Mun

Year 2, Day 338 (First Mun Landing!)

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screenshot558.pngAurora 6 arrives at Mun!  After a few short maneuvers, the craft is brought into a fairly close 40k orbit.

screenshot559Mitster and Bob move into the Lander, and separate!screenshot560.pngThe lander moves lower, and lower…

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Almost there!

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Mitster hops out!screenshot569.png

Followed by Bob!
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Mitster plants the flag!
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The two pose, then start collecting some rocks and other scientific data. screenshot589.png

After several difficult but exciting hours collecting Mun-stuff, Mitster and Bob blast off, and head to a rendezvous with the Aurora 6 Spacecraft! screenshot591.png

After docking, Mitster and Bob transfer over, being sure to take all their vaulable science with them!

“That exterior illumination sure proved valuable – docking on the dark side of Mun would have been a real trick without ’em!”
-Chrisnic

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Mitster makes a small course correction on the way back to Kerbin…

“If these numbers are right, I think we’ll set down just outside of the Space Center!  Really!”
-Mitster

The Aurora Spacecraft is designed with a fairly large “reserve” fuel pool, to allow corrections for… imprecise maneuvers.  This extra fuel lets Mitster correct a rather wide departure from Mun into a fairly precise return maneuver for Aurora 6!

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The crew makes it to the surface – welcome home guys! screenshot605.png

The crew returns to KSC, and shakes lots of Mun-dust out of their boots!

 

 

 

 

Year 2, Day 254 (Mun Lander Announced)

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KSEA unveils the design for the Mun Lander!  A prototype is being built to experiment with on Kerbin, and allow crews to practice the vehicle!   The lander itself is designed to operate in the very low gravity of Mun and Minmus… the practice lander will be built with a heavier engine to allow more thrust, simulating the Munar environment.

Once training is complete, the Aurora Program will have a Crew Vehicle, a Lander, and the powerful Sarnus V-Heavy rocket to carry them both to Mun and beyond!  All of Kerbin is abuzz with excitement!

Year 2, Day 115 (Aurora Program Announced)

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All of Kerbin is excited as KSEA announces the next phase of the space program: AURORA! AuroraCrewVehicle.png

The Aurora Program is designed to reach Mun and Minmus.  The first test vehicle is the Aurora Crew Vehicle – designed solely to test the command pod, and provide a reliable means of taking crew to orbit and back.  The first test will be Aurora 1… taking the the rest of the crew to the Kerbin Space Station!  Construction starts at once!

Year 2, Day 98

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screenshot309.pngScout 3 heads down to the dark side of Mun! The communications array constructed around Mun provides data to the probe.

Unfortunately, no one thought that the dark side of Mun would mean things would be quite dark… and the craft is powered by solar panels…screenshot311.png

In a landing that had every Kerbal int he Space Center of the edge of their seats, Scout 3 sets down, as the power got closer, and closer to zero… finally showing 1% power remaining as the sensors indicated the craft had fully set down!   Success!  Scientists wait until signal can be restored!

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screenshot247.pngLiftoff!screenshot249.png

Orbit achieved! It’s just a short 5 hour trip to Mun!screenshot250.png

Orbit is achieved! KSEA scientists think that the center of the big round Northwest Crater is a good place to set down.screenshot256.png

As the craft is guided down, controls are very difficult.

“That’s ’cause it’s so heavy at the top!” -Jeb

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Almost there…. screenshot260.png

Success!  Scout 1 touches down on Mun!  Cheers are heard all around Kerbin.  Thankfully the vessel didn’t sink into the surface, or explode, or get eaten!  Instruments seem to indicate that a Kerbal would be safe enough to conduct a landing!   Additionally, after the landing Scout still has just under 790 d/v of fuel – it might be possible to take off, and set down at a different location at a later date!

Construction starts on another Scout probe, this time headed to Minmus!

Year 2, Day 39

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KSEA releases plans for the new Scout Probe – a robotic lander designed to actually set down on Mun itself!   Launched on top of a Discovery Rocket, getting to Mun should be no problem.  Actually setting down (and remaining in communications with the Space Center) will be another thing entirely!  This will be a good test of the new communications systems deployed to Mun.

Additionally, construction begins on 2 X-4 Jetplanes to assist in exploration of Kerbin!