KSP | Far Future Mission to Saturn | RSS/RO

Merry christmas! Another year has passed and I'm back with a new video. This time we visit Saturn on a mission that is considerably bigger in scope than the last one. Eventhough Saturn is almost twice as far away from the Sun as Jupiter, the crew is back on Earth less than 3 years after launch, no refueling necessary at Saturn. Compared to the 6 years on the mission to Jupiter, that truly shows the potential of advanced propulsion technologies like fusion rockets for crewed missions to the outer solar system.

Some screenshots of the mission in high(er) quality:

Check out this KSP mission to Saturn with Apollo-era technology by @Katniss218 :

MODS (not a complete list):

- Kerbal Space Program 1.10.1 + Breaking Grounds Expansion
- Realism Overhaul + RSS (obvious)
- EVE + Scatterer + RSSVE + TUFX (nice visuals)
- Waterfall (better engine plumes)
- Far Future Technologies (fusion engine, spherical fuel tanks)
- Stockalike Station Parts Expansion Redux (crew parts on interplanetary spacecraft)
- Mk-33 (X-33 inspired crew vehicle)
- Kerbal Atomics (nuclear engines on crew vehicle)
- Planetside Exploration Technologies (rover and base parts)
- Near Future Launch Vehicles (large stage 1 fuel tanks and big cargo bays)
- KerBalloons Reinflated (inflatable balloon on crew vehicle)
- Near Future Construction (structural parts)
- Near Future Spacecraft (big command pod on Enceladus lander)
- Heat Control (radiators)
- Modular Launch Pads (obvious)
- ReStock (better models and textures for stock parts)
- Docking Port Alignment Indicator (better docking UI)
- KK + RSS-CanaveralHD (real cape canaveral terrain and buildings)
- SSTU (J-2X, AJ10 engines)
- SXT (RCS on extendable boom)
- Persistent Thrust (use low thrust engines during time warp)
- KIS + KAS (EVA construction + fuel pipes)
- Camera Tools (moving/stationary camera for cool shots)
- Real Scale Boosters (large fairing halves)
- Kerbal Reusability Expansion (legs on large first stage)
- Tundra Exploration (large grid fins and raptor engines)

In case I missed something, please write a comment down below and I'll add it to the list!

Usual disclaimer: I made a lot of custom configs and plumes for parts from these mods, so don't expect everything in your install to behave or have the same performance as you see in this video.

Timestamps:
0:00 Spacecraft Launch
3:07 Crew Launch
5:06 Flight to Saturn
8:05 Titan
17:11 Enceladus
20:27 Return to Earth

MUSIC:

YouTube Audio Library:
Strauss - Blue Danube

Music by @RossBugden (seriously, check out his channel, he makes some amazing music):

[Explosivefox]

Virgin: Expendable lander
Chad: Reusable lander
Wizard: B A L L O O N

[Stratzenblitz]

Gorgeous mission and video! The shots around Saturn are the most stunning I've seen in a ksp video. I'm a fan

[annabellefawn]

I am suddenly struck with the profound significance of returning to earth after 2.6 years. Not only are you finally returning home, to where everyone you've ever known is, but there's a sense of ennui there. 2.6 years is an entire chapter of your life. That station, and maybe those bases, will have become it's own home to you. It's just like any change that comes with life I suppose. The heartbreaking totality of moving your life somewhere new, or returning to where you once knew. It is a wildly esoteric and yet intensely familiar situation.

[Kohl]

“Getting this ISRU to work on Titan will be quite difficult.”
*throws fuel line into ocean*
“Okay everyone, back in the ship.”

[MrAchterbahnfahrer]

Yay, he's back! No wonder this video took so long if the mission duration is literally 2.6 years :D

By the way: Merry Christmas and a happy new year to everyone reading this comment.

[juliannolastname]

This is so creative! The use of the balloon and heli-rover on Titan threw me for a loop, I had no idea they were coming. I could tell every inch of this mission was meticulously planned out, and I love it!

[CambleDCS]

This has to be the most impressive KSP mission I've ever seen. So elaborate and we'll edited. Well done

[irbengimz]

That awkward moment when this looks leagues better than KSP2…

[kerbinsphere]

every christmas he gives us presents, petition for nessus to be the new santa claus

[phyrexd]

This is one of the most well thought out, designed, and executed missions I’ve ever seen in KSP. Congrats!

[lolmom]

If you zoom enough, you can see the Endurance arriving at saturn too

[hyped-ignis]

7:43 it looks like that scene from interstellar. Epic work.

[thetruestwaffle]

man you are criminally underrated. This is some fantastic film making, your projects are so well edited and your style of presentation is incredible.

love your content, keep it up mate.

[mikedavis]

I'm still so amazed what people can get done in kerbal. One of the greatest games of all time.

[idkanymore]

This is something that KSP2 will hopefully have in terms of rocketry and parts, absolutely beautiful looking!

UPDATE: looks like KSP 2 will have some futuristic stuff, considering the developer of FFT is on their team, KSP 2 may not come with stuff like this in the base game but mods will definitely bring this and alot more

update 2: ksp 2 sucks

update 3: ksp 2 might come back, for science update is pretty good

update 4: its joever for ksp 2

[TheLoganatorz]

This is one of the coolest KSP videos I've seen. 2.6 years with near(ish) future tech, really awesome to see a realistic Saturn mission play out

[HolyPastrami]

Fun fact: Titan is the second most habitable body in the solar system. This is, for the most part, because the atmospheric pressure on Titan is so high that you wouldn't need a full space suit to take a walk on its surface, though you should pack your best winter clothes, as the average surface temperature comes in at around -182°C, and you'd still need an oxygen mask to breathe on Titan, as its atmosphere is not breathable to humans. However, due to the high surface pressure, you would not need a pressure suit to breathe there, provided the oxygen mask outputs the right pressure.

[CEO]

Never thought I needed a venture star strapped to the top of a starship booster until now. Great work!

[EntropianVFX]

Absolutely astonishing. I really, like the immense attention to detail and cinematicness while retaining the hard logistics of the mission. I probably should go pick up my jaw from the basement...

[liquidhype]

This has to be one of the coolest KSP videos I've watched in a while. Well done!