Val

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

sayburstuff Year 12 , , , , , , ,

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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

“Explorer 5 – this is Gene – that’s great!  Are you sure about skipping the splashdown/flyby procedure?”

-Gene

“Roger that! Explorer 5 has enough fuel to enter orbit and even dock with Kerbin Spaceport!”

-Val

“Permission granted Explorer 5 – good luck!”

-Gene

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Explorer 5 fires it’s engine and enters Kerbin’s orbit!

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Mission Control, Explorer 5 has achieved Kerbin Orbit! Proceeding to Kerbin Spaceport!

-Val

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Cheers fill Mission Control over Val’s broadcast!  This is a big day for KSEA – NO interplanetary spacecraft has ever returned to Kerbin orbit before!

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“Explorer 5, this is Edan on Kerbin Spaceport.  You are tracking good and cleared for approach!”

-Edan

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Val manuevers Explorer 5 closer and closer to the Spaceport…

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“Almost there….”

-Val

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Ka-Chunk! Whirrrrrrrr….Explorer 5 connects with Kerbin Spaceport!

“Welcome home!  Sorry about the mess, we weren’t expecting guests!”

-Edan

Explorer 5’s crew will rest for a day, then return to Kerbin onboard the Crew Shuttle Adventure!

 

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Year 11, Day 411 (Explorer 5 Departs Duna!)

sayburstuff Year 11 , , , , ,

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The Explorer 5 crew packs up their scientific findings (and various uneaten snacks) from around Duna Spaceport, and heads over to the DSCRV, the Val undocks the spacecraft!

“I can’t wait to get back with all these new findings!”

-Bob

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“I sure hope those return calculations are correct!”

-Bill

“They’re correct – don’t worry!  We’ll be home before you know it!  Now let’s get in those cryopods before we get hungry!”

-Val

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Explorer 5 finishes it’s burn back to Kerbin, and the crew heads to Cryo-Sleep!  They’re expected back at Kerbin in just 271 days!

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Year 10, Day 226 (Explorer 5 Crew Lands on Duna!)

sayburstuff Year 10 , , , , , ,

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KSEA announces that Explorer 5 will be setting down in the Eastern Canyon – a site that is thought to be a similar to the Western Canyon, only a great deal more easterly.

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Bill, Bob, and Val board the Super Duna Lander and head down to the surface!

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“OK, starting our descent. Hang on everyone!”

-Val

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The Super Duna Lander speeds down to the surface! Right before landing the airbrakes are stowed and the gear is deployed, as the rockets fire one last burn to slow down before landing!

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“Contact!  We’re on the surface! ”

-Val

The crew prepares to head out and explore the Eastern Canyon at Duna!

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The crew waits until sunrise, and starts exploring!

Year 10, Day 202 (Explorer 5 Arrives At Duna Spaceport!)

sayburstuff Year 10 , , , ,

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Explorer 5 Arrives in Duna Orbit, and the on board systems automatically eject the Kerbin-Orbit docking adapter (The larger “senior” size docking port is required for docking to the Spaceport!)

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Val thaws from cryogenic stasis first!

Alright – I’m moving Explorer in to dock with the Spaceport!

-Val

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Bill and Bob thaw next!

The crew reports feeling fine, even after such a long cryo-sleep!  After a week the crew’s health will be evaluated and if all is well, the first landing will commence!

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Year 9. Day 135 (Explorer 5 Launches!)

sayburstuff Year 9 , , , , , , ,

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Explorer 5 is rolled out to launch, an exciting new chapter in Kerbal exploration of space!

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Blastoff!   The massive Jool IV rocket lifts Explorer 5 to the clouds…

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…. and beyond to orbit!

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“Mission Control, this is Malcolm on the X-9!  Mitster and I are OK for take off!”

-Malcolm

 

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The X-9 will fly the Explorer 5 crew to the spacecraft!

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Malcolm flies the spacecraft on launch, with Mitster supervising.

“So far so good!”

-Mitster

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Explorer 5 reaches orbit, and Malcolm starts the rendezvous maneuvers to meet up with Explorer 5!

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“OK… the X-9 is a bit tricky with its RCS controls… this might take a few tries!”

–Mitster

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It does take awhile, but eventually the X-9 docks with Explorer 5!  Val, Bill, and Bob all transfer over!

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OK guys… I’ll go first!  Glykerol levels normal… initiating freeze!

-Val

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“It worked!  Our turn… see you in a few minutes Bob!”

-Bill

With that Bill throws the “freeze!” lever, and the crew of Explorer 5 is in stasis, ready for the trip to Duna!

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Malcolm brings the X-9 in for a landing!

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“Mission Control, Malcom here!  I’m in the pipe, five by five!”

-Malcolm

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It’s a tricky night landing, but Malcolm brings the X-9 home!  All of Kerbin now waits for Explorer 5 to depart!

 

 

 

Year 9, Day 100 (Explorer 5 Construction!)

sayburstuff Year 9 , , , , , , , ,

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KSEA releases the finalized design for the Explorer 5!  This prototype is hoped to be the future of deep space crewed transportation, making years or even decades long missions pass in as little time as an afternoon nap for the crew!

Val, Bill, and Bob have been training hard for the mission!

This first mission will be to Duna, but if all goes well it will be utilized in a future crewed mission to Jool!

 

Year 9, Day 14 (Explorer 4 Returns Home!)

sayburstuff Year 9 , , , , ,

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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

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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

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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.

Well done everyone, that’s one for the books!

-Gene, KSEA Mission Control

 

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Year 7, Day 394 (Explorer 4 Crew Jumps to Midlands!)

sayburstuff Year 7 , , , ,

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Val and Orlas take the Explorer 4 Lander and do a short jump across the surface of Dres!

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The lander travels in an arc across the surface….

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Touching down at the Midlands, where Orlas and Val hop out!

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That’s probably it for landings, we don’t want to stretch the fuel reserve out too much!

-Val

 

That’s a shame, it may look a lot like Mun but scientifically it’s quite distinct!

-Orlas

If you say so Orlas… the crew readies themselves to return to orbit in a matter of days!