X-10 Laythe Spaceplane

Year 22, Day 325 (Mission Planning for DSV-4 Endeavor’s Laythe Landing!)

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The challenge of exploring Laythe led to the most complicated engineering project that KSEA had ever done: the X-10 Laythe Spaceplane! This engineering marvel is capable of delivering three Kerbals from Laythe orbit to the surface and back!

There are actually two X-10 Laythe Spaceplanes now – the LCV-1 Endurance, which is currently docked at the Laythe Spaceport, and the LCV-2 Resolute, which is en-route to Laythe now!

Previous flights of the X-10 have followed the above flight plan, and the Endeavor crew will follow it for their upcoming mission! The only question for the Endeavor crew is… where to land! Thankfully mission planners have some ideas!

The first landing site proposed is Crater Island – The second is the Crescent Bay/Crescent Sea area! The landing at the Crescent Bay may involve a water landing, however engineers aren’t sure the craft can survive that! During the design phase it was considered but not actually planned for. And with no other ships or crew nearby if anything went wrong there might be a very big problem! Some engineers want to try a water landing on Kerbin before authorizing one on Laythe!

Ultimately, it’s hoped that a good spot for a research base can be found!

Year 22, Day 324 (DSV-4 Endeavor Arrives at Laythe Spaceport!)

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The Endeavor arrives at Laythe! Onboard systems start activating, and wakes up the crew from Cryo-sleep!

“Wake up everybody! We’re here!”
-Robart

“We’re up! Let’s get to our stations! “
-Val

Val, Robart, and Kerlorf rush to their stations, and check out the incredible views!

“Reactor levels good – all systems look OK… engine powered up! “
-Kerlorf

“OK! Maneuvering Endeavor so we can capture into Laythe orbit! “
-Kerlorf

Endeavor continues it’s approach to Laythe, until…

Val fires the main engine, capturing the spacecraft into Laythe orbit!

“Orbital entry angle is good – nice flying Val!“
-Robart

Val maneuvers Endeavor, completing its rendezvous with Laythe Spaceport!

Endeavor slowly maneuvers closer and closer to the docking port of the spaceport!

“Wow! Crazy to think the station has been waiting here for us since the last crew visited!“
-Kerlorf

“We’re lined up – slowing speed….“
-Val

With a loud mechanical “clunk!” Endeavor docks with Laythe Spaceport!

The Endeavor crew heads over to the Spaceport – getting the Laythe Spaceplane Endurance ready for a flight to the surface!

“The airs a little stale, but readings show it’s still safe!“
-Robart

“Endurance is looking good too! Once we get settled in we should be ready to head down to Laythe!“
-Kerlorf

Year 21, Day 130 (Laythe Spaceplane Resolute Launches for Jool/Laythe!)

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The second Laythe Crew Vehicle spaceplane is launched from KSC!

The spacecraft enters orbit… and waits!

Resolute will leave Kerbin in about 400 days for an express trip to Jool/Laythe. This new Laythe Crew Vehicle is almost identical to the current LCV-1 Endurance, but with improved science payloads (including water detection systems) and improved power systems. The solar panels have been removed, and the craft’s onboard power supply has been buffed up to survive longer on Laythe!

“I can’t wait to fly that on Laythe!”

-Edan, at Mission Control

Year 21, Day 67 (DSV-4 Endeavor Leaves Kerbin, Heading to Laythe!)

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Endeavor’s nuclear engine fires, and the spacecraft begins moving out of Kerbin orbit!

“All systems nominal. Power levels holding ..”

-Kerlorf

“The cryo tanks are ready once we’re away!”

-Robart

“Endeavor is on course! Preparing ship for automatic mode!”

-Val

As Endeavor heads to Laythe, KSEA prepares to launch another Spaceplane to follow the crew!

Year 21, Day 35 (Crew Selected for Endeavor Mission to Laythe!)

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Val, Robart, and Kerlorf have been selected for DSV-4 Endeavor’s upcoming mission to Laythe Spaceport!

The crew will pilot the Laythe Spaceplane Endurance to the surface and continue scouting the planet for future colonies. KSEA is also hoping to launch an additional Laythe Spaceplane in time for the mission!

“Oh wow! I can’t wait!”
-Kerlorf

Robart, already at White Mesa, starts packing his bags for the trip!

“I can’t wait to blast off! This desert assignment has been pretty dull!”
-Robart

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

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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 17, Day 331 (Discovery Crew Boards Laythe Spaceplane ‘Endurance’ – Then Lands on Laythe!

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Jeb, Bill, and Bob board LCV-1 Endurance and head down for another landing! The discovery that Laythe has a breathable atmosphere has caused a bit of a commotion back on Kerbin – talk of a permanent colony on Laythe has begun!

“Ok – hold on! We’re setting down right by the coast so if we overshoot the landing site, we’ll need to be ready to blast off back into orbit… this plane isn’t rated for a water landing!”
-Jeb

It looks like the approach was spot on! Endurance activates it’s landing parachute, and the VTOL Aerospike bays open!

Endurance slowly sets down, aided by the VTOL system and the parachute!

“Endurance has landed! Let’s get out and see what’s out there!”
-Jeb

Jeb and Bill climb out and take in the sights, with Bob right behind them!

