After an extended stay on the surface of Duna, the crew of Discovery blast off!
“You know the drill everybody – hold on tight until we’re weightless!” -Mirphe
The crew reach orbit, and barely enough fuel to complete the rendevous!
“I’m starting to think this lander design isn’t perfect! By these calculations, we’ll have less than 100 d/v worth of fuel remaining once we dock! -Tamre
Mirphe completes the docking maneuver with Duna Spaceport, then taps on the fuel gauge…
“Huh. 20 d/v remaining! That was a close one!” -Mirphe
After the close call, planners back at the spaceport start working on the next Duna Lander!
After a considerable time aboard Duna Spaceport, Mirphe, Tamre, and Seely head down to the surface!
“Hold on to something everybody… these landers are pretty rough on the way down!” -Mirphe
The rear airbrakes deploy, and the lander heads nose-first into the Duna atmosphere!
“We’re going so fast! I hope we decelerate with enough time to deploy the chutes!” -Seely
“Chutes deployed! And just in time too!” -Mirphe
The lander sets down on the surface of Duna! Back on Kerbin, looking over the landing metrics, Gene frowns!
“That wasn’t just a close one – that was really close! The parachutes barely had enough time to deploy! I think we need to start looking at a next generation lander for Duna!” -Gene
Engineers start looking at prototype designs… meanwhile the crew gets ready to explore the surface of Duna!
After a remarkably fast voyage, DSV-2 Discovery arrives at Duna, using the planet’s moon, Ike, to assist in slowing down the approach! The Crew is automatically revived from Cryo-Sleep!
“Rise and shine everybody! We have some exploring to do!” -Mirphe
“Reactor is powered up – we’re good for firing main engines!” -Seely
The three mighty nuclear engines on Discovery fire, slowing the spacecraft down and entering orbit, slowly, of Duna!
“By my calculations, we’ll have 5200 d/v remaining after we reach the Spaceport… not bad!” -Tamre
Discovery achieves high orbit! Mirphe begins to rendevous with Duna Spaceport!
“Just a few more maneuvers and we’ll be docked! I can see the Spaceport out the front window!” -Mirphe
Discovery slows down, matching speeds with Duna Spaceport…
…then slowly reorients for the final docking maneuver!
“Alright – we’re in the pipe, five by five… approaching the docking port at 1 m/s…. nice and slow….” -Mirphe
With a ‘thunk’ and the whir of motors, Discovery docks with Duna Spaceport! The mighty spacecraft is nearly twice as long as the station!
“Life support looks good on the station… it’ll take a little time to equalize between Discovery and the Spaceport… but I think we have a good connection!“ -Tamre
The crew prepares to transfer over to the habitat sections of the station, and get ready for the next Duna Landing!
With no time to waste, Mirphe and Tamre fly to White Mesa and board Crew Vehicle 4, already waiting at the launch pad!
“Seely is already getting Discovery ready to go, as soon as we’re up there we’re taking off!” -Mirphe
Crew Vehicle 4 blasts off on it’s Nebula Rocket!
Once the spacecraft reaches it’s 200k apogee, the Crew Vehicle detaches and uses it’s RCS thrusters to move clear of the first stage Nebula Rocket!
The Nebula Rocket uses it’s own RCS thrusters to invert itself, and fire it’s main engine, to perform a propulsive landing at KSC!
“We’re clear to rendevous to Spacedock!” -Mirphe
The Crew Vehicle arrives at Spacedock!
“Welcome to Spacedock CV4! Discovery is fueled up and ready to go!” -Val
The Crew Vehicle docks! Mirphe and Tamre rush to help Seely get the lander out!
“Hey – why are all the doors open on CV1!?” -Tamre
“They got stuck open! It shouldn’t have any impact on the return, just annoying!” -Val
Mirphe, Seely, and Tamre board Discovery… and undock!
“RCS thrusters firing in reverse… moving clear of Spacedock! Let’s get the reactor powered up to maximum!” -Mirphe
Discovery turns from Spacedock as the entire spacecraft shudders from the engines and reactor powering up!
“Reactor showing 100%! We’re good to power up engines!” -Seely
“Good luck Discovery!” -Val
Discovery’s three nuclear engines fire, and it slowly builds up speed!
4 minutes into the burn, alarms sound!
“What’s that!?” -Mirphe
“Looks like the rear engine housing is giving us trouble again! It’s heating up from the engines and not transferring enough heat to the Radiators!” -Tamre
“If we reduce thrust to 50 percent we should be fine… the burn will just take longer!” -Seely
With the overheating problem out of the way, Discovery completes it’s burn for Duna, and soars out of the system!
“Wow – we are moving fast! We should reach Duna in less than 70 days! Once we enter orbit and dock we’re not going to have much fuel left!” -Tamre
“That’s the idea! The return to Kerbin from Duna using the correct launch window is much less demanding – we’ll be fine! Let’s get ready to enter Cryo-sleep!” -Mirphe
With the disappointing missed time window of Explorer 8, the Astronauts sat around Mission Control scratching their heads trying to figure out a way to get a crew back to the red planet without waiting a whole year for the next launch window!
“What if we… you know… just go REALLY fast!” -Jeb
“That’d never work – the Explorer spacecraft doesn’t have that kind of fuel supply!” -Mirphe
“No… but one of the DSVs should! Can we take one!?” -Tamre
After some debate (and a mission simulation or three) Gene gives the green light! Tamre will be the scientist, Seely the mission Engineer, and Mirphe will command the mission!
“We barely had time to get these Mission Patches sewn! Get on a Crew Vehicle asap and get up to Spacedock!” -Gene
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!
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!
“Separating first stage!“ -Mirphe
“First stage is clear! Sensors show it’s onboard systems have already started the flip maneuver!“ -Summer
Once clear of the Crew Vehicle, the Nebula Rocket fires it’s engine – altering it’s trajectory so it lands at the Space Center!
It’s Air Brakes deploy to assist in the landing! They will automatically retract and extend as the craft’s sensors take it in for a landing!
“Crew Vehicle 1 this is Mission Control – we show the Nebula Rocket is on track for a landing at KSC… nice work!” -Gene, at Mission Control
“OK! Starting rendevous maneuvers for Spacedock!” -Mirphe
The capable “Poodle” engine starts the first of several burns to take CV1 to Spacedock!
“Looks like we’re in the pipe! Wow, that station is HUGE!” -Summer
After the required maneuvers, Crew Vehicle 1 arrives at Spacedock!
“Why don’t you do the docking Summer? It’ll be good practice!” -Mirphe
“Awesome! OK – taking us in!” -Summer
“Crew Vehicle 1 – this is Station Commander Val – we show you as docked and cleared to come aboard! Welcome to Spacedock!” -Val
The Space Center is buzzing as multiple projects are underway!
The Nebula Crew Vehicle design is getting a few tweaks, and the launcher has been reworked completely! KSEA promises blueprints will be released shortly! Meanwhile construction has begun on 6 of the spacecraft!
Construction has begun on the next Deep Space Vehicle! So far the craft is a near duplicate of the Endeavor. All that’s needed is a name!
Many pilots are disappointed the Crew Shuttle Program has been permanently cancelled. The decision was made after multiple attempts to add a emergency abort system, which was feasible only during a short window of the launch. Ultimately, this lack of abort options and the inability to carry unique cargo loads were the craft’s undoing!
“That’s ok! Anyway, the cool place to fly now is Laythe!”
-Mirphe
Finally, a new docking section for the Spaceport is nearly complete – the existing one has already proven too cramped, and with more spacecraft expected to dock a rework was needed! The entire station will also be reoriented relative to it’s orbit!
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 