KSP_origins

Kerbal Space Program - Origins
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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

THIS IS A FAN BOOK ABOUT SQUAD`S KERBAL SPACE PROGRAM.
THEREFORE YOU CAN COPY IT FREELY AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE, BUT TO
SELL/LEND IT FOR MONEY OR FOR OTHER GOODS, WITHOUT SQUAD`S

PERMISSION, IS PROHIBITED!!!
Every vessel part* ,character and character`s name belongs to SQUAD.

*parts from modders (not SQUAD) are listed below:

*The polar graph for „flight plan for Minmus Frog” is from incompetech.com*
Mods I used for KSP (1.3.1.):

Chatterer (Chatterer 0.9.93)
Chatterer Extended (ChattererExtended 0.6.1)
Contract Configurator (ContractConfigurator 1.23.3)
Contract Pack: Bases and Stations (ContractConfigurator-KerbinSpaceStation 2:3.7.0.1)
Contract Pack: Field Research (ContractConfigurator-FieldResearch 1.2.1)
Contract Pack: Tourism Plus (ContractConfigurator-Tourism 1.5.2)
Contract Parser (ContractParser 7.0)
ContractConfigurator-FarOutContracts (ContractConfigurator-FarOutContracts 2:v3.0)
Contracts Window + (ContractsWindowPlus 8.1)
Crowd Sourced Science (CrowdSourcedScience v4.1)
Custom Barn Kit (CustomBarnKit 1.1.16.0)
Destruction Effects (DestructionEffects 2:v1.7.0)
Diverse Kerbal Heads (DiverseKerbalHeads 1.1.1)
DMagic Orbital Science (DMagicOrbitalScience 1.3.10)
Easy Vessel Switch (EVS) (EasyVesselSwitch 1.5)
Final Frontier (FinalFrontier 1.3.6-3189)
Firespitter Core (FirespitterCore v7.6.0)
Historian Expanded (Historian-expanded 1:v.1.3.2)
Kerbal Attachment System (KAS 0.6.3.0)
Kerbal Inventory System (KIS 1.7)
Kopernicus Planetary System Modifier (Kopernicus 2:release-1.3.1-2)
KSP AVC (KSP-AVC 1.1.6.2)
ModularFlightIntegrator (ModularFlightIntegrator 1.2.4.0)
Module Manager (ModuleManager 2.8.1)
NEBULA Decals Continued (NEBULADecalsContinued 0.1.1.5)
Nehemiah Multipurpose Parts (NehemiahMultiPurposeParts 1:0.7b2)
Nehemiah Science Common (NehemiahScienceCommon 1:0.7b2)
Orbital Material Science (OrbitalMaterialScience 0.7b2)
Pood's Deep Star Map Skybox (PoodsDeepStarMap v1.1.0)
Progress Parser (ProgressParser 8.0)
Real Plume (RealPlume 2:v11.0.0)
Real Plume - Stock Configs (RealPlume-StockConfigs v1.0.0)
RLA Recontinued (RLARecontinued v14.1.0)
scatterer (Scatterer 2:v0.0320b)
scatterer - default config (Scatterer-config 2:v0.0320b)

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

scatterer - sunflare (Scatterer-sunflare 2:v0.0320b)
SETI-Contracts (SETI-Contracts 1.3.0.0)
SETI-ProbeParts (SETI-ProbeParts 1.3.0.2)
SmokeScreen - Extended FX Plugin (SmokeScreen 2.7.5.0)
SpudMoon (SpudMoon 2:V1.3.3)
TakeCommandContinued (TakeCommandContinued 1.4.10.1)
TextureReplacerReplaced (TextureReplacerReplaced V0.5.1)
TweakScale - Rescale Everything! (TweakScale v2.3.7)
Unmanned before Manned (SETI-UbM) (UnmannedBeforeManned 1.3.0.2)
Waypoint Manager (WaypointManager 2.7.0)

_________________________________________________________________________________
About the book and the author:

Dear reader!

