Dunwin

Year 17, Day 12 (Spaceport Expansion Launches!)

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The Sarnus Va Rocket carrying the experimental Habitat Expansion blasts off, heading to the Spaceport!

The vehicle eventually rendezvouses with the Spaceport…

… and Dunwin EVA’s to check things out!

“Looks like it made the trip up OK! Let’s get it installed!”
-Dunwin

The vehicle is remotely piloted closer and closer, until it docks!

The engineers work and before long, the centrifugal ring inflates, and starts spinning!

“We did it! This new habitat is comfy looking too! So far the Spaceport hasn’t spun out of control wildly, so far so good!”
-Dunwin

The Habitat Expansion will remain on the station while the crew tests it for future deep-space applications! They also watch some fun movies.

Year 16, Day 418 (Engineering Specialists Head To Kerbin Spaceport!)

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To prepare for the upcoming installation of the Habitat Expansion to the Spaceport, Val will pilot Engineering specialists Kerlorf and Dunwin to the Spaceport!

“I heard Gene saying that if the Expansion goes alright, the Spaceport is going to start having a much larger crew – we can expect even more Aurora Crew launches soon!”
-Val

“Oh wow! I always forget how big the station is! “
-Kerlorf

“Before we dock we need to give the station a once-over… make sure the expansion plans are on track!
-Dunwin

“Everything looks good so far! It’s a shame the fuel tanks up here don’t get used much, except for rescue operations! We could really use fuel depots like this in orbit of Mun!”
-Dunwin

“Heading to the midpoint connection point….”
-Dunwin

“Looks solid. It’s a good idea to check this connection from time to time, it’s the connection point that holds the two halves of the station together!
-Dunwin

Dunwin heads inside the station, and leads the rest of the engineering crew for their preparations for the Habitat expansion!

Year 8, Day 190 (Explorer 2 Returns Home!)

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Explorer 2’s command module ejects from the rest of the spacecraft, and follows its trajectory down through Kerbin’s atmosphere!

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The parachute opens, and the spacecraft gently descends to the surface.

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Success!  Mitster, Dunwin, and Kimmy make it home safe – carrying a treasure trove of scientific data from Duna with them! Rescue teams pick them up and the entire KSEA team is ecstatic at the successful end to the mission!

 

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Year 7, Day 263 (Explorer Heads Home!)

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Kimmy, Dunwin, and Mitster all board Explorer 2, and wish Duna Spaceport farewell!

“It’s a shame we can’t stay!”

-Kimmy

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Other Kerbals deserve a chance to explore Duna… we’ll be back!””

-Dunwin

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Well I want to get back… I can’t wait to get my chance at flying that shiny new Super Duna Lander!

-Mitster

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Explorer 2’s journey home will take 314 days!

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Year 7, Day 27 (Explorer 2 Crew returns from Duna Crater landing!)

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Mitster and Dunwin blast off – heading back to Duna Spaceport!

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“This many missions has left us all exhausted!  It’ll be good to get back to Kerbin!”

-Dunwin

Indeed, Explorer 2 has set the record for the most consecutive landings done by one crew!  It’s hoped that the next crew will be able to exceed that, however, using the new “Super Duna Lander”!

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“Hmmm… I’m having some trouble connecting the lander with with the docking port!”

-Mitster

“Try spinning!  That’s a good trick!”

-Dunwin

“That did it!  We’re docked!  Nice thinking Dunwin!”

-Mitster

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The lander docks successfully with Duna Spaceport, and the Explorer 2 team reviews all of the science data they’ve collected over 4 separate landings on the red world of Duna! Their only mission now is to prepare for the return home!

Year 7, Day 26 (Explorer 2 Landing At Duna’s Craters!)

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Dunwin, Mitster, and Kimmy work on refueling the Duna Research Lander for what will be the last landing before returning to Kerbin! This time, a crater east of the second Explorer 2 landing has been chosen. Explorer 2’s last landing will be done by Mitster and Dunwin.

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“Wow, you can see the crater’s outline as we come down!”

-Mitster

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Mitster and Dunwin set down in the Crater, and prepare to head out of the lander.

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The guys smile for the camera, then get to work gathering important Science!

Year 6, Day 299 (Explorer 2 Crew Blasts Off From Midlands Sea!)

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After a few days on the surface at the Midlands Sea, Kimmy and Mitster head back to orbit and dock with Duna Spaceport!

“The new lander modifications seem to have fixed all the problems we were having – nicely done Dunwin!”

-Mitster

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The next Explorer 2 landing won’t be for another week, to give the crew time to analyze the data from their landings and most importantly to rest up for the next!

Year 6, Day 297 (Second Explorer 2 Mission!)

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screenshot111.pngMitster and Kimmy head down in the upgraded lander that was painstakingly upgraded by Dunwin using extra parts from Duna Spaceport!

You should be set to go!  I’ll monitor things from up here!

-Dunwin

LandingMapDuna.pngKSEA has chosen the Midlands Sea as the next landing site!

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The lander retracts its antenna and solar arrays for the entry into Duna’s atmosphere. screenshot118.png
The lander touches down, and the solar arrays are deployed!

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Kimmy climbs out of the lander, then Mitster – who pose for the traditional flag portrait!  Kimmy and Mitster are the first Kerbals to ever set foot on the Midlands Sea!

Year 6, Day 285 (Explorer 2 Crew Lands on Duna!)

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On board Duna Spaceport, the crew of Explorer 2 prepare for the very first Duna landing!  Mitster will pilot the vehicle to the surface, with Dunwin providing the engineering expertise to deal with any unforeseen issues the lander might have.  Once the craft has proven itself Kimmy will head down in the next landing.  A lot of consideration was given to the first crew to head down, and the pilot/engineer combination was chosen in deference to safety, as the Duna lander hasn’t been tested “live” before! screenshot54.png

Kimmy watches from the Observation Lounge as the lander moves away from the station…

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“I can tell you now, we’re not setting down where Mission Control planned – we’re moving too fast, and if I don’t slow us down … well, it won’t be pretty!”

-Mitster

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Mitster fires the landers engines, slowing the vehicle down enough to engage the parachute…

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The parachute deploys!

“Oomph!  That really took the wind out of me!”

-Dunwin

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The lander slowly descends to the surface…

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At the last moment, the engines fire again, to set the lander down gently…

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“Duna Lander to Kerbin – we have set down on Duna and all systems are go!”

-Mitster

screenshot70.pngDunwin climbs out!screenshot76.png

Followed by Mitster, who plants the first flag on Duna!screenshot78.png

Cheers are heard throughout Mission Control – amazing!

“We still have some samples and exploration to do before we head back, so let’s get busy”

-Mitster

The lander overshot its landing at the anomaly by 17km – a distance much farther than walking would allow.  Mission Control decides that while a small “hop” is conceivable however crew safety is paramount, so a future landing can be done to investigate the lowlands – there will be no hop!

“This lander handles much differently in an atmosphere than it did on Mun, I’m not even sure I could pilot us effectively over to the lowlands… the return to orbit will be tricky enough! ”

-Mitster

The lander will remain on the surface for a few days, then head back to Duna Spaceport!