The next Lithium Refueling mission launches for Kerbin Spacedock on a Jool Heavy rocket!
After an automatic Rendevous maneuver, Mission Control hands over remote control to Val!
“This is Commander Spacedock… we have the Lithium Vehicle, bringing it in to dock…” -Val
Val slowly navigates the spacecraft into docking position! This will be the final (for now) fuel launch to Spacedock, bringing the station to a “max” fuel level for the DSV fleet!
“Docking complete! Spacedock is now fully fueled – good work team!” -Val
Meanwhile, crews at Spacedock work on fueling up Discovery and Endeavor for their next mission!
Discovery enters Kerbin’s sphere of gravitational influence!
“Discovery we’re tracking you as on course – what’s your situation?”
-Gene, at Mission Control
“Roger Mission Control… Situation nominal, Discovery reactor is at full, engines show green and ready to fire!”
-Jeb
As Discovery reaches a distance of 700km from Kerbin, the 3 nuclear engines fire!
It’s a nearly minute long burn to slow down!
Suddenly, alarm bells ring in the cockpit!
“Temperature on main engines reaching critical! They’re starting to heat up the tri-adapter engine housing!”
-Bob
“We’ve already been captured into orbit, so we can cut thrust safely… Let’s monitor it and cut thrust once it’s just about critical!”
-Jeb
Thankfully the engines don’t explode, and Discovery settles into a clean 700k circular orbit!
“I can’t wait to see Spacedock! It’s supposed to be huge!”
-Bill
Discovery does several manuevers to rendezvous with Spacedock, and finally approaches the station!
“Discovery here! We’re going to coast past Spacedock, then start docking manuevers!”
-Jeb
“Roger that DSV-2… We show you at 150 meters and clear for RCS manuevers!”
-Sean, onboard Spacedock
Discovery slowly drifts past the station until it’s visible out the cockpit!
“Wow! Look at that! And look, Endeavor is docked at the top!”
-Bill
“Yep! We’ll be parking opposite Endeavor!”
-Jeb
Jeb uses RCS orbital thrusters only and slowly matches speed with Spacedock….
…then slowly accelerates toward the station, lining up with the docking port!
“Slowing down… We’re lined up and looking good!”
-Jeb
Discovery moves almost imperceptibly slow until…
With a dull “clunk” and the whir of motors, Discovery makes s connection to Spacedock!
“Welcome home Discovery!”
-Val
Jeb, Bill, and Bob head over to Spacedock to rest before returning to Kerbin with the mountains of data gathered from Jool’s moon Laythe! There is already talk of building a colony there!
Engineers are also finalizing plans for refits and repairs to Discovery!
Jeb, Bill, and Bob wake from their Cryo-Sleep on Discovery!
“Wake up everybody! Just 8 days and we’ll be entering Kerbin orbit!” -Jeb
“I can’t wait to see this new Space Station they built while we were gone!” -Bill
“It feels like we just left Laythe yesterday!” -Bob
In Kerbin Orbit, the massive new Spacedock facility is ready for the returning DSV!
“Refueling Discovery should be about the same procedure as Endeavor! They’re different classes of ships technically… but they both run on the same fuel!” Sean, on Spacedock
KSEA is excited to announce the final design for Horizon! Building upon the successes of DSV-2 Discovery, the Horizon is the largest, most advanced spacecraft ever – and will be launched on a new rocket designed just for it, the Nova Rocket… The largest rocket ever launched!
The most striking new feature of Horizon is the massive cargo bay allowing a variety of payloads to travel with the spacecraft!
Construction will be completed soon, and even more exciting, should be done in time for the launch window to Sarnus!
The crew will be announced soon, as will the mission specifics!
Construction of the next Deep Space Vehicle, Horizon, is nearly 90% complete! Progress has been slower than expected however, as new features and upgrades continue to be devised and then incorporated into the design.
These features keep creeping in, and slowing down development of the spacecraft!
“We’ve gotta stop adding stuff and get this thing built!
–Gene
While Horizon shares the same basic construction of Discovery, the most notable new feature is a massive cargo bay, designed to allow Horizon to carry a Lander or other payloads to its destination!
KSEA promises that blueprints will be available soon!
There is no word yet on the destination of Horizon… With the window for Sarnus closing soon, many Kerbals speculate Moho will be the likely target!
Jeb and Bill transfer over to Discovery… while Bob makes sure that every bit of science is taken on board!
