Work is nearly done upgrading the newly recovered N-4 Booster. It will be the test bed for the next iteration of Neidon rockets, Neidon III! This upgrade will make use of new landing gear that provides heat shielding in addition to better aerodynamics, both during landing and take off.
The rocket has also had a new paint job, rotating the logos and markings which engineers say make the rocket “42% cooler!”
As the Aurora 29 crew prepare for their transit to Mun, Mission Control supervises the return of the N-4 booster!
Using RCS thrusters, the N-4 Neidon Rocket drifts to a safe distance from the Crew Vehicle and then fires a precise short burst to return to Kerbin!
N-4 Soars through the atmosphere, heating up as it hurtles toward the Space Center!
The rocket transitions from hypersonic speeds to subsonic! The gear deploys…
… and the booster slowly approaches the Space Center!
The booster touches down! Despite the excellent performance of the Neidon II, work is already underway to upgrade the booster with more capable landing gear!
Work is already underway on “Neidon III” !
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 