«

»

Dec 17 2014

#050: Mun I – Mun or… bust?

Ever since the historic first orbit of Kerbin by Cmdr Jebediah Kerman, kerbals have only ever repeatedly visited Low-Kerbin Orbit (LKO), with some forays out to Mid-Kerbin Orbit (MKO). The KSA has been planning for months to send a kerbal into orbit around Mun, but only now has the chance come to do so after many tests of new technologies, including a whole new 2.5m rocket system. The mission is planned to also service the various satellites that are in orbit around Mun to further expand the Agency’s scientific knowledge and long-range communication capabilities. On the cusp of yet another historic moment, the KSA aims to meet and surmount the inevitable challenges ahead.

pQaBVil.png asygwrf.png here are the blueprints for Mun I, set to launch next month UeXGuuZ.png kynPs9O.png MdgLA9E.png T6gpPmm.png 5X2r6D8.png kcTO3tb.png our astronauts need food, water and oxygen to survive in space, and here is where it is all processed and stored SSioYNy.png AaaB3PM.png cbnm5R8.png right after receiving this photo from Munar Orbiter III, high on its inclined orbit, we lost comms for several mins IbRKQUA.png augXzib.png gUlII5x.png WsjDah0.png TFTNVwC.png oenFKix.png up it goes! IP ComSat II, already in its fairing, is being winched up for mating with the lift rocket now in the VAB hEPdzwo.png pLjvC0f.png Mun I transfer stage getting chocked full of snacks as well as repair/supply parts for Mun ComSats. Capsule also done ZQGJORB.png icOhCqk.png aUFtEnr.png fPvjEP8.png Mun I transfer stage exterior is being completed today so we can put on the SPS engine, seen to the right bniTLyF.png Mun I lift stage engine mounting/tuning wrapping up today, and all 4 boosters are here to be strapped on tomorrow PE9fZXx.png NvZwSS6.png l4tD2cn.png wzj7jpd.png one last look at Mun I in the VAB as they prepare for final staging and roll out tomorrow evening 6SjhUGB.png EdNNU36.png zQeQsxA.png hookups are complete and Mun I is set for final readiness check tomorrow. Isn't she beautiful? ry7Lrj1.png RuoMUYS.png 2TFQFt1.png 9F33XoQ.png ugJQEBa.png i6BBc8S.png 0mL6Y9q.png Mun I life support issue still being looked into. Other systems checking out fine, like cameras (here atop the LES) Saol9nZ.png o5vKe2w.png lH4HTdi.png 2qCRWLP.png nBJZb6I.png Ezki9Wq.png dDKtLIO.png we're about to get our morning weather brief as we approach first sunset. Looks nice out right now at least 1KptHC9.png eD20kQs.png astronauts are suited up. Desson will be driving them out to the pad then remain on standby chPYdyt.png workers leaving the pad took a photo of the crew bus on the way to Mun I vsSP5Np.png Cmdr Bob and Capt Wehrtop all ready and excited to climb aboard and get capsule preflight underway yFTsWf7.png C1hDCYH.png M7z5J71.png render of Mun I fully staged XoEtkDs.png qGc61uE.png since Wehrtop took a photo of Bob last time they were in the capsule, Bob decided to return the favor 1n5Je4O.png MRkZP8T.png oXraJfp.png aoUA1bJ.png wxwBarH.png S7hzI8B.png QnZrIdE.png u0wF1Hp.png sbCrwNk.png CD4IwB6.png nCG8vB9.png recovery crew sent us this photo of the capsule. They are extracting Bob and Wehrtop now. Both are a little shook up wO14coK.png Ml9gVAh.png 6EiTHPa.png oEmY5mj.png MPClJa0.png IUe20dj.png Y7BFgRG.png we had a telephoto lens on the tracking station roof cam for the liftoff earlier today of Mun I at the crack of dawn ynLFGzD.png wnSrpJB.png iwkB2H5.png Mun I booster separation was not an issue. Here's the view from the main fuel tank cam as the SRBs cut loose at 7.6km wM10y0b.png

6PVkgS1.png Xawm0pq.png 2l6waST.png UrE8Lvq.png MkmXgKX.png we have a Mk1-2 capsule, but what happened to the Mk1? It was used for early systems design and materials testing iwz6pY6.png Addendum: Mun I engine throttle failure was determined to be caused by a damaged control line. It has since been re-designated Mun III to fly again with additional structural support

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>