Did some simple atmo science to be able to get a few more levels of science.  A goo and mat study in low space and upper atmo. <Atmo Science Mission> My goal was to fulfill first orbit and the Explorer 1 contract but my apoasis came up a bit short. Launch date: Jan 13, 1951. Explorer Base Craft (Explorer 1) 4007 dV. Orbit at 185km x 122km (needed 250 km for Explorer contract) <Explorer First Orbit> So I will need a little more dV to achieve the goal.  I think a small amount of fuel added to the upper stage may be good enough. ?4294dV (added almost 300 and a BoosterCam).  Running sims. Don't pitch over too far too soon (25k to 25deg was too much for stage change). Sim went well hit a good orbit well above the requirement.  Also, the camera took some nice shots so I can use that. Launch date: Jan 14, 1951. Explorer Base Craft (Explorer 1-A) 4294 dV. (Go to 50 deg after 25km) Orbit 261 km x 255 km  Yes!  Contract Fulfilled <Explorer 1> At $650K after picking a Return from Orbit contract.  Upgrading Mission Control and Tracking station so I can have maneuver nodes. Created "Orbital Return" rocket. Sim show instability in 2nd stage.  Added a reaction wheel. 4354 dV (with 401 of that in the last/return stage and 10 ablator) Launch date: Jan 15, 1951. Orbital Return craft. Reached orbit and performed a de-orbit burn and splashed down safely.  It actually fulfilled the Explorer-2 contract as well, so win-win! <Orbital Return> I have received the Sputnik contract but the craft I am building seems odd (the procedural fuel tank won't size large enough) so I think that I need a rocketry upgrade.  I am a bit short of science so I am building a "Minmus Flyer" craft that will be easily covered by contract.  Not very money profitable but very science profitable.  If I have the dV when I get there I will put it into orbit but otherwise it may be a flyby. Minmus Flyer 5482 dV.  Includes 2 goo, 1 mat, 1 temp, 1 baro, 1 geiger, and the magnetometer.  Should be a science bonanza! <Minmus Flyer Prep> This is a very manual mission but the sim would indicate I can fly it with some room for error. Turn to 70deg at 100 m/s.  Turn to 45deg at 30km.  Give yourself some room for circ by burning at 30s before apo. Launch date: Jan 18, 1951 Minmus Flyer craft 5482 dV 2 Minmus contracts to be fulfilled. Crisis:  The whole signal range thing killed me.  Since I am using Kerbalism the signal range matters but I have no idea what he range actually is!  I am trying to find out (since this is something that actual rocket designers would know). I may keep the mission because it did make me a fair amount of money (I got the Minmus flyby and it also gave me Sputnik, which I wanted to do separately) Okay, I understand where to find my antenna range (it is on the antenna right-click after you are in flight mode).  I tested it with a sim and it was accurate.  So, I reset because I want to try again with an interesting mission profile. Basically, I want to set up the flyby when I am still in range (13.3mm, just past Mun) and then run the experiments at Minmus with Parts Commander which appears to work.  I don't think that is a cheat on Kerbalism because they could be set up to run automatically based on time or proximity and that is what you would do in such a case.  So, after the flyby, my goal is to have it reenter Kerbin orbit and transmit the data when it gets back into range.  It limits my experiments a bit (I have to store it so no multiples on a single device) and I don't know that I can set up the return before I exit the range.  I guess we will see! Got to circ orbit (159x154) with 1681dV.  Trying to set the path to Minmus with return using manual maneuver node.  I will do an adjust when we are near the limit. This was really hard to do, many tries.  I was able to finally pass at 24km from Minmus so that I could get the low space science.  It does appear that using the fast forward "buttons" in map mode can mess up the physics.  Very odd, but I should not use them when accuracy is important. <Minmus Pass>  Just want to save my work in flight.  Still need to retrieve the data to make the contract. So, I got back into range and transmitted the relevant science to get the contracts and a whole lot more!  I did not have Kerbin High space science in this game (I forgot) so I was able to get much of that as well.  I now have over 200 science to spend and over $600K money. That was fun! <Minmus Flyer Success> Looks like the Vanguard contract is active.  Yes! I created the "Vanguard Base" rocket and have successfully run the sims to fulfill the Vanguard-1 mission. IMportant note was that I need to restrict the turn top 75deg until it passes 30km otherwise it will flip over.  On the plus side, since the apoasis needs to be greater than 380. that is not a big deal. I also see that the Vanguard satellite has an extremely long range set of antennas, so I can use it as a relay in a ton of places.  I may send one to Minmus (on some other contract and put it in a polar orbit so I can not have any comm issues in  the planet system (probably want one at Mun to for possible relay). Had a weird thing (again) with procedural tank not being full.  Need to check  that each time.  Reset to Minmus Flyer Success and build again. (since this is a bug) Saved update as <Vanguard Setup> Vanguard-1 (apoasis of at least 380 km) Launch date: Jan 23, 1951 Vanguard Base craft 5210 dV Going for circular orbit around 400km  Should have over 1000 dV left that will be ditched (satellite stands alone). Excellent 408 x 400 km orbit! (1024 dV left) <Vanguard-1> Quick Kerbin science before I send a Vanguard to Minmus to act as a relay. Instead of a Vanguard, I am sending an Explorer to Minmus.  I use the GRAB satellite because there is nor Explorer in the US parts pack and it has the same range as the Vanguard.  Plus, I can fulfill both the Explorer-3 mission and then send it along to Minmus. Need to reset the game because the ocean disappeared... Launch date:  Jan 24, 1951. Explorer Base craft (6091 dV) Both Explorer-3 and Vanguard-2 are fulfilled by this mission.  First a save. <Explorer-3> Now, let me see if I can use the satellite to set up a relay station at Minmus for the future and get a Minmus contract as well. Got to polar orbit of Minmus 375 x 342 km.  Transmitted some probe data and Voila!  Contact and Relay station set up! <Minmus Relay> I once again have both a Vanguard and Explorer satellite contract.  I will use the Vanguard this time (return the last favor) as it will fulfill both. Launch Date:  Jan 27, 1951. Vanguard base craft (5210 dV) Must reach apoasis above 325km.  Will fulfill both Explorer-4 and Vanguard-3. Orbit at 353x348 km.  Two contracts fulfilled. <Vanguard-3> I have another survey Minmus contract which will pay for me to get more science from Minmus high orbit as well as test out my new relay.  I have adjusted the payload of the Minmus Flyer and am prepping Minmus Flyer 2 (5551 dV). Launch date: Jan 30, 1951 (dusk launch) Minmus Flyer craft Well, it was a mixed bag.  The relay worked great (once I turned it on) and I got some decent science, enough to get me the next MJ level.  However, the contract failed.  I need to do that part again at some point.  Kerbalism has another fix in which is that it will not give you credit if you transmit zero science apparently.  I needed to return the Goo, which I did not.  I will need to create a Minmus return mission.  Shouldn't be too hard since this is returning beautifully at the moment, it just will crash with no heat shield or parachute! Ah, a failure is necessary here. <Minmus Flyer 2> Just for a kick (since it would burn up anyway) I tried "landing" Minmus Flyer 2 on Kerbin.  Just not enough fuel timed right to do it.  I think if it was timed right, it would have a shot, but it doesn't matter since the Goo was spent anyway. Next up is a couple contracts and Discoverer-1.  I saw Sputnik-2 when I zoomed ahead but it has not shown up yet.  I may launch Sputnik-1 just for fun since I never got to!  (It got handled by another mission)  I also have 3 contracts for Mun orbits so I can set up my relay base there.