Harmony Space Station

Year 4, Day 296 (Harmony Space Station Upgraded, Harmony Crew Rotation)

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The RCS Refuelling Mission to Harmony Station above Minmus arrives!

screenshot1162.png…and docking goes surprisingly uneventfully!

Looks like a good seal!   This will give Harmony plenty of monopropellant fuel for future missions – good work everybody!

-Gilian

screenshot1163.pngSamner and Robart prepare to head home… (Robart takes the long way, enjoying an EVA before heading home) while Gilian and Kimmy prepare for the next Harmony Space Station landing!  Scientists are still figuring out the best location for HSSLS02!

screenshot1164.pngSamner, Val, and Robart head home!

Year 4, Day 286 (RCS Refueling Mission for Harmony Space Station)

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screenshot1113.pngEnterprise blasts off from Cape Kerman, carrying the RCS Refuelling Vehicle for Harmony Space Station!  screenshot1116.png

Edan releases the Refueling Vehicle – and Mission Control pilots it to Minmus! It should arrive there in a few days, then the crew rotation at Harmony Station can be complete!

screenshot1119.pngEdan takes Enterprise back to Kerbin. The last few shuttle landings have been a bit dicey, so this time everything will be done to slow the craft down before re-entering!

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It’s a successful landing!

“That went a lot better!  Pulsing the air brakes on descent appears to be the best way to use them to slow the spacecraft down!  It prevents overhearing and allows more control!”

-Edan

Edan’s advice is carefully noted by the other pilots in the KSC!

Year 4, Day 203 (Harmony Station First Landing)

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Mission Planners determine that the first landing site for the Harmony Science team will be at the Greater Flats, at a site designated HSS LS01. Due to the very low gravity of Minmus, there are several additional biomes the team will check out, marked A through D.  (Officially they are catalogued as HSS-LS01-A, etc.

This will be the first mission that makes use of the new telemetry data gathered by the Minmus Surveyor probe, that has been carefully mapping the surface of Minmus for future exploration!screenshot948.png

Samner and Robart board the Automated Lander, and head down!

screenshot954.pngThe lander sets the crew down perfectly at HSSLS01-A, the Greater Flats.  This is the first time a mission has been conducted entirely by a science team – some of the pilots look a bit nervous about this!screenshot961.png

Next, on to HSSLS01-B, a hill on the Lowlands of Minmus!screenshot963.png

“This is a pretty precarious landing site! I don’t think we should plant a flag… just in case!  We’ll gather all the science data though!”

-Samner

Thankfully, the lander sets down nicely… while the team conducts SCIENCE!  The mission needs to stay on a timetable… communications with Kerbin are necessary, due to the remote systems on the lander!

screenshot964.pngNext, on to HSSLS01-C – the Midlands! This landing goes much better… however not much science is gathered.  Hopefully site “D” will have better luck! This time, a more precise landing along the Slopes of Minmus will provide some interesting data.  Probably another tricky landing though!screenshot966

Unfortunately, the last landing site doesn’t yield much more data. However, interesting research was conducted on the Great Flats, the Lowlands, the Slopes, the Midlands, some of it already known, but nonetheless valuable to Kerbin!

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As the lander reaches orbit in the first leg of its rendevouse with Harmony Space Station, the crew gets a good look at the region they were just exploring.

“Wow – will you look at that!”

-Robart

screenshot973.pngThe lander docks with Harmony Space Station!  However, a small problem has become clear… the station is not equipped to handle refueling of the RCS thrusters that make docking possible!  A mission will have to be done soon to resupply the station… and Unity Space Station’s design has already been changed, swapping out two Life Support bays for RCS fuel. This will reduce the amount of time crews can inhabit the station, however it is doubtful a crew would be left without supplies for over a year!

 

 

Year 4, Day 202 (Unity Space Station Announced!)

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KSEA excitedly announces the next Space Station – Unity Space Station, set for a launch to Mun later this year!

Much like the Harmony Space Station, Unity will allow a small science crew to live for a long period in Munar orbit, conducting multiple Mun landings.

Engineers believe that the symmetrical design of the station will help deal with the problems Harmony had during its delivery to Minmus orbit.

KSEA’s most powerful launcher, a Sarnus V Ultra Heavy will take the station core into orbit, and the station’s last stage will take it into orbit with Mun.

Two Heavy Cargo Shuttle launches will construct the station in Kerbin orbit, delivering the two Habitat Modules!  Construction Unity will be the Enterprise‘s first mission!

 

 

Year 4, Day 196 (Refuelling Craft & Lander Arrive at Harmony)

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The Refuelling Vehicle arrives at Harmony! screenshot921.png

The lander separates… and the Re-fueling Vehicle docks with the station.  Sadly, the fuel on the vehicle was much less than hoped… future refueling missions that aren’t carrying a lander should deal with this issue.  screenshot923.png

The Minmus Research Lander arrives at Harmony!  Now it’s time for Robart and Samner to get some real science done!  Even with the lower than expected fuel, the station has enough reserves for 6 complete re-fills of the lander.  As the lander is preloaded with fuel, this means the station can handle 7 complete landings, which on Minmus goes a long way!

