Gillian

Year 23, Day 424 (Crew and Lander for DSV-6 Odyssey Tekto Mission Launches To DSV-6 Odyssey!)

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“Alright people.. we are going to Tekto! Get up there to Odyssey and let’s make some history!”
-Gene

While the mission specifics are not quite done beyond a misson to Tekto (one of the more interesting moons of Sarnus), a crew has been chosen for DSV-6 Odyssey’s first mission!

A team of veteran Kerbonauts has been chosen to fly Odyssey’s maiden journey: Mission Commander Jeb, Mission Scientist Shepely, and Mission Engineer, Gillian!

Blast off! The Neidon III booster blasts off, carrying the crew, and a variant of the VINCENT lander, to orbit!

“We are go! Hold on everyone, approaching maximum dynamic pressure!“
-Jeb

The solid rocket boosters detach! Ground crews scramble to their recovery vehicles to start refurbishing the boosters!

The rocket continues its journey to orbit, finally reaching an altitude of 200k meter, where it circularizes!

Crew Vehicle 4 detaches from the booster!

The Crew Vehicle detaches from the lander, and begins the docking and transposition manuever!

Jeb starts manuevers to dock with Odyssey!

“Let’s go check out Odyssey! Starting rendezvouses!”
-Jeb

Only the running lights of Odyssey are visible as the Crew Vehicle approaches Odyssey!

Suddenly, the rising sun illuminates the Deep Space Vehicle!

“I caught a glimpse of Odyssey out the window! She’s big!”
-Bob

“We are at zero relative motion… Mission Control we are going to start docking procedures! Issuing remote commands to Odyssey to open the docking shield!”
-Jeb

The signal is received by Odyssey….

… and the protective cover on the docking port opens!

“Detaching from lander… moving to relative port… RCS systems nominal…”
-Jeb

As the lander stays at a safe distance, the Crew Vehicle begins docking maneuvers!

“OK… we are the pipe, five by five! Connection in 5…4…3…2….”
-Jeb

“…1! I show a good connection!”
-Jeb

“Confirmed! Seals are good – vehicle integrity good!“
-Gillian

“OK switching controls over to the lander! I have a good connection! Starting docking maneuver!“
-Jeb

Jeb remotely pilots the lander so that it’s directly above the landing bay! Then, slowly, uses RCS to “land” in the bay!

“Just about… almost… OK!“
-Jeb

“Another good docking! I show we have the lander firmly docked in the cargo bay! Time to inspect the ship and make sure we are good for departure!
-Gillian

“We better hurry! The transfer window to Sarnus won’t last forever!“
-Bob

Kerbin Space Exploration Administration | Space Program Funding

Current Funds: 147,128Assigned Kerbal Wages: 65,000
Next Funding Period: -14dUnassigned Kerbal Wages: 5,000
Current Reputation: 453Vessel Maintenance: 107,185
Estimated Gross Funding:905,459Launch Costs: 170,866
Space Center Costs: 136,000Estimated Net Funding: 421,408

Year 23, Day 419 (Seeker 1 Investigates Satellite Anomaly!)

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Clean-up crews have the situation at the Space Center under control! In orbit, the Seeker-1 crew gets the all clear from Mission Control!

“Let’s get you underway – good luck Seeker 1!“
-Gene, at Mission Control

Seeker 1 Mission Summary

  • Crew: Mission Commander Malcolm, Mission Scientist Gilian, Mission Engineer, Lobert .
  • Mission: Investigate unknown object in Kerbin orbit thought to be pre-Kerbal States satellite. If possible repair, then return to Kerbin!

“OK everyone, let’s get out there and see what that strange reading is!”
-Malcolm

“All systems are go – we’re ready!”
-Gillian

“Confirmed – I’ve got your repair kits packed too Gillian! Wow I can’t wait to discover something out here! “
-Lobert

Seeker 1 fires its engines, and drifts away – moving closer and closer to the anomaly!

