logbooks are gonna be longer now so i don’t just spam my blog with this stuff xD i’m on a kick with this game… again…

Venture 1

AIM: Land a probe on Duna, perform experiments, and transmit the data back to kerbin.

LOG 1 / Y1D201 / BOB: We’ve been rather busy. The Duna transfer window has arrived. This will be our first, albeit unmanned, interplanetary journey. We’re fortunate that the Camel-IV just barely has enough thrust to put this thing in orbit.

LOG 2 / Y1D201 / LEABERRY: While the Venture makes its way to Duna, we’ll be hard at work back home coming up with some new launch vehicles. They’ll need to, again, be much cheaper than the Spunka rocket, so we’re looking into reusability.

X20 Test Program

AIM: Develop a craft which can fly into orbit, reenter, and land back at the KSC without expending a stage.

LOG 1 / Y1D217 / VAL: I gotta be honest, this bird scares the shit out of me. We’ll test the basic flight and the landings first.

LOG 2 / Y1D217 / VAL: Had to punch out. It won’t be capable of gliding to a landing, it needs to run the engines. Little more authority on all control surfaces.

LOG 3 / Y1D217 / VAL: Successful landing. I’m gonna take test pilot Sigger with me on the next go around. More pitch authority. Takeoff trim is 3 notches.

LOG 4 / Y1D218 / VAL: That’s orbit. Wooo!!! We’re on our way back, gonna try reenter at 30 degrees nose-up.

LOG 5 / Y1D218 / VAL: Holy shit. Holy shit, I can’t believe it worked. Almost flawlessly!! We’ll need a fuel drain valve and some other stuff but otherwise she’s a go.

LEG 1

AIM: Construct a heavy lift launch vehicle capable of carrying 40 tons to orbit. It must be partially reusable.

LOG 1 / Y1D219 / LEABERRY: Well, at 1425 kredits per ton it’s almost twice as cost efficient as a Spunka, that is it launches twice as much payload. The solid rocket motors splash down using parachutes and are recovered, but that only saves 5,000 kredits. We’ve got a long way to go; for now, the LEG will do.

What we really need is a fully recoverable craft with a payload of say, 28 or 30 tons. Some sort of “Space Shuttle”.

Hotpoket Solar Probe

AIM: Fly a probe into the sun’s corona and return scientific data. Wait, seriously?

LOG 1 / Y1D219 / LEABERRY: This is equal parts stupid and intriguing. We’ll do this with two LEG launches and an in-orbit assembly.

LOG 2 / Y1D219 / BOB: The docking was successful. We’re sending this thing out and gonna try snag a gravity assist from.. Kerbin. Next year. Wait, the second stage..!!

LOG 3 / Y1D219 / BOB: Fiddlesticks. The upper stage activated prematurely and burnt off the lower stage. We’re only left with three and a half thousand metres per second. It’s gonna take some good orbital mechanics to pull a win out of this. Welp, see you in a year little guy.

Happy Valley 1

AIM: Land on Minmus, using a reusable transfer stage, and return data to the MRRP.

LOG 1 / Y1D237 / LEABERRY: This launch only took half the launch mass of the LEG, but we don’t have any other certified options. We would almost have been better off with a Spunka. Almost. At the very least the resupply launches will be light enough for a Camel-IV.

LOG 2 / Y1D238 / LEM: After some consternation the Happy Valley has arrived at the MRRP, but .. it can’t fit the docking port. It’s too long, and the old Spunka crew module is in the way.. We’re going to attempt a diagonal dock.

Success. It kinda looks like they’re makin’ out!

LOG 3 / Y1D239 / VAL: It’s Verdorf, Ursey and I for this trip. We took a Camel up to the MRRP. Bob and I played cards and drank. Soon enough he and I are gonna be relics, and get the Spunka treatment. I’m gonna ask if he’ll come down to Kerbin for a while so I’m not just alone with all these kids.

Sidenote: The MRRP looks like shit with all these craft docked. We need a bigger station with more parking.

LOG 4 / Y1D240 / BOB: Jeepers, they almost clipped us on the way out!! New protocol: No burns within remote proximity of space stations.

LOG 5 / Y1D241 / URSEY: We need an airlock and experiment storage unit on the transfer stage. I’m sure that can be sorted out once we’re back at the MRRP.

LOG 6 / Y1D249 / URSEY: The terrain is incredible. We’re standing on a frozen lake, and at the far side side of it is the glittering void of space.

LOG 7 / Y1D262 / VERDORF: Well, we’re in Kerbin orbit, but we’re out of fuel. Supplies are running low. The KSED will be launching a Camel-IV to come top us up.

LOG 8 / Y1D263 / SIGGER: Rendesvouz complete, but the docking clamps don’t match. Verdorf’s going to detach the Rock Toad lander’s clamp, attach it to the Camel, and then we can attempt docking with the Happy Valley Transfer Stage.

LOG 9 / Y1D263 / VERDORF: I’m appalled at how this has all gone, but we’re fuelled up now. This was easily twice as expensive as Spunka. I hope it’s all worth it.

LOG 10 / Y1D263 / VAL: Docked with the MRRP and science secured. We’re goin’ home!!! Woooo!!

I’m takin’ Bob with me and Ursey’s gonna stay up here. It’s a good sign she hasn’t had her fill of space even after all that.

Venture 1 (Cont.)

LOG 3 / Y2D31 / LEABERRY: We’re entering Duna’s orbit now. Let’s hope this pays off.

LOG 4 / Y2D32 / LEABERRY: Venture relay deployed. Venture lander entering atmosphere soon.

LOG 5 / Y2D34 / LEABERRY: I don’t think I’ve ever held my breath for so long. But the mission was a total success. We’re parsing the first readings now, assessing the feasibility of a manned mission to Duna.