I am very glad you got my litle book, the „Kerbal Space Program –
Origins”.
This book is about how the little green humanoids, called Kerbals
became an interplanetary species, how they managed to push their
limits well beyond their expectations. I will explain most of the events
through an eye of a Kerbal called Jebediah Kerman, who is one of the
original character in the game – as well as Bob, Bill, and last but not
least Valentina Kerman.

About me in a nutshell:

My name is Zsolt Jezerniczky, I was born in
Hungary, in a small town called Lengyeltóti. I
have a younger brother and two older sisters.
When I was a kid (now I`m 29) I was already in
love with space, and with our Solar System.
Therefore when I was around 10 years old, my
mother bought me a telescope, and I always
watched the night sky with it. Because I never had an opportunity to go
to a university, I never learned astrophisics, so if I can quote Scott
Manly: „Most of us, armchair rocket scientists”. Later on, when I was 27
I met with a Russian girl, my wife, who – as I found out later on, lives in
Korolev (Королёв), in the coordinational center of Roscosmos.]
And what about the SüdAntares stuff? - You may ask.The „Süd” came
from a tea I really like „Südafrikanische Ovambo Tee” from Messmer. The
„Antares” I picked from the constellation Scorpio, and „Cosmonautics”

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
… guess why. :) Alright, that was me, let`s see where our story began...

Hello, fellow kerbonauts. My name is Jeb. Jebediah Kerman. We run a
small space program here, on planet Kerbin. I want you to became as
good as, or a better crew than we are, so I put together this small
document, so you can read where and how everything was started...

At the beginning
we had only the
VAB and the
command
center with
some other
buildings.
There, with
some fellows
we started to
build rockets.
Just small ones,
for fun. Once, Bill adviced that we could build a bigger one, so we could

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

fly further than ever before. Everybody applaused, and I thought… „Why
didn´t I said that...”

Anyways, Gene (Kerman) said that he don`t know how to build rockets,
so he adviced he will look up missions for us. With the experience what
Bill, Bob and I aquired from playing with toy rockets, we gave advices for

the
engineers,
what kind of
rocket we
want to fly.
So after a
couple of
weeks the
„Frog” was
built. When
we had a
discussion
about names,
a young pilot,
called Valentina Kerman adviced that name. Needless to say that
everybody was in shock when they heard it.

She said: „I don´t know what does it mean, but it sounds like something
green...”
Gladly, one of our scientist said, it would be good to know more about

the planet we
are living on,
so we need to
study it – so he
strapped a
thermometer
and a
barometer to
the side panel
of the rocket.

Whatever a
frog is, the

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

launch was a great success. We reached about 7-8000 meters, and got
some scientific data until... the end – I guess... After the crash we could
not collect any data, but then the R&D department was born that day.
Together we built a small data reciever with a power supply, also
attached an antenna to the rocket – and voli-lá, we gathered the first bits
of scientific data from the lower levels of the upper atmospehere.

The next thing what we wanted to try was: „Could we build a rocket,
from the parts what we have, which could fly out of the atmosphere…?”

So from sweat and oil…
and rocket parts of
course we built the
Frog-2, which was just
an expanded Frog-1.

Of course the
performance was
already better, were
smoke and dust
everyvhere. After the
liftoff I heard the rocket, but saw only the smoke, then about 2-3 minutes
later Gene sceamed as he got the last signal from the altimeter:

„Yes! The probe left the atmosphere behind! We reached the space!”

At this time we
didn´t have any
kind of capsule,
which could take
us into the deep
darkness. So
we sent more
probes into
sub-orbial
launches.

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
Meanwhile, Gene Kerman asked us, Val and me to discover the
surrounding biomes to bring more science data back home.

That time we already had some kind of a hangar, there the engineers and
scientists experimented with a small and a somewhat larger turbofan
engines. The smaller was weak, but reliable. The bigger was more
powerful, but 4 out of 5 tries it exploded, so we kept the weaker one.

For faster travel and for gathering scientific data from the surroundings,
we built a very light and maneveurable aircraft, the Ranger-1.
The mass of the plane was something like 1,5 tonns, so for an aircraft it
was very light, and the max speed was above 300 m/s. It was very easy
to fly with, and could take you almost wherever you want to go (within
range of course).

