Commander Valentina
will perform low-altitude aerial observations, this time over Kerman’s Recklessness for CTC Exploration as well as take on a contract from the KerBalloon Program
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Kerbal Space Agency
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nice weather, high cloud ceiling & little to no wind. Cpt Jeb will take the Civvie out after 2nd sunrise for a flight to satisfy 2 contracts
Kerbal Space Agency
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Jeb departed a few minutes ago and is already at 1.2km continuing to climb under full power while hugging the coast as he heads to the north
Kerbal Space Agency
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that was close. Jeb almost landed before the apron - running into that would not have been good. Still, flared high & stalled to hit hard
Kerbal Space Agency
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Jeb is having trouble steering as he taxis back to the HAB, looks like the Civvie will be needing a new set of landing gear...
Kerbal Space Agency
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C7 engineers are ordering a new set of landing gear for the Civvie, they say gear came close to collapsing and pancaking the airplane
Kerbal Space Agency
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the ridiculous weight of the Civvie due to its overbuilt airframe also didn't help matters. Lighter production model will be more tolerant
Kerbal Space Agency
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the new landing gear for the Civvie Prototype has arrived and will be installed over the next 2 days so we can have a science flight on 1/18
Kerbal Space Agency
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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
Kerbal Space Agency
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an airship is being redirected along its route from Kravass to Umbarg for a medical emergency extraction - our KerBalloon rover crews are in trouble
Kerbal Space Agency
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we've finished debriefing Bill & 3 surviving launch crew members to learn what happened. Full report now available bit.ly/KerBalloonPR4
Kerbal Space Agency
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Aerojet Kerbodyne have been very understanding and allowed us to hand the temperature data contract over to the Genesis Program to carry out
Kerbal Space Agency
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Val is currently finishing up in the ready room before heading for briefing. She will science these two locations bit.ly/SciFlt3
Kerbal Space Agency
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a look from inside the Civvie's bare-bones cockpit as Val finishes up her pre-engine start checklist and makes ready to fire up the Civvie
Kerbal Space Agency
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taxi clearance granted to Rwy27 - winds out of the northwest at 5-8kts. Val will have some extra work taking off & landing w/ crosswind
Kerbal Space Agency
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up, up & away! Val has departed to the west, will fly runway heading out to 400m ASL then turn south on course to Kerman's Recklessness
Kerbal Space Agency
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Val notes the ride is definitely a bit bumpy today with the winds. Civvie is pretty heavy though, so not getting tossed around too much
Kerbal Space Agency
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after dictating to us her observations of Kerman's Recklessness from 1.6km Val has turned about, continuing to climb & heading for Site ZT-8
Kerbal Space Agency
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12km west of KSC Val is passing by on her way north, will follow the shoreline on similar route to Jeb's flight. 2.5km, climbing for 3km ASL
Kerbal Space Agency
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3km ASL and Val has been cleared direct over water to Site ZT-8 to gather temperature data, after which she will return to KSC & land Rwy27
Kerbal Space Agency
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Val was too high at 1.5km to enter downwind north of KSC, will continue west to the south past KSC airspace to enter left-turn downwind
Kerbal Space Agency
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Val is on base leg leveled off at 150m - she's only a few hundred meters offshore over shallow water as we couldn't schedule a ship in time
Kerbal Space Agency
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check that crab angle as Val comes in to land, flying long over the runway way past Bill before Civvie finally settled. Val taxiing in now
Kerbal Space Agency
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Civvie is parked and shut down and C7 engineers are glad Val brought her back intact, although her landings are still hard & fast @ ~50m/s









