Launched over a year ago, the Laythe Spaceplane Resolute has finally arrived in the Jool system, and rapidly heads to orbit Laythe!
The Jool transfer stage fires, circularizing the orbit!
“We have a good signal from Laythe! Resolute has arrived and is in a stable orbit – when the crew of Intrepid arrives they’ll have another spaceplane ready for them!” -Gene, at Misson Control
In just 75 days the crew of DSV-5 Intrepid will arrive, as they continue scouting for a good colony site!
Carson and Bob celebrate the New Year by exploring the stark, hot world of Moho! The durable rover and its life support systems keep them cool and mobile!
“Traction control on the surface looks pretty bad – I’ll see what I can do about adjusting the motors. Wish that Sondo was here – I’ll have to make some guesses on the configuration! “ -Bob
The rover works its way through the somewhat perilous terrain of the small crater, dodging around rocks, or whatever those strange shapes are! The traction adjustments seem to help, allowing the rover to brake without sliding down hills!
“You know, I like the heat, feels like I’m on an adventure! I’m getting a little light headed though….” -Carson
The lander climbs the side of the crater, navigating around the odd structures dotting the surface…
“Fascinating – previous explorations of Moho hasn’t noted these strange formations! My suspicion is these are basalt columns formed by cooled lava flows under the surface that burst up in these areas and then cooled… We should try to get some samples back to Kerbin! “ -Bob
With the sun still beating down on them, Bob climbs out of the rover and takes a sample near the strange columns!
“I wonder if the world is still volcanically active? Hopefully when we get this back to Kerbin the rest of the science team can make some sense of this! “ -Bob
“Better load those rocks up – we are going to bake if we’re out here too long!” -Carson
Carson dutifully drives the rover around the formations – aware that hitting just one the wrong way might tip the rover on its side, or worse!
“It’s hard to resist the urge to go full speed – these rovers are fun!” -Carson
“Well try ! We’re almost a thousand meters from the lander! “ -Bob
After collecting a great deal of science and surface samples, the pair head back to the lander!
Suddenly – Carson has a horrible realization that they forgot something critical!
“I just realized we forgot something! Something critical!” -Carson
“Oh no! What is it!? “ -Bob
Bob rolls his eyes as he realizes what Carson meant – the Kerbal States flag wasn’t planted when they landed!
“There we go!” -Carson
Bob configures the camera on the lander and records an image to transmit back to Kerbin – posing with “Old Kerby” for Mission Control!
The brave and somewhat forgetful Kerbals take the next few minutes gathering up all the material and science they need to take back to Kerbin… then climb back into the lander!
“Ok… hold on Bob – this new lander configuration is going to have a bit of a kick!” -Carson
The 4 small solid rockets fire, and the lander dramatically blasts off the surface!
“Ahhhhhhhhh! “ -Bob
The solid rockets fire with such force, and with the ascent angle being fairly acute, the two Kerbals see quite a bit of Moho’s surface moving quit quickly outside their window!
The small solid rockets use up their fuel and eject, and the lander uses up almost all of its fuel reaching orbit!
“Wow! That was so fun! Although, mission Control needs to think about retiring this lander. We have barely enough fuel to return to Intrepid! -Carson
“You’re right! You’re going to need to do some careful maneuvering, we have almost no margin for error in our fuel budget!“ -Bob
Carson careful fires the engine in a series of manuevers to rendevouses with the orbiting Deep Space Vehicle Intrepid!
“Look out the window Bob – we made it!” -Carson
“Yipee! Sondo, this is Bob – do you copy?“ -Bob
“Welcome back guys! Intrepid is ready for docking! I’ve activated RCS and SAS stabilization… you are go for maneuvering!” -Sondo
The lander moves closer and closer…
Until finally – connection is made! The crew is back together, and prepares for the next stage of their mission: The Voyage Home!
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.
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.
In Kerbin orbit, Jeb and Sean prepare DSV-5 Intrepid for it’s new crew! Instead of taking Crew Vehicle 6 back to the surface, the spacecraft is sent back to the surface – Jeb and Sean will take Crew Vehicle 1 back to Kerbin once it arrives! Meanwhile, Jeb pilots Intrepid to a higher orbit, 600k!
Crew Vehicle 6 sets down just west of the space center!
“Alright everybody, now’s the tricky part! Keep focused!”
-Gene, at Mission Control
For the first time, a Sarnus Va rocket will be used to launch a Nebula Crew Vehicle! The mission will carry Carson, Bob, and Sondo up to the Deep Space Vehicle Intrepid– as well as multiple mission payloads – a Modular-Payload Vehicle (MPV) loaded with Lithium and Monopropellant, a science satellite, and a new lander/rover combo!