“Hey guys! What’re you standing there looking at!?”
-Bob

“Oh! The Sagen sea is so pretty! You’d almost think it’s Kerbin!”
-Bob

Year 17, Day 170 (Endurance Lands at Laythe’s Peaks and Makes Important Discovery!)

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Mission Control OK’s the next landing, at Laythe’s peaks, along the equator! As the Laythe missions progress, a few things are already clear: solar panels do NOT work well this far out, and the Deep Space Relay Network needs significant improvements around Laythe! In fact, once the Endurance lands, all communications is lost with Kerbin! A new X-10 is under construction, that will launch to Jool at the next window to supplement operations and provide a backup!

Jeb, Bill, and Bob fly through the alien atmosphere, until they spot the landing site!

“That’s the spot! “
-Jeb

The X-10’s dual mode RAPIER engines allow very specific landing selection, something that can be tricky on atmospheric planets! Jeb pilots Endurance until it’s right on top of the target!

“Chute deployed – airbreakes deployed… VTOL bays open, firing vertical aerospikes!”
-Jeb

Endurance slowly decends to the surface!

“Hey, I see Vall back there!”
-Bob

“Huh? Val’s back on Kerbin!”
-Bill

“No silly! Vall with two ‘L’s’! The moon!”
-Bob

Endurance lands safely, and after getting all that sorted out, Jeb leaves to inspect the landing site!

“Hey! I just noticed, the indicator on the suit says the air here is close to Kerbin! I’m gonna take my helmet off!”
-Jeb

“You don’t know if it’s safe!”
-Bob

Jeb takes his helmet off and takes a few breaths…

“Seems fine!”
-Jeb

Bill and Bob climb out! Bill repacks the parachute, and checks on the X-10, while Bob starts taking samples!

“Remarkable! The air here seems very close to Kerbin! We might even be able to set up a sustainable colony here!”
-Bob

Jeb, Bill, and Bob excitedly discuss the possibilities opened up by the discovery that Laythe has a breathable atmosphere!

Year 17, Day 158 (Laythe Spaceplane ‘Endurance’ Lands on Laythe!)

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After years of designing, preparation, and waiting, the day is finally here… the Discovery crew will leave the Spaceport and take their Spaceplane ‘Endurance‘ to land on Laythe!

Even the mission profile has been carefully planned, as no spaceplane has ever landed on another planet!

“OK – ‘Endurance’ is undocked from the Spaceport… using maneuvering thrusters to reach safe distance to activate engines!”
-Jeb

Endurance’s solar panels deploy to soak up as much energy as possible, while the orbital maneuvering engine fires to drop the craft out of orbit!

“So far so good!”
-Bill

Airbrakes deploy to create more drag, slowing the re-entry of the spaceplane! From inside the cramped science bay, Bob is growing concerned:

“What’s going on!? It’s getting hot! I can’t see anything from this seat!!”
-Bob

“Everything’s fine! We’re through the worst of the heat now – on course for a chain of islands near the equator!”
-Jeb

“Switching RAPIER engines to ‘air-breathing‘ – looks like a lot of flat desert down there, setting down shouldn’t be so bad!”
-Jeb

“Slowing our speed, deploying Air Brakes… starting landing procedures. Hold on everyone!”
-Jeb

Endurance needs to be going as slow as possible before it deploys it’s landing parachute. On Kerbin this parachute wouldn’t do a very good job of slowing an X-10, however on Laythe (combined with the VTOL engines) it should do the job just fine!

The Air Brakes retract, and the parachute deploys! The aircraft pulls up until it starts to even out…

“Ahhhhhh!”
-Bob

“Hang on back there! We’re almost down!”
-Bill

The VTOL bays open, and the aerospike rockets fire to slow the spacecraft! The housing of the chambers is thermally lined to protect the rest of the spacecraft, nonetheless, the rockets aren’t meant to be fired for anything but short bursts!

“Just about there! VTOL is slowing us down to about 5 m/s…. we’re in the pipe, five by five!”
-Jeb

“Why do all the pilots say that before they land!?!”
-Bill

Endurance sets down on Laythe!

“Finally! What a rough ride! Opening science bays… deploying ladders… antennas and solar panels deploying!”
-Bob

The crew will do tests for a short time before heading out to the surface!

Year 17, Day 138 (Laythe Spaceplane Rendezvouses With Laythe Spaceport!)

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With Discovery now docked at Laythe Spaceport, the X-10 is remotely piloted to Rendezvous! With it’s transfer stage still attached the spacecraft is very unwieldy – but it’s important to use every bit of fuel – refills are hard to come by in the Jool system!

Endeavor arrives at the Spaceport!

“This is going to be a tricky docking… I better EVA over and do it manually!”
-Jeb

“OK – I have stepped outside the hatch… rocket packs on… heading toward the X-10!”
-Jeb

“Oh wow guys! Are you seeing this!?”
-Jeb

“…roger that Jeb – we see you!”
-Bill

“This thing is a lot bigger in person!“
-Jeb

Jeb detaches the X-10 from it’s transfer stage, and pilots it to the station! The inline docking port makes the procedure a little more challenging than normal!

“We read a solid connection – good job!”
-Bob

With that, all the components of the Laythe Mission are in place! The crew will start checking systems, and prepare for their first landing!