DSV-2 Discovery

Year 23, Day 239 (DSV-2 Discovery Returns Home From Duna, Docks at Spacedock 2!)

sayburstuff Year 23 , , , , , , ,

Approaching Kerbin, alarm bells go off on Discovery, waking up from Cryosleep, (the crew) is surprised to discover a series of interesting transmissions from Mission Control!

“Attention DSV Discovery – Spacedock has exploded!  Attempt no dockings! Everyone is evacuating now!”
-Recorded Message from Gene at the VAB

Mirphe, Seely, and Tamre are all a little shocked to say the least!

“We better listen to the rest of these recordings!”
-Mirphe

Mirphe, Seely, and Tamre are all a little shocked to say the least!

“Attention DSV Discovery – important follow up: We’re all ok but really do NOT approach Spacedock.”
-Recorded Message from Gene at the VAB

Mirphe frowns and plays the next message…

“Good News DSV Discovery! There is a new Spacedock!  Please contact Mission Control when you wake up!”
-Recorded Message from Gene at the VAB

“Let’s do our capture orbit, and figure out where to go from there!”
-Mirphe

Mirphe fires the nuclear engines and Discovery is captured into a 200k orbit of Kerbin!

“Welcome home Discovery! We have a bit of a surprise for you – a new Spacedock! Proceed to the following orbital coordinates!”
-Gene, at Mission Control

The new Spacedock, located at a lower orbit has been fully assembled, with the Lithium Fuel Depot docked and ready to refuel the Kerbal States fleet of exploration ships!

“We are coasting in reverse until we are lined up with the DSV Terminal… that’s a big station!”
-Mirphe

Discovery continues moving, relative to the station, backwards until it is lined up with the docking port. The craft is brought to station-keeping (no movement, relative to the station) before Mirphe pilots the craft into docking!

“I’ll get all the science data loaded up for a return to Kerbin!”
-Tamre

“Mirphe, looks like a great alignment with the docking port. We are good to dock!”
-Seely

Discovery moves slowly forward until the docking ports engage!

“Discovery shows a good connection!”
-Mirphe

“Confirmed Discovery! Welcome to Spacedock!”
-Sean

Year 22, Day 416 (KSEA Mission Update!)

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As the Kerbal Space Exploration Administration (KSEA) prepares to ramp up operations after a short break, it’s time for a KSEA Mission Update!

Far Horizons – Plock Mission

Leaving in around 100 days, the Far Horizons mission will head to Plock and it’s moon Karen! The mission will require phenomenal acceleration to reach Plock in about 3 years! The probe will leave in just 12 days!

DSV-5 Intrepid – Moho Orbit

Having just arrived at Moho, the crew is preparing a mission to the surface any day now!

Laythe Spaceplene ‘Resolute’ – Heading to Laythe

The second Laythe Spaceplane is a slightly improved design that will provide a second SSTO Crew vehicle for Laythe! It should arrive at Laythe Year 23, Day 195

DSV-2 Discovery – Returning Home from Duna!

The Discovery Crew are on the way home from a successful mission to Duna! They should arrive at Kerbin on Year 23, Day 239!

Laythe Spaceport – Jool/Laythe Orbit

Laythe Spaceport is currently hosting the DSV-4 Endeavor crew! They’ve taken the Laythe Spaceplane, Resolute, to the surface and back for science and are preparing to return home!

DSV-3 Horizon Returning to Kerbin from Sarnus/Eeloo

The DSV-3 Horizon is on it’s way back home after landing a crew on the Sarnusian moon of Eeloo! Kimmy, Mitster and Chrisnic are in cryosleep onboard. They are due back Year 25, Day 387!

Duna Spaceport – Duna Orbit

Currently unoccupied – the Duna Spaceport is awaiting the next crew to arrive and explore the Red Planet! The next DSV mission will likely carry a new lander design as well!

DSV Fuel Depot – Kerbin Orbit

The only surviving component of Old Kerbin Spaceport, this massive Lithium Fuel depot is awaiting a yet-designed addition to provide refueling services!

DSV-1A Explorer – En Route to Sarnus

The newest Deep Space Vehicle Explorer is en-route to Sarnus with an arrival scheduled for Day 20, Year 25!