“We are closing on the reading… orienting craft … firing reverse thrusters. We should be pretty close if the math was right!”
-Malcolm

“Everybody secure? Disconnecting docking clamps!”
-Val

Lobert climbs up and takes a look out the crew cabin window…

“Wow – there it is! We look about 200 meters from it. Nice flying! What a strange design though…”
-Lobert

“No surprise it’s strange! Before KSEA was founded… before the Kerbal States… we were just launching all kinds of crazy stuff into space! I’ve heard rumors of all kinds of stuff launched into space!.”
-Gillian

“We are at station keeping… zero relative velocity. You’re good to get out there Gillian – good luck!
-Malcolm

Gillian suits up, grabs a repair kit, and heads outside the craft!

Gillian lets go of the Crew Vehicle and uses very slight burst of her EVA pack to get closer, and closer the to strange satellite!

“Hmm.. I wonder if this satellite was originally planned to launch to Mun? There’s some water sensors on it… this is the strangest configuration of struts I’ve ever seen! Hmm – no means of propulsion. Maybe it exploded? No obvious damage other wise… I’ll have to do a part by part inspection!”
-Gillian

Gillian floats about the probe, checking each component, until…

“Found it! The communications dish. This will be a while!”
-Gillian

After quite a while, repairs are done!

“Seeker 1 – we are picking up a signal from that satellite! Nice work up there!“
-Gene, at Mission Control

“That’s great! Time to get back to the Crew Vehicle – this was tough work! This would have been easier if we had a ladder or something I could climb out on to do the repairs!
-Gillian

Lobert thinks about Gillian’s comment…

“That shouldn’t be too hard – maybe we can try that in the next Crew Vehicle we make! I’ll start drawing up some plans on the way home…”
-Lobert

With the mission completed, Malcolm fires the engine to take Seeker 1 home!

“Telemetry looks good – let’s get into orbit then head down to Kerbin!”
-Malcolm

Gillian packs up the Crew Vehicle along with Lobert, getting the spacecraft ready for re-entry!

After reaching orbit, Seeker 1 does its de-orbit burn, and separates from its orbital stage!

“Hold on everyone… it’s getting hot!”
-Malcolm

“Readings nominal… temperatures… hot! But within limits!”
-Gillian

“Reactor powering up … radiators are showing full dispersion… full power available!”
-Lobert

“We are in the clear – pull the chutes! Sounds like rain out there!”
-Malcolm

It’s a rainy day at the Space Center – but crews are still on standby to rescue the Seeker-1 crew!

Seeker-1 sets down safely! Crews head out to recover them!

“Welcome home everyone!“
-Gene, at Mission Control

Year 23, Day 415 (Seeker-1 Crew Launches Crew Vehicle to Investigate Mysterious Satellite!)

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For the past month, Space Center Tracking Stations have been detecting an unknown signal in Kerbin orbit! Engineers have a strong suspicion that it is one of the many spacecrafts or satellites that were launched before KSEA was created by the Kerbal States!

While not technically an Aurora mission (those are missions specifically for Mun and Minmus) the mission still needed a name, and Seeker was chosen!

Seeker-1 will utilize Aurora and Crew Vehicle hardware to discover whatever it is that’s in orbit of Kerbin! Malcolm, Gillian, and Lobert get ready for launch!

“There’s only one way to be sure what’s up there – we’ll have to send a crew! This should be a good test of the new Mk3 Crew Vehicle!”
-Gene, at Mission Control

“I’ve got lots of repair kits packed up! Snacks too!”
-Gillian

“Hold on everyone… launch in 3…2…1!”
-Malcolm

“Systems looking good… we are approaching maximum dynamic pressure on the spacecraft… “
-Malcolm

The solid rocket boosters detach…

…and once orbit is achieved the Crew Vehicle detaches!

