Base!
The second stage carries the Aurora Base modules to orbit…
… then to Mun’s Orbit!
Once in Mun orbit the three landings commence.
“Let’s keep our fingers crossed everyone! These landings have to be timed precisely for the modules to arrive undamaged!” -Gene
The Habitat and Science modules descend to Aurora Crater!
Then land just next to the Aurora Rover from the Aurora 27 mission from Mun Spaceport!
Then, the complicated part! One module breaks off, and is piloted away using RCS!
Eventually the next detaches, and rolls to nearby safety!
“That wasn’t so bad! Just two more to go!” -Bob, at the Space Center
The Green House and Life Support modules land next…
.. landing just next to the other modules!
Aurora Crater is starting to fill up with some very expensive Kerbal hardware!
Next, the Command Module heads down!
“Telemetry is good. Speed is good. Command Module should be good to set down – fuel’s looking pretty tight though! “ -Bob, at the Space Center
At the last second, the Command Module detaches from the descent vehicle, and the upper mounted RCS system (the same that’s used to deploy rovers in Aurora Missions) takes the Command Module to the surface of Mun!
“Looks like a good set of landings people! Let’s get some crew out there to get started!” -Gene
A crew will be launching soon from Kerbin to construct the station on the next Aurora mission – Aurora 28!
While scientists are still grumbling that the lack of water means the outpost will likely never be self-sustaining, KSEA is nonetheless excited to release plans for Aurora Base – the next Munar Outpost! The name was chosen to honor the Aurora Program, which paved the way for every crewed KSEA mission!
The site chosen by Orlas and Summer has been named Aurora Crater.
Unlike previous Munar Outposts, this one will have a greenhouse and supplies to make habitability long term, if not permanent (with minor support from Kerbin.)
Construction has already begun, and the Outpost will be launched on a Jool-X rocket soon!
After traveling for several days, Summer and Orlas have still not found any water on Mun!
“These surface readings are a 1:1 match for orbital readings… there appears to be NO detectable water here at all! We can try digging with equipment in future missions… but I don’t think we should plan on any base that has water sourced from Mun itself!”
-Orlas
“Some good news though… we’ve found a nice flat area that is rich in most other resources! It’s also quite scenic!”
-Summer
Mission Control review the data… there’s a lot of disappointment that Mun seems to have no water, but Orlas helpfully makes a point:
“There are plenty of other worlds to colonize! We can use Mun as a testbed for future sites that may also not have water, for long term but not self-sustaining colonies!”
-Orlas
At the original landing site for Aurora 27, the lander is remotely piloted up…
…and then to the new site found by Summer and Orlas!
“Look! There it is! These new landers are so advanced!”
-Orlas
The two Kerbals drive the rover back to the lander, and camp out while Mission Control decides the next move!
Summer, Gillian, and Orlas blast off in Aurora 27 – launched on top of a Sarnus Va Rocket!
This will be Summer’s first command, and the first mission to Mun specifically to find water!
So far, orbital scans have indicated that there is NO water… but that can’t be right! Aurora 27’s mission is specifically to find water along the Mun’s equator!
“Here we go! The Sarnus has a real kick to it compared to the Crew Rockets… Wow!”
-Summer
The solid rockets detach, then the second stage breaks free, and the fairing explodes outward!
“Mission Control confirms orbit – you’re up Summer!”
-Gilian
Summer detaches from the lander, spins the Crew Module around….
“Roger that! Transposition maneuver… complete!”
-Summer
…and docks again!
Aurora 27 fires it’s engines, entering Mun Orbit!
Until it eventually arrives at Mun Spaceport!
The Lander / Rover detaches, and is flown remotely, docking to the station….
… while Summer docks the Crew Module by hand!
“Alright everyone – no time to lose! Let’s get down to the surface and find some water!”
-Summer
“Certainly there’s SOME water down there… the orbital sensors have read nothing but zero percent!”
-Orlas
The lander undocks, then sets down on Mun, along the Equator just west of the Northwest Crater!
“Mission Control – this is Summer… Aurora 27 has touched down on the Mun!”
-Summer
The rover is lifted off the lander, and touches down!
“Rover is clear of the lander… “
-Orlas
After the Rover deployment is done, Summer climbs out of the spacecraft!
“Oh wow! Oh wow!”
-Summer
“It’s beautiful out here!”
-Summer
Orlas leaves the Crew Lander and climbs down to join Summer…
“It sure is!”
-Orlas
The two share a moment admiring the stark, austere beauty of Mun…
… and then head out looking for Water!
The rover has enough supplies to last several days on the surface. Hopefully by then the crew will find some of Mun’s precious water!
A key to any long term colony site is finding an ideal location that has ample supplies of water. To this end, KSEA and KOAA (the Kerbin Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) have worked together to develop the Aqua Scanner Mk1.
Launched on a Nebula Rocket, the spacecraft will travel to Mun orbit and start scanning for ideal landing sites! Once sites have been selected, Kerbals will scout them out, and then the development of an actual colony can commence!
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 