Sarnus Space Station

Sarnus Station will provide a home base for crews exploring Sarnus and its moons! The station is expected to arrive Year 24, Day 276!

Aurora Base – Mun Surface

Ongoing research mission at the Mun’s surface!
Current crew: Bill, Luly, Dunwin, Orlas

KSEA also has several vehicles on standby, ready to launch within an hour:

Nebula Crew Vehicles (6)

All 6 Nebula Crew Vehicles are on Kerbin, but only 1,4,5 and 6 are on standby to launch. The other crew Vehicles are undergoing repairs!

Crew Shuttle Program (2)

Both Crew Transport shuttles are on standby to launch – CTS-1 Adventure and CTS-2 Pioneer!
Pilots would like a third Shuttle built, however the main hold up is what to name it!

Several vehicles are under development/construction as well:

Experimental Nuclear Waste Barge – designed to service the DSV Fleet. As the fleet ages, the Deep Space Vehicles will slowly build up dangerous amounts of nuclear waste. Collecting this in orbit should be a safe way to dispose of this hazardous material!

Duna Communication Relay Mission – a mission to provide full communications coverage to Duna.

Year 22, Day 387 (KSEA Mission Update!)

sayburstuff Year 22 , , , , , , , , ,

It’s time for the annual KSEA Mission Update!

Far Horizons – Plock Mission

Leaving in around 100 days, the Far Horizons mission will head to Plock and it’s moon Karen! The mission will require phenomenal acceleration to reach Plock in about 3 years!
DSV-5 Intrepid – Moho Orbit

Having just arrived at Moho, the crew is preparing a mission to the surface any day now!
Laythe Spaceplene ‘Resolute’ – Heading to Laythe

The second Laythe Spaceplane is a slightly improved design that will provide a second SSTO Crew vehicle for Laythe! It should arrive at Laythe Year 23, Day 195
DSV-2 Discovery – Returning Home from Duna!

The Discovery Crew are on the way home from a successful mission to Duna! They should arrive at Kerbin on Year 23, Day 239!
Laythe Spaceport – Jool/Laythe Orbit

Laythe Spaceport is currently hosting the DSV-4 Endeavor crew! They’ve taken the Laythe Spaceplane, Resolute, to the surface and back for science and are preparing to return home!
DSV-3 Horizon Returning to Kerbin from Sarnus/Eeloo

The DSV-3 Horizon is on it’s way back home after landing a crew on the Sarnusian moon of Eeloo! They are due back Year 25, Day 387!
Duna Spaceport – Duna Orbit

Currently unoccupied – the Duna Spaceport is awaiting the next crew to arrive and explore the Red Planet! The next DSV mission will likely carry a new lander design as well!
DSV Fuel Depot – Kerbin Orbit

The only surviving component of Kerbin Spaceport, this massive Lithium Fuel depot is awaiting a yet-designed addition to provide docking and a small Crew habitat. The new docking module will ideally be reused as future Lithium fuel components are launched!
DSV-1A Explorer – Kerbin Orbit

The newest DSV is in Kerbin Orbit awaiting a crew and a mission payload for it’s next mission (to be announced!)
Sarnus Space Station

A new station design, Sarnus Station will provide a home base for crews exploring the distant ringed world of Sarnus! It is expected to arrive in Sarnus Orbit Year 24, Day 276!
Aurora Base – Mun Surface

Ongoing research mission at the Mun’s surface!
Current crew: Bill, Luly, Dunwin

KSEA also has several vehicles on standby, ready to launch within an hour:

Nebula Crew Vehicles

All 6 Nebula Crew Vehicles are on Kerbin, but only 1,4,5 and 6 are on standby to launch. The other crew Vehicles are undergoing repairs! The mission to supply Explorer-A will use one of the Crew Vehicles in a Sarnus Rocket stack!
Crew Shuttle Program

Both Crew Transport shuttles are on standby to launch – CTS-1 Adventure and CTS-2 Pioneer!
Pilots would like a third Shuttle built, however the main hold up is what to name it!


Several vehicles are under development/construction as well:

Experimental Nuclear Waste Barge – designed to service the DSV Fleet.

Duna Communication Relay Mission – a mission to provide full communications coverage to Duna.

Year 22, Day190 (Far Horizons Mission to Plock Announced!)

