On a KSP forum thread about the SSTV transmission on Duna, someone claimed that another SSTV transmission is heard when passing more than 10 Em from the Sun. This is probably false, but I decided to test it out.
Here is the probe on the launchpad. Most of the delta-v (20 km/s) of it is in the tiny ion stage at the top, above the rockomax adapter. Next is the nuclear stage (10 km/s), and then the launch stage that sends the rest into orbit. This will give it a final velocity of about 33 km/s, enough to reach the target in just a hair under 1 million years.
As it flies into the air, it actually looks kind of elegant.
Unfortunately, the launch stage had insufficient delta-v so I had to circularise using the nuclear stage instead.
With the solar panels deployed, the space probe can now begin the nuclear booster stage. This is just before ignition of the NERVA engines.
After the nuclear stage runs out of fuel, the Ion stage takes over. This has a very long burn time - Brachistochrone trajectories to the Mun and Minmus are actually possible with this rocket. In otherwords, you can literally point towards the Mun, thrust, and you will get there.
Eventually, the probe reached its final velocity of 33 km/s, and I modified the save file to simulate 1 000 000 years of travel.
There was nothing, but the probe, frozen in space.
And I mean literally frozen in space.
As in, not moving.
Weird.
