Low-Altitude Science Survey 9

winds today are not favorable for a high-altitude balloon launch so we will try again later this week - we want it recovered over land

however Bob, Bill & crews are gearing up to rover out for a low-alt balloon launch later today over at bit.ly/Site_ZT-8 37km from KSC

balloon crews are heading out in 3 rovers to traverse 50km over land to the launch location, estimate arrival in just over 1 hour

an airship is being redirected along its route from Kravass to Umbarg for a medical emergency extraction - our KerBalloon rover crews are in trouble

word is a slope gave way as they were traversing the top of a ridge & at least one rover was caught and carried in the resulting landslide

we now know that one rover was totaled, another severly damaged. All 4 crew injured, 1 in critical condition & Bob is in serious condition

airship is evacuating them to KSC, where they will be stabilized in the Support Village MedCenter & shipped on to Umbarg for intensive care

situation sounds very fortunate - rovers were carried & smashed by rocks but not buried & are accessible to kerbs working to get crew out

we've received the airship at the Support Village & while Bob is still listed in serious condition our other injured launch crew member has died 🙁

Bill & his passenger have returned in the one remaining rover, which carried the payload. Parachute & KerBalloon unit lost in landslide

Bob has been downgraded to stable condition after surgery closed his gaping side wound, will remain in ICU here at KSC for monitoring

the remaining 2 crew members from the other rover have been treated for minor injuries & released from the medical center for us to debrief

we've finished debriefing Bill & 3 surviving launch crew members to learn what happened. Full report now available bit.ly/KerBalloonPR4

we'd like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Luftkor Charters, whose airship diverted to rescue our crew. They have refused payment

we've dispatched a recovery crew & salvage airship to the rover crash site to see about getting both rovers back to KSC. 3 remain in service

Aerojet Kerbodyne have been very understanding and allowed us to hand the temperature data contract over to the Genesis Program to carry out

salvage crews are returning with what remains of both rovers. They'll be picked apart starting tomorrow to see what's still usable for parts

Bob has been transferred out of the ICU but still has at least 2 weeks of recovery before doctors will consider his release from their care

the two UTVs caught in the landslide have both been scrapped, leaving us with 3 - just enough for medium-range overland KerBalloon missions

Bob has been transferred from the support village med center to his quarters in the astronaut complex, remains under medical observation

Bob had his final post-op medical checkup & docs report he has no complications from Jan's accident. Great news 🙂 Now get back to work!