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

The first testpilot was Val, and Gene sent her toward the highlands, to
north.

When she was there, she sent back a lot of useful data.
Then suddenly she checked in:

„- Ranger-1 to KSC!”
„- This is KSC, listening you, Ranger-1!”
„- The mountains are so close. Would you mind if I do some experiments
there?”
„- Well… I don`t think it would be a safe thing, but if you`d lik…”
„- This is Ranger-1! Thanks boss, I love You! I`ll check in when I`m landed
there. Bye!”
„- Wait...! WHAT?!?”

So… Yes. I don`t know
how, but she succesfully
landed on the mountains,
did some
experiments and flew
back to the base. I have
to admit, she was
already a badass.

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

Then was my turn.

With Gene, we were in the Astronaut Complex, discussed my mission.
He was straight. With his finger he pointed to East, and said: „Jeb. I
know you are a badass, but still, I want you to fly straight over the ocean
and do the experiments THERE. We had enough stress for today already.
No, Jeb! Forget the mountains! At least for today!”

So I flew with a slightly modified Ranger-1, called Ranger-1A.

When I was done with my experiments, I took this big bird to the old
airfield.
I never knew they put all the
experimental parts here. When I
was back to the KSC, the leader of
the R&D department said, if we
can bring them more scientific
data, they could implemet those
old experimental parts to the
actual state of the Space Program,
and we could actually go to space.
I was really happy when I heard that.

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

So on the next day
Val and I talked
with Gene to push
the program even
further. He was
very surprised, but
when I told him:
„We already have
parachuttes” he
calmed down, so
he agreed.

After a couple of weeks the new monster, called „Scraper” was ready to
lift off from the launchpad. When we were already in our seats, Gene told
us on the radio:
„- Guys, I really hope that everything will be going as planned. Fly safe!”

Then the whole earth shaked from the enormous power which pushed
our craft well beyond any crew records. The goal was 18 Km in height,
but we accidentally achived 50 Km. We were „almost” in space! You
can`t imagine it! Luckily we brought our helmets too, because in that
height the pressure is really low.

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

Anyways, we together with Val achived the highest crewed filght in that
time.
Then, because we ad no wings at all, simply fell towards the ground. It
means we opened the parachuttes on the last 1000-1500 meters.
Again, needless to say how bad it was to listen Gene on the radio
screaming:
„- OPEN! OPEN THE PARACHUTTES! NOOOOOOO!”
Then they are opened, and we landed safely. These were the first tries to
go to space and explore it...
After several months of high atmospheric crewd flight, and suborbital
probe hops, our engineers built the biggest rocket so far, the Lifter K-1.
It has a huge amount of trust, with a small prototype of comm satellite
within its fairing, called the Kerbal`s Leap.

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

This was the first rocket, which achived proper orbital flight around
Kerbin.
In the Control Room everybody was in ecstasy! We achived the first orbit!

Because the satellite was only a prototype, we expected problems, and
well… when Gene Kerman gave the command to the probe core to
extend the two solar panels, only one of them extended.
The flight engineer reported that something went wrong with the left
one`s motors. From the Control Room they tried to find out what was the
problem.
After half hour of searching, they found out, that one of the wires were
ripped apart during the liftoff. Sadly they couldn`t fix it remotely. It
means we had enough electricity to do only the basic experiments and
took a beauty shot from our planet from orbit, but then the power ran
out.
Gene still tracked the Kerbal`s Leap for a while in the Tracking Station,
but the probe`s signal became weaker and weaker.

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

As the time went, the periapsis of the Kerbal`s Leap fell below 70 Km, so
it burned up in the atmosphere...

But what`s failure today, will be the wisdom of tomorrow!

Months later, the heads of coordinators, engineers and scientists held a
meeting in the command center along with Gene Kerman.
They were debating about the goals and the risks of the next mission. At
this point the program were on a descending progress, and everybody
were a bit depressed, that we can`t go beyond the LKO line. At least,
when we were in serious need, Wherner Von Kerman brought the biggest
heads of C7 Aerospace Department, and a volunteer physicist, called
Scott M. Kerman.
After a hard discussion the choice was made:
„- We will go well beyond our limits! But for this, we need the best
engineers and scientists in the KSC.”
Weeks later, we saw a modified Lifter K-1 on the launchpad, with a
bigger payload under its fairing.

