Jeb, Bill, and Bob wake from their Cryo-Sleep on Discovery!
“Wake up everybody! Just 8 days and we’ll be entering Kerbin orbit!” -Jeb
“I can’t wait to see this new Space Station they built while we were gone!” -Bill
“It feels like we just left Laythe yesterday!” -Bob
In Kerbin Orbit, the massive new Spacedock facility is ready for the returning DSV!
“Refueling Discovery should be about the same procedure as Endeavor! They’re different classes of ships technically… but they both run on the same fuel!” Sean, on Spacedock
Jeb and Bill transfer over to Discovery… while Bob makes sure that every bit of science is taken on board!
“That should be the last of it! Let’s head out!” -Bob
“Moorings are clear… Discovery is clear of the Spaceport!“ -Jeb
Discovery fires it’s three atomic engines, and the massive spacecraft rockets away from Jool!
The journey back to Kerbin will take a little over 2 years – longer than Discovery’s life support reserves will last – so Jeb, Bill, and Bob transfer over to the Cryonic chamber to survive the long trip!
“See you soon Discovery!” -Gene, at Mission Control
With the transfer window back to Kerbin rapidly approaching, Jeb decides it’s time to take Endurance back to orbit!
“Pack up all the science and snacks! It’s time to take off!” -Jeb
Endurance lifts higher and higher…
… eventually reaching orbit!
“That loud pop noise was Endurance running out of primary fuel! Just in time too, we should have enough monopropellant to slow down the final leg of the rendezvous with Laythe Spaceport!” -Jeb
Thankfully, there’s enough monoprop for both slowing down, and maneuvering!
Jeb docks with Laythe Spaceport!
“You know… these missions have all been really close, let’s call it good and not try a water landing this time?” -Bill
“I dunno, I’m down for it! What’s the worst that could happen!?” -Jeb
“Hmmm… maybe Bill’s right – let’s get ready to head back to Kerbin… we can try a water landing next time!” -Bob
Owing to the difficulties in communicating with the Discovery’s mission at Laythe, KSEA authorizes construction of two new relay satellites for the Jool system! Based on the recent Planetary Survey probes, these expansions to the Deep Space Relay Network Relays should allow for more uninterrupted communication with Laythe Spaceport, and all the explorations planned!
Mission Control OK’s the next landing, at Laythe’s peaks, along the equator! As the Laythe missions progress, a few things are already clear: solar panels do NOT work well this far out, and the Deep Space Relay Network needs significant improvements around Laythe! In fact, once the Endurance lands, all communications is lost with Kerbin! A new X-10 is under construction, that will launch to Jool at the next window to supplement operations and provide a backup!
Jeb, Bill, and Bob fly through the alien atmosphere, until they spot the landing site!
“That’s the spot! “ -Jeb
The X-10’s dual mode RAPIER engines allow very specific landing selection, something that can be tricky on atmospheric planets! Jeb pilots Endurance until it’s right on top of the target!
Jeb climbs out of Endurance to set foot on Laythe!
“Looks just like the deserts back on Kerbin – except for the big Jool in the sky!” -Jeb
Next, Bill squeezes his way out from the Science Bay into the cockpit, so he can get outside!
“That science bay has a seat, but that’s about it! It’s good to stretch my legs! Time to get this parachute repacked… easier here than up in orbit!” -Bill
Bob decides to walk around the landing site to see what’s nearby!
“There seems to be a lot of … stuff!… on the surface…” -Bob
“Oh hey – it’s a rock!” -Bob
Bob does a thorough examination of the strange Laythe rock… but mostly plays ‘king of the hill’ and tries to plant a flag on top!
“Bah! The stone is too strong! I can probably chip away some sample bits though!” -Bob
“Hey – speaking of flags, we need to plant one here!
Jeb plants the flag of the Kerbal States on Laythe, and everyone poses for their landing portrait!
“Once we get communications back with Kerbin, they’re gonna flip!” -Jeb
Indeed – communication from the surface appears impossible, at least with the equipment Endurance brought along!
After a full survey of the landing site, the crew heads back up!
“Ok – future missions will be longer, but the mission plan is a quick down and back! Opening VTOL bays… activating Verticle Lift Aerospikes!” -Jeb
“Fuel flow looks good!” -Bill
Endurance slices through the sky, until the friction heats up the spaceplane!
Once the atmosphere is thin enough, Endurance’s RAPIER engines switch to orbital mode, and power the rest of the flight, to circularize the orbit around Laythe!
“OK… RAPIER engines switched to off… orbital maneuvering for Laythe Spaceport!” -Jeb
Endurance reaches the spaceport, with just enough fuel to do so!
