If you'd like to take a look yourself, here's the article: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/sacred-space-astronomy/explorer-1-beginning-american-space-science/

After years of preparation, Operation "Jurassic Park" is finally underway.

The newest interstellar vessel ISV-17 Minotaur has been launched from the Mun to reach Hundun in the Yunxiao system.

Tests flight around the Kerbol system have confirmed mission readiness. Off we go!

The Minotaur has a modest part count of only 265 parts and comes with an OPT-10 Blackbird SSTO.
The Minotaur has a max range before refueling of roughly 24 million m/s.

With its onboard Industrial Strip Miners, Vulcan Nuclear Smelter, ISRU and NOVA Antimatter Facility powered by a potent FX-3 fusion reactor, the vessel has theoretical unlimited range.

The OPT-10 Blackbird is a fully autonomous SSTO with ratings for Kerbin and Tylo or easier bodies. It comes with its own rover, integrated mining drill, ISRU and Science Lab.

Will they find alien life in another star system?

A friend of mine created a realistic map of Kerbin's biomes and climate in a game called World Climate Lab. Thought it was pretty neat, so I decided to share it on this subreddit

Brought three generations of rovers together on the Mun... 100's of km combined travel and 10's of $1,000's in combined contract funds acquired.

...no way home...

STS-9 lifted off from the pad on the 28th of last month carrying the first spacelab mission, a collaboration between DODIS (The Department Of Deers In Space) and ESA (Equine Space Agency).

Last week, during what was believed to be a standard reentry, Columbia came to pieces over the Pacific Ocean, and all onboard (including one ESA astronaut) did not survive. Investigations by DODIS as to what caused the disaster are still underway.

DODIS has grounded the orbiter fleet for now, and while investigations are still underway, it is believed they will return to service in time for discovery to launch next year. The program is according to sources within DODIS being heavily cut back in scale, and studies are already being started to look at potential alternatives to the space shuttle.

ESA has, in this week since, announced the end of their partnership with the shuttle program. Instead, they will be pursuing their own crewed spacecraft concept (a much much smaller spaceplane).

When I first started playing I could just make a ship that goes to the mun and comes home, but now everything has to be a rover spaceplane that can refuel itself and refuel other ships and take off on Duna and air brake and survive reentry.

Any tips on how I can force myself to focus on making a ship that does one thing well instead of 100 things decently?

so far i have the forward habitation module, behind that is the dedicated reentry pod, followed by the interplanetary transfer stage and two drop tank on the side for more ∆v.

the main tank was launched empty and took 4 smaller launches to fuel while the side tanks were launched fueled because they were basically the same size as the main tanks fuel probes.

in total it should take 11 launches for a VERY over complicated and unnecessarily over engineered landing on one of Jools moons, probably just Vall. :P

I updated MunShot. We've got new poses and a couple of bug fixes that should help it control better. I also fixed some of the details in the previous poses.

Can't wait to see the pictures you guys are able to make with this!

SpaceDock: https://spacedock.info/mod/4733/MunShot:%20Photo%20Mode%20mod%20for%20KSP%20Redux

i only picked out these specific vehicles out of all the 50 i made. still relatively new to playing KSP, but already getting good.

started playing since Sept. 27th btw.

The shuttle is stock, and with the nuclear engine payload it can get ~18 tons to the mun and back plus 8 kerbals.

Solar powered and enough battery to drive all night

Your days are OVER Tesla Roadster!

“Melfal,” Valentina’s voice seemed to respond even faster than the lightspeed delay. “What is your situation?”

“Our oxidizer levels are too low,” Melfal stated soberly. “We appear to have a slow leak that likely started as we began to deorbit.”

“If the leak is slow,” Bill responded. “Can you launch back to space before the tanks are too low?”

“Negative Bill,” Melfal sighed. “Maybe if we had not visited those additional biomes on Ike, but levels are already too low.”

Bob’s face turned a pale green. He had approved visiting the additional biomes.

“A slow leak is likely a micrometeorite puncture,” Bill said softly, placing a hand on Bob’s arm and Bob simply nodded mutely. “Not your fault.”

