Apollo 2
... or Why do it once when you can do it twice?
After the success of the first Apollo mission, which achieved the historic milestone of taking kerbals to the Mun and back without loss of limbs or any other serious medical conditions, the Kerbal Space Program decided to revisit the Mun, just to prove the first mission was not mainly a huge struck of good luck. Because, why do it once when you can do it twice?
It was also an opportunity to fix some design issues that took the Apollo 1 mission dangerously close to failure — even for Kerbal Space Program standards.
The brave crew of the Apollo 2 mission:
- Samlin Kerbin (Commander)
The crewmember of the Apollo 1 that did not descend to the surface. This time it would be his turn. - Alan Kerbin (Lunar Module Pilot)
A young and highly promising kerbonaut, this was his first mission to the Mun. - Aldmund Kerbin (Command Module Pilot)
Commander of the Apollo 1 mission and the first kerbonaut to ever walk on the Mun. This time he'd remain in munar orbit.
Launch and Mun landing
The launch vehicle and strategy were identical to those used for the first Apollo mision: two separate launches would but the Command Module and the Lunar Module in low Kerbin orbit, and there they would rendezvous and dock together to form a single ship before leaving for the Mun.
Some redesigns followed the lessons learned from the first mission to the Mun. The Command Module fuel supply was cut down by 17% and the more powerful LV-T30 engine was installed as its main engine. More powerful landing lights were installed on the Lunar Module to provide better visual cues during dark or night landings. RCS thrusters on the LM were repositioned closer to the center of mass and the guidance computer was reprogrammed (this would help alleviate the control difficulties encountered during the Apollo 1 descent).
Quickly and without incidents, the improved Munar space craft was on its way to the Mun:
After reaching Mun orbit, Samlin and Alan transferred to the Lunar Module and undocked the lander. This time, the landing target was not along the equator of the Mun (which is easiest with the CM on an equatorial orbit), but 12° north, in the center of one of the Mun's three large impact basins, Mare Kepler.
Alan Kerbin, the pilot of the Lunar Module, did an extraordinary work, and the craft landed without incidents very close to its intended position:
This time the landing was textbook — or close to it, as the powered descent consumed a little bit more fuel than was planned. Some engineers noted that the remaining fuel would perhaps be insufficient to rendezvous with the Command Module due to the fact that the landing site was not equatorial. In such an event, the Command Module would've had to meet the Lunar Module, instead of the other way around.
Alan and Samlin exited the Lunar Module and became the third and fourth kerbals to walk on the Mun:
They quickly placed the flag:
Munar operations went as planned: rock samples were collected, scientific experiments were installed, and kerbonauts generally behaved in a very professional manner. "Look how high I can jump!"
It was now time for the return trip, having successfully landed kerbals to the Mun for the second time.
Continue to Return to Kerbin ...