KerbalX

Details

• Type: VAB
• Class: ship
• Part Count: 29
• Mods: 2
• KSP: 1.11.1

Mods

• Bluedog DB
• Squad (stock)

Magnetism was first discovered in the ancient world most likely from lodestones which would attract iron and potentially goes back to 2000 BC and by the 6th century (perhaps early) was a subject of discourse for a number of ancient philosophers. The magnetic compass was first invented by the Chinese for use in divination sometime around 200 BC and by the 12th century had become a navigational tool. It either was borrowed from China or discovered independently and appeared around the 13th century in Europe. However the magnetic nature of the Earth itself wouldn’t suggested until 1600 by English scientist William Gilbert.

The first notice of solar flares and how they may be related to magnetic fields was studied during the 19th century but the magnetosphere wasn’t truly explained until the 1940s when the dynamo theory was proposed about the Earth’s inner core was responsible for creating the magnetic fields around the Earth. The use of early rockets in the 1950s began to study the magnetosphere and finally in 1958 the radiation belts which were caused by the magnetosphere were discovered by Explorer 1 and a few months later were confirmed by Explorer 3.

Magnetospheric research would continue and additional missions would show their relationship with solar particles and the general physics of the solar system. The Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (IMP) was first launched in 1963 which was also known as Explorer 18 and from a highly elliptical orbit observed the shape and nature of the magnetosphere over the course of two years. The mission was successful and it observed and confirmed the elongated nature of the magnetosphere and how it captured and altered solar particles.

Explorer 18 was launched on-board a Delta C rocket which was part of the Delta family split off and developed by NASA as opposed to the nearly-identical Thor family which was developed by the USAF. It was noted for upgrading the third stage, a solid rocket, from the Altair to Altar II which greatly increased its thrust to propel larger payloads.

The Daleth C rocket is an approximation of the Delta C and is made by Bluedog Design Bureau. It is a standard Daleth rocket with three stages – a Fenris rocket, Daleth C upper stage, and lastly an upgraded Staara X-258 solid rocket. The Fenris handles much of the ascent and should put the payload into space while the Daleth C continues the journey to apoapsis and lastly the Staara X-258 is used for the orbital burn.

The IMP-A has a number of magnetometer instruments and a set of solar panels that can keep it operational indefinitely. The magnetosphere isn’t simulated under stock settings so it won’t provide much data except for performing experiments. The historical mission profile would put it into High Kerbin Orbit (HKO) in a pretty elliptical orbit which in theory would allow it to study all aspects of the magnetosphere.

Built in the VAB in KSP version 1.11.1.