“That was a close call! We only had about 30 d/v left! We’re going to need to be careful and not stray too far from equatorial targets!” -Bob
Jeb docks Endurance at the spaceport, and the crew warms up some snacks!
After years of designing, preparation, and waiting, the day is finally here… the Discovery crew will leave the Spaceport and take their Spaceplane ‘Endurance‘ to land on Laythe!
Even the mission profile has been carefully planned, as no spaceplane has ever landed on another planet!
“OK – ‘Endurance’ is undocked from the Spaceport… using maneuvering thrusters to reach safe distance to activate engines!” -Jeb
Endurance’s solar panels deploy to soak up as much energy as possible, while the orbital maneuvering engine fires to drop the craft out of orbit!
“So far so good!” -Bill
Airbrakes deploy to create more drag, slowing the re-entry of the spaceplane! From inside the cramped science bay, Bob is growing concerned:
“What’s going on!? It’s getting hot! I can’t see anything from this seat!!” -Bob
“Everything’s fine! We’re through the worst of the heat now – on course for a chain of islands near the equator!” -Jeb
“Switching RAPIER engines to ‘air-breathing‘ – looks like a lot of flat desert down there, setting down shouldn’t be so bad!” -Jeb
“Slowing our speed, deploying Air Brakes… starting landing procedures. Hold on everyone!” -Jeb
Endurance needs to be going as slow as possible before it deploys it’s landing parachute. On Kerbin this parachute wouldn’t do a very good job of slowing an X-10, however on Laythe (combined with the VTOL engines) it should do the job just fine!
The Air Brakes retract, and the parachute deploys! The aircraft pulls up until it starts to even out…
“Ahhhhhh!” -Bob
“Hang on back there! We’re almost down!” -Bill
The VTOL bays open, and the aerospike rockets fire to slow the spacecraft! The housing of the chambers is thermally lined to protect the rest of the spacecraft, nonetheless, the rockets aren’t meant to be fired for anything but short bursts!
“Just about there! VTOL is slowing us down to about 5 m/s…. we’re in the pipe, five by five!” -Jeb
“Why do all the pilots say that before they land!?!” -Bill
Endurance sets down on Laythe!
“Finally! What a rough ride! Opening science bays… deploying ladders… antennas and solar panels deploying!” -Bob
The crew will do tests for a short time before heading out to the surface!
With Discovery now docked at Laythe Spaceport, the X-10 is remotely piloted to Rendezvous! With it’s transfer stage still attached the spacecraft is very unwieldy – but it’s important to use every bit of fuel – refills are hard to come by in the Jool system!
Endeavor arrives at the Spaceport!
“This is going to be a tricky docking… I better EVA over and do it manually!” -Jeb
“OK – I have stepped outside the hatch… rocket packs on… heading toward the X-10!” -Jeb
“Oh wow guys! Are you seeing this!?” -Jeb
“…roger that Jeb – we see you!” -Bill
“This thing is a lot bigger in person!“ -Jeb
Jeb detaches the X-10 from it’s transfer stage, and pilots it to the station! The inline docking port makes the procedure a little more challenging than normal!
“We read a solid connection – good job!” -Bob
With that, all the components of the Laythe Mission are in place! The crew will start checking systems, and prepare for their first landing!
The next spacecraft in the convoy heading to Laythe is the X-Laythe Spaceplane Endurance! It’s engines fire and the spacecraft is captured into a circular orbit of Laythe!
Later in the day, the Laythe Spaceport also finishes circularzing Laythe! The final orbit of the Spaceport is intended to be 60k, so the engines fire again to change the orbit!
Success! The Spaceport is put in a 60k orbit. The transfer stage (and the only engine on the station) will remain in place until it’s fuel is spent by the X-10!)
“Discovery – our boards show Laythe Spaceport is in it’s required orbit – you are clear to rendezvous!” -Gene, at KSC
“Affirmative!” -Jeb
Discovery performs multiple maunevers as it moves to rendevous with Laythe Spaceport!
After a few orbits, Jeb pilots Discovery to within 100m of Laythe Spaceport!
“It was a good idea putting those great-big RCS thrusters on these DSV’s… it feels just like I’m manuevering an Aurora Crew Vehicle!“ -Jeb
“Almost… almost… got it! Docking complete! Discovery is now docked with Laythe Spaceport!! -Jeb
“Alright – we need to start getting ready for the X-10’s arrival! Power down nuclear reactor… switching power supply lines to Station Power…. tape put over all throttle controls, engines disabled!” -Bill
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 