KerbalX

Details

• Type: VAB
• Class: satellite
• Part Count: 22
• Mods: 2
• KSP: 1.11.0

Mods

• Bluedog DB
• Squad (stock)

One of the key differences that separates the present world, in terms of space-based technologies, and the world of the beginning of Space Race is the extensive use of communications satellites that allow us to take for granted the ability to communicate between any two points on the Earth or even with anything in Earth orbit.

The idea of a network of communications satellites would eliminate or at least alleviate some of the limitations of communications between space center and ground control. The basics of a communication satellite were tested out through Pioneer 1 and the tests were continued with SCORE, a primitive communications satellite which stayed in orbit for 20 days, instead of the planned 12, broadcasting a simple yet powerful message from Eisenhower. It continued with other The Courier satellites provided the next step becoming the world’s active repeater satellite and the next step was the first series of Telstar satellites which would be privately owned and operated by telecommunications giant, AT&T.

Telstar 1 became the first commercially operated communications satellite and broadcast the first live video between the American coasts and also with Europe. It was very limited and only lasted a few months before it was de-activated but nevertheless it was an important next step in the development of communications satellites.

The Thor-Able had been used used for a variety of missions between 1958 and 1960 after which the USAF wanted essentially an upgraded Thor-Able which would be more reliable and could handle larger payloads. The Thor portion of the rocket was essentially unchanged from the DM-19 configuration while a new upper stage, the Delta, was derived from the Able upper stage. It was used for a number of missions including the Echo and Telstar satellites but more importantly the new Delta upper stage was the beginning of a new rocket family which would deviant from the Thor rocket family.

The original Delta was effectively an upgraded Able with a number of improvements such as an upgraded engine, new nozzles that would help stabilize the rocket when making engine restarts which allowed for much greater precision which was necessary for newer payloads. This eventually became the new designation for the new Delta rocket family based on the Thor-Delta combination while other Thor combinations were still developed under the Thor label.

The Altair solid rocket began life as the third stage of the Vanguard rocket but was eventually spun off as an upper stage for other rockets such as the early Thor and Delta rockets. It was mostly used to boost a high apogee so was optional for payloads that were only being sent to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). It was used for the Telstar satellite as the Telstar was placed in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO).

The Fenris rocket is an approximation of the Thor rocket in DM-19 configuration and is a simple liquid-fueled rocket which bring it into the upper atmosphere whereas the ascent will be taken over by the upper stage. The Daleth stage is a slight upgrade of the Alpha upper stage which approximates the original Delta stage. It is essentially just the Alpha rocket as the differences between the two can’t really be simulated.

The recommended mission profile is to directly ascent to 1,581 km which is roughly a semi-synchronous orbit which will be taken care by the Fenris and Daleth stages and then use the Staara-20 in its Altair configuration to complete the orbit. It won’t be a circular orbit but it will put you a stable Medium Kerbin Orbit (MKO).

Built in the VAB in KSP version 1.11.0.