Kerbal Space Program: Duna Outpost Improvements and Ike Expedition

Mission: Improve the Duna Outpost's facilities and gather science from Ike.

Airdropping a Duna-Ike spacecraft (foreground) and two rovers (background) near the Duna Outpost.

With life support capabilities successfully installed on Duna, the next phase of Duna-Ike system development was giving the Kerbals mobility in the form of rovers and spacecraft. A very simple wheeled rover and a nuclear-powered spacecraft were designed and transported to Duna. The two rovers and spacecraft were accompanied by kerbalnaut Bill Kerman and airdropped within ten kilometers of the Duna outpost.

Showcasing the improved facilities of the Duna Outpost. In order from left to right: greenhouse, rover, Duna-Ike spacecraft, Kethane module, habitat module.

The rovers were driven and the Duna-Ike Express spacecraft flown to the Duna Outpost and refueled. After the necessary vehicle assessments were performed, Bill Kerman immediately launched for the tidally locked moon Ike. The Duna-Ike Express had been designed to be capable of launching from the surface of Duna, landing on Ike, and returning safely to the surface of Duna. The spacecraft was a resounding success and gathered much science from the moon of Ike. With transportation facilities established, the next phase of development would involve establishing permanent science labs on the planet.

The Duna-Ike Express returning to Duna.

Kerbal Space Program: Duna Outpost

Mission: Establish a Duna outpost for future missions.

With the installation of new KSP mods requiring life support, the establishment of bases throughout the system would be critical in performing long-term missions with crew. Duna would be the location of our first base and launching point for missions in and near the Duna system.

Satellite used to scan for Kethane and rare metals.

Duna was chosen to be the location of our first proper base, instead one of Kerbin's moons, primarily because of it's thin (although toxic) atmosphere. This atmosphere helps tremendously with heat dissipation and means we need not be concerned with modules overheating. In future missions, after developing newer technologies and acquiring experience, establishing colonies on non-atmospheric planets, such as Dres, would become easier.

The outpost would be required to immediately accomplish two tasks: (1) provide a sustainable habitat for Kerbals and (2) serve as a refueling location for future missions. When developed further, the outpost could be expanded to include permanent science laboratories and rare metal harvesting. The first order of business was to locate Kethane at a low altitude on the equator. An outpost on the equator would reduce the amount of fuel required for interplanetary trips and the low altitude would result in a thicker atmosphere and thereby soften landings using parachutes. A satellite was placed into orbit and such a location was discovered.

The location of Kethane around Duna's equator. Kethane pockets are coloured green. The Duna outpost was placed within the large valley on the equator.

The next step was to transport the outpost modules to Duna. However, we had not yet unlocked the secrets of wheel technology and the modules would need to land with pinpoint accuracy next to each other. This would require hours of simulations (reloading) to have the modules, traveling upwards of 1 km/s, land withing 50 meters of each other. Nonetheless, the modules were put into position and the brave Kerbalnaut Sherlie Kerman emerged from the habitat module to connect modules and activate the greenhouse. The outpost was now operational.

Duna outpost establishment. The outpost is comprised of a habitat module (left), small Kethane extractor and refinery (bottom right), and a greenhouse (top right).

With this small Duna outpost established, our next goal would be to bring a small rocket capable of traveling back and forth from Duna and Ike, Duna's moon, in order to facilitate the collection of more science. A further task would be to bring a wheeled vehicle to explore the Dunian landscape.