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Sep 16 2014

#029: Munar Relay Network Completion

The KSA finally recovered enough from the atmospheric asteroid explosion just over 150km west of the KSC at the end of August to complete assembly of the third Munar comsat and launch it on its mission to complete the Munar relay network. The previous attempt had ended in failure due to wrongly-tuned boosters, but Lead Engineer Simon personally oversaw the final stages of the rocket construction to ensure booster thrust was set properly. In addition to completing the communications network around Mun, once separated the transfer stage would perform a fly-through of the impact cloud kicked up when the previous Mun comsat transfer stage, still in orbit, slams into the Munar surface. Lead Scientist Wernher Von Kerman had devised a new dust collector experiment for this purpose, although the collectors are also capable of collecting interstellar particles. Finally, there was a chance to arrange a very close (1.3km) fly-by of a passing asteroid in the hopes of photographing it prior to the launch of ComSat Mun III.

X6atZRZ.pngKofKWlW.png 31Jc9pT.png k0G4TSF.png KWO now on 1.3km close approach to UQE-163, ComSat Mun III fueled and preflight underway plpvV0b.png vmGwyM1.png eGAUEXE.png we did it! At max optical zoom, KWO snagged the 1st image of an asteroid as it zips by Kerbin qhqQycd.png eA3l0Je.png IfKrYye.png YoOVSK0.png fN2e8Dx.png cYgvIrt.png k7uTX5j.png the spacecraft is fully operational. We're now plotting our Mun trip. Here's a test photo from the camera (220km) UBiY7de.png pSp7RdD.png r7ryP6r.png 03dgUxf.png bgtK0tU.png jneFKGI.png SjxAZrR.png it really was a beautiful launch this morning at sunrise. We've certainly improved our launch arc UMW8K4A.png at just 80km above Kerbin, you can see light bend enough through the atmosphere to get a green glow just after sunset 0WTrNia.png JPMmhku.png Vh3gGQB.png v1L9HyQ.png O62f33Q.png dish is online, and we have photos from Kerbin to Mun and Mun to Kerbin dish is online, and we have photos from Kerbin to Mun and Mun to Kerbin i0Oz790.png U1jQx6M.png HtzIMkw.png we just had to transmit home from ComSat Mun III this pic of Kerbin bracketed by Minmus and Jool oW7C7OE.png fEMsXXg.png wBS7fSc.png YvA0Gy4.png Wl1jYEP.png yn8BsNm.png 11min to 2.1Mm Ap and you can see Kerbin still is nowhere close to passing behind Mun vgYaEGF.png 6eWYCHb.png x3PiEBf.png Bb7XpNG.png EKR5rW9.png here's how things are looking around Mun right now. ComSat Mun III will be adjusting inclination at 14:40 UTC ZPcuEh5.png 2S7tQ72.png yMZdU6K.png 6p9qzEK.png check out this celestial party! Kerbol, Moho, Duna, Eve, Kerbin and Mun. Dres is actually a tiny speck up-left of Eve luAEjcA.png uu7Ag0s.png 25akZAA.png fR1Z5Cw.png 7K44ikB.png XTOXbx0.png the view from the tracking screen as our three Mun ComSats do their job connecting the other 2 craft with Kerbin O3Pal5V.png gnVPehe.png qE9c0B1.png Vkti2Xv.png UwxWAOu.png rSWWkzH.png BQ9iEFP.png iyV0Kw1.png j05I9Yu.png r8i8XN6.png fn7347m.png 53bApZY.png after passing close to Mun 30mins ago and transiting the dark side, Munar Orbiter III now has power to send us this sqT518p.png mkJEb4p.png Munar Impactor, about to pass periapsis, gives us a look at the general area where it will impact next orbit mIokG3c.png we're set for impact, lower chevron is Munar Orbiter III's position. It may not be far enough behind but we'll see hb3VNIL.png NRndtaS.png RAIgsxR.png yes! There was a brief flare up, no doubt from some volatile vapors still inside the craft. So long, Munar Impactor Xatys1q.png GhF2bOR.png pj4r9fg.png lVHql1c.png\ Mun this, Mun that, Mun Mun Mun... what about *Kerbin*?? Oh look, more Mun. Well, we tried eW2mswr.png wRydMhb.png kOghWhg.png Tp5pnON.png it's breakfast time, have another sandwich - this time a Kerbin one! jROb4zp.png

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