Kerbal Space Program: Mun Base - Exploration

Mission: Mun Exploration

The Kerbals insisted on a more ambitious Mun exploration mission. The regions around the Mun equator had been navigated to some extent, and one of the more northern craters had been visited, but otherwise Mun was unexplored. Mission Control developed a mission plan that involved the Beans 3 Munner exploration craft orbiting Mun longitudally. Since the height of the tallest mountain on Mun was approximately 7 KM, an orbit slightly higher would allow for uninterrupted exploration of the Munner surface. Such a polar orbit, combined with Mun's rotation, would result in a gradual traversal of the entirety of Mun.

Mun Crater

Samsby Kerman volunteered to be the first Kerbalnaut to fly over the entirety of Mun. Samsby boarded Beans 3, ascended vertically, and began a combination of orbital maneuvers required to achieve an orbit with a height of 7 KM. Samsby traversed the surface of Mun at a speed of nearly half a kilometer per second, taking photographs and remarking on surface details. The expedition required many weeks before the craft was once again repositioned nearly above the Mun Base and a descent maneuver could be executed.

Exploring Mun

Samsby observed that Munner features could be categorized broadly into three categories: featureless plains, impact craters, and sharply pointed mountains located at the poles. The pointed mountains were the most surprising, as a lack of erosion might suggest tectonic movement or volcanic activity. The impact craters were most probably a result of asteroid collisions and the plains a consequence of millions of years of erosion. Samsby remarked that at a height of 7 KM, it was too difficult to distinguish finer details.

Beans 4 Transport Craft

Upon returning to the Mun Base, Samsby was informed of mission plans to establish a Mun Space Station which would operate in concert with the Mun Base. A new transportation craft could be found outside of the base. The Beans 4 transportation vehicle had been designed with the capability of docking with orbital craft. Unfortunately, the craft lacked RCS thrusters and docking maneuvers would be extremely challenging. Nonetheless, the mission moved forward as planned!