Year 21, Day 1 (Modular Payload Vehicle Launches from White Mesa on Nebula Heavy Rocket!)

April 6, 2021 sayburstuff Year 21 DSV-4 Endeavor, Edan, Gene, Kerbin Spacedock, Modular Payload Vehicle, Nebula Heavy Rocket, Spacedock Refuelling, Val, White Mesa

The first day of Year 21 is going to be a big day at White Mesa! It’s a first for two new vehicles: The third revision of the Modular Payload Vehicle, or MPV, will be launching with a LFO (Liquid Fuel/Oxygen) payload! Even bigger news is the first launch of a new Launch Vehicle, the Nebula Heavy Rocket!

The launch goes well, and the Nebula Heavy rockets into the sky above the desert!

The Nebula Heavy is basically three Nebula Rockets bolted together with a larger second stage. While all 3 Nebula rockets return to Kerbin, the second stage is discarded.

The Nebula Heavy reaches it’s 200k apogee, and detaches!

Turning around using RCS thrusters (once clear of the MPV), the Nebula Heavy fires it’s engines to target a landing at KSC! Soon, the three rockets will disconnect and independently land on the surface!

Meanwhile, the MPV fires it’s engine until it’s in a safe 200k orbit of Kerbin!

Mission Control continues piloting the craft closer and closer to the rendevous with Spacedock!

“Mission Control – this is Station Commander … I’ve got a clear view of the MPV out of the Upper Cupola windows! Looks like it’s on course for docking with Endeavor! We’re clear to take over remote control from up here!”
-Val

With Val now piloting remotely, the MPV drifts past the station, and once behind Endeavor Val starts it’s docking maneuver!

“Alright… MPV is lined up…. moving in for final docking maneuvers…”
-Val

The MPV slowly moves in to Endeavor‘s docking bay…

… and connects!

“We’re showing a solid connection up here!”
-Val

“Hey – just what do we need a LFO fuel delivery to a DSV for anyway!?”
-Edan

“I thought you’d never ask! We’re sending another team to Laythe to survey sites for the colony! Congrats Val – you’re the Mission Commander for Endeavor’s Crew Mission 2!”
-Gene, at Mission Control

“Oh wow! Awesome! I can’t wait!”
-Val

Year 20, Day 400 (Kerbitat One Evacuated!)

March 30, 2021 sayburstuff Year 20 Aurora 26, Edan, Gilian, Kerbin Spacedock, Kerbitat One, Problems, Samner

After weeks trying to grow food, the Aurora 26 crew are ordered to evacuate the station before life support runs out!

“Dang! I thought for sure all these plants would need is some light! Maybe if we added some fertilizer?”
-Samner

“Maybe… but you’d think they’d need water too!”
-Gilian

“Well, I think we’d all think better with some snacks in our bellies! Let’s head back to Spacedock until KSEA can send up some supplies!”
-Edan

Thankfully, Kerbitat One’s orbit is very close to Spacedock – Edan pilots Aurora 26 to the station…

…and docks!

“Now we wait!”
-Edan

Year 20, Day 365 (Aurora 26 Launches Carrying Kerbitat Greenhouse Experiment!)

March 28, 2021 sayburstuff Year 20 Aurora 26, Edan, Gilian, Kerbin Spacedock, Kerbitat One, Samner

Aurora 26 blasts off from the Space Center, carrying Edan, Samner, and Gilian to orbit!

This Aurora mission will launch Kerbitat One into orbit, testing the feasibility of a greenhouse in space for long term habitation of other worlds!

The Sarnus V carries the Kerbitat Module and the Aurora Crew Vehicle higher and higher….

Until the fairing separates, and circularizes it’s orbit!

“Good launch everyone! Let’s get our Spacedock Rendezvous underway!”
–

Aurora 26 and Kerbitat One arrive at Spacedock and reach station keeping 500 meters away!

“Ok -starting docking and transposition maneuver….”
–

“Looks like a good connection! Nice!”
–

Kerbitat One deploys it’s solar panel arrays, and the crew starts getting comfortable!

Year 20, Day 339 (Crew Vehicle 5 Launches, Crew Vehicle 2 Returns Crew from Spacedock!)

March 28, 2021 sayburstuff Year 20 Crew Vehicle 2, Crew Vehicle 5, Edan, Kerbin Spacedock, Kerlorf, Mirphe, White Mesa

Crew Vehicle 5 blasts off from White Mesa! The spacecraft has a new second stage that should increase fuel supply and allow more mission options – however the primary goal has been more precise landings at the White Mesa facility.

CV5 reaches orbit, and begins docking procedures with Spacedock!

“That new second stage looks good!”
–Edan

CV5 docks! Meanwhile, Mirphe, Edan, and Kerlorf all transfer over to CV2 and get ready to return to Kerbin!

“Spacedock this is CV2… we are clear and preparing for reentry burn once clear of the station…”
-Mirphe

The crew vehicle performs the reentry burn…

… and streaks through the atmosphere, heading towards the desert White Mesa facility!

The parachutes deploy, and CV2 heads for a landing!

“Looks like we were a little short from White Mesa – hopefully the new second stage will let us land right on target next time!”
-Mirphe

Everyone hops out of CV2 to get some fresh air, waiting for the rescue teams!

Year 20, Day 283 (DSV-2 Discovery Crew Returns to Kerbin!)

March 24, 2021 sayburstuff Year 20 Bill, Bob, Crew Vehicle 1, DSV-2 Discovery, Jeb, Kerbin Spacedock

Jeb, Bill, and Bob transfer over to Crew Vehicle 1 and prepare to head back to Kerbin!