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
Val, Bob and Bill stood next to me and Bob asked:
„- Where is this rocket going to go?”
The answer came from behind:
„- We choose not less than send a probe to the Mün” - said Scott M.
Kerman - „- So this vessel is called the Mün Explorer.”

The ground shaked as the modified K-1 with the Mün Explorer left the
launchpad, still saw as the boosters decoupled, then the rocket slowly
disappeared through the clouds.

Then Scott M. Kerman turned to us and said:
„- This will be the biggest success so far! Next time maybe one of you
can do a Mün-flyby!”

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

Then he showed us his sketch, how would the Mün Explorer look like
next to the Mün, and
explained the main
parameters of the
probe, and the details
of the mission.

I was really
impressed by his
drawing skills, and
had an urge to fly
straight to the Mün
as I listened him.

Then I asked him:
„- Excuse me pal, but what is the »M« in your middle name?”
He answered:
„- Manley, of course.”
„-But why »Manley«”? - Asked Bob
He answered laughing: „- Because I belive, this name gives me power of
knowledge!”

Back to the story:

With the proper
trajectory
calculation in the
Command Room the
flight coordinator
gave the core the
command to ignite
the main engine at
PE. With almost one and a half minute burntime, we put it the Mün
Explorer into stabe orbit. It was a highly eccentric one, but finally
everything came together and worked well.
At least! The Space Program was saved, and the real training was
started! Soon we are go to space!!

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

To expand our borders, we had to improve the groundstations as well as
the Tracking station. After we finished it, the first thing what we did, is
to build up a Comm Sat network on a Kerbo-synchronised orbit. It was a
bit hard to achive to kill the relative velocity between each satellite, and
still keep them in the ordered course.

We sent them
with a more
powerful vessel.
It was the Lifter
K-2. It has not 2,
but 4 solid rocket
motors, which
lifted the rocket
up around 50 Km
height.

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
From the R&D Department reported that the new MK-1 Command Pod is
almost ready.
Said, still have to do some improvements and re-check all the safety
features. While they did their stuff, we sent a new probe to Minmus to
explore it. Earlier we inspected it through telescopes but we needed
detailed scientific reports, if it has or had magnetic field and so on.
We used the Lifter K-2 for this mission, because Minmus is about twice
as far as the Mün, and it`s SOI is also smaller – due to its weaker gravity.
We used the Mün to push the Minmus Explorer further at the right time.
Therefore while we waited, we put the probe on a highly eccentric orbit
around Mün.

Meanwhile the probe was in an orbit around the Mün, we did
experiments with it, what with the Mün Explorer couldn`t do. Also, with
the two probe we found a good spot for landing on the nearer side of the
Mün.
When the Mün and Minmus were in the right position, Gene ordered the
flight director to ignite the probe`s main rocket motor – the satellite was
on way to Minmus. A couple of days later the Minmus Explorer arrived to
its destination. Its PA was around 400.000 Km high. When the probe

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
arrived to this point, the engine lit up and burned retrogade about 15-20
seconds. We put this one too on a highly eccentric orbit, and its
inclanation was about 40°, to exploreas as much biomes as it just can.
The director of the R&D Department asked us to do so, because they
wanted to know, what are the conditions on Minmus.

When the reports of the electromagnetic experiments arrived back to
Kerbin, the director screamed:
„- Yes! This is what we needed. You just confirmed our expectations,
Gene! We thought Minmus had a hot iron core early on, which generated
electromagnetic field. See? See those numbers? It means the probe just
found traces from the past of the magnetic field of Minmus!”
On the next day I asked him about the process of the MK-1 Command
Pod. He said, with the new data what recieved last time, they have
enough results what is needed to make the Command Pod safer against
the radiation, after we leave Kerbin`s safe magnetosphere.
He said:
”- Yes, Jeb. We can build it. The next mission will be a manned one. First,

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

we don`t want to take too much risk, so we will put it on LKO. When the

Command Pod will return, we will study it, if it has any damage or not.