“Mission Control has good comms with the N-8 booster… sending the landing signal now!”
-Gene, at Mission Control

While the Seeker-1 crew prepares for a mission to the mysterious satellite, the N-8 Booster starts it’s descent!

“Uh oh. Telemetry is off. Emergency everyone! Hold on tight!”
-Gene, at Mission Control

Everyone in the Space Center gets to emergency positions – the booster’s trajectory is off and it’s heading right toward the VAB!

There isn’t enough thrust to slow the craft down! The VAB shakes violently as the booster rockets overhead, just meters away from the Vehicle Assembly Building!

With a mighty explosion, the Nebula III Booster N-8 detonates right next to the path used to move vehicles to the launchpad! Bits of the rocket go flying in every direction!

“Status report people! Get damage control and repair crews out there! Seeker 1 are you stable? Can you standby?”
-Gene, at Mission Control

“Everything on Seeker 1 is nominal – we are good waiting – break out the snacks everyone!”
-Malcolm

As the final bits and parts of the N-8 Booster roll to a stop, teams are dispatched to check out the damage, and pick up the mess!

Year 23, Day 408 (DSV-6 Odyssey Launches to Orbit!)

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After a very long wait, construction and stack integration of DSV-6 Odyssey is complete and the truly massive rocket is rolled out to the launch pad! Nova launches are rare, and large crowds turned up at the space center to watch!

“All right people… this might be the biggest and most expensive rocket ever launched but you’re professionals and you know what to do!”
-Gene supervising the launch at Mission Control

“I can’t wait to fly Odyssey.. I hope the launch goes OK!”
-Malcolm

As the countdown approaches launch the space center gets silent in anticipation. Finally, the count reaches zero and…

The Space Center shakes as the massive Nova Rocket takes off!

“Go Odyssey!  Woohoo!“
-Glenica, watching with the rest of the Spacedock crew in orbit!

As the Nova Rocket carrying Odyssey rises into the sky ground crews carefully track the launch!

In orbit, the fairing ejects and the spacecraft fires its orbital stage engines to circularize the orbit!

“Communications good, telemetry good… Odyssey is right where she is supposed to be! Nice work team!”
-Gene supervising the launch at Mission Control

The enormous cost, complexity, and danger of launching these mega-spacecraft from the space center has been quite a strain!

Besides the fantastic costs, the space center itself was tied up for almost a year building Odyssey.  

“The Nova Rocket itself costs almost a million to launch!  With the cost of each DSV approaching 2 million!”
-Gillian, watching from Spacedock

Serious consideration is now being given to constructing an orbital assembly yard! 

KSEA projects a need for the construction of at least one new DSV every year, which includes possibly retiring some ships in the current fleet! 

“Not sure how to do it, but we need to find a way to get more Kerbals into deep space – the Space Center can’t handle this many super-duper-heavy launches!”
-Gene

DSV-6 Odyssey

  • Vessel Mass: 177.916 t
  • DSV Cost: 1,968,922
  • Nova Rocket Cost: 751,858
  • Total Cost: 2,720,780

Year 23, Day 344 (Aurora 29 Returns Home From Mun!)

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Orbiting Mun, Aurora 29 Crew Vehicle and its VINCENT lander undock!

“Docking clamps show clear… reverse thrusters firing!”
-Summer

Aurora 29 drifts away from its lander!  Once they are a few hundred meters away Summer begins plotting the return course to Kerbin!

Aurora 29 Mission Summary

  • Crew: Mission Commander Summer, Mission Scientist Gilian, Mission Engineer, Lobert .
  • Mission: Crewed mission to Mun. Land near Polar Mun Crater on Mun, perform scan with large scanning arm, return data to Kerbin.

“We are clear of the lander!  Course input to the computer – Gilian can you verify that? Should be a 100km approach before circ…”
-Summer

Gilian, the mission Science Specialist, double checks Summer’s planned maneuver!

“Calculations look good!  Looks like a close approach at 100km – fuel levels are good to circularize the orbit!”
-Gillian

Lobert thinks about the conversation he just heard, and asks a question!

