Launch 44 – Kerbal Minmus Station Retrieval

Mortimus Return Vessel
Mass: 349.9
Cost: 88,394
Class: Kerbal Pickup Ship
Crew: Munbro (returning with Maya and Tedrim)

We’re done with Minmus and thus recalling our employee’s back to Kerbin for future missions.

Mission – To Gilly

The Mining rig set sail for Eve’s moon “Gilly” the smallest celestial body in the Kerbol system.

It’s goal was to land re-fuel and then head towards Moho at which point it would land re-fuel and then head back to either Kerbin or Gilly depending on thrust capacity.

Leaving Kerbin to Eve. First Kerbal long range flight.
Approaching the tiny moon Gilly. Image taken during breaking manuever.
Landed, Flag planted, and mining commencing.
Leaving Eve for Moho.

Launch 43 – Eve Com Relay

Communications Satellite
Mass: 349.0
Cost: 88,395
Class: Com Sat
Crew: None

A large dish long range communications satellite orbiting high above Eve.

Launch 42 – Quick Jeb

Mech-Jeb docking Add-on Unit
Mass: 66.16
Cost: 23,094
Class: Add-on unit
Crew: None

A small docking unit for the Mining rig to add Mech-jeb capable calculations.

Mission – Mine Minmus

Thrusters are on and crew + ship is flying to Minmus.

This Mining Rig supports 3 crew members and has ore storage, ore processing, heat dissipation, and mining capabilities. Basically if this thing can get any ore it can load up and refuel. It’s the biggest ship we’ve ever launched at this point in time and we’re hoping to use it to travel to multiple moons and planets in 1 trip.

Landed in an ore rich field on Minmus.

After landing the Mining, Processing, and refueling was a success. Nothing exploded and the ship was able to balance on semi flat ground.

Returning to orbit of Minmus before launching to Eve.

After the cheering and celebration that we can refuel and fly this behemoth we realized there was no Mech-jeb installation unit aboard and thus our interplanetary desires were squashed due to player laziness (I’m sick of doing planetary transfer’s by hand).

We quickly built a add-on unit and launched it to Minmus to dock with the Mining Rig.

Also the ship was finally named:

The Graceful Kerbal

Launch 41 – Kerbal Transfer Pod

Kerbal Transfer Pod
Mass: 168.39
Cost: 65,688
Class: Crew Transportation
Crew: Mauford, Boblie, and Tiwise

With the Mining Rig in orbit of Kerbin but without a crew (safety first, didn’t want to launch the heaviest rocket not knowing if it would explode during liftoff), the Minmus scanner scanning Minmus, the next step was to get out dream team aboard the ship.

This launch got all 3 Kerbals and the supply tools aboard the Mining Rig without breaking a sweat. A Engineer incase anything breaks, a Scientist to refresh the equipment, and a pilot to fly when communication is out.

It also landed back at Kerbin to save some currency.

Launch 40 – Minmus Moon Scanner

Planet Scanner Long Range
Mass: 342.95
Cost: 161,462
Class: Planet Scanner
Crew: None

Attached to this planet scanner is our new xenon gas electron propulsion system. Getting this to Minmus was easier than expected and it’s currently holding over 5KM/s of thrust.

After Scanning Minmus we can aim our flagship mining rig in it’s direction to test it’s first ore to fuel mission capabilities.

Launch 39 – Mining Rig

Mining Rig
Mass: 741.6
Cost: 316,741
Class: Mining Ship – No Atmo Class
Crew: Seats 3, none at launch

The most expensive ship launched to date. It has full capabilities of landing on a atmosphere-less planet/moon or grabbing an asteroid and mining it’s ore. It can then turn that into fuel so as to hopefully never run out.

We didn’t know if it would survive the launch so we did not put any Kerbals on it.

Launch 38 – Abyss Com Sat

Abyss Com Sat
Mass: 113.261
Cost: 135,959
Class: Communications Satellite
Crew: None

We’ve landed on all of our Moons and it’s time to go towards other planets. The next big leap for S.S.A.

Let’s test out a new technology and set up a deep space dish at the same time.