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Undeterred by recent setbacks, KSEA is excited to announce a new mission – Far Horizons – the first orbital mission to Plock and Karen! Set to launch on a massive Nova Rockets, the mission represents both the most distant and most difficult challenge to date!

Plock and it’s moon Karen are so distant that the KSEA’s Deep Space Relay Network couldn’t reach it on it’s own – so Far Horizons will be equipped with an unprecedented 11 RA-100 Relay Antennas!

The design utilizes multiple subsystems from the Deep Space Vehicle Program – notably the Discovery Class Nuclear Reactor that has been powering the DSV fleet since DSV-2 Discovery! The reactor is required both for the massive amounts of energy required for the Magenetoplasmadynamic engine (aka the Colossus, first used on DSV-3 Horizon) as well as the long term power needs of the communication relay systems.

Far Horizons will consist of 3 distinct phases:

Orbit Plock: Far Horizons will first orbit Plock, deploying it’s micro lander. While in orbit Far Horizons will use onboard systems to scan and image the surface! If the lander is successful, crews will then determine if another probe should land on Plock, or if phase two should commence!

Orbit Karen: If it is determined the second lander should be deployed at Karen, Far Horizons will transit to Karen orbit, deploying it’s second micro-lander to the surface. Orbital science and surface imagine will also be conducted!

Once both Plock and Karen have been scanned and imaged to the extent that mission coordinators are satisfied, the spacecraft will transition to it’s final phase, serving as an ultra-deep space extension to the Deep Space Relay Network, allowing ongoing communications to Kerbin with all hardware deployed in the Plock system!

Construction has begun on both the rocket and the payload at the VAB – construction will take 92 days and should be complete by the end of Year 22!

Year 22, Day 146(DSV-2 Crew Departs Duna, Returns to Spaceport!)

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After an extended stay on the surface of Duna, the crew of Discovery blast off!

“You know the drill everybody – hold on tight until we’re weightless!”
-Mirphe

The crew reach orbit, and barely enough fuel to complete the rendevous!

“I’m starting to think this lander design isn’t perfect! By these calculations, we’ll have less than 100 d/v worth of fuel remaining once we dock!
-Tamre

Mirphe completes the docking maneuver with Duna Spaceport, then taps on the fuel gauge…

“Huh. 20 d/v remaining! That was a close one!”
-Mirphe

After the close call, planners back at the spaceport start working on the next Duna Lander!

Year 21, Day 352 (DSV-2 Crew Starts Exploring Duna Craters!)

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Seely climbs out, and repacks the landing parachute!

“There we go – repacked! I’m heading down!”
-Seely

Soon, Tamre and Mirphe climb out!

“It’s so pretty here! We have a lot of time but we should start getting science data right away!”
-Tamre

“Flag’s planted! Let’s get the science kits set up so we can start exploring!”
-Mirphe

Tamre starts setting up the science equipment!

“That’s all of it! Weather station is up and running – the forecast looks cold and windy!”
-Tamre

Year 21, Day 341 (DSV-2 Crew Heads to Duna Surface!)

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After a considerable time aboard Duna Spaceport, Mirphe, Tamre, and Seely head down to the surface!

“Hold on to something everybody… these landers are pretty rough on the way down!”
-Mirphe

The rear airbrakes deploy, and the lander heads nose-first into the Duna atmosphere!

“We’re going so fast! I hope we decelerate with enough time to deploy the chutes!”
-Seely

“Chutes deployed! And just in time too!”
-Mirphe

The lander sets down on the surface of Duna! Back on Kerbin, looking over the landing metrics, Gene frowns!

“That wasn’t just a close one – that was really close! The parachutes barely had enough time to deploy! I think we need to start looking at a next generation lander for Duna!”
-Gene

Engineers start looking at prototype designs… meanwhile the crew gets ready to explore the surface of Duna!

Year 21, Day 96 (DSV-2 Discovery Arrives at Duna Spaceport!)

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After a remarkably fast voyage, DSV-2 Discovery arrives at Duna, using the planet’s moon, Ike, to assist in slowing down the approach! The Crew is automatically revived from Cryo-Sleep!

