The original Explorer was the first Deep Space Vehicle constructed by the KSEA. While it was ultimately a flawed design in many respects, it was the start of the Explorer program to explore the solar system! The next true DSV was DSV-2 Discovery, the test bed for a truly reusable interplanetary space ship. Most of Discovery’s systems were implemented in the Horizon Class Deep Space Vehicle, named after DSV-3 Horizon – Horizon Class ships have become the workhorses of the Kerbal Space Program and comprise the bulk of the DSV Fleet! The Kerbal States now has four Deep Space Vehicles and will soon be adding a fifth!
Honoring the legacy of the DSV program, the next DSV will be named Explorer, and retain the DSV-1 number, but with an “A” indicating it’s the second ship to bear the name! Construction has already begun – and the next mission has already been chosen – a journey to Sarnus!
After an extended stay on the surface Mitster and Kimmy double check the science equipment on the surface of Eeloo is functional and blast off for orbit!
“All systems nominal, orbital velocity and trajectory tracks good…”
-Mitster
“Systems look good! No scientific equipment problems!”
-Kimmy
Mitster rendezvouses with Horizon!
“Looking good! Horizon is ready to dock!”
-Chrisnic
Very slowly, the lander moves in to dock with the interplanetary spacecraft!
As the lander is being left behind on Eeloo orbit, Mitster docks with the front docking port, as maneuvers are more complicated when entering the DDV cargo bay!
“Docking complete! Looks like a good seal!”
-Mitster
“Let’s start moving over all the scientific data and samples! We can still do a lot of science from orbit as well, before we leave!”
After weeks in orbit calibrating equipment and scouting out a new landing site, Mission Control gives the OK to land on Eeloo! Mitster and Kimmy board the lander and undock from Horizon’s payload bay!
“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
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!
The new Sarnus/Slate Relay-Scanner probe arrives at the Sarnus system!
“We still have communication! All those communications dishes really do add up to create a better connection with Kerbin!” -Gene, at Mission Control
The Slate Probe performs an orbital capture maneuver…
… then captures into a 65 degree inclination Slate Orbit!
“We have enough deltaV to maneuver the probe again if need be – but good work everybody! This is our first probe around Slate!
Indeed, previous probes to the Sarnus system have all failed – either not enough power, or not enough communications capacity. This time – it looks like a proper scan of Slate can be completed!
The lens protector on the surface telescope opens!
“We’re recieving signal! We should have a complete scan of the surface just in time for the Horizon to arrive!” -Gene
The Relay-Scan probe continues it’s orbit around Slate! In 106 days it will be joined in the Sarnus system by DSV-3 Horizon!
There has been renewed interest among researchers on Kerbin to explore one of the most hazardous planets: Eve! Missions to the cloudy purple planet have been frequently plagued by problems. The intense temperature, the high gravity, and the super dense atmosphere make Eve fairly easy for small spacecraft to land but nearly impossible for large vehicles set down – let alone take off from again!
To facilitate missions a new upgraded communications network is required, and with the upcoming window a Sarnus rocket will carry two small relay probes, identical to those carried by Aurora 23 for DSV-3 Horizon’s mission to Sarnus!
While actually under construction for quite some time, a name hadn’t been chosen yet! Endeavor will be a “Horizon Class” DSV, that is, almost identical to DSV-3 Horizon!
Endeavor’s name is from the Crew Shuttle Endeavor, which has been out of service for some time now!
“I miss flying those Crew Shuttles… when are they going to be cleared for flights again!?” -Edan
Unfortunately, it may be quite some time for them to get cleared again – the basic design of a spaceplane makes it difficult to create a design with multiple abort options throughout the flight. In fact, there are no launch aborts available right off the launch pad!
“The engineers are working on it! No promises though!” -Gene
Aurora 23 launches from Cape Kerman, carrying Mitster, Chrisnic, and Kimmy!
Once in out of the atmosphere, the protective fairing deploys, and the spacecraft starts burning to rendezvous with DSV-3 Horizon!
“There it is! Slowing us down to stationkeeping….” -Mitster
Once Aurora 23 has matched speeds exactly with Horizon, Mitster heads over to the Slate Lander!
“I’m outside the lander… it looks in good shape! So does the relay satellite we’ll be leaving in a wide orbit of Slate!” -Mitster
As the sun sets, Mitster climbs into the lander, detaches from Aurora 23, and moves closer to Horizon’s docking bay!
“This is going to be almost entirely by instruments… it’s dark in space!” -Mitster
Thankfully, Mitster is able to dock with Horizon… just as the sun comes up!
Shortly after that, Mission Control remotely pilots the Relay Satellite over to the nose of Horizon!
“OK —- powering up the basic systems… things seem good over here! I think you guys can come over to Horizon now!” -Mitster
First, Mitster EVA’s over…
…then Kimmy!
“Oh wow! Horizon is looking good! I can’t wait to wake up and be in orbit of Sarnus!” -Kimmy
Chrisnic does a full survey of Horizon to make sure every single component of the mission is ship-shape!
“OK – Horizon is OK to go! Powering up reactor…. Radiator systems are functioning… Main Engine is showing full power available! We’re good Mitster…. light that candle!” -Chrisnic
With that, Horizon’s massive engine fires, in a burn that lasts for several minutes, propelling the crew to Sarnus in just three years!
“Hold on tight everyone… once the burn is done, we’ll head to the cryo-section for a little space nap… and before you know it, we’ll be at Sarnus!” -Kimmy
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 