The Duna Surveyor launches! The satellite will stay in Kerbin Orbit until an appropriate window opens!
Duna
Year 4, Day 223
Things are busy at the VAB! Resolute and Enterprise are both being refurbished for their next missions, and the Crew Shuttles Endeavor and Adventure are both being outfitted with the second generation launchers! (Intrepid is currently docked at the Kerbin Space Station – it will be outfitted with a new launcher once it returns!)
Meanwhile, construction has begun on the Duna Surveyor… based off the Mun and Minmus Surveyors, this advanced probe will scan the surface of Duna for future missions!
It’s now just days until Frontier 1 reaches the influence of Sarnus – Kerbin’s longest range probe has worked well so far… although scientists note that the signal strength is only at 70 percent. Hopefully this won’t result in any lost scientific data!
Year 4, Day 147 (Frontier 6 Update – Journey to Duna!)
The Frontier 6 probe to Duna is a mere 2 weeks away from encountering the distant red world of Duna! No one’s ever seen what it looks like up close… the sensors on Frontier are relatively old, but the science gained from the mission should be invaluable!
Scientists hope to get atmospheric, temperature, and pressure readings from both Duna and it’s small moon, Ike!
Year 3, Day 305
Frontier 6 departs Kerbin, headed for Duna! Scientists think it will arrive at Duna in less than a year…. on Year 4, Day 133.
Year 3, Day 276 (Frontier 6 Launches)
The Frontier probe to Duna, Frontier 6, launches! The probe will sit in a parking orbit for about a month until the launch window to Duna opens up!
Year 3, Day 169 (Frontier 8 Launches, Aurora 13 Construction, Explorer Crews)
Frontier 8, the probe to Moho is rolled out to the launch pad! With a launch window coming up in 60 days, scientists are hopeful that the Frontier-probe design will be tough enough to survive a trip so close to the sun! The launch goes well, and Frontier 8 sits in orbit, waiting for the launch window in about 60 days!
3 other Frontier Probes remain in storage: Frontier 5 (Jool), Frontier 6 (Duna), and Frontier 7 (Neidon.)
Work also begins on Frontier 9, a survey probe for Minmus!
Additionally, construction starts on Aurora 13! Aurora 13 and 14 will carry two different crews beyond Kerbin’s sphere of influence as training for the long flight to Eve. The entire KSC complex is abuzz with gossip regarding who the “Explorer 6” will be! Even if a Kerbal is chosen to be one of the 6… only 3 Kerbals will ultimately be Explorer’s crew! However, the runner up crew will most likely be in line for the next Deep Space Vehicle!
Year 2, Day 252 (Explorer 1 Announced)
Construction begins on the Explorer 1 Space Probe. The design is heavily based on the KerbSat Long Range Communications Satellite, launched earlier in Year 2.
The probe has sensors and a Mission Plaque to say “hello” to any friendly creatures it may encounter! The probe will be launched on a Discovery 5, and should be ready quite soon.
The planned mission is a flyby of Duna and Eve, and anything else it might encounter along the way! If the initial launch is successful, and communications are maintained, current plans are to launch multiple Explorer Probes to investigate many of Kerbin’s neighbors!
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 