The beginning of a new year marks the beginning of a new project for the staff at the Kerbal Space Center. The Aquarius project is the one we have been waiting for - the mission that will put a Kerbal on the surface of the Mun. Although there has been no official date set yet, it is speculated that we will be putting footprints on the Munar surface by the middle of next year.
Three new astronauts have joined the team that will begin the initial phase of testing in preparation for the first Mun landing. In a remarkable photograph of the Aquarius crews, scale props of the spacecraft that will be used are set behind the astronauts.
A press photograph of the astronauts with scale models of the vehicles
that will be taking the Kerbals to the Mun and back.
From let to right:
Team Bravo - Tomdun, Charlie (Cdr), Wehrdun
Team Alpha - Bob, Jebediah (Cdr), Bill
Team Charlie - Hantry, Lanmore (Cdr), Kenford
For the moment, the testing of the hardware that will be used for the Aquarius missions is now underway. The launch escape system was up first. Initially, launch-pad firings were put through their paces before airborne tests took place. Three official missions took place: LES1, LES2 and, you guessed it, LES3.
Our first look at the new Command Module. It is large enough
to comfortably carry three Kerbals to the Mun back
The Launch Escape System (LES) successfully carries the Command
Module to safety
The second and third missions took place on top of a new rocket designed to take the new Command Module to the edge of the atmosphere. LES2 was an abort test at 70km, which is where our atmosphere runs out and the vacuum of space begins. LES3 was a hyper-sonic test to ensure the escape system could pull the command module to safety at maximum speed.
Using seven solid-fueled rocket boosters and one sustainer,
the LES is tested at orbital height and hyper-sonic speeds
KW Rocketry, which is the contractor for supplying the KSP with Launch-Vehicles, were required to supply two variants for use in the project. The first is the Eos, which is the smaller of the two vehicles. The first stage utilises existing technology by strapping several boosters together. The upper stage, however, is a completely new concept. KW Rocketry teamed up with Kerbchem Industries to fulfill the requirements. The Eos is capable of taking the new Command and Service Module or the Munar Module to orbit around Kerbin. But to get both the CSM and MM to the Mun, the mighty Selene will be used.
A scale comparison of the Launch-Vehicles. Falcon and Arke were used
in the Unity Project. Eos and Selene, built for the Aquarius Project, cast
shadows over their smaller cousins. A Kerbal is stood far left for scale
Five unmanned tests have been carried out of all the hardware to be used in the Aquarius project following the initial LES missions. These were necessary to clear the vehicles safe for Kerbal flight.
The first mission was dubbed 'Aquarius Flight 101', and was a test of the Eos
Launch Vehicle and durability of the Command Module. The Service Module
was simply a boiler plate (indicated by its red livery)
AF102 was an all-up test of the CSM and to test of the Command Pod at re-entry
AF103 tested the Munar Module in Kerbin orbit
AF103 races up toward the clouds
An artists representation of the Munar Lander in flight. The image shows the
separation test of the upper stage.
During the live Mun mission, the descent stage of the Munar Module will remain on the Mun's surface to save weight. The descent stage would normally have legs for landing, but this mission deemed it pointless to fit them as there was no landing.
Two further missions were flown, but this time using the Selene Launch-Vehicle. However, the press were not permitted to the launch to image the enormous rocket at launch. AF104 was an orbital test that put an unmanned CSM into a high orbit. The third stage then fired to propel the CSM back to Kerbin at Munar re-entry speeds. However, a failure in the SM engine meant the correct speed could not be attained. Although, 3000m/s was achieved and was deemed close enough. A parachute failure caused the CM to crash into the ocean and was destroyed on impact.
An unofficial image of the AF104 being taken to orbit by the Selene rocket
A camera was fitted to the CM of AF104 and captured this image of Kerbin
at its peak altitude and sent back to Mission Control
An artists impression of the CM during re-entry
The first manned test that took place was somewhat uneventful. A live CSM was mounted on top of an Eos rocket where a system test was conducted. Flight Commander Lanmore Kerman, with Hantry and Kenford, took the helm for the first manned mission. In addition, this was the first Aquarius mission to been named in a different format. Instead of Aquarius Flight 106, it was instead named Aquarius VI. Every subsequent mission is expected to follow this trend. The mission consisted of RCS testing, fuel-cell testing (which are used to generate power for the craft) battery testing and communications as well as life support systems. The mission was a success, and signed off the approval for Kerbal-rating the hardware.
Aquarius VI undergoes the first manned testing of it's systems
The next mission, Aquarius VII, is expected to be an all-up manned launch to orbit.
No comments:
Post a Comment