To prepare for the upcoming installation of the Habitat Expansion to the Spaceport, Val will pilot Engineering specialists Kerlorf and Dunwin to the Spaceport!
“I heard Gene saying that if the Expansion goes alright, the Spaceport is going to start having a much larger crew – we can expect even more Aurora Crew launches soon!” -Val
“Oh wow! I always forget how big the station is! “ -Kerlorf
“Before we dock we need to give the station a once-over… make sure the expansion plans are on track! -Dunwin
“Everything looks good so far! It’s a shame the fuel tanks up here don’t get used much, except for rescue operations! We could really use fuel depots like this in orbit of Mun!” -Dunwin
“Heading to the midpoint connection point….” -Dunwin
“Looks solid. It’s a good idea to check this connection from time to time, it’s the connection point that holds the two halves of the station together! -Dunwin
Dunwin heads inside the station, and leads the rest of the engineering crew for their preparations for the Habitat expansion!
KSEA releases plans for a new expansion to Kerbin Spaceport! This new module will allow lots more living space and more importantly a new Centrifugal ring that will provide artificial gravity for Kerbals on the station! The addition should prove quite the sight!
The Aurora Crew Vehicle docked at the Kerbin Spaceport undocks – this fully fueled vehicle has been at the station for quite a while, and was intended as an emergency lifeboat for the station crew in a crisis. Mission Control has decided the spacecraft will be remotely piloted and docked to the stranded Explorer 6 crew – marooned in an eccentric orbit around Kerbin!
The ACV activates it’s engine and blasts away from the station – changing it’s inclination to match Explorer 6!
After the rendezvous maneuver is complete, the ACV is within sight of Explorer 6!
“I see it! We’re saved!” -Sean
The Aurora Crew Vehicle docks with Explorer 6!
“Looks like a solid connection! Let’s get that hatch open and transfer over! Don’t forget all the science!” -Mitster
Glenica does a thorough search to make sure they haven’t left anything behind – then is the last one to head over to the Crew Vehicle!
The Crew Vehicle detaches from Explorer 6, and heads back to Kerbin!
“Explorer 6 was a good ship! Maybe someday we can refuel it for another adventure!” -Mitster
“I’m just eager to get back to train for the next Deep Space mission!” -Glenica
The Aurora Command Module heats up as it burns through Kerbin’s atmosphere!
Until it finally splashes down in the ocean – just east of the Space Center!
“Rescue boats are on the way! Just sit tight and we’ll get you home in no time!” -Gene
Explorer 6’s crew finally returns home! Not quite like they expected, but they proved KSEA’s equipment and crew were ready for the very long duration missions to Jool – and beyond!
Intrepid blasts off from the Space Center, carrying Jeb, Bill, and Bob! Veteran KSEA pilot Edan is piloting!
The launch stage ejects, and Intrepid enters orbit!
“Almost there! Just a few more more manuevers and we’ll be at the Spaceport!”
-Edan
“We’re there! Switching to rear view… taking us in!”
-Edan
Edan pilots the Crew Shuttle closer and closer to the station! This isn’t the easiest task, as the craft actually pilots in reverse, as the docking bay is at the aft of the ship!
“Almost there… almost….”
-Edan
The connection is made! Intrepid arrives at Kerbin Spaceport! Jeb, Bill, and Bob gather their equipment and head out to the Spaceport! As they head to the Discovery docking hatch, Bill catches a look at the ship from the Crew Habitat Cupola!
As an experiment, KSEA decides to test the capabilities of the Explorer 5 spacecraft. Having returned from Duna, is it capable of entering Duna orbit again, and returning safely to Kerbin orbit? If so it would provide a much more cost effective means of transporting Kerbals to and from the red planet.
Explorer 5 docked at Kerbin Spaceport. Discovery can be seen docked in the background.
The new Discovery-class spacecraft design is certainly capable of the trip, however it is overkill to the extreme – DSV-2 Discovery could travel to Duna, return to Kerbin, and repeat the trip without ever needing to refuel!
Gillian, Shepely, and Seely (the current crew on Kerbin Spaceport) start work refuelling Explorer 5 for it’s next mission!
With the return of Explorer 5 and the test flight of Discovery the Kerbin Spaceport has gotten very crowded! Edan, Bill, Orlas, Glenica, and Sean all board CTS-3 Intrepid!
“Have a good flight – you soon!” -Gene
Edan undocks from the Spaceport, and uses RCS thrusters to reach a safe distance from the station! Gilian, Shepely, and Seely remain on the station, conducting the vitally important scientific research that must certainly occur there.
“Come back soon! Bring more snacks! “ -Shepely
Intrepid fires its engines to de-orbit… then detaches the service pod that holds cargo (and provides for solar power!)
“Hold on everyone! Things are about to get pretty hot!” -Edan
Intrepid soars through the atmosphere, occasionally usings its airbrake system to slow its decent.
Once past the mountains west of the Space Center, Edan makes the final manuevers to line up for a landing!
“Edan to Mission Control… Intrepid is in the pipe, five by five!” -Edan
Intrepid touches down on the runway!
A perfect landing! The tired Kerbals exit the Crew Shuttle to rest up for their next mission – Intrepid is recovered and undergoes minor repairs and the standard recovery process to get it ready for its next flight!
The DSV refuelling vehicle launches from KSC! Until the logistics hubs on the Spaceport can be retrofitted to allow for the delivery of Lithium and other fuels, these launches are the only way to refuel the Deep Space Vehicles.
The orbital stage finishes firing, then seperates…
… and rendezvouses with the Spaceport!
Jeb, piloting remotely from the Spaceport for the docking manuever, reports some difficulties…
“This thing handles like a pig – a space pig!” -Jeb
The connection is (finally) made! The Spaceport registers a solid connection to the fuel pipe system, and lithium and monopropellant are pumped from the refuelling vehicle to Discovery.
Construction starts on a refuelling vehicle to deliver Lithium to Kerbin Spaceport, for use with the new class of Deep Space vehicles (such as DSV-2, Discovery.)
The craft will be a reffited version of the spacecraft used to refuel Duna Spaceport, and is set to be launched on the first stage of a Jool-3 rocket!
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 