Contract conditions confusion

[