Then, if everything goes according to plan, the next one can be a Mün-

landing mission.”

The next weeks passed by fast, as we aquired essential data about
Minmus every day.
Also, in the Astronaut Complex we began out training.
The coordinator was Hadfield Kerman, who selected the most
capapable astronauts from the beginning, and after too.
He coordinated our trainings (we had to write tests, simulate docking,
emergency trainings, e.t.c.), while Dr. Fong Kerman checked our phisical
and mental health every day, before and after training. It was really hard,
but personally I enjoyed it. We had to hover with a lander prototype
above the launchpad. I remember Bill, Bob and many struggeled with this
test, but Val and I managed to keep it straight until the end.

In the end of the actual training, Hadfield Kerman held a selection, who
could fly straight to the Mün and land there. Bill had to help in the VAB,
to assembly the rocket. Gene gave for Val another mission, so Hadfield
decided. Now I will go, then next time Bob will be the lucky one.
(I was so happy, I could scream… but it wouldn`t be fair)

Next week the rocket was finished. It was the KK-15. A powerful beast.

I still remember
everything from
that day. The
sunrise, the
beautiful clear
sky, the cold
morning air… as I
walked to the
rocket with two
engineers, I felt a
little „stone” in

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
my stomach. I was so excited! I sat in the improved MK-1 Command Pod,
waiting for the signal. Remembered everything what I`ve learned on the
training.
Then the counting and Gene ran down the final checking...
30...29...28...27...26… - „- Jeb, how are you? Report!” - „- I`m OK,
everything is nominal, KSC!” ...23...22...21… - „- Flight coordinator,
report!” „- The data from the flight computer seems fine,boss.”
...17...16...15...14
„- Communication?” „- Communication is fine, boss!” ...10...9...8...7...6
„- If everything is fine, ignite the SRB-s!” - „- SRB-s are ignited, Gene!”
„- Engineers?” „- The structural integrity is good. The rocket shakes a
little, but we expected that.” ...3...2...1… - „- Ignite the main rocket
motors!” - „- Rocket motors are running, boss!” „- Jeb! Do you copy?
Report!” „- This is Jeb, KSC. The rocket is shaking! The accelerometer
says we have a liftoff. On the altimeter the numbers are rising!”
We had a liftoff. For a second I was scared, because I thought I`ll go
nowhere, but when I felt the G forces, I screamed: „- YEEEHAAA!”

Meanwhine Gene asked reports:- „Detailed report from every
departments!”
„- Engineers?” „- The engines are running fine at 100%!”

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

„- Flight director?” „- The prograde marker points toward the sky. We`ll

be fine!”

„- Healthcare department? What shows your monitor?” „- Jeb`s heartbeat

rate increases and he screams >YEEEHAAA!< ...everything is normal!”

„- Fly safe, Jeb!”

„- Thanks, Gene! At 10k you can begin to turn the rocket with 40°”

„- Flight engineer?”

„- Everything is fine, boss. Soon we begin the gravity turn.”

So, yes… It was wonderful. I have became addict to adrenaline! When
the KK-15 reached the 75 Km height, we diched the fairing, and I could
see the stars through the small window for the very first time… It was so
wonderful. I just stared at this cosmic scenery, then Gene interrupted
this glorious moment: „Jeb! You forgot your snacks here!”

Luckily, back in the VAB the engineers put a hell of a lot supply of snack,
so my life was saved… :)
When I was in the right coordinates, I lit up the Poodle engine, aimed the
prograde vector just above the horizont on the navball. I was on the way
to Mün.

