K.I.X.

K.I.X.
Registry	Kerbal Interstellar eXplorer
Class	Interstellar Exploration Probe
Size	small - TBA

K.I.X. (Kerbal Interstellar eXplorer), was the first kerbal made probe that reached and explored the Nova Kirbani star system. It was aso the first probe to ever leave the Kerbol System and reach the Nova Kirbani System.

History

The K.I.X. was launched on March 28, 4034 with the purpose of exploring the recently discovered planets of the Nova Kirbani System. After achieving orbit around Kerbin, it went on an escape trajectory to fly-by both Jool and Voon.

Image taken by the K.I.X. during its Jool fly-by.

Image of Voon's northern hemisphere during the Voon fly-by. Laho is in the background.

After the Voon fly-by, the K.I.X. had achieved the velocity needed for an escape trajectory. Of course, at the speed it was going, it would have made it to Nova Kirbani in hundreds of years. Along with the K.I.X. was a plasma engine, which was used afterwords to send it to the system at about 10% the speed of light, shortening the trip from over 300 years to roughly 15 years.

The famous "Nova Kirbani Family Portrait". From left to right: Kernim, Kirb, Kelin.

Its first stop after achieving orbit was the Kernim System. After doing the main deceleration, the plasma engine and tank was jettisoned into interplanetary space, while the probe was left to adjust its orbit using the Ion Drive it has equipped on it. Multiple fly-bys of Narath and Iain were used to lower the inclination, and while waiting for fly-bys, the K.I.X. was able to take data of the planets from afar. It observed transits of Dalne and Erel, took close up pictures of the farther planets, and even discovered the presence of life on Narath.

A close-up of Narath's Savannahs during one of the fly-bys of Narath. The ice cap can be seen at the bottom.

One of the commonly observed transits of Dalne. The K.I.X. used these transits to do observations of Dalne.

First images of Dunem during the fly-by. K.I.X. analysis indicates that Dunem never hosted the possibilities of life on the surface.

After the Kernim Expedition, it used the gravity of Iain to slingshot itself out of Kernim's sphere of influence, and used its ion engine to accelerate to Kirb and Kelin. This was the longest and most fuel consuming burn for the ion engine.

It first reached the Kirb System, using its ion engine along with a Mirn gravity assist to slow its orbit down into a short-period orbit around Kirb.

Mirn, Taythe, and Sulph during the first Mirn gravity assist.

After decelerating into an orbit around Kirb, over the course of a couple more gravity assists, the K.I.X. was able to get itself into an orbit around Mirn.

Over the course of about 1 year, the K.I.X. observed the Mirn Planetary System, doing analysis on the moons. It discovered Hesmin, which was too close to Mirn for telescopes to detect. It also discovered the presence of dense atmospheres on 3 of the moons of Mirn, one of which (Taythe) was found to be habitable.

Image from the most historic fly-by of Taythe. This fly-by was able to detect life on the surface and the habitability of Taythe.

Vesp's caldera and Kernimo Mons. Scientists believe that Vesp may have been home to either vocanic or cryovolcanic activity in the past.

One of the few pictures of Irnil taken by the K.I.X. due to the few fly-bys made of Irnil. The K.I.X. was able to probe that Irnil is too cold to be able to host a subsurface ocean.

Another photo of the Mirn Planetary System. Pictured are Sulph, Vesp, Mirn, Taythe and Hesmin.

After conducting surveys of the Mirn System, a Taythe fly-by was used to get the K.I.X. on an escape trajectory towards Ilve. It surveyed the Ilve System, detecting the presence of life on Ilve's surface, but found out that Ilve's gravity was far too high for kerbals to live under. It also managed to map out the surface of Sern, confirming the lack of water on the surface.

Cal and Ilve, imaged by the K.I.X. The K.I.X. confirmed that Cal was definitely not habitable.

Sern's cloud layers, imaged by the K.I.X. The K.I.X. was able to find out that Sern may have once had oceans on the surface.

After Ilve was found to not be habitable for kerbals, the K.I.X. launched itself using a Mirn and Keles assist, mapping out Orph, the moon of Keles. It then used its ion engine to propel itself towards Kelin. On the way, it gathered data of Silne and Vael, both of which were too close to Kirb for the probe to reach.

Transit of Vael, observed by the K.I.X.. Similar to the transits of Dalne, the K.I.X. was able to use these transits to learn more about the planet without actually having to reach it.

Image of Keles and Orph taken by the fly-by en-route to Kelin.

Image of Orph's bumpy terrain. Note the ice crack that streaks the surface.

After decelerating using a Blalo gravity assist, the K.I.X. was able to do surveys of the Kelin System. During the gravity assist, the K.I.X. was able to do some basic measurements of Blalo's surface and atmosphere. The gravity assist propelled itself towards Alva, where it discovered the presence of a past ocean on the surface. It also went to Elno, where it conducted surveys of the surface and atmosphere, testing for any life that may exist there.

Alva and Mork pictured in one of the Alva fly-bys. The K.I.X. confirmed that Alva was once a watery world a few billion years ago.

Another photo of Alva and Mork. Here, the K.I.X. was able to map out the "continents" of Alva.

Elno pictured by the K.I.X. during one of the Elno fly-bys. The K.I.X. revealed that Elno has always been covered in ice.

After a series of multiple fly-bys in the Kelin System, the K.I.X. was running low on fuel. Mission Control decided that the best solution was to park the K.I.X. into an eccentric orbit around Blalo to study the surface features for a possible landing on the planet. 

Picture of Alar during the Grand Finale of the K.I.X.

Photo of the Giant Impact Crater on Blalo, taken by the K.I.X.

Blalo Close.png

One of the historic photos of Blalo taken by the K.I.X.

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The Blalo Family Portrait.

Blalo and Alar

When the mission was over, the K.I.X. used an Alar fly-by to crash into the moon Leyn. Mission Control decided to crash into Leyn rather than Blalo to prevent accidental panspermia on Blalo.

Last image taken by the K.I.X. just moments before crashing into Leyn.

Accomplishments

• First interstellar probe
• Discovered the presence of life on 4 different planets.
• Mapped out accurate readings of almost all the planets and moons in the Nova Kirbani System.
• Detected habitability on Narath, Blalo, and Taythe.
• Set up the KSP for future missions to the Nova Kirbani System, including the KSS Starchaser and the KSS Kolony.

Appearances

The K.I.X. has only so far made 2 appearances, one in the loading screen of KSS. It is seen heading out to Nova Kirbani.

The other appearance is the K.I.X. seen making its jump to interstellar speeds using its plasma engine.

Kerbal Star Systems 0.7 Push