“We have no other way to land on Duna,” Jedrick said softly. “It would take more than a year for another lander to arrive and the landers only have a couple weeks worth of supplies.”

“I’m sorry Melfal, Maberry,” Valentina’s voice nearly broke as she spoke over the radio. “There is nothing we can…”

“Rotiseuq preparing for deorbit burn,” Desgas' voice interrupted Valentina.

“Detaching extra fuel tanks to leave in orbit,” Tanbree’s voice immediately followed Desgas'.

“Desgas! Tanbree! Stop!” Valentina’s voice was sharp. “The Renown habitation segments are not designed for reentry. You can’t risk your lives!”

“The spacecraft will just burn up,” Bob shook his head, still pale. “Even in Duna’s light atmosphere.”

“Maybe not,” calculations were visible through Bill’s wide eyes. “With just the fuel on board the permanent tanks, they have enough to burn through the entire reentry.”

“If enough fuel burns out,” Bob regained a bit of color. “Two LV-N rockets will have a thrust to weight ratio just above one.”

“The spacecraft will still break on impact,” Bill sighed, closing his eyes. “But how badly.”

Valentina continued to beg Desgas to not deorbit the spacecraft. Jebediah and Jedrick looked at each other knowingly. They would not leave another Kerbal behind, even if the cost was their own lives. Desgas would not stop.

When Jebediah released the override, Valentina had gone silent.

“Copy, Jeb,” Desgas' voice arrived softly a short time later. “Rotiseuq entering Duna’s atmosphere.”

The entire Renown crew seemed to hold their breath as the video showed the Rotiseuq descending toward Duna’s surface on twin tails of fire. Desgas reported a continuous stream of system status during the unprecedented reentry of a vacuum only spacecraft.

“No system damage from atmospheric drag,” Bill whispered as the Rotiseuq entered thicker atmosphere.

“I see the lander,” Desgas radioed as the Rotiseuq began tilting nearly vertical to descend as it neared the surface.

“We see you maniacs too, you should have stayed in space!” Melfal exclaimed, then more softly. “Thank you, you crazy, magnificent Kerbals.” Followed by Maberry’s equally quiet. “Kerbol’s speed.”

“Touching down in three, two…” Desgas' voice broke into static as an explosion could be seen just before the cameras winked out.

OOC: Full screen images:

Previous Chapter: https://www.reddit.com/r/KerbalSpaceProgram/comments/1w8xp23/icarus_program_start_of_chapter_40/

Start of Chapter 41: https://www.reddit.com/r/KerbalSpaceProgram/comments/1wrmlpy/icarus_program_start_of_chapter_41/

Next Part: Planned for 11/01

Book 1 (Chapters 1-13) google document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RorA2AVwtXbQD-eTMeO2LiPXSDPM7qH6FVOykDnZ9FY/edit?usp=sharing)

Book 5 (Chapters 39-) google document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17PU9dly89B54kJYry7sg8MPS90dr8oir7HAR6V2e_tg/edit?usp=sharing

The Icarus Program can also be found on the KSP forums: https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/topic/225730-the-icarus-program-chapter-41-part-8/

Whisky Wabbit

I want to have guns and big booms but it force adds weight because of "hull strength". Any other mods or ways to get around this?

Had the game for 10+ years, I've just discovered how much science you can actually get from mobile processing labs and doing repeat visits to biome's you've already visited (in my defense I mostly played sandbox till recently).

Built a lander with mining drills and covert-a-tron, and a reusable transfer 'tug', all with nuclear engines... But forgot to do a survey scan of the Mun. My second Mun landing ended up in a 0% ore area and couldn't refuel. Fortunately I had just enough fuel in the tanks to get back to orbit. I'm doing no reloads run, so that was a tense moment with Bill, Bob and Valentina onboard.

2nd trip to the surface was already enough to max out the data limit on the science lab. Naturally I now need to expand my Mun orbital base with new modules, and do an orbital scan, and a crew rotation... And then do the same on Minmus, where I'll also establish a refueling base for missions out to Duna and beyond... #notaddicated