Commander Valentina takes a long flight around the local region to see how our Negative Gravioli instrument fares at detecting minute changes in Kerbin’s gravity due to varying crust thickness
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Kerbal Space Agency
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Cdr Val to fly a Civvie science mission on Monday to see just how sensitive our gravioli sensor really is flying over varied crust thickness
Kerbal Space Agency
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Civvie #3 rolled out for Val next sunrise, winds may ground flight if they don't let up tho: 10-12kts G16 @ 355 is too much xwind component
Kerbal Space Agency
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Val is suited up & briefed, heading out to get the Civvie ready for departure. Normally Jeb would walkaround but he's still feeling dizzy
Kerbal Space Agency
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taxi/takeoff clearance granted for Rwy27, winds have died down overnight & early start is to get Civvie airborne before they kick up again
Kerbal Space Agency
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Bob is already down posted at the end of the runway to grab some mission photos, here is the Civvie taxiing across the runway to the turf
Kerbal Space Agency
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Val wasted no time getting airborne, rolling about 500m & hardly reaching Bob before climbing out @ 12m/s vertical speed, already thru 200m
Kerbal Space Agency
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Val has informed Flight that she is unable to fully raise her flaps. Quick check w/C7 engineers says she is ok to proceed at 1 notch flaps
Kerbal Space Agency
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engineers warned her not to do any extreme maneuvers, exceed 135m/s & also to not attempt to move them until she is ready to land later
Kerbal Space Agency
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heading over the mtns, we'll lose contact with Val but have once again coordinated with commercial airships to keep track of her progress
Kerbal Space Agency
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nevermind about the airships, we're already back in touch w/Val thru Umbarg as she heads back northward, says Civvie has been handling fine
Kerbal Space Agency
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approaching Umbarg Val will head out for some time over open water, still w/in glide distance of shore but can comm us if doesn't make it
Kerbal Space Agency
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we have a direct link to Val 44km out & Wx update has winds back up to 8-10kts but shifted out of NNE so she has been cleared to land Rwy09
Kerbal Space Agency
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if Val is unable to move flaps at all to lower them, she will simply have to approach slightly faster, no prob - headwind + plenty of runway
Kerbal Space Agency
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Val was able to drop flaps down to 2 notches, reports smooth motion & is preparing to turn for her final approach & will attempt full flaps
Kerbal Space Agency
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flaps are notched 3, Val is on final approach - yes, she's actually flying straight towards the runway, counteracting the sideways wind push
Kerbal Space Agency
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nice smooth landing & Val is taxiing back into the HAB so technicians can have a look at the flaps while scientists grab the gravity data
Kerbal Space Agency
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turns out Civvie flaps had a damaged actuator, nothing Val would have seen w/walkaround. Flaps testing has been added to preflight checklist
Kerbal Space Agency
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it will take some time for scientists to fully analyze gravity data. Here is a flight pic from when Val was coming around southernmost point
Kerbal Space Agency
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results of gravity data analysis from Monday Civvie flight confirm instrument is only sensitive enough to be used at high-alt or space
Kerbal Space Agency
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Weeeeeeekeeeennnddd!! Also month end! Everyone is excited for all the cool stuff Oct will bring. But first, a recap! bit.ly/OpsSummary9-25…
