The initial orbit selected by KSEA has proven too high (147km) and Val adjusts the orbit with some well timed burns!
The new orbit, 30km should allow us to conserve fuel for landings… sure feels close too!
-Val
Orlas EVA’s over to the lander without waiting another second!
Wow! Dres looks like a darker Mun… the Sun being so small doesn’t look right!
-Val
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!
-Orlas
The next Explorer mission is green-lit, Explorer 4! This will be the first exploration craft to Dres, and will also be testing the Explorer Crew Vehicle, the successor to the Duna Crew Vehicle, with greater range and more advanced life support systems.
Explorer 4’s mission will be to reach and orbit Dres, land on the surface, return to the Crew Vehicle, then return to Kerbin! For fuel purposes the lander will remain in orbit of Dres.
Val has been chosen as Mission Commander, Orlas will be the Engineering Specialist, and Robart will be the Mission Science Specialist!
Another awesome patch is commissioned for the crew:
Enterprise launches! The mission is to investigate a sub-atomic particle that scientists have named “kuarks” – initial research has indicated that many of these particles are quite strange indeed..
Veteran scientist Orlas will oversee the research, along with Samner. Val will pilot Enterprise, and train rookie pilot Mirphe as well!
The Heavy Cargo Shuttle is testing a new science payload that essentially turns a Cargo Shuttle into a fully equipped Science Lab in space!
“Orbit achieved – we’re starting science now!”
-Orlas
Back in Mission Control, scientists anxiously await for the science data to start streaming in!
Aurora 18 arrives at Minmus, where Samner and Shepely are both very excited to see their ride home! Tamre will stay on the station for a short time, until her research partner (who has not been selected yet) arrives!
Val and Chrisnic blast off in Enterprise, delivering the long promised second power and solar expansion to the station! 
Chrisnic, one of the most experienced engineers on the KSEA team will supervise the installation!
The module remotely guides itself into position…
Then Chrisnic leaves Enterprise to investigate!
Deploying solar arrays! Wow! These are huge! Both deployed perfectly. Returning to Enterprise!
-Chrisnic
Enterprise departs! The Heavy Cargo Shuttle will be trying something new today, landing at White Mesa! The shuttle will then be flown back to the VAB for repairs and to be readied for its next launch!
Enterprise does its “belly flop” manuever to slow down its reentry….
Then glides to the runway!
A great landing! Val and Chrisnic rest up for their next mission!
Endeavor hurtles toward the Shadow Valley Complex!
A perfect landing! The small spaceplane is recovered, and work starts on readying the shuttle for its next launch… from the SVC!
Intrepid blasts off, taking up to the KSS, with a cargo bay full of ladders!
It takes a lot of work.. but Chrisnic and Dunwin are eventually able to install both the ladders and grip surfaces as well as the new module’s solar panels, and even add some decorative lights! Decorative safety lights. 
The new panels deploy succesffuly!
“Well, will you look at that! Those are some big solar panels!”
-Dunwin
After a … mostly… successful mission, Enterprise prepares to head back to Kerbin. Edan will take the craft down himself, while Chrisnic will stay on the KSS to train!
Edan lines up a perfect landing…
… and sets down! Edan is developing a reputation for being a no-nonsense pilot that can handle pretty much anything that comes his way!
Endeavor completes a minor refit to its orbital maneuvering system. Ever since the rear cargo addition was added to the Crew Shuttles orbital handling has been off, it’s hoped that this update will make the craft easier to control during docking! In addition, air brakes developed during the Heavy Cargo Shuttle Program have been scaled down, and installed on Endeavor. Hopefully they assist in landing safety! 
Today, Val pilots Endeavor to orbit, taking Robart and Orlas up to the KSS for a crew rotation! This might be the last launch to make use of the lower docking ports on the KSS, as engineers are designing a new Observation Lounge for the station, based on designs developed for Explorer 3! Getting the huge addition into space will help test how practical it will be for the Explorer crew!
Endeavor arrives at the KSS!
“This new orbital maneuvering system works a LOT better than the old design. We should refit the rest of the Crew Shuttles ASAP!”
-Val
Shepley, Jeb, Bob depart in the Intrepid, which is due for its own upgrades once it returns to Kerbin! 
Jeb soars Intrepid down to the runway… 
…for a perfect landing!
“Let’s get this thing refitted… I can’t wait to try out the new design!”
-Jeb
The RCS Refuelling Mission to Harmony Station above Minmus arrives!
…and docking goes surprisingly uneventfully!
Looks like a good seal! This will give Harmony plenty of monopropellant fuel for future missions – good work everybody!
-Gilian
Samner and Robart prepare to head home… (Robart takes the long way, enjoying an EVA before heading home) while Gilian and Kimmy prepare for the next Harmony Space Station landing! Scientists are still figuring out the best location for HSSLS02!
Samner, Val, and Robart head home!
Kerbal States | Kerbin Space Exploration Administration 