Category Archive: News

What's going on at the Kerbal Space Agency

Aug 28 2020

Operations Summary – Weeks of 8/17 & 8/24/20

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Aug 25 2020

Progeny Mk7-B Flight 1 Analysis

Originally announced back in late 2019, the Mk7-B was meant to fly earlier this year however the bankruptcy of Umbra Space Industries and the following litigation led to the suspension of Progeny launches that lasted several months on top of the self-imposed general launch suspension earlier in the year. Finally, nearly a year after the last Progeny Mk7-A flight the Mk7-B conducted its first mission.

Leading up to the launch, the rocket was carefully checked out after having sat around for months since finishing assembly earlier in the year. Rollout to the launch pad was initially delayed due to mechanical problems with the carry vehicle and once out on the pad despite a good wet dress rehearsal additional delays were required thanks to some launch system upgrades that were made during the downtime between this and the previous unkerbed launch.

Two days after the new launch date operations were finally allowed to proceed in preparing the rocket for lift off. Pre-launch protocols went smoothly and weather was cooperative throughout.

The Flight

At L-2 minutes the terminal count procedures began with the AFCS taking command of the rocket as the service tower swung away to leave the spacecraft on internal power and radio comms. Leading up to the final T-30s polls battery drain rates were monitored and signal checks undertaken. With all systems GO, the rocket proceeded with final launch procedures and the support legs keeping it stable against any sudden wind gusts were retracted 5s prior to T-0.

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Aug 14 2020

Operations Summary – Weeks of 8/3 & 8/10/20

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Aug 05 2020

Ascension Mk1 Flight 13 Analysis

To continue to test science instruments the unkerbed Mk1-A capsule made its 4th flight up into space, adding data on to the studies began with a similar mission back in 2019. This time however the trajectory was tweaked to send the rocket higher and also carried Mystery Goo samples, the largest batch to date. Additional mission objectives included the technology demonstration of dish antenna for high-gain data transmission/reception and the capsule carrying internal shielding to help lower the amount of radiation that reaches the crew. The mission was scheduled to launch in the middle of the day cycle to ensure that the inner radiation belt was pushed closest to the surface by the kerbolar wind so the rocket’s trajectory would penetrate as deep as possible. No issues came up in the preparation for launch, the rocket was successfully rolled out to the pad and dish comms tested before being raised vertical for a wet dress rehearsal. The day of launch the rocket was lowered again for late onload of the Mystery Goo samples, as they are highly radioactive and would have presented a danger to pad crew during the rollout and WDR.

The Flight

Just prior to engine ignition the fins all swiveled through their full range of motion to test hydraulic pressure – if they fail to re-center before ignition time of T-6s then pressure is low. Engine ignition was permitted and the K2-X fired up without issue at 10% initial thrust to check chamber pressure for 3 seconds before throttling up to launch TWR of 1.2 (~75% throttle). Launch thrust was confirmed at T-0, allowing the engine clamps to release and enable the rocket to begin its journey up into space at 17:30:00.74 local time. Another 3 seconds into the flight the rocket climbed above the service towers and the engine was brought up to full power, producing 172kN of thrust.

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Jul 31 2020

Operations Summary – Weeks of 7/20 & 7/27/20

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Jul 17 2020

Operations Summary – Week of 7/13/20

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Jul 10 2020

Operations Summary – Weeks of 6/29 & 7/6/20

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Jun 26 2020

Operations Summary – Week of 6/22/20

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Jun 19 2020

Operations Summary – Week of 6/15/20

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Jun 12 2020

Operations Summary – Weeks of 5/25 – 6/8/20

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