Continuing with the orbital historical missions, next up is Vanguard 1 which is still orbiting today! Launch date: 1y, 2d Vanguard 1 Vanguard 1 craft (5102 dV) Must make orbit with a periapsis above 600 km (minimum altitude) and generating solar power. Good job (650 km orbit) <Vanguard 1> Explorer 6 just required changing the probe on the Vanguard setup.  Also added the probe camera so I could get science from orbit. Launch date: 1y, 2d Explorer 6 Explorer 6 craft (4910 dV) Orbit above 250 km.  Send science back to complete contract. <Explorer 6> I got the Luna 1 contract. That will require some construction (and fund adjustment as well since the decoupler costs 5 times the payment). Need to build and test using the Luna 2 craft since there does not seem to be a Luna 1 in my stock. I did a lot of sims trying to do a direct launch.  That just can't make it.  Even when I lighten the load a bit.  I am trying to use the Sputnik rocket.  I can make it if I go orbital first.  I realize I may be able to do a rendezvous by doing a turn but not circularizing and going straight to Mun.  I just don't know how to figure that out. I guess I should just do the circ and transfer approach. <Pre Luna> Luna 1 Trouble not unlike what happened!  My orbital burn was way early for some reason  (unclear why).  As a result, I ended up with a low periapsis and had to adjust before the Mun burn as well as using too much fuel.  Fortunately, it worked out and I flew by the Mun by "accident" of a bad burn. <Luna 1> Luna 2 has to hit the Mun.  That should be easy, I had to adjust Luna 1 to stop it. No problem. <Luna 2> Luna 3 was interesting.  The solar panels were broken (was that historical?) so I had to use reserve power sparingly to handle the mission.  It was a Mun flyby (nearer than 600 km) that sent back science and then entered Kerbin orbit.  I was able to pass by at 35km so I got some high and low orbit science.  I also got some nice photos because the Luna 3 has an onboard camera.  Despite the power issues, successful mission. <Luna 3> Next up is Discoverer-13 which was the first reentry recovery mission ever. I don't have a discoverer or Coronado probe (which was use) but I have a Stardust Return Capsule which will collect Goo and return it so I will do that to complete the contract. I will also transmit some science back as well to complete a second science contract at the same time.  This is pretty much going to use stock equipment I think. The Discoverer sim went fairly well although it is a much more manual mission.  I need to handle flying (no SAS).  It is a stubby rocket so you go up at half throttle.  Do the goo and return.  Should do well, plenty of dV for the mission (125 km orbit). <Discoverer 13>