Orbital Drift Compensation

[Jestersage]

Now, according to wiki, the description is "Orbits that are completely out of the atmosphere (e.g. PE > 70 km around Kerbin) are stable (PE and AP don’t change)."

So my question is: how well does it actually mimic a decaying orbit? Would like to have an excuse to fire the thrusters of my space station.

[linuxgurugamer]

It doesn't, unless you use the orbital decay mod

I should say that an orbit which dips into the atmo will decay if the vessel is loaded

Edited July 12, 2018 by linuxgurugamer

[XtraChrisP]

Even then, it will only decay if it's simulating physics on it, which only occurs if you're actively controlling the station or controlling something within physics range (2 km or so).  Otherwise, as long as your  Pe is above a critical altitude (20 km for Kerbin, someone back-check me please) then your orbit will be on rails and will not decay.  If your Pe dips below this critical height, then when you control something else or go back to the station, your station/ship/satellite will simply disappear and cease to exist.

[bewing]

3 hours ago, Jestersage said:

how well does it actually mimic a decaying orbit?

Generally, without that setting, your Ap will drop some random amount -- depending how how low your Pe is.

 

[Kryxal]

The critical altitude is 23 km, and destruction happens when the vessel goes that low, not when the PE does.