C017D Charon Heavy 03, note the D meaning that this was the fourth design iteration, launched from Desert Space Center as a standard resupply mission to UKSS01. Its powerful booster dropped the craft in LKO and boosted back to the space center at KSC.
Parachute deployment was okay, and this time only the center engine was used to slow down the descent. Still, the slope proved too much and the stack fell over, despite the RCS trying to prevent it. Mostly reusable though.
The payload continued its journey to the space station and after unloading the supplies it headed back down to test the new breaking flaps. Would these keep the craft upright?
The breaking flaps did an excellent job of avoiding a flip and slowing down the craft through re-entry.
Two additional drogue chutes managed to slow down the entire craft to acceptable velocities for the main chute.
With the landing-legs deployed the engines survived, a trick that had already been copied by the Falcon. KSC was impressed and granted Kerbin Orbital Services (KOS) crew permission to UKSS and in fact, booked the first capsule for one month later for crew rotation.
C017D Charon Heavy 04 would carry pilot Katerny Kerman, engineers Sampond and Korolev Kerman, and scientists Finni and Camdous Kerman to UKSS. “Boy, this is crammed,” Korolev said. “Cramped, you mean,” Finni smug replied.
Booster return was successful, it seemed the team finally got the timing right. Conserving RCS for balancing the final few seconds proved key as would limiting thrust in the final descent. The KOS team was very happy with the results.
After dock and handover ceremonies the old team boarded the Delta A1 and started the descent maneuver.
Landing a delta capsule was not considered a novelty anymore but the crew was happy to be home.
KSC Archives 