Year 17, Day 345 (Training Flight of X-10 Wanderer!)

August 17, 2020 sayburstuff Year 17 Anomalies, Dunwin, Glenica, Laythe, Pyramid Launch Complex, Val, X-10 Laythe Spaceplane

The X-10 Wanderer is done, and having passed basic safety tests is ready for a test flight! Val, Glenica, and Dunwin prepare to take the plane on a test flight – first to test basic landing systems, then to test a water landing! This will also be a good training flight for future crew to Laythe!

The VTOL Aerospikes work well enough on Kerbin to provide vertical thrust, however the plane can only maintain vertical flight for a short time!

“Let’s head over to the pyramids, that should be an interesting place to land!”
-Val

Val sets Wanderer down right next to the pyramids! Unlike Endurance, Wanderer has much bigger parachutes to deal with the higher gravity of Kerbin!

Val, Dunwin, and Glenica all get out…

…and have a good look around the pyramids!

“Wow, these are right near the Desert Site! Hey, we should call it the ‘Pyramid’ Launch Complex!”
-Glenica

After everyone has a good look around, Wanderer takes off!

“Everyone keep hold of your life preservers! We should set down slow enough, but I have no idea if Wanderer is going to even float!”
-Val

All horizontal thrust is cut, and Wanderer slowly drifts down to the water!

With a loud “kursplursh!” the X-10 sets down in the water!

“Oh wow! I can’t believe it worked! If the X-10 sets down slow enough, it’s just fine!”
-Dunwin

Indeed – Val gets out and confirms the space, er, watercraft, is just fine!

After a little VTOL blast to get out of the water, Wanderer heads back to the Desert Site… now called the Pyramid Launch Complex!

“Pyramid Launch Complex… I’m in the pipe, five by five!”
-Val

Wanderer touches down, right where it took off! KSEA relays the information back to Laythe, however engineers are divided on actually trying this stunt on Laythe!

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

August 8, 2020 sayburstuff Year 17 Aurora 20, Luly, Minmus, Seely, Val

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!)

August 3, 2020 sayburstuff Year 17 Aurora 20, Aurora Program, Luly, Minmus, Val

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!

Year 17, Day 147 (Aurora 20 Arrives at Minmus!)

August 2, 2020 sayburstuff Year 17 Aurora 20, Aurora Program, Luly, Minmus, Seely, Val

Aurora 20 arrives at Minmus!

Val circularizes the orbit, while Seely and Luly prepare for the next stage of the mission – landing!

Year 17, Day 140 (Aurora 20 Launches for Minmus!)

August 2, 2020 sayburstuff Year 17 Aurora 20, Aurora Program, Luly, Minmus, Seely, Val

Aurora 20 blasts off, carriyng Val, Luly, and Seely to Minmus!

The Sarnus Va rocket goes higher and higher…

.. until it eventually circularizes it’s orbit, then transfers for Minmus!

The spacecraft will arrive in just under 8 days!

Year 17, Day 128

August 1, 2020August 1, 2020 sayburstuff Year 17 Aurora 20, Aurora Program, Luly, Minmus, Seely, Val

The crew for Aurora 20 is chosen! Val, Luly, and Seely prepare for a launch… this time, to Minmus!

“It’ll be interesting to see how that Rover performs on Minmus!”
-Val

“My calculations say… not well!”
-Luly

Concurrently, a Mk2 Planetary Scanner is being prepared at the Desert Launch Site!

Year 17, Day 45 (Intrepid Returns to Desert Site From Kerbin Spaceport!)

July 25, 2020July 25, 2020 sayburstuff Year 17 CTS-3 Intrepid, Problems, Samner, Seely, Val

Seely, Val, and Samner board Intrepid and undock from the Spaceport! For the first time, a Crew Shuttle will attempt a landing at the new Desert facility!

Ever since the facility was discovered, crews have been establishing equipment and supplies to start using the launch site and runways!

“KSC – I think we have a problem! There was a loud explosion – I think the nose cone exploded!!”
-Val

Indeed – Intrepid’s entry angle may have been off, and the nosecone has violently exploded!

“I think we’re lucky – I should be able to slow down enough to avoid anything else exploding from the re-entry heat! Landing site coming up…”
-Val

“Ok – we’re in the pipe… five by five! Hold on!”
-Val

Intrepid touches down, but skids off the runway! Not an auspicious start for the Desert Facility! KSEA decides that pending a review, ALL Crew Shuttles missions are suspended, and the Crew Shuttle program is halted until further notice!

Year 16, Day 418 (Engineering Specialists Head To Kerbin Spaceport!)

July 24, 2020 sayburstuff Year 16 Dunwin, Kerbin Spaceport, Kerlorf, Val

To prepare for the upcoming installation of the Habitat Expansion to the Spaceport, Val will pilot Engineering specialists Kerlorf and Dunwin to the Spaceport!

“I heard Gene saying that if the Expansion goes alright, the Spaceport is going to start having a much larger crew – we can expect even more Aurora Crew launches soon!”
-Val

“Oh wow! I always forget how big the station is! “
-Kerlorf

“Before we dock we need to give the station a once-over… make sure the expansion plans are on track!
-Dunwin

“Everything looks good so far! It’s a shame the fuel tanks up here don’t get used much, except for rescue operations! We could really use fuel depots like this in orbit of Mun!”
-Dunwin

“Heading to the midpoint connection point….”
-Dunwin

“Looks solid. It’s a good idea to check this connection from time to time, it’s the connection point that holds the two halves of the station together!
-Dunwin

Dunwin heads inside the station, and leads the rest of the engineering crew for their preparations for the Habitat expansion!

Year 12, Day 286 (Adventure Returns Explorer 5 Crew to Kerbin From Kerbin Spaceport!)

May 19, 2019May 19, 2019 sayburstuff Year 12 Bill, Bob, CTS-1 Adventure, Duna, Edan, Explorer 5, Explorer Program, Kerbin Spaceport, Val

Val, Bill, and Bob board Adventure! Edan will pilot them back to the Space Center, since Val is still recovering from the long cryo-sleep!

Adventure streaks through the atmosphere!

“Trajectory seems good so far – hold on everyone!”

-Edan

Edan performs a few manuevers to adjust the heading – Adventure‘s air brakes had to be used in pulses to slow the craft down – a few timed bursts of the engines accelerate the craft so it won’t land short of the Space Center!

“Ok. Adventure is in the pipe – five by five!”

-Edan

Adventure lands, returning the Explorer 5 crew to Kerbin! KSEA scientists begin collecing the data brought back, and Val, Bill, and Bob head to the Astronaut Complex to recover! Meanwhile, the crew shuttle is recovered and begins repairs and refits for it’s next launch!

Explorer5Patch

Year 12, Day 285 (Explorer 5 Returns from Duna, Orbits Kerbin, and Docks with Kerbin Spaceport!

May 19, 2019May 19, 2019 sayburstuff Year 12 Bill, Bob, CTS-1 Adventure, Edan, Explorer 5, Explorer Program, Kerbin Spaceport, Val

Explorer 5 enters Kerbin’s sphere of gravitational influence, and automatic systems revive the crew!

“Mission Control, this is Val – Bob and Bill are in good shape, and so am I! Explorer 5 is approaching Kerbin, and looking at our sensors I think we’re good for entering orbit!”

-Val