One day later I entered in the SOI of the Mün, turned my ship retrograde,
and took a photo about our homeworld:

As from the
R&D
Department
asked, sent
back data of
scientific
experiments
one after
another. That
was a great
success. We

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
will claim the Mün soon!
Then KSC checked in, and said, when I reach closest point next to Mün,
should start burn retrograde, to circularize my orbit.
When it was done, I headed to the coordinates for the landing site –

- the Eastern Crater.
The landing
went as in
the
simulator, I
felt a little
bump, as the
landing
legs are
touched the
Münian
surface.
When I

opened up the hatch of the cabin, I immersed in the vast silence of the
Mün. So relaxing. So calm. I heard only my hearthbeat.
After I made all the experiments what I could, I crawled back to the
Comman Capsule, then ignited the Terrier engine, and turned the lander
at 45°, and watched as the ground slowly disappearing below me. When I

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
was already in a stabe orbit, I saw as Kerbin rises at the horizon, then
ignited the engine to leave the SOI of the Mün.
As I entered the atmosphere of Kerbin, I saw the most beautiful sunrise
in my missions. I felt the air slows me down, and when the lander hang
on the parachutes I opened up the hatch and very carefully crawled
outside…
The scenery was astounding!

Then the magic is gone and I
landed in the Badlands.What a
mission was it! When I can go
back next time?!

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

***

When I was on the Mün, Gene sent Val to North, because our geologists
found an anomaly near the biome called Tundra on the northern
hemisphere, as they scanned the planet with a special geological
satellite.

Gene asked her to fly there with a new, experimental airplane, the
Ranger-3b. The experiments with the larger turbofan engine was a
success, so our engineers built a craft with it. The craft was way heavier
or course, but because of the improved, stronger engine, it flown faster
than its *precedors*.

This craft was
capable to
climb up to
about 15.000
meters, so
when she
flown over the
mountains,
she saw some
beauty
scenes, then
the anomaly
itself:

It turned out, it was a climatic anomaly which appears and disappears in
every 150-200
years.The reasons
behind this is still
unsolved,
but must be in
relation
with the
atmospheric
changes, or with the
rotation of Kerbin…

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
After me the next one who visited the Mün, was Bob. Because he is not a
pilot, but a scientist, the engineers built it a probe core into the Mün
Lander, so he could fly and land it safely.
However, when I expalined him the idea, he frowned at me and asked:
„- But Jeb! What if the probe core will turn agains me?”
„- Well Bob, then the ship will turn probably retrograde I guess...”
„- Did you saw the Kerminator series? The machines...probe
cores...JEB!” - he shaked me.
„- Come on, Bob! That was just a film! These things happens only in
games and films! What do you think? Is this a game, called Kerbal Space
Program or what? No! This is the reality. We will be with you. Everything
will be fine. Now head to your capsule and push that Big Red Button
when you are in your seat.”

The launch went normally, the boosters decoupled in time, as the first
stage too. The only problem – the reason, why Gene Kerman ran out from

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
the Command Center – is that Bob screamed all the way up until he was
over 77 Km high.
Then we put him into the right trajectory onwards to Mün.
Bob was always the one who came up with great ideas and could do all
the experiments without any problem. But if he had to fly...he would
crawl under the ground instead of sitting on a rocket.
In the past Gene asked him to join us, because he belived together with
Hadfield Kerman, that Bob has his capability to became a very good
astronaut.

Bob, when arrived to the Mün, he managed to land – with our remote
assist - on the Mün`s Farside Crater.
Because his profession, he could do some experiments more than once –
not like me. Well, he is the scientist, not me… :)

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

Meanwhile, he was on the Mün, in the Headquarter of the R&D
Department decided to push the limits even further. So the plans were
made for a space station around our nearer natural satellite.

With
several
launches
succesfully
put every
part of the
Münar
Orbital
Base, or
M.O.B. into
orbit
around
Kerbin.
Then all together sent them to a low-Münar orbit, with a periapsis and
apoapsis around 30.000 meters.
First was the core – included the habitation module and the Mobile
Processing Lab, then the life support generator. The last vessel was
launched with the crew, when the M.O.B. was already ready for boarding.

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

The crew members were Bob and Verfrod Kerman. Their mission was to
collect as much scientifical data as they can from low-Münar orbit within
2 years. Now only Minmus left undiscovered by kerbal foot. The next
mission was an even bigger leap to widener our knowledge about the
Kerbol system, about our homeworld, and about...ourselves...

