Campaign: Final Business

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Kerbol System Exploration →

Introduction

After learning from the Kerbollo 13 and Kerbal in Orbit disasters, the Kerbicans felt they needed some final successful missions to end the Kerbollo Program on a high note. The Kerbeits encounter political turmoil and abandon their manned mission, but they still have some probes they'd like to send up and collect some samples.

This campaign introduces unmanned sample returns and manned missions to conclude Mun and Minmus exploration. Missions are based on Soviet Luna 16 (1970), 17/Lunokhod 1 ('70), and 21/Lunokhod 2 ('73); American Apollo 17 ('72).

Specifications

• Length: 5-8 hours
• Difficulty: 6/10 (Proficient)
• Skills needed:

1. Intermediate(+) navigation via maneuver node
2. Advanced orbiting
3. Intermediate understanding of launch windows
4. Advanced understanding of intercepts/rendezvous

• For version: Every version

Missions

Muna 16: Munar Sample Return

• Return samples of the munar regolith to Kerbin for study.

1. Probe must contain some kind of retractable appendage which can reach the ground without tipping the craft over.

1. Probe must land on the Kerbin-facing side of the Mun.
2. Probe must reach out and touch the munar surface with its designated appendage.
3. Probe must return to Kerbin safely.

(Tip: you will need about 8000 m/s of delta V to accomplish this mission. Up until now, eyeballing the landing on the Mun has been easy. Getting back is another story. Feel free to calculate the delta V of your rocket to make sure it exceeds 8000 m/s, and make sure your Thrust Weight Ratio (TWR) is enough to get you spaceborn. Calculating these is up to yourself, or you can use the eyeball method. If you don't want to do the math, feel free to use a mod such as Kerbal Engineer Redux at this point. If you do, challenge yourself to only use it in the VAB prior to your mission unless you're fine with using mods.)

(Tip: Since Advanced SAS doesn't exist yet, this mission may require you to use a combination of standard SAS, fins, and RCS.)

(Tip: the Communotron 16 antenna is a good appendage since it doesn't tip your vehicle over; alternatively, you can download the Scoop-o-Matic as part of the Beaslty Science mod, which actually does dig into soil and produce results)

Munokhod 1: Munar Rover

• Land a rather large self-sustaining rover on the Mun.

1. Rover must travel for at least 5 minutes real time after landing.
2. Rover must be able to survive a Munar night and come back online when the sun comes back up.
3. Take a picture of your rover at someplace interesting.

(Tip: You will not need as much delta V as your Munar sample return mission. Actually a lot less. Feel free to minimize to save money. After all, the Kerbiets do everything on a shoe string budget.)

(Tip: Make sure your rover is well balanced to avoid accidents, and test it well on Kerbin before launching.)

• Complete the same mission for Minmus

Last Kerbollo Missions

• Kerbollo 17: Final Manned Mun Mission

Perform a final manned Mun landing and say your last goodbyes.

1. Release 3 small com-sats. Have them equally spaced in a high orbit (synchronous orbits are not possible, but high orbits give more coverage).
2. Include a manned wheeled vehicle.
3. Land in a biome you haven't visited yet (historically the highlands).

• Kerbollo 17-B: Final Manned Minmus Mission

Perform a final manned Minmus landing.

1. Release 3 small com-sats. Have them equally spaced in a synchronous orbit (358km).
2. Include a manned wheeled vehicle.
3. Land in a biome you haven't visited yet.
4. Challenge: Complete Kerbollo 17 and 17-B in one mission.

Final Word

Since the Kerbicans finally reached the Mun and Minmus, there was less monetary incentive for those kinds of missions. Instead they focused on sending probes to faraway places and worked on better manned space technology around Kerbin. It will be almost a century before a Kerbal ventures beyond LKO. Meanwhile, the Kerbiet Union dissolved and formed Krussia, causing their space program to decrease in scale more so than the Kerbicans had. However, the probe program began to increase in size, as the engineers prepared for the next generation of Kerbol System Exploration.