Endurance slowly drifts away from Laythe Spaceport!
“Systems nominal – what a view!” -Robart
The Spaceport grows smaller and smaller, set against the impressive sight of the giant green planet of Jool!
Endurance is scouting a site for a future colony on Laythe! One promising (and scenic) site is Crater Island!
“Readings show we’re on the right course – cloud cover’s still to thick for visual confirmation!” -Val
Endurance finally drops below the clouds, and Crater Island becomes visible!
“We’re lined up with a good flat landing spot – deploying chute! Horizontal engines are switched off – activating VTOL pods!” -Val
The spaceplane’s parachute deploys, it’s air brakes lift, and the VTOL pod doors open – providing the final bit of thrust needed for a safe landing!
Endurance touches down! Robart is the first out!
“Incredible! You’d almost forget this was another world until you look up!” -Robart
Kerlorf plants the Kerbal States flag, and the crew sets up a camera to take the traditional “landing portrait!” The Endeavor crew will be busy for the next few days, setting up science equipment and experiments on the surface, as well as checking out the landing site!
“Ok – we have about 20 days to investigate this site – let’s get working!” -Val
“Incredible! You’d almost forget this was another world until you look up!” -Robart
Crew Vehicle 2 blasts off from White Mesa, carrying Jeb, Robart, and Kerlorf! Robart and Kerlorf will be joining Val as the crew for DSV-4 Discovery’s journey to Laythe! Jeb will be taking over as station commander at Spacedock!
The Crew Vehicle reaches it’s 200k apogee, and separates from the Nebula Rocket! The Nebula Rocket turns itself around and performs it’s burn toward KSC to be recovered!
Eventually, CV2 performs it’s final rendevous with Spacedock!
“There’s Endeavor – it’s huge!” -Robart
The crew board Endeavor… and undock!
“Turning Endeavor to match direction of travel…. transit to Jool will be in 4 days!” -Val
Certain facilities are missing from the Desert Launch site – notably towers to supervise the site! To correct this KSEA and KOAA have teamed up to build a combination tower that increases radio coverage in the area, provides command and control functions over the facility, and even has a flag pole!
Robart, a science specialist, is picked to command the new facility – which will need to be driven to it’s final destination!
“Wow! This thing does NOT drive well!” -Robart
There are a few close calls, but eventually the tower is driven to it’s final position, overseeing the rocket launch site!
“Ok… I’m climbing to the top! This sure is a tall tower!” -Robart
“What a view though! I have a good angle on the launch site and the facility down below! Let’s launch some rockets!” -Robart
Work begins on a similar tower to oversee aircraft at the nearby landing strip!
After a very, very long mission, the Explorer 4 crew enters Kerbin’s sphere of influence!
Hold on everyone, we’re going to be going in pretty fast!!
-Val
Indeed, Explorer 4 is going so fast that Robart and Orlas blackout during re-entry! Thankfully Val is one tough Kerbal, and keeps conscious through it all!
“We’re OK! Just very very hot!”
-Val
Splash! Explorer 4 sets down in the water for a night landing – a few hours later rescue craft pick up the crew and return them to the space center.
Val, Orlas, and Robart report that the Explorer 4 has arrived at Dres! The spacecraft’s engines fire to circularize in a roughly polar orbit of the distant world.
Huh, for coming this far out I wasn’t expecting it to look like another Mun!
-Val
Indeed, Dres does look very much like Kerbin’s sattelite Mun. Unlike Mun though, no Kerbal has set foot on a world this far out!
Anytime we get to visit another world I’m excited, even if they all look like Mun!
Luly and Kerlorf prepare to head down in the (very) delayed USS-LS03 landing! Both the Farside crater and the Munar Canyons will be investigated!
The Unity Research Lander undocks, and heads down to the surface!
Luly watches as Kerlorf plants the flag at the Farside crater landing site!
“It’s time to head over to those canyons!”
-Luly
Luly and Kerlorf land at the Munar Canyons and take readings – both are getting pretty exhausted, especially Luly! A future Aurora mission is being planned to swap the crew out!
The lander heads back to orbit, then sets course for Unity Space Station!
“Fuel on this one is very, very tight. I think future landings we should keep it to just one landing… no jumps! This isn’t Minmus afterall!”
-Luly
The next crew for the Unity Space Station is slated to be Robart and Gilian – both have experience landing on Minmus, but this will be their first time on Mun!
The initial orbit selected by KSEA has proven too high (147km) and Val adjusts the orbit with some well timed burns!
Orlas EVA’s over to the lander without waiting another second!
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 