“I think we should be able to visit every biome on Minmus – exciting!”

-Robart

 

Year 4, Day 178 (Harmony Station Arrives at Minmus)

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screenshot892.pngHarmony Space Station finally reaches Minmus, and after another very long and akward burn, circularizes.

Relieved cheers and sighs can be heard all throughout Mission Control.  The mission was not a complete success however.  The amount of fuel required to get the Station into Minmus orbit has left it with less than half of the anticipated fuel reserves for it’s lander.

“I suppose we can send a fuel craft to refill the station. But a redesign for the next Space Station is clearly called for.”

-Robart

Meanwhile, Edan returns from Kerbin orbit – as engineers try to figure out the best way to deal with the situation on Minmus!

Year 4, Day 166

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Resolute is outfitted with the next (and last) Harmony Space Station module, the modified Science Module.  Edan is chosen as the pilot for this launch!

“Wow, this cockpit is so roomy compared to the Crew Shuttles!”

-Edan

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Resolute finishes its launch, piloted to just under 100k by Edan!

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“OK… approaching Harmony!”

-Edan

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“Opening cargo bay door… and releasing the Harmony Module!”

-Edan

screenshot860.pngThe module detaches… and after some tricky night-side maneuvering, attaches to Harmony.   Now it’s time for Resolute to head home!screenshot862.png

Resolute swoops in for a landing!

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Success!screenshot865.png

Edan is very pleased with himself, and insists on a photo – welcome home Edan… and good work!  Work begins at once on refurbishing Resolute.   Additionally, work begins on a NEW, as yet un-named Heavy Cargo Shuttle, to hopefully increase the capabilities of the Space Program!

 

 

 

 

 

Year 4, Day 151 (Resolute Delivers Harmony Habitat Module)

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Val will pilot Resolute to its next mission – delivery of the Habitat Module for the Harmony Space Station!  screenshot823.pngThe launch goes well, and Val circularizes… screenshot834.png

then moves in to rendezvous with the waiting Harmony Space Station core!

“I need to be careful with my maneuvers… Harmony is being assembled near the upper limit of Resolute’s operating parameters.. just a bit over 90k!… I see the station out the window.  Moving in!”

-Val

Should Resolute run out of fuel, the shuttle does have enough solid maneuvering propellant to de-orbit and return to Kerbin… however everyone hopes that won’t be necessary!screenshot839.png

Resolute‘s payload detaches… screenshot841.pngthen docks with Harmony!  Success!

“Ok – job done!  Heading home!”

-Val

Val sits in orbit, waiting for the sun to rise above the Space Center.  Night landings are generally not preferred ! Thankfully, Resolute has enough fuel to de-orbit!

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Resolute’s moving pretty fast… deploying airbrakes!

-Val

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Resolute swoops down for a landing!screenshot845.png

Almost there…

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“Got it!  There was a loud “crushing noise when the gear set down, and the Master Alarm sounded!  Looks like I lost one of the ventral Air Brakes!”

-Val

Thankfully, there was no damage to the rest of the craft.  The Air Brakes aren’t designed to be deployed during a landing, just during the approach to the air strip.  This should be an avoidable mistake for the future!

“Maybe we can set the Authority Limiter on those Air Brakes to a lower extension… how about 60 percent of their regular extension?”

-Bob

Everyone agrees that’s a good idea, and the changes are made at once!

Resolute is recovered, and refurbishments start immediately!  The Harmony Science Module will go up in the next Heavy Cargo Shuttle launch… and then Harmony Station will be ready to go!

There is already talk of constructing an additional Cargo Shuttle – it would have been useful for Harmony Station to launch both modules right away to get things rolling faster!  If the Harmony Station design looks viable, future stations may use similar layouts… so an additional Cargo Shuttle will probably be in the works!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 4, Day 148 (Harmony Core Launches!)

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screenshot813.pngThe core of the Harmony Space Station launches on top of a Sarnus V Heavy Launcher early in the morning of Day 148!  As soon as the launch is complted, work starts refurbishing the launchpad for Resolute’s launch!screenshot815.png

Automated guidance systems carry the station up to a 100k orbit… Much as simulations predicted, the station sits in orbit, with plenty of fuel to carry it (and its future modules) to Minmus!

Year 4, Day 133 (Harmony Update)

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It’s a busy day at the Space Center!

  • Construction starts on Harmony Space Station, and the Sarnus V Heavy launcher that will take it to orbit… and beyond!
  • Likewise, work begins on the payload for the Heavy Cargo Shuttle Resolute, the Habitat Module for Harmony Station!
  • The Crew Shuttle Adventure is refurbished, and undergoes a minor retrofit – improved solar panels are added to the craft.

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  • Finally, the Minmus Surveyor arrives at Minmus! Scouting Minmus ahead of time will make the Harmony Station team’s difficult job that much easier!