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Jun 23 2014

#024: Servicing the ComSat Network

The Agency had originally planned to do this in two missions, but Lead Engineer Simon convinced Flight Director Lanalye in a marathon planning session that it could be done in one. Thus, Captain Bob was tasked with piloting the tallest rocket assembled to date into orbit high above Kerbin to service ComSat I, which needed larger-capacity batteries. He then had to lower his orbit to rendezvous with ComSat II, which had experienced problems during launch that caused it to lose all its solar panels. The ComSat Service Vehicle constructed for this mission was an improved model of the craft used for the Kerbin III de-orbit that allowed fuel transfer to restore Center of Mass within the RCS thruster ring for proper translation abilities Bob lacked in the previous mission. The Agency was all set to pull off yet another successful mission.

tweet1.png VAB completed the mating of the service vehicle to the lift rocket, and launch is set for tomorrow at 15:46 UTC tweet2.png tweet3.png tweet4.png tweet5.png Capt Bob is secured in the capsule & one of the 'pad technicians took this photo looking down from the tower walkway tweet6.png tweet7.png tweet8.png tweet9.png tweet10.png tweet11.png tweet12.png tweet13.png tweet14.png tweet15.png tweet16.png tweet17.png tweet18.png if our serendipitous rendezvous confused you, perhaps the sequence of events from the tracking screen can help tweet19.png tweet20.png tweet21.png tweet22.png while waiting, gawk at this beautiful photo over the KSC from 779km tweet23.png tweet24.png tweet25.png tweet26.png tweet27.png tweet28.png tweet29.png tweet30.png we're busy working out the ComSat II rendezvous, but here's an EVA photo of the service vehicle & ComSat I tweet31.png tweet32.png tweet33.png tweet34.png tweet35.png tweet36.png tweet37.png tweet38.png tweet39.png tweet40.png tweet41.png before releasing orbital stage prior to reentry Bob snagged one last awesome shot - Kerbin/Mun/Minmus alignment!! tweet42.png tweet43.png tweet44.png tweet45.png tweet46.png

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