With the successful placement of ComSat III, the other two ComSats require servicing. Before sending another kerbal into space, the engineering team wants to test a re-designed radial chute – the type of chute that failed on re-entry and killed Cmdr Jeb. If successful, this will open more design options for future kerbed missions.
Tag Archive: probe
May 17 2014
#019: ComSat III Placement
After the previously failed launch, a new ComSat III is sent up into orbit to complete the initial phase of the LKO communications network.
May 10 2014
#018: Friction: 1, KSA: 0
May 08 2014
#017: Check Yo Staging
After the marathon success of getting the first of 3 communications satellites into place above Kerbin, the teams at KSA were hoping for a more routine second mission now that the kinks were deemed “ironed out”. But we forgot something…
May 04 2014
#016: Saving ComSat I
The first of 3 communications satellites is placed to eventually eliminate comm blackouts in Low Kerbin Orbit, however problems arise during orbital insertion that requires a much longer mission than planned.
Apr 23 2014
#014: In Case of Emergency…
Although the Agency now has a successful means of recovering a capsule from orbit, they are still worried about failure and are testing a possible last-ditch option. The could potentially save an astronauts life should chutes fail to deploy.
Apr 19 2014
#013: Testing 1…2…3…
After repeated failures and with engineer still unable to determine the root cause of the problem the radial chutes have been sent back to the R&D labs and now the focus is on ensuring the nose cone chute can survive re-entry as configured for a kerbed mission. Capt Bill is granted manual remote control of the flight and all goes well until orbit…
Apr 18 2014
#012: Testing 1…2…
Based on data from the last test flight, engineers think that they have discovered a defect in the way chutes arm prior to re-entry. To test this the second mission will arm the chutes only after entering the lower atmosphere – if they survive.
Apr 14 2014
#011: Testing 1…
The KSA has recovered from the tragic loss of its ace Commander and is setting forth on a series of missions to try and determine why the radial chutes are failing on re-entry. This first test looks to recreate conditions from the Kerbin V mission.
Mar 30 2014
#009: To Space and Back Again
Despite multiple attempts, the goal of returning a payload intact from orbit continues to elude us. However the loss of Kerbin III to such a simple issue of miscalculated electric charge consumption means that the craft itself should still perform as designed so with only minor changes Kerbin IV was rolled out of the VAB days later to attempt to succeed where all other iterations had failed.