“That should be the last of it! Let’s head out!” -Bob
“Moorings are clear… Discovery is clear of the Spaceport!“ -Jeb
Discovery fires it’s three atomic engines, and the massive spacecraft rockets away from Jool!
The journey back to Kerbin will take a little over 2 years – longer than Discovery’s life support reserves will last – so Jeb, Bill, and Bob transfer over to the Cryonic chamber to survive the long trip!
“See you soon Discovery!” -Gene, at Mission Control
With the transfer window back to Kerbin rapidly approaching, Jeb decides it’s time to take Endurance back to orbit!
“Pack up all the science and snacks! It’s time to take off!” -Jeb
Endurance lifts higher and higher…
… eventually reaching orbit!
“That loud pop noise was Endurance running out of primary fuel! Just in time too, we should have enough monopropellant to slow down the final leg of the rendezvous with Laythe Spaceport!” -Jeb
Thankfully, there’s enough monoprop for both slowing down, and maneuvering!
Jeb docks with Laythe Spaceport!
“You know… these missions have all been really close, let’s call it good and not try a water landing this time?” -Bill
“I dunno, I’m down for it! What’s the worst that could happen!?” -Jeb
“Hmmm… maybe Bill’s right – let’s get ready to head back to Kerbin… we can try a water landing next time!” -Bob
Jeb, Bill, and Bob board LCV-1 Endurance and head down for another landing! The discovery that Laythe has a breathable atmosphere has caused a bit of a commotion back on Kerbin – talk of a permanent colony on Laythe has begun!
“Ok – hold on! We’re setting down right by the coast so if we overshoot the landing site, we’ll need to be ready to blast off back into orbit… this plane isn’t rated for a water landing!” -Jeb
It looks like the approach was spot on! Endurance activates it’s landing parachute, and the VTOL Aerospike bays open!
Endurance slowly sets down, aided by the VTOL system and the parachute!
“Endurance has landed! Let’s get out and see what’s out there!” -Jeb
Jeb and Bill climb out and take in the sights, with Bob right behind them!
“Hey guys! What’re you standing there looking at!?” -Bob
“Oh! The Sagen sea is so pretty! You’d almost think it’s Kerbin!” -Bob
After years of designing, preparation, and waiting, the day is finally here… the Discovery crew will leave the Spaceport and take their Spaceplane ‘Endurance‘ to land on Laythe!
Even the mission profile has been carefully planned, as no spaceplane has ever landed on another planet!
“OK – ‘Endurance’ is undocked from the Spaceport… using maneuvering thrusters to reach safe distance to activate engines!” -Jeb
Endurance’s solar panels deploy to soak up as much energy as possible, while the orbital maneuvering engine fires to drop the craft out of orbit!
“So far so good!” -Bill
Airbrakes deploy to create more drag, slowing the re-entry of the spaceplane! From inside the cramped science bay, Bob is growing concerned:
“What’s going on!? It’s getting hot! I can’t see anything from this seat!!” -Bob
“Everything’s fine! We’re through the worst of the heat now – on course for a chain of islands near the equator!” -Jeb
“Switching RAPIER engines to ‘air-breathing‘ – looks like a lot of flat desert down there, setting down shouldn’t be so bad!” -Jeb
“Slowing our speed, deploying Air Brakes… starting landing procedures. Hold on everyone!” -Jeb
Endurance needs to be going as slow as possible before it deploys it’s landing parachute. On Kerbin this parachute wouldn’t do a very good job of slowing an X-10, however on Laythe (combined with the VTOL engines) it should do the job just fine!
The Air Brakes retract, and the parachute deploys! The aircraft pulls up until it starts to even out…
“Ahhhhhh!” -Bob
“Hang on back there! We’re almost down!” -Bill
The VTOL bays open, and the aerospike rockets fire to slow the spacecraft! The housing of the chambers is thermally lined to protect the rest of the spacecraft, nonetheless, the rockets aren’t meant to be fired for anything but short bursts!
“Just about there! VTOL is slowing us down to about 5 m/s…. we’re in the pipe, five by five!” -Jeb
“Why do all the pilots say that before they land!?!” -Bill
Endurance sets down on Laythe!
“Finally! What a rough ride! Opening science bays… deploying ladders… antennas and solar panels deploying!” -Bob
The crew will do tests for a short time before heading out to the surface!
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 