“Rise and shine everybody! We have some exploring to do!”
-Mirphe

“Reactor is powered up – we’re good for firing main engines!”
-Seely

The three mighty nuclear engines on Discovery fire, slowing the spacecraft down and entering orbit, slowly, of Duna!

“By my calculations, we’ll have 5200 d/v remaining after we reach the Spaceport… not bad!”
-Tamre

Discovery achieves high orbit! Mirphe begins to rendevous with Duna Spaceport!

“Just a few more maneuvers and we’ll be docked! I can see the Spaceport out the front window!”
-Mirphe

Discovery slows down, matching speeds with Duna Spaceport…

…then slowly reorients for the final docking maneuver!

“Alright – we’re in the pipe, five by five… approaching the docking port at 1 m/s…. nice and slow….”
-Mirphe

With a ‘thunk’ and the whir of motors, Discovery docks with Duna Spaceport! The mighty spacecraft is nearly twice as long as the station!

“Life support looks good on the station… it’ll take a little time to equalize between Discovery and the Spaceport… but I think we have a good connection!“
-Tamre

The crew prepares to transfer over to the habitat sections of the station, and get ready for the next Duna Landing!

Year 21, Day 35 (Mirphe, Seely and Tamre Rush to DSV-2 Discovery… and Leave for Duna!)

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With no time to waste, Mirphe and Tamre fly to White Mesa and board Crew Vehicle 4, already waiting at the launch pad!

“Seely is already getting Discovery ready to go, as soon as we’re up there we’re taking off!”
-Mirphe

Crew Vehicle 4 blasts off on it’s Nebula Rocket!

Once the spacecraft reaches it’s 200k apogee, the Crew Vehicle detaches and uses it’s RCS thrusters to move clear of the first stage Nebula Rocket!

The Nebula Rocket uses it’s own RCS thrusters to invert itself, and fire it’s main engine, to perform a propulsive landing at KSC!

“We’re clear to rendevous to Spacedock!”
-Mirphe

The Crew Vehicle arrives at Spacedock!

“Welcome to Spacedock CV4! Discovery is fueled up and ready to go!”
-Val

The Crew Vehicle docks! Mirphe and Tamre rush to help Seely get the lander out!

“Hey – why are all the doors open on CV1!?”
-Tamre

“They got stuck open! It shouldn’t have any impact on the return, just annoying!”
-Val

Mirphe, Seely, and Tamre board Discovery… and undock!

“RCS thrusters firing in reverse… moving clear of Spacedock! Let’s get the reactor powered up to maximum!”
-Mirphe

Discovery turns from Spacedock as the entire spacecraft shudders from the engines and reactor powering up!

“Reactor showing 100%! We’re good to power up engines!”
-Seely

“Good luck Discovery!”
-Val

Discovery’s three nuclear engines fire, and it slowly builds up speed!

4 minutes into the burn, alarms sound!

“What’s that!?”
-Mirphe

“Looks like the rear engine housing is giving us trouble again! It’s heating up from the engines and not transferring enough heat to the Radiators!”
-Tamre

“If we reduce thrust to 50 percent we should be fine… the burn will just take longer!”
-Seely

With the overheating problem out of the way, Discovery completes it’s burn for Duna, and soars out of the system!

“Wow – we are moving fast! We should reach Duna in less than 70 days! Once we enter orbit and dock we’re not going to have much fuel left!”
-Tamre

“That’s the idea! The return to Kerbin from Duna using the correct launch window is much less demanding – we’ll be fine! Let’s get ready to enter Cryo-sleep!”
-Mirphe

Year 21 Day 30 (Discovery Crew Mission to Duna Announced!)

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With the disappointing missed time window of Explorer 8, the Astronauts sat around Mission Control scratching their heads trying to figure out a way to get a crew back to the red planet without waiting a whole year for the next launch window!

“What if we… you know… just go REALLY fast!”
-Jeb

“That’d never work – the Explorer spacecraft doesn’t have that kind of fuel supply!”
-Mirphe

“No… but one of the DSVs should! Can we take one!?”
-Tamre

After some debate (and a mission simulation or three) Gene gives the green light! Tamre will be the scientist, Seely the mission Engineer, and Mirphe will command the mission!

“We barely had time to get these Mission Patches sewn! Get on a Crew Vehicle asap and get up to Spacedock!”
-Gene