“I’ve loaded up all the science we collected from Laythe – everyone’s going to be so excited to see it!”
-Bob

“We are clear of Spacedock… firing engine for return burn!”
-Jeb

Crew Vehicle 1 heats up as it rockets through Kerbin’s atmosphere, heading toward White Mesa!

Success! The Crew Vehicle is collected and scientists begin pouring over the absolute treasure trove of data collected from Laythe!

Year 20, Day 281 (DSV-2 Discovery Returns From Historic Mission to Laythe!)

March 22, 2021March 22, 2021 sayburstuff Year 20 Bill, Bob, DSV-2 Discovery, Jeb, Jool, Kerbin Spacedock, Laythe

Discovery enters Kerbin’s sphere of gravitational influence!

“Discovery we’re tracking you as on course – what’s your situation?”
-Gene, at Mission Control

“Roger Mission Control… Situation nominal, Discovery reactor is at full, engines show green and ready to fire!”
-Jeb

As Discovery reaches a distance of 700km from Kerbin, the 3 nuclear engines fire!

It’s a nearly minute long burn to slow down!

Suddenly, alarm bells ring in the cockpit!

“Temperature on main engines reaching critical! They’re starting to heat up the tri-adapter engine housing!”
-Bob

“We’ve already been captured into orbit, so we can cut thrust safely… Let’s monitor it and cut thrust once it’s just about critical!”
-Jeb

Thankfully the engines don’t explode, and Discovery settles into a clean 700k circular orbit!

“I can’t wait to see Spacedock! It’s supposed to be huge!”
-Bill

Discovery does several manuevers to rendezvous with Spacedock, and finally approaches the station!

“Discovery here! We’re going to coast past Spacedock, then start docking manuevers!”
-Jeb

“Roger that DSV-2… We show you at 150 meters and clear for RCS manuevers!”
-Sean, onboard Spacedock

Discovery slowly drifts past the station until it’s visible out the cockpit!

“Wow! Look at that! And look, Endeavor is docked at the top!”
-Bill

“Yep! We’ll be parking opposite Endeavor!”
-Jeb

Jeb uses RCS orbital thrusters only and slowly matches speed with Spacedock….

…then slowly accelerates toward the station, lining up with the docking port!

“Slowing down… We’re lined up and looking good!”
-Jeb

Discovery moves almost imperceptibly slow until…

With a dull “clunk” and the whir of motors, Discovery makes s connection to Spacedock!

“Welcome home Discovery!”
-Val

Jeb, Bill, and Bob head over to Spacedock to rest before returning to Kerbin with the mountains of data gathered from Jool’s moon Laythe! There is already talk of building a colony there!

Engineers are also finalizing plans for refits and repairs to Discovery!

Year 20, Day 275 (Spacedock Refueling Mission Launches!)

March 18, 2021 sayburstuff Year 20 Kerbin Spacedock, Spacedock Refuelling

KSEA launches the next refueling mission to Kerbin Spacedock!

The Modular Refueling Vehicle launches on a versatile Jool Vb rocket!

The spacecraft orbits, then is remotely piloted to a rendevous with Spacedock!

The docking procedure is uneventful – and the new refueling vehicle shows a solid connection with the space station!

Kerbin Spacedock’s redesign now allows 4 of the refueling vehicles docked at the base of the station – and should provide more than enough fuel reserves for KSEA’s growing fleet of Deep Space Vehicles… including Discovery, which will return in just days!

Year 20, Day 271 (DSV-2 Discovery Crew Wakes From CryoSleep!)

March 17, 2021 sayburstuff Year 20 Bill, Bob, DSV-2 Discovery, DSV-4 Endeavor, Jeb, Jool, Kerbin Spacedock, Laythe

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

Year 20, Day 178 (New Docking Section for Spaceport Launches and Docks!)

March 13, 2021March 13, 2021 sayburstuff Year 20 Gene, Kerbin Spacedock, Sean

The new docking section for the Spaceport launches on a Jool V rocket!

This new section is quite similar to the segment it’s replacing, however it adds more docking ports and a viewing cupola at the top. The design follows the new idea to rotate the station vertically.

The second stage and fairing detach, and enter orbit!

The docking segment detaches and rendezvouses with the Spaceport! Engineers there have already detached the old docking port, using DSV-4 Endeavor as a tug to safely move it away from Spaceport!

“Mission Control – we show the docking segment on track to dock. Looking good!”
-Sean, on Kerbin Spacedock

Docking is complete! The first part of the Spaceport makeover is done!

“Now’s the hard part – the new quad-fueling port is going to be a pain to connect!”
-Gene, at Mission Control

Year 20, Day 124 (Crew Vehicle 1 Launches On New Mk2 Nebula Rocket!)

March 7, 2021March 8, 2021 sayburstuff Year 20 DSV-4 Endeavor, Gene, Kerbin Spacedock, Mirphe, Nebula Crew Vehicle, Nebula Rocket, Summer

At White Mesa, the desert launch facility, the new Mk2 Nebula Rocket is ready for launch!

“After all those simulations with the new Crew Vehicle I’m ready to finally blast off!”
-Mirphe

This will be the first launch for KSEA’s newest pilot, Summer!

“I can’t wait to see Kerbin from orbit!”
-Summer

The KR-84 engine ignites, and Crew Vehicle 1 blasts off!

“All systems nominal… not too bumpy either!”
-Summer

The Nebula Rocket breaks through the clouds, and carries the Crew Vehicle higher and higher!

“CV1 nearing 200k apoapsis – prepare for seperation!”
-Mirphe

The KR-84 throttles down, and the rocket coasts! This will be the first time the Mk2 Nebula Rocket has attempted it’s separate/spin/land maneuver to return to KSC!