Eve

Year 7, Day 121 (Wanderer Lands On Eve)

sayburstuff Year 6 ,

screenshot6.png

Wanderer arrives at Eve – there should be just enough fuel to circularize!

screenshot11.png

Wander burns into its orbit of Eve! The orbit isn’t perfectly circular, but it’s an orbit!  So far the Eve Communications Network has been performing perfectly!  Scientists are eager and nervous to see if the Eve lander will survive the landing, and transmit from the surface! screenshot16.png

Because of the tremendous speed of the lander, the Re-entry rockets fire so that the craft will slow down in the atmosphere for a few orbits before actually taking the final plunge. screenshot18.png

While Eve has been mapped from orbit, the particulars of navigating the planets ultra dense atmosphere has proven challenging for KSEA mission planners!screenshot15.png

While tedious, the orbital dipping method does appear to be a good strategy – impatient engineers are already working on a replacement for the next Eve lander though!screenshot24.png

The protective shell ejects and the Wanderer rover slowly glides to the surface!

screenshot32.png

Cheers are heard throughout KSC – Rover has safely landed on the surface and started transmitting science! After transmitting the science data from the surface the rover will need to recharge… then scientists will see if surface exploration is possible!

 

Year 7, Day 5 (Eve Communications Network Established)

sayburstuff Year 6 , , ,

screenshot232.pngIn order to prepare for future Eve missions, KSEA personnel have come up with a plan to use the existing assets at Eve, the Eve Explorer and  the Eve Surveyor, to create an Eve Communications Network.

The planned maneuvers go well – the first two research spacecraft at Eve will now serve a new purpose… paving a path for future exploration of the purple world!

The ECN should provide the groundwork for a future mission that KSEA has cryptically promised will really get things rolling on the exploration of Eve!

Year 4, Day 71 (LARC returns to Explorer, Return to Kerbin)

sayburstuff Year 4 , , ,

screenshot696Orlas, Mitster, and Chrisnic finish their research on Gilly, and head back up to dock with Explorer!

They were able to visit every biome on Gilly, and gathered a phenomenal amount of data on the seismic properties, atmospheric properties, and temperature of this small moon. After all the excitement, the heads back to Kerbin.  The burn trip home will take roughly 200 days, and require just under 1700 d/v of fuel… sadly Mitster’s conclusion was correct, the Explorer will not have enough fuel to be saved.  The LARC will eject from Explorer and head home, while Explorer goes into a solar orbit!

Meanwhile on Kerbin, three more Kerbin Surveyor vehicles are built.

Year 4, Day 48 (Explorer Arrives at Gilly)

sayburstuff Year 4 , , , , ,

screenshot633.pngThe Explorer spacecraft finishes its journey from Eve to Gilly, circularizing an orbit around the small planetoid.

“Fuel keeps getting lower and lower guys… let’s try to be careful!”

-Mitster

screenshot636.pngFor the first time all three crew of a spacecraft will abandon their vessel and head down in a lander.  It’s a bit risky… but no one wants to be left behind on such a momentous occasion!Chrisnic, Mitster, and Orlas climb into the LARC… and detach!screenshot644

The LARC slowly moves away from Explorer.. and heads down to Gilly!

“”I’m so excited! ”

-Orlas

screenshot656.png

The LARC sets down, and Chrisnic climbs out…

screenshot659.png

Once he lets go of the ladder, the slightest step sends him flying across the surface

“Whoa!  The low gravity here is… very low!  Be careful!”

-Chrisnic

screenshot661.png

Mitster is next… expertly piloting his rocket pack over to Chrisnic!

“You weren’t kidding!   It’s almost like we’re in space, and not even on a moon!

-Mitster

screenshot664.png

Orlas jumps out next!

“Wheeeeee!”

-Orlas

screenshot668.png

After having a good deal of fun playing on Gilly, the crew of Explorer gathers to take a landing portrait…. when Orlas notices something…

screenshot678.png

“Wow!  What a sight to behold!”

-Orlas

screenshot679.png

The crew pose for their portrait… the first Kerbals to land on Gilly!  What a day!  The crew will spend about 4 days on the surface of Gilly collecting important data before returning to the Explorer, high above the small moon… empty… waiting for its crew!

Year 4, Day 33 (Explorer Arrives At Eve)

sayburstuff Year 3 , , , ,

screenshot516.pngMitster and Chrisnic transfer to the command module, while Orlas looks out the windows excitedly – it’s Eve Day – the day Kerbals arrive at Eve for the first time… ever!!!

“It’s so… purple!”
-Orlas

screenshot526.pngThe NERV Nuclear Engines fire… and fire… and fire.. the long but very efficient burn lasts nearly 4 minutes, as Explorer’s orbit is slowly circularized around Eve.

“Hang in there everybody… this will be a long burn, but it’s going exactly as simulations said it would!”

-Mitster

Indeed – DSV-1 Explorer eventually does circularize it’s orbit… and becomes the first vessel carrying Kerbals to orbit Eve!  The orbit has an apoapsis of 14,831 km, and periapsis of 122 km.  The burn took so long that Explorer will need to swing around Eve once more before arriving at the Periapsis again… and that’s when the atmospheric probe will be launched!

 

 

 

Year 3, Day 380 (Explorer Update)

sayburstuff Year 3 , , , , ,

screenshot434.pngExplorer, still on its long journey to Eve, is 120 days into its mission!  Chrisnic, Mitster, and Orlas have gotten to know each other’s annoying habits really well – but have also grown to be very close friends.  Good thing too – their mission still has a long way to go!  They’re all very eager to be the first Kerbals to see Eve … close up! screenshot433.png