“Engines are go!”
-Carson
Crew Vehicle 1 launches into space! The fairings eject once the spacecraft reaches a safe altitude and the engines fire, carrying the spacecraft to a higher than average orbit, 600k!
Carson rendezvouses with Intrepid, then separates to move clear from the stack!
At the last moment it was decided the fuel budget had room for a Modular Payload Vehicle loaded with Lithium Fuel and Monopropellant! It separates from the stack, and docks with Intrepid, topping off it’s fuel supplies!
After fuelling up Intrepid the crew will transfer over to Intrepid, swap places with Jeb and Sean! Then, the nose-science unit will attach to the front of the DSV. Finally, the most challenging task will be docking the new lander in the cargo bay!
With the Lithium fueling complete, Carson, Bob, and Sondo head to Intrepid!
“Ok – forward RCS thrust is active… systems are nominal…”
-Carson
“Oh wow – I saw Intrepid during assembly – to see it in space is quite a sight!”
-Sondo
Jeb and Sean shake hands with Sondo, Bob, and Carson! Then Jeb and Sondo head back to Kerbin!
“Good luck! Bring back some cool rocks from Moho!”
-Jeb
…setting down right by the Space Center!
With crew loading complete, it’s time to dock the nose science unit!
“This part will be easy, that lander’s going to be tricky though I just know it!”
-Carson
“I’m showing a good connection!” -Bob
After a short maneuver, Carson docks the satellite with the docking port of Intrepid!
“Ok – the communications dish has been retracted! You’re good to go Carson!”
-Sondo
Next, the most difficult part… docking the new lander!
“No problem guys – it’s just like docking the Crew Vehicles – only in an infinity smaller space with no margin for error! Hmm.”
-Carson
As the lander slowly moves into Intrepid‘s docking bay, there is a distinct metallic scratching noise as the landing gear scrape against the back of the cargo bay! The DSV-mockup at the Space Center isn’t perfect, and it turns out the lander fits much easier in the designs than actually docking!
“Tight fit… but we’re almost there! Nothing’s exploded yet!”
-Carson
Success! The lander fits snugly, but perfectly, into the cargo bay!
“Getting it out will be a lot easier once we’re at Moho!”
-Carson
Bob and Sondo check out the crew area of the Deep Space Vehicle, and make sure everything is ready to go!
“RCS fuel – check… extra snacks… check…”
-Bob
“The reactor is functioning normally – Sean did a great job starting it up – radiators, generator, it all checks out!”
-Sondo
“Looks good! Let’s get up front and get the mission to Moho started!”
-Carson
After prelaunch checks are complete, Intrepid fires it’s Colossus Engine!
“Fuel flow is good – temperatures are nominal!”
-Sondo
Intrepid speeds away from Kerbin!
“The transit burn to Moho was perfect! “
-Bob
“Ok everyone – get on your mittens, it’s time to get in the cryobeds!”
-Carson
“Looks, uh, comfy!”
-Sondo
The cryobeds freeze over, and Mission Control takes full control of the spacecraft! Intrepid will arrive at Moho later this year, on Day 383!
DSV-5 Intrepid’s first mission has now been fully planned, and a crew selected! Carson will be mission commander, Bob will be the Science specialist, and Sondo will be the Engineering Specialist!
For the first time a Sarnus Va rocket will deliver both the crew and the mission payload – Crew Vehicle 1 was designed initially as the replacement for the Aurora Crew Vehicle, but this is the first time it will be fully integrated into the stack!
This will also be the first test of the DSV-Lander – designed to fit into the DSV Payload bay! The Sarnus Va launch will also include the new DSV Science & Relay Satellite, that will be docked with the nose of the spacecraft and deployed in orbit of Moho!
What started out as mild vibrations on the station have grown and grown over the last half – the station crew, mid rotation with just Sean and Jeb on board, have been working on troubleshooting the strange shaking with Mission Control!
“We verified that RCS isn’t firing from any thruster, station or docked…and our SAS systems all show normal… Jeb and I can’t figure out what’s causing it… wait, just a second… the station is shaking even worse now! I think the vibration is increasing exponentially…”
*loud cracking noise, alarm klaxons* “..There’s… been a breach! Jeb! Launch the Intrepid quick!”
-Sean
Back at KSEA, sensors report what can’t be correct – loss of direct connection between the Lithium tanks and the upper docking and habitat section! Immediately ground crews start making calls and Gene assumes the worst … and gives the evacuation order!