“Wouldn’t it save fuel and time to just calculate the re-entry so we approach directly into the atmosphere, and skip the circularization burn?”
-Lobert

Summer nods and shows Lobert how the math works for that!  After a few minutes…

“See? It takes a long time, and it’s really complicated!  Fuel is cheap so we usually don’t bother with it!”
-Summer

“That makes sense! I suppose that it’s a little safer too since we can can maneuver to Spacedock if needed too!”
-Lobert

As the spacecraft approaches Kerbin the crew prepares for the circularization burn!

At an altitude of 100km Aurora 29’s engine fires!

“Engine burn is good. Temperatures nominal!”
-Lobert

“Burn complete! Orbit looks good – Mission Control we have arrived in Kerbin Orbit – verify you are good for craft re-entry?”
-Summer

“We have you on radar! Ground crews are standing by for recovery – you are good for landing!”
-Gene at Mission Control

Summer fires the engines again, and then detaches the CRV’s command module!

“Hold on!  It gets a little bumpy from here!”
-Gillian

Ground telescopes track Aurora 29’s re-entry – it looks like a big ball of fire and plasma! The engine and fuel module of the CRV can be seen burning up in the atmosphere as well!

After the firey re-entry, the parachutes deploy from the CRV!

“Almost home!  All we have to do now is wait until we touch down!”
-Summer

After the firey re-entry, the parachutes deploy from the CRV!

“Hey I can see the VAB out the window!  What a great ride!”
-Lobert

The CRV sets down just west of the Space Center!

“Welcome home Aurora 29!  Recovery crews are the way!”
–Gene at Mission Control

Year 23, Day 316 (Aurora 29 Begins Final System Checks!)

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Ground crews around the Space Center begin final preparations for the launch of Aurora 29!

Among the changes:

  • Simulations showed that the Sarnus solid rocket boosters were insufficient for carrying the Aurora 29 paylod (due to the heavier Munar transfer stage.)  Heavier Jool Rocket boosters will be attached instead, with a few segments removed!
  • Multiple simulations and calculations have been done on the new Vincent Lander.  These have shown that the existing landing gear are insufficient for the craft’s high mass. A new landing gear system has been installed that should allievealleviate this issue for both Mun and Duna.  The margins to fit within a standard DSV bay remain very tight however.

Due to a small clerical error Edan, who was scheduled to be the engineer on the mission, has been replaced with new recruit Lobert, on his very first mission!  (Edan it seems is in cryogenic sleep on board the DSV Explorer, currently en-route to Sarnus!)

“I could have sworn I saw Edan around the water cooler last week… well, Lobert you’re up.  This is one heck of a first mission!
-Gene, at Misson Control

Lobert has been seen jumping and looking very excited for the mission!  Only a few lucky Kerbals get to be selected for the Space Program!

“I can’t wait!  I’m going to practice in the simulator room non-stop until launch!”
-Lobert

Year 23, Day 130 (Neidon Rocket Launches Fuel Depot Mover!)

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With the upcoming launch of the new space station Spacedock 2, plans have been made to utilize the existing Lithium Fuel depot that survived the (original) Spacedock disaster!  A Multi Payload Vehicle (MPV) has been configured to be a “Depot Mover” to grab the Lithum Tanks and move them to a lower orbit for the station!

“This should be a good test of the Neidon Rocket!”
-Gene, at Mission Control

The Neidon Booster lifts off the launchpad!

The aerospike engine easily lifts the 20 ton payload up and out of the astmosphere…

…the fairing detaches, and the orbit is circularized!

With the MPV in a stable orbit, the booster uses its RCS thrusters to get in position, and fires its engine!

With the MPV in a stable orbit, the booster starts its descent!

