Kerbal Space Administration

Year 3, Day 140 Yesterday, the KSA launched what is likely the most important deep-space probe ever constructed, like Kioneer 10 on steroids... Voyagance 1! This probe is designed for the great planetary alignment of all the outer worlds, including Jool, Sarnus, Urlum, and Neidon. But not to just look at them through a lens, but instead go to them. Voyagance 1 carries a suite of instruments to study these distant worlds in unprecedented detail. On board are high-resolution cameras, a magnetometer to measure planetary magnetic fields, a gravitational sensor to track subtle tugs from moons, and the classic thermometer and barometer pair for atmospheric studies during flybys. Power is supplied by radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), ensuring the probe can keep operating far from Kerbol’s light. Backup batteries provide additional security in case of unexpected power demands. Beyond its scientific payload, the probe carries a symbolic one: a polished silver record mounted to i...

  Year 3, Day 136 Gnikyv 1 was a proposed mission to Duna turned real by astronomer Karl Kerman. It was planned as an uncrewed probe to Duna similar to Evera 1, but instead of going to Eve, which was actually surprisingly easy due to the high gravitational pull, it was gonna go to Duna. Getting to Duna is significantly harder due to the low gravitational pull, about 30% of that compared to the surface of Kerbin. Due to the gravity, the SOI of this body is much smaller. But Karl wouldn't let this get past him. Partnering with the KSA, he built the most accurate launch vehicle of its time to get to Duna safely and as quickly as possible. When the Duna transfer window opened, they launched the rocket carrying the Gnikyv lander inside. After getting to orbit and running a couple background checks, they shot for orbit around the Sun. After getting into a stable orbit, they headed straight for Duna. It would take months to get there. After arrival at Duna, the lander detached from the pa...

  Year 3, Day 121 The Kioneer 10 probe, launched about a year from today ago, has now become the first interstellar kerbal-made object! The probe was meant to go for Jool, and it made it all the way there and sent back some awesome photos: It's wild to see some of Jool's moons up close and the planet itself and the crazy colors in the atmosphere and clouds - and we still don't know what makes it green! Anyway, it took photos, measured data, and completed its main mission, learning a bit more about Jool. It's likely that one day, a full fledged orbiter will go to Jool and dive extremely close to the planet's atmosphere to take crazy photos and measure data never even thought possible to be measured! Official KSA Article

  Year 2, Day 100 Evera 1, the uncrewed Eve lander, has successfully landed on the surface of Eve and scientific measurements are being taken right now! Eve also appears to be not as nice and Kerbin-like as we thought. In fact, it seems pretty deadly. If you want more details about the mission, check the last post. Here are the first images from the surface of Eve: Here are the first sounds that have come back from the surface of Eve:

  Year 1, Day 13 The KSA has worked on this project for quite a while, and finally we have gotten the first uncrewed interplanetary mission ever, Evera 1 to Eve! With Evera 1, we will once now know what the surface of that purple point of light in the sky looks like and also... What it sounds like! That's correct, Evera 1 will carry a microphone and camera onboard to take pictures and recordings of the surface of Eve. The spacecraft will take some time to get to Eve, so sit back and relax while history unfolds. It will descend through the thick atmosphere of Eve using a gigantic 10m wide inflatable heat shield which will then detach once slowed down enough. Upon landing, the probe likely only has about 1 day to transmit all data back to Kerbin. So it will quickly mine samples of the surface, take images, record sounds, log data, and then send this data back to Kerbin. More info on the mission will be coming out upon landing. Official KSA Article

  Year 1, Day 12 In the previous article, we discussed KSA planning a crewed Mun mission. And now, just a few days later, they have been completed! Mungram 1 was a partial success. Not as much data as was wanted to be captured was captured, but otherwise, it was a success! The rocket, Munship V, took off from Kerbin at the 5th hour carrying pilot Jebediah Kerman, engineer Bill Kerman, and scientist Bob Kerman. They orbited the Mun for a few hours and returned to Kerbin. Mungram 11, the technically second Mun mission was the more exciting one. This time, they took off from Kerbin into a parking orbit, and went for the Mun. After about 2 days of waiting, they arrived at the Mun and slowed into a low orbit. The LM (Lander Module) was waiting for Jebediah and Bill to enter. After entering, the LM disconnected from the Service Module and begun its descent to the surface of the Mun. After a perfect landing in a small crater not far from the East Crater Basin, Jebediah stepped out of the ...

