Luly

Year 21, Day 309 (Orlas and Luly Head to Aurora Base!)

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The Mun Lander takes off from Aurora Base…

… and enters Mun orbit!

“I see the lander! Computers say it’s on track for remote docking. Technology has sure come a long way since the first days of Munar Exploration!”
-Summer

The lander docks! Luly and Orlas board, and prepare to head down to the surface!

The lander undocks, and starts it’s descent!

“This is gonna be a lot of fun!!”
-Orlas

The lander sets down near Aurora Base!

Luly hops out, and heads to the airlock!

“Wow! These modular bases snap together fast!”
-Luly

Orlas hops out, and joins Luly!

“The great thing is that we can keep expanding as time goes on! Since Mun doesn’t have any water though, we’ll always need a lifeline from Kerbin! But we can use this base to test out future colonies – like on Minmus, or Laythe!”
-Orlas

“I found the door! Let’s get inside and start up the Base’s science systems!”
-Luly

“These pre-planted seedlings are already growing – amazing!”
-Orlas

“Mission Control – Aurora Base is fully functional! All systems online!”

-Dunwin

Year 21, Day 220 (Aurora 28 Launches from Space Center!)

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Big news from the Aurora program – the Aurora Command Module has been upgraded using a modified Nebula Crew Vehicle capsule, and the lander has been modified to allow easier re-use from Mun Spaceport! These changes will allow FOUR crew to journey to Mun from now on!

The crew is announced: Two engineers, Bill and Dunwin, the Mission Commander Malcolm, and Luly will be the mission Scientist!

Aurora 28 blasts off on top of a Sarnus Va rocket!

The rocket carries the spacecraft up to a 600k orbit of Kerbin…

…then departs for Mun!

“Even with 4 crew this new module is so roomy!”
-Bill

This will be the first launch for the 4-crew variant of the Aurora Spacecraft… the module is identical to the Nebula Crew Vehicle which has a perfect record!

The Crew Lander is slightly modified with more fuel and life support and an improved refueling system!

Aurora 28 arrives at Mun Spaceport!

“Aurora 28… we have you on tracking… our docking ports are all full though!”
-Summer

The old lander ejects, as does the Aurora 27 Command Module, and Aurora 28 docks!

“We need to get some adapters up here to make more room for more spacecraft!”
-Malcolm

Plans are begun for some expansions to the Spaceport to allow for more docking ports… while the crew prepares to head down to Aurora Base!

Year 20, Day 11 (Summer and Luly Investigate Mountain Launch Site!)

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Mission planners keep insisting that launches are possible from a so-called “Woomerang” Launch Site… however before fuel, rocket parts, and Kerbals start getting diverted to the location, KSEA wants to check it out!

“We’re sending a crack team to see what’s up with this site! Good luck Summer and Luly! “
-Gene, at Mission Control

Wanderertakes off at full speed, reaching near orbital velocities as it flies toward “Woomerang!”

“There it is! Cutting engines, pulling up… deploying chute!”
-Summer

Wanderer sets down!

“Let’s check this out!”
-Luly

Luly leaves the aircraft, and heads over to the “Woomerang” site!

“That’s one of the ground stations – neat!”
-Luly

Luly checks out the launch pad.. and some kind of tower!

“Huh – there’s not much here! Just the landing pad and a tower… probably a water tower for the launch pad! Whoever used this before us didn’t build very much! “
-Summer

“Yea – we’re going to need to build a lot of facilities out here if we’re going to use it! We better head back to KSC!”
-Luly

The crew packs up in Wanderer and heads home!

Year 19, Day 160 (Aurora 24 Returns to Kerbin!)

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Luly and Mirphe blast off from Mun’s surface!

Then dock with the Aurora 24 Crew Vehicle in orbit!

“That sure took a while! I almost ran out of snacks up here!”
-Seely

Mirphe burns the engines, and the Aurora 24 capsule detaches, and hurtles (safely!) to Kerbin’s surface…

Splashing down in the surface! Recovery teams are sent out at once, to recover the Kerbals and all the interesting science gathered on Mun!

Year 19, Day 77 (Aurora 24 Launches for Mun!)

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Aurora 24 blasts off, heading for Mun! While some say that the Mun missions have become routine, the Kerbals who fly them know that space travel is never routine! In fact, even the simplest mission is quite dangerous and even deadly!

“Where’s the landing site this time? ”
-Mirphe

“The northeast basin! We’ve never been there before!”
-Luly

Mirphe and Luly transfer over to the lander…

… and head down to Mun’s surface!

“We’re almost there…. contact!”
-Mirphe

“OK… deploy the rover!”
-Luly

The rover detaches, and the RCS deployer lifts it up… and then gently sets it down next to the lander!

Next, Mirphe and Luly head out to explore!

Luly plants the flag at the Northern Basin, then salutes while the cameras on the lander take their portrait!

“For all Kerbalkind!”
-Luly

Luly deploys the scientific instrumentation, while Mirphe supervises!

“Mmmhmmm. Looking very scientific – carry on!”
-Mirphe

Next, the RCS deployer detaches from the lander, and expends all it’s fuel to fly up and away from the landing site! The seismic sensor will get interesting results from the impact!

“I feel a little bad littering on Mun! But I guess it IS for science!”
-Luly

Luly and Mirphe explore the surface in the rover!

After scouting out the landing site, the two return to the lander to rest! Mun missions have been getting longer and longer, training the crew for the rigors of landings on very distant worlds!

Year 7, Day 163 (Aurora 20 Crew Continue Exploration!)

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Luly wants to check out an “island” near the landing site, so Val rockets the lander over to the little hill!

“I’m going to get a sample of that green sandstone!”
-Luly

“Huh… it’s looking more and more like Minmus once had several liquid oceans… but it’s too small, and it’s too cold…. how mysterious! We better get this sample back to Kerbin!”
-Luly

Explorations continue on the island, where an even bigger rock is found!

“This one’s even rockier and even greener!”
-Luly

After a continued examination, Luly and Val determine it’s time to return to the ACV!

Eventually, the lander returns to orbit!

“Mission Control, this is Aurora 20 – we’re headin’ home!”
-Val

Later, the ACV command module splashes down, west of the space center.

“Welcome home! Let’s get those samples to the lab! I wonder if they’re edible…”
-Gene

Year 17, Day 154 (Aurora 20 Lands on Minmus!)

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The Aurora 20 lander heads down to the surface of Minmus!

Val and Luly detach from the Aurora 20 command module, and head down to Minmus!

The lander touches down, right at sunrise!

“Oooo! Pretty! “
-Luly

“Ejecting rover!”
-Val

The RCS system lifts the rover off the lander…

… and sets down perfectly near the lander!

The Rover-Deployer ejects, and the two Kerbals start exploring!

“As I suspected, this rover doesn’t handle very well – one sharp turn and the rover might get destroyed! As long as we keep it slow we’ll be OK though!”
-Luly

The pair find a variety of green Minmus Sandstones, and take various samples of the Lesser Flats.

“Time to set up the science equipment!”
-Luly

Luly and Val head back to the lander!

“There we go, all set up! This should start transmitting science back to Kerbin anytime now – and we remembered to bring all the parts this time!”
-Luly

The Aurora 20 crew will remain on Minmus for a few more days to make sure all the scientific equipment is functioning properly!