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| − | '''Minmus''' is the smallest [[moon]] of [[Kerbin]]. From the surface of [[Kerbin]] or the [[Mun]], it is a cyan speck one or two pixels wide which appears to slightly oscillate vertically. This is a result of viewing its rotation from afar. Up close, it is off white in appearance with what seem to be icy buttes, large hills, and frozen lakes. The highest areas are over 5.7 km in altitude. It requires somewhat more delta-v to reach Minmus orbit than Mun orbit; however, given its very small gravity, it requires much less to land on the surface and return. This makes Minmus a primary source of Science in the early game after achieving an orbit of Kerbin.
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| − | There is a [[tutorial]] about [[Tutorial:How to get to Minmus|traveling to Minmus]].
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| − | == In-game Description ==
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| − | {{Quote
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| − | |Minmus is the smallest moon orbiting Kerbin. From the surface of Kerbin, it can be seen on clear days as a tiny blue speck in the sky. <br />
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| − | ''It is often mistaken as dirt on telescope lenses or dead pixels, but the top minds at the Kerbal Astronomical Society assure us it is a real moon nevertheless.''
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| − | |[[Kerbal Astronomical Society]]}}
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| − | == Orbital characteristics ==
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| − | Minmus orbits Kerbin at a continuous altitude of 46,400,000 meters and takes approximately 920 m/s Δv to transfer to from low Kerbin orbit. The [[w:Synodic period|synodic period]] from Kerbin's surface is 14 days, 3 hours and 1 second (1,220,401 seconds). A synchronous orbit around Minmus is possible at an altitude of {{OrbitAltitude|b=Minmus|f=k}}. The orbital speed around Minmus for an object with an altitude of 0 m is 171.5 m/s.
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| − | It is important to be careful when attempting to return to Kerbin from Minmus, as Minmus' high orbit makes it very easy to escape Kerbin's sphere of influence entirely. However, this means that a base on or in orbit around Minmus would make a convenient refueling station for vessels leaving the Kerbin system.
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| − | An efficient way to return to a lower Kerbin orbit from Minmus is to use a gravity assist around [[Mun]]. Plan the maneuver carefully, though, as one gravity assist will send a vessel into a lower energy orbit around Kerbin, but another can send the vessel along an escape trajectory!
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| − | == Surface Temperature ==
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| − | Minmus' surface temperature reaches 14 degrees Celsius in the day, and -107 degrees Celsius at night.
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| − | Calculation of the expected surface temperature for Minmus, using received energy from [[Kerbol]], with the [[w:Stefan–Boltzmann law|Stefan-Boltzmann Law]] for the radiated power gives a temperature of -50 degrees Celsius. Whilst this is lower than the measured value, it lends support to the theory that Minmus is a captured comet. It could not have formed at its present location but has an albedo high enough to prevent catastrophic [[w:Sublimation (phase transition)|sublimation]] of its icy composition. A high salt content, if present, would also slow the sublimation process.
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| − | This value of temperature was calculated using: An emissivity of 0.9 (close to but lower than compacted ice), an albedo of 0.6 (close to but lower than the real ice moon [[w:Europa|Europa]]), and the luminosity of 3 yottawatts for Kerbol.
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| − | == Topography ==
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| − | Minmus has very divergent elevations. Plateaus at around 5 km high are matched by "Flats" at datum altitude (0 m). Much of the surface is transitional lowlands and highlands. <!--[[Link is broken]] The vast majority of the surface is rolling hills, with lakes of a solid substance (such as ice or salt) concentrated near the equator.<ref>http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=13530.msg219016#msg219016</ref> --> With {{version|0.23}}, there are now 9 [[biome]]s.
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| − | The various "Flats" are almost perfectly flat and believed to have once been the site of liquid lakes. Minmus also has some mesas, one of which is near Minmus's north pole, that are so high compared to Minmus' [[sphere of influence]] that they count as "in orbit" according to the navigation tools. Unless the player manually switches the [[navball]] to Surface mode, this makes landing on these plateaus challenging, as the direction marker and speed will not automatically correct for the rotation of the surface.
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| − | For most landings which are not on a plateau or in a lake, the touchdown altitude is usually between 2000 m and 2500 m.
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| − | Jumping on this moon will make the [[kerbonaut]] ascend 12 m from the ground.
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| − | Taking a [[Surface Sample]] from Minmus says that it is a "crystalline substance, definitely not edible".
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| − | == Biomes ==
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| − | [[File:Minmusbiome.png|thumb|right|Minmus biome map]]
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| − | Minmus has a total of 9 [[biome]]s. The most distinctive quality of Minmus's biomes is the variety of Flats, which in-game text describe as “lake beds”. They are almost perfectly flat and may represent [[w:Salt_pan_(geology)|salt flats]]. Roughly two-thirds of the surface area is irregular terrain transitioning between Highlands, Midlands, and Lowlands with Slopes in-between.
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| − | === Biome list ===
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| − | {{Biome list|
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| − | * Poles
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| − | * Lowlands
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| − | * Midlands
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| − | * Highlands
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| − | * Slopes
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| − | * Flats
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| − | * Lesser Flats
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| − | * Great Flats
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| − | * Greater Flats}}
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| − | == Science ==
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| − | Although the [[science]]-multipliers of Minmus's surface and orbit are quite low compared to that of other planets and moons (but a little higher than [[Mun]]), Minmus is comparably easy to reach and to return from and has a very large number of biomes which all yield different science results. Unlike Mun, Minmus's biomes are easily discernable by eye, making it easier to run over all biomes without using ScanSat or other similar mods. A relatively small 1.25m lander using [[LV-909 Liquid Fuel Engine|LV-909s]] can reach Minmus, hop over all biomes and return to Kerbin on one run. This makes it – together with [[Mun]] – the main source of science points during the midgame.
