The Final Test Before Crewed Orbit 🧑‍🚀 | KSP RP-1 Mercury Mission | Short Deorbit

🚀 Welcome back to the launchpad for a critical step in our KSP RP-1 program: the uncrewed orbital test flight! This mission is the final dress rehearsal before we send our first Kerbal into orbit.

In this video, we're flying a beautiful, Mercury-inspired rocket designed to meet a tough contract:
✅ Achieve an orbit above 150 km.
✅ Carry a single-crew slot (but fly uncrewed).
✅ Use only re-entry rated parts.
✅ Stay in orbit for a full 1 hour and 27 minutes.

You'll get a detailed look at our two-stage rocket, packing nearly 10,000 m/s of delta-V and topped with a fully-featured Mercury capsule, complete with a launch escape system, retro pack, and even the iconic landing bag!

The mission goes smoothly... until it doesn't. A critical error during the de-orbit burn almost spelled disaster for the entire flight! Watch as we troubleshoot the problem and navigate a fiery re-entry with stunning plasma effects (thanks to the firefly mod) for a safe splashdown in the south of Africa.

Will this test validate our design for the upcoming crewed mission? Let's find out!

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A HUGE Thank You! ❤️

A massive shout-out to the channel's very first supporter, *Space Junkie*! Your support means the world to me and marks a huge milestone for this channel. Thank you for being here from the start!

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Thanks for watching, and I'll see you in the next one!

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#KSP #RP1 #KerbalSpaceProgram #RealismOverhaul #Mercury #ProjectMercury #RocketScience #SpaceMission #Gaming #Reentry #SpaceSim #LetsPlay