  Year 1, Day 8 The KSA has been planning this for a while, and now it's finally a reality - we are going to the Mun! Today, the KSA confirmed that they are planning a mission to the Mun and starting a program for it, the Mungram. They will be using the Munship V experimental launch vehicle and will have to perform some uncrewed tests first, so it may be a little bit before we actually try to go to the Mun. Soon, there will likely be a crewed Mun orbital flight to orbit the Mun, not land, and get back to Kerbin safely. (Mungram 1) Crew will be Jebediah Kerman, Bill Kerman, and Bob Kerman. Officially Certified Article by the KSA

  Year 1, Day 7 The KSA has officially just completed the first ever successful crewed orbital flight ever! The rocket, named the Moho-Atlas 3 carrying pilot Jebediah Kerman, successfully launched, staged, and then orbited Kerbin with a Kerbal inside for the first time in Kerbal history. During an interview with Jebediah, the fearless pilot said this: "It was simultaneously the most nerve-racking and exciting and just plain cool experience of my life, at least so far. I think the KSA likes me as a pilot because I'll accept any mission. Why do I? Honestly, I don't know much why myself. I just have always been a daredevil. Willing to take risks even if I die or go missing from them. But yeah, it was a really cool experience!" This flight paves the way for the KSA to possibly consider trying to go to the Mun and perhaps send unmanned landers and orbiters to other planetary systems entirely. Who knows, maybe even one day, they'll send Kerbals to Duna or maybe even Eve...

  Year 1, Day 6 The KSA had this day planned for the history books. And yet, sadly, it went horribly wrong. The first crewed flight of the Moho-Atlas 1 failed after taking off with too little fuel and not powerful enough reaction wheels, according to the Kerbin Astronomical and Rocketry Society. There were also apparently some loose bolts. Thankfully, the pilot, again, fearless Jebediah Kerman, separated the capsule from the rocket body in enough time to splashdown safely, so no lives were lost. However, this set the funding for the Administration far back. They now have to find a solution with a lower budget. They think a more powerful reaction wheel hub and smarter engineers might work. For now though, the program has gone into work mode while they figure out a solution.

  Year 1, Day 6 Remember the planned satellite to be put into orbit, that could start Kerbal-kind's reach for an interplanetary comms network? Well, just today, it was put into orbit! This technically does not count as a mission, as missions don't last forever. And this satellite is planned to last for hundreds of years! Without a specific return date, we do not know when it will come back, but as long as the solar panels don't degrade and batteries remain charged, it should last for a century, maybe even more. The satellite uses the newly developed advanced payload rocket, the Kepsilon 1. It launched on the 4th hour of the morning with the satellite inside, and reached stable high Kerbin orbit at about noon, KSC time. After fairing separation, the payload was decoupled into orbit and the second stage of the rocket safely burned up in the atmosphere of Kerbin and splashed down in a remote part of the ocean. The satellite confirmed communications was online, did several expe...

  Year 1, Day 5 Today, the KSA has built and tested the first ever hypersonic aircraft with a top speed of about Mach 5. That's right! The aircraft called the Kellington K-1 reached a top speed of Mach 5.2, just above hypersonic velocity, before it ran out of fuel and splashed down in the ocean after the brave (or maybe stupid) pilot Jebediah Kerman ejected after slowing the craft down to about 100 m/s. The aircraft was made after an argument between mission control admiral Gene Kerman and Jebediah Kerman when they first asked what the fastest aircraft was that they could build. Stakes were high, but Jeb thought of the Kellington K-1 along with his engineering friend, Bill Kerman. And it worked - first try! They really didn't expect it to, but it did! The speed was so fast that the air around the craft heated up so much due to friction that the air around them glowed a purple-red color. Another leap for the KSA again!

 Year 1, Day 3 That's right - the KSA is thinking about actually putting up a relay satellite into low Kerbin Orbit! It will have more unique sensors and last longer than Stayputnik. It will also have a far more complicated communications system, and even a color camera to capture the first color photos of Kerbin from space! If they pull this off, it could open the door to crewed spaceflight.

  Year 1, Day 1 Today, the Kerbal Space Administration launches its first official mission; a mission to Kerbin orbit! Approved yesterday by mission leader Gene Kerman, this starts the Space Program's quest to reach the stars. Several other launch sites facepalm as they realize the Kerbal Space Administration reached space first! The satellite launched into orbit, called Stayputnik, will attempt to read data from outer space using its sensors. It includes a temperature sensor, gravity sensor, barometer, black and white camera, and 4 antennae for communication back to the ground. The mission will likely end in about 3 months when in reenters the atmosphere and burns up like a shooting star. First photos are expected to come back soon! May this be a huge leap for Kerbal-kind in the advancement of technology! IMPORTANT UPDATE: The first images of Kerbin have come back, and they are absolutely breathtaking! Have a look: