This Season 2 stream on GopherCraft's multiplayer server starts with no mission in flight. Basket wants a rocket with more fuel for the trip to the Mun, and it takes three launches to get one. The Success 2004 XLT tumbles on its way up, the first Success 2005 XLT will not leave the pad, and the third launch carries Jebediah Kerman to the Mun, down to the surface, back up, and home to Kerbin under a parachute.
The Success 2004 XLT tumbles
The plan is simple. "Basically I don't have enough fuel is really what the issue is." In the Vehicle Assembly Building, the side boosters come off and much larger Rockomax tanks and engines go on, with struts and a set of wings. The name field reads The Success 2004 XLT. "So this might not even take off at all. I don't really know how these engines work."
It does take off, with Jebediah Kerman in the capsule. The climb is fine until the turn toward orbit, when the whole stack starts to tumble. Basket heads back to the Space Center. "I need more of a dart."
Too heavy, then lighter
The big tanks move lower on the core, on wider decouplers, and more fuel goes onto the bottom. By now the name field reads The Success 2005 XLT, and the game recovers The Success 2004 XLT with Jebediah Kerman listed as "Ready for next assignment." The new rocket fires on the pad, smoke rolls out, and it stays put. "I kind of thought that maybe by adding the extra fuel it would actually not help."
Some of the fuel comes back off. "Since that one didn't leave I'm going to keep the same number."
Third launch to the Mun
This time the rocket climbs. Basket starts the turn around 6,000 m and keeps the speed near 250 m/s. It somersaults for a moment, comes back under control, and a 32-second burn finishes the orbit. Dropping the big side engines sets off a blast behind the ship, but the landing legs and the engine are still there. "I think it was an empty tank hitting each other."
A burn to the Mun, a short 13-second burn on arrival for a Mun orbit, and then the same approach as last time: lower the orbit on the dark side, then a 55-second burn to stop the sideways motion and drop straight down. Before landing, Basket cuts the engines, drops the spent stage and lets it fall away first. Then it is a matter of waiting for the craft's shadow. "Okay, I see my shadow." The ship settles on a slight slope.
Science in the Midlands, and back up
The science windows name the spot as the Mun's Midlands. Basket observes the Mystery Goo, logs the temperature, records a crew report and an EVA report, but skips the surface sample because the ship keeps leaning. Then it lifts off "before you tip over" and reaches a low orbit with fuel left. "I can't believe I actually landed, did some science and then took off."
A hot ride home
Basket sets up the trip back to Kerbin with a low pass through the atmosphere to slow down. After asking the stream, Basket drops the engines before the fall begins. The way down is rough. Parts on the outside of the capsule light up and break away, and the batteries and solar panels go with them. "Anything hanging outside the shield, okay, well good to know." With no power left, the capsule just falls, wrapped in flame.
The flames die down over land, and the parachute opens.
Where it ends
The capsule touches down upright in Kerbin's Highlands. Jebediah Kerman records a crew report, climbs out for an EVA report and a surface sample, and climbs back in, and the vessel is recovered. The Mission Summary for The Success 2005 XLT lists eight experiments, among them a Materials Study and a Temperature Scan from the Mun's Midlands and the "Recovery of a vessel returned from the surface of the Mun," for "+131.6 Science earned" and a total of 286. "I think this ship worked pretty well actually." The stream ends at the Space Center with no mission in flight.