Meanwhile back in the Astronaut Complex, Bill invited two of his friends,
Siesey and Fropont Kerman to join to our Space Program.
Both of them surprised us with their abilities during the tests, that`s why
Gene accepted them shortly after we, with Bob and Bill finished the very
first selection.
Also, they took part in some early experiment with the turbofan engines
and helped to make the flight plan to Minmus. It was a big surprise when
Gene asked them, what would they say, if they could be the first kerbals
who could land on our second moon. They were embarrassed and didn`t
want to accept it for the first time, but when Bill told them there is no
free room on the M.O.B., they changed their mind.
As the time passed, of course all of the documents were thrown in a
hidden corner of the Command Center, but when I decided to write this
manuscript for the kerbalnauts of the future, I thought it would be cool
to show how we managed to fly to Minmus and back. Of course the

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
method of mission-planning was evolved through the time, but this
sketch is unique. Succesfully I found it recently. Here you are:

In the Mission Control Center they later on added a submission, to send
a Crew Suppy Tug *not showed on the flight plan* after the Minmus Frog.
Gene informed the crew of the ship via radio:
„- Minmus Frog, this is KSC.”
„- Minmus Frog report in. Listening you, KSC.”
„- Because we designed the ship as light as possible, we installed only
the minimum amount of life support, but that should be enough until the
end of the mission.”

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
„- Copy, KSC. So?”
„- The Cheaf Engineer advised to build a Supply Tug, with extra life
support on it. You know, just in case.”
„- Thanks boss, it`s very kind… So? Where should we dock with it?”
”- When Fropont Kerman finished his scientifical study on Minmus`s
Highlands at Site 1V7F, you will dock with the Tug on orbit around
Minmus. We will launch it when you perform the
Mün fly-by towards Minmus.”
„- Copy, KSC. Meanwhile we will do the fly-by, we need to take some
photos with a specific camera, and send it to the M.O.B.”
„- Alright guys, but don`t waste too much time around the Mün. Minmus
right now is in an optimal position to encounter with it after you finished
the fly-by.”
„- Understood boss. Minmus Frog out.”

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

After the guys left Kerbin, succesfully achived the Mün fly-by, and
performed the burn, which put them into the Minmus-encounter
trajectory.
As they got closer to Minmus, Siesey Kerman adviced to land on the
Great Flats too, because it`s not far from Site 1V7F.

„- This is KSC. Minmus Frog, heard you clearly. But please don`t forget

about the Suppy Tug. It already entered in the SOI of Minmus.”

„- This is Minmus Frog, copy KSC. We will land on the Great Flat within

40 minutes, then we still need about 20 minutes to do all the

experiments. Do you have any informations, when the Suppy Tug

will be at PE?”

„- Yes, Minmus Frog. The Tug will be there about 57 minutes. This will be

very tight. Don`t waste your time more than needed, or you will have to

do multiple orbits around Minmus to catch up and dock with the Suppy

Tug.”

„- Alright KSC, copy. We are already flying over the Great Flat… if we`d

kill our velocity to 0 and land now, maybe we could spare a couple of

minutes.”

„-Agreed, Minmus Frog. Just keep your eyes on the clock. KSC out.”

So, when they
landed with the
vessel first at
Site 1V7F, and
did all the
needed
experiments,
they flew to the
Great Flat with
a sub-orbital
hop.

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
As the lander landed on the flat surface, the ground cracked a bit under
the weight of the lander. As further experiments veryfied, Minmus had
some seas or lakes with some kind of liquid in it in the very past. The
origin of Minmus is still on the debate. Some says it`s a huge ball of
menthol ice, some pointed out that the surface contains traces which is
unknown here, on Kerbin – it could mean that Kerbin captured Minmus
when it was a comet in the early times, when the Kerbol System was
born. Whatever the truth is, the fact is, Minmus one of the most
interesting celestial body in the whole Kerbol System.

When the crew finished all the work on the Great Flat, Siesey Kerman lit
up the four Spinnaker engines, and headed toward the coordinates
where the vessel will rendez-vous and dock with the Supply Tug.
The plans of these small, but quite powerful engines were already done
at the time, when we launched the Kerbal`s Leap. In paper they worked
very well, but in the tests they were always overheated, and the
engineers had no clue, why… Then one day, Werhner von Kerman had an
idea to change the shape of the nozzle. They experimented with several
types, until they found the ideal shape which gives enough trust, but still
doesn`t overheat. This type, which later became the „Spinnaker” was
installed on the Minmus Frog.

