Tips for a Jool suicide ship

[MagicFireCaster]

So i wanted to try something I've never done in ksp and it is to send a suicide ship to jool's atmosphere, and i need to know if the atmosphere affects antenna transmission and what kinds of antenna is viable to use, or if it would be good to use some kind of relay ship on orbit instead. 

Thanks for the help. 

 

Cheers 

[bewing]

Well, you don't really have any choice when it comes to the antenna. Jool's atmosphere is actually quite thin (hydrogen is not dense) -- but unless you expend an enormous amount of dV to slow down first, you are going to be entering very fast. There is only one antenna that can handle high atmospheric speeds, and that's the surface-mount Communotron (the 16-S). That antenna is a direct antenna, and can't be "stacked". It can't possibly communicate with Kerbin, no matter what you do, so you also have no choice except to have a relay antenna in orbit. If all you have is the RA-15, you are probably going to need a very long string of them reaching back to Kerbin. The next step up is the RA-100, which you would only need one of.

[TheFlyingKerman]

You may use the usual HG-55 or 88-88 antenna. Just retract it when entering the atmosphere. When you reach the lower atmosphere, slow down using a parachute, then extend the antenna to transmit.

That said, for transmitting science you what signal strength >83% so that you get the maximum 40% science bonus. So a RA-100 relay in orbit is very useful, and in addition build a huge array of RA-100 on the Kerbin side.

Another tip for the mission is that you need plenty of battery, at least 2000EC, because there is little solar power at Jool orbit and none when inside the atmosphere. An RTG is the recommended power source but it is still too slow.

[PrvDancer85]

I belive antennas work inside of cargobays, but i maybe wrong

[swjr-swis]

18 minutes ago, PrvDancer85 said:

I belive antennas work inside of cargobays, but i maybe wrong

You are not wrong. Place one or more of the relay dishes (or even deployed direct antennae) inside of a bay or a fairing, and you can have all the signal strength you'll ever need.

[MagicFireCaster]

Thanks for the help yeah i forgot to consider battery even more if the data size is big, and will try to use a big antenna then with a relay in orbit.