“Start emergency evacuations! Intrepid get that ship out of there! Sean get to the nearest Crew Vehicle and undock now! Look alive people this is an emergency! What crew shuttle is ready to go up there? Get it up there….!”
-Gene, at Mission Control
Thankfully Jeb was quick with his reflexes and activated the emergency decoupling process – detaching the massive Deep Space Vehicle Intrepid from the station and reverse firing the orbital thrusters to push away from the station!
“This is Jeb on Intrepid – the DSV is clear of the station! I’m fine… it was a close call, the station was spinning out of control! Sean are you OK?” -Jeb, on DSV Intrepid
Sean didn’t wait a second, and pushed himself to the nearest crew vehicle, hopping in Crew Vehicle 6, and decoupling! The whole time the station is violently rotating, and as the Crew Vehicle departs, it impacts the the spinning orbital ring!
“That was a bumpy ride … but I got out! The Crew Vehicle impacted the station on the way out but … I’m not seeing any indication of leaks… what’s the plan?”
-Sean
“OK – Sean, Jeb – let’s get your two vehicles docked – then do a full diagnostic of Intrepid. We’ll figure out what to do from there! We’re all relieved you’re safe up there!”
-Gene, at Mission Control
Sean maneuvers Crew Vehicle 6 to a rendevous with Intrepid!
“I see you Sean! The Crew Vehicle looks good, just some scuffs! You’re good for docking!”
-Jeb
Intrepid and DSV 6 dock! Jeb and Sean give each other quick hugs, relieved!
“That was a close one!”
-Sean
“Yea! I like some excitement on my missions… but not like that!”
-Jeb
As the situation normalizes, everyone catches their breath! While Sean and Jeb do a full diagnostic of both Intrepid and the Crew Vehicle, Mission Control starts working on disaster planning to see how bad the damage is at the Spaceport!
“Ground radar and space assets show Intrepid should be safe – I want to get some Kerbals up there to get a closer look but I don’t think Sean or Jeb should do it, they’re both pretty shaken up and need to get down to the surface to be checked out! A Crew Shuttle can check out the station, then return Sean and Jeb!
-Gene, at Mission Control
As the day goes on, KSEA decides to send up the revamped (and recently tested) Crew Shuttle Adventure! A large crew is needed for the mission as it’s not just a rescue, but crisis/damage assessment, and recrew of Intrepid!
The Next Deep Space Vehicle, DSV-5 Intrepidis ready to launch! Named after the retired crew shuttle CTS-3 Intrepid, DSV-5 is a Horizon Class DSV, identical to Endeavor and Horizon!
“Wow – that rocket looks big, even from way over at the Tracking Station!”
-Bob, on his way to watch the launch of DSV-5
Mission Command starts calling out rocket status summaries, until finally…
“Lights are green – DSV is go for launch!” -Gene, at Mission Control
“Look at ‘er go!”
-Bob, at Mission Control
The Jool Heavy Rocket carries the spacecraft higher…
… and higher!
At a 200k orbit, the side stages eject, and Intrepid circularizes it’s orbit around Kerbin!
“Computers say we have a good orbit! Let’s remotely rendevous it with Spacedock and get a crew over there!” -Gene
Intrepid is remotely piloted until it rendezvouses with Spacedock!
“Mission Control – this is Jeb at Spacedock Control – we have a visual on Intrepid!” -Jeb
“Wow – I always forget how big these DSV’s are until you see them next to Spacedock!”
-Sean
While Mission Control can pilot the DSV’s remotely for the precision connections needed for docking pilots are always preferred – so Jeb EVA’s outside Spacedock and heads over to Intrepid!
“Mission Control, I have left Spacecdock and am en route to the DSV!” -Jeb
Jeb sets his EVA rockets to “FULL SPEED DANGER!” and speeds toward the DSV!
“Radar shows you going 10 m/s, make sure you leave enough time to slow down!” -Sean, on Spacedock
“Don’t worry, I’m a professional!” -Jeb
Jeb slows down, just in time, and grabs the hand holds under the nose of DSV-5 Endeavor at the last second!
“Got it! Connection made, heading to the cockpit!” -Jeb
“Eyes on the prize Jeb – let’s get this bird in the nest!” -Gene
“Roger that.” -Jeb
Jeb activates the RCS thrusters and matches speed with Spacedock, then orients the massive spacecraft with the docking ports!
“Starting final docking maneuvers…” -Jeb
“Mission Control… Jeb here… I’m in the pipe, five by five…” -Jeb
Intrepid slowly moves in to dock until finally, just as the sun sets…
“Intrepid – you show a solid lock – welcome back Jeb! I can’t wait to get over there and start up Intrepid‘s reactor!” -Sean
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 