“Hmm, reentry angle seems off, tracking is showing the booster landing a good deal west of the Space Center!”
-Gillian, at Mission Control

“We’ll have to get some movers over there to pick it up… hope it doesn’t land on a tree! 
-Gene, at Mission Control

The booster’s hydraulic landing system engages, and the rocket sets down in the idyllic green woods outside the Space Center!

Touch down!  The engine stops firing and the rocket is safe!

“Not quite where it should be… but it’s in one piece!”
-Gillian, at Mission Control

Year 23, Day 100 (Neidon Reusable Rocket Test!)

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The new Neidon Prototype is transported to the launch site! Everyone is excited to see the new Aerospike engine perform! Smaller aerospikes are already used on the Laythe Spaceplanes, however they have never been a core rocket stage before!

In Mission Control, the project lead Gillian is working with Gene on testing this new hardware!

“Fire the engines! Nice… the toroidal aerospike is working! Fuel flow – nominal… I think we are good to release the clamps and proceed with the landing test!”
–Gillian

The Neidon rocket blasts off the launchpad! The prototype is only fueled with what the ‘expected’ fuel amount would be from a return from orbit!

After angling off to the south a bit, the rocket is programmed to begin its descent sequence! Air-brakes at the top of the rocket deploy….

And at the last second, the engine performs a terminal burn maneuver, firing at the last possible moment!

The hydraulic landing gear deploy and lock in place…

…and the rocket touches down safely!

“It worked! It worked!”
–Gillian

The Kerbals cheer in Mission Control, and Gene happily exclaims:

“Congratulations team! I think we are OK to go on producing the second Neidon and scheduling an upcoming orbital payload!”
-Val

Year 23, Day 25 (Neidon Rocket Development Announced!)

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A new re-usable rocket prototype that will replace the current Sarnus V is under development in the VAB! The new rocket is designed to replace the Sarnus Rocket core that is used heavily in the space program!

Initially called the Sarnus VI, the project has now been determined to be such a radical shift from the Sarnus program that it deserves a new name, so the Neidon Rocket Project has several goals:

  • Meet or exceed current Sarnus Vb launch system (50t to 200k orbit)
  • Fully re-usable core rocket
  • Core rocket capable of single-stage to orbit of payload
  • Maintain compatibility with Sarnus Launch system upper stage payloads
  • Maintain compatibility with side stages and launch assists (solid rockets) for Sarnus Launch System.
  • Assess program for complete replacement of Nebula rocket system.

While the Nebula Heavy has taken some of those missions, operational complexity has made utilization a chore for Mission Control!

“That’s right – it’s finally time to retire the reliable Sarnus V!  But don’t worry – you’re all going to really like the replacement. Trust me!”
–Gene, answering questions at Mission Control

While the solid rocket boosters on the side of the Sarnus V (which is what makes it a Sarnus Va) are partially reusable, the center core (and most expensive component) of the Sarnus launch system is entirely lost.

A “would be nice” goal is to allow payload returns from orbit, something KSEA hasn’t been able to achieve since the Heavy Shuttles were retired.

“Maybe it’s satellite we need to bring back for repairs, or an interesting rock that won’t fit in any of our standard “rock collection” bags!  Either way we’re gonna need some kind of cargo bay to protect whatever during reentry!”
-Gillian

Construction on the prototype should be complete in 30 days!

Year 20, Day 75 (Endeavor Crew Returns to Kerbin Surface!)

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Mirphe, Gillian and Samner board one of the Aurora Crew Vehicles docked at Spacedock and depart for the surface!

“We have over 22 separate scientific studies and samples to return to Kerbin – everyone’s going to be so excited!”
-Samner

After firing the landing burn, the Crew Vehicle separates the orbital stage and prepares for re-entry!

“We are in the pipe… looks like the landing will be just a little short from the Space Center – woops!”
-Mirphe

The parachute deploys, and the Aurora Crew Vehicle gently touches down!

“Welcome back everyone! Let’s get that science stowed safely – you’ve all earned some R&R!”
-Gene, at KSC