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

To put the craft in orbit, with these engines wasn`t hard, and they
managed to get close enough to the Tug to see it, then slowly flew
towards it and docked with it without any problem.

The only thing they needed to do is to bring back the Minmus Frog into
LKO. Sadly, because of the extra mass, because of the Tug, the fuel
wasn`t enough to put the vessel into the ordered orbit, so they had only
one chance…

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins

„- KSC! KSC! This is the Minmus Frog! The fuel is gone! Repeat! THE
FUEL IS GONE!”
„- This is KSC. Calm down Siesey. What`s your status?”
„We still close to AP, falling towards Kerbin, but the PE is way too high!
We can`t do the aerobraking maneuver!”
„- How high is your PE, Siesey?”
„- Just a minute… the flight computer says, the PE is 220 Km. It`s too
high!”
„- What about the monopropellants? How much do you have them?”
„- We still have around... 20% of it.”
„- Just a minute, Siesey… … … Yes… yes… with... this 20% you will not
be able to come back to Kerbin...but…”
„- But...?”
„- Siesey, run down the fuel test once more please.”
„- Alright KSC. What`s your plan?”
„- It depends on... What`s the results says?”
„- KSC, I send you the detailed report, now:

- Liquid fuel is 0%
- Oxidizer is 0%
- Monopropellants are 20%
- Electricity is 100%”
„- Fine, Siesey, fine. Now, turn the second lever on your panel to right,
until you hear a knocking sound, then push the button with the TM on it.”
„- Copy, KSC. Just a minute… … and… HEY! WHAT`S THIS?”
„- What`s happened, Minmus Frog? Report!”
„- The level of the Monopropellant is... rising! ...25%….30%….34%...”

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
„- Do you know what have you done now, Siesey?”
„- Well, I have a guess… transfered the remaining monopropellant from
the Supply Tug to the Minmus Frog?”
„- Exactly! The problem was, the engineers developed your docking port
to separate the resources after docking. Now you opened the resource
lock, and transferred the monoprop. How much do you have now?”
„- We have now… 40%”
„- Hold on a minute, Siesey… Hmmm… If my calculations are right, then
Minmus Frog, you just now bought your ticket back home! Your PE will be
at around 34 Km, well inside the atmosphere!”
„- YEEEEEY! Fropont! Did you hear that? We are going home!”

So the Minmus Frog, when entered in the dense atmosphere of Kerbin,
decoupled from the Crew Suppy Tug. The crew, Siesey and Fropont
Kerman still saw as the Tug floats away, then the solar panels blew up
because of the stress of the heat, then the Suppy containers, then the
probe core melted in the atmosphere. A bit later they detached the

35

Kerbal Space Program - Origins
empty fuel tank – they kept it until the last minutes of the mission,
because the RCS thrusters were attached to it. If somebody would stand
on the ground there, he would see a long line of fire, with some
explosions, then the wall of the fireball was ripped apart by the
heatshield of the lander, as it flew through it.
When the vessel reached the proper 10 Km height, the Mk12-R Drogue
chutes were open, then the radial parachutes, and they landed safely in
the western side of the desert.

Both of them became a true hero among the astronauts. Also, Gene
Kerman, the employees in the VAB and in the R&D Department did a
fantastic job, worked together to save two lives, far from home. With this
amazing mission – and the others, like the M.O.B. and her crew, and the
other astronauts who landed on the surface of the Mün, and visited the
M.O.B. to push the boundries of our knowledge every time a little bit
more… But we can`t stop here now, because there are more things to do
and explore even on the surface of the Mün, Minmus and the neighbor
planets.

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Kerbal Space Program - Origins
We still need to do a lot in the Kerbin system, but then we can became a
truly interplanetary species.
The Kerbalkind took the first steps to understand better the Universe,
the Kerbol system…

and ourselves…

37