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| − | == Reference Frames ==
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| − | {{:Minmus/RefFrame}}
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| − | == Gallery ==
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| − | <gallery>
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| − | File:SSTO Landing on minmus.png|A craft landing on Minmus.
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| − | File:Min_color.png|A full projection map of Minmus as of version 0.15 and above
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| − | File:Minmus Topo mercator 400x400.png|A topographic map of Minmus made with the ISA MapSat plugin
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| − | File:MunAndKerbinFromMinmus.png | Mun and Kerbin as seen from the surface of Minmus
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| − | File:MinmusLander.png|A lander escaping Minmus
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| − | File:Jebminmus.jpg | Jeb hopping along the surface of Minmus
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| − | File:Minmus-bobdab.png | Minmus, the small, cyan speck..
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| − | File:Minmus_from_south_pole.jpg | Due to Minmus' inclined orbital plane, It can be seen from Kerbin's south pole for a time.
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| − | File:Minmus Humvee.png | A 2 seater Humvee on Minmus.
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| − | File:Screenshot94.png | A Minmus landing party partying after landing.
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| − | </gallery>
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| − | {{SpoilerBox
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| − | |description=Spoiler image
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| − | |content=<gallery>
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| − | Minmus Monolith.png | The only monolith on Minmus.
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| − | </gallery>}}
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| − | == Trivia ==
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| − | * The name "Minmus" may be derived from the Latin word “[[wiktionary:minimus|minimus]]”, which denotes the smallest member of a group of beings or creatures, and is also the medical name for the smallest digit on the hand or foot. Minmus is the smallest member of the Kerbin system.
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| − | :* "Minimus" is a frequent misspelling of Minmus.
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| − | * It's also possible that Minmus is named after Saturn's moon [[w:Mimas (moon)|Mimas]].
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| − | * It's been speculated that Minmus was inspired by Haruki Murakami's book [[w:1Q84|1Q84]], in which the protagonist discovers she is in an alternate-reality in part by noticing a tiny, moss-green moon in the sky next to the moon she knows.<ref>http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/96074</ref><ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/10/books/1q84-by-haruki-murakami-review.html</ref>
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| − | * It is possible to deorbit, land and ascend back into orbit around Minmus with the EVA jetpack starting at 100% fuel.
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| − | * If [[2HOT Thermometer]] is used on surface, it shows a temperature of -0.007, which is just enough for water to freeze.
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| − | * If [[SC-9001 Science Jr.]] is used near or on Minmus in career mode, it will state that its test samples start to glow due to radiation. This might cause Minmus to have a higher temperature than Mun.
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| − | * Most, if not all, crew reports and EVA reports along with other experiments, may mention something about Minmus looking like a minty dessert. This may be a reference to the colour “Magic Mint” made by the [[w:Crayola|Crayola]] company in 1990, and the [[w:Spring green (color)#Magic mint|colour]] itself looks almost exactly like that of Minmus's surface. This relation may be intentional; however, it may just be a coincidence.
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| − | * Minmus is large enough that, if it orbited the Sun, it would be considered a planet or a dwarf planet. If you make Minmus 10 times larger but with the same surface gravity (i.e. you make it Real Solar System sized) Minmus is both larger and denser than the Saturnian moon Mimas, which is the smallest object in the solar system known to be spherical due to hydrostatic equilibrium (its gravity makes it spherical). The criteria for an object being a planet is 1) it must orbit the sun, 2) it must have cleared its orbit, 3) it must be in hydrostatic equilibrium. Dwarf planets disregard the second criterion. If Minmus orbited the sun, it would satisfy at least two of those criteria.
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| − | * Minmus, Gilly, and Pol are the only bodies in the solar system that are completely procedurally generated.
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| − | * Solar System creator NovaSilisko had suggested that Minmus was an ancient comet that had become captured into Kerbin orbit.
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| − | *When a seismic scan is run by the Double-C Seismic Accelerometer on the surface, it says that due to vibrations, the planet may not be entirely solid, meaning that there is most likely a subsurface ocean under the crust of Minmus,
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| − | == Changes ==
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| − | ;[[0.23]]
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| − | * Biomes added.
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| − | ;[[0.17]]
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| − | * Minmus is no longer tidally locked to Kerbin.<ref>http://www.reddit.com/r/KerbalSpaceProgram/comments/10q9z2/minmus_lost_its_tidal_lock_to_kerbin_in_v017/</ref>
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| − | * Minmus' mass reduced.<ref>http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/showthread.php/24156-Is-Minmus-on-a-weight-loss-program</ref>
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| − | * Synchronous orbit is now possible. Previously, it would have required an altitude of {{OrbitAltitude | period=(299.25*60*60) | mass=4.233e19 | radius=60000 | factor=k }}, outside Minmus' sphere of influence.
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| − | ;[[0.15]]
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| − | * Initial release
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| − | == See also ==
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| − | * [[Tutorial:How to get to Minmus|Tutorial on travelling from Kerbin to Minmus]]
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| − | == Notes ==
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| − | <references />
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| − | {{Celestial Bodies}}
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| − | [[Category:Celestials]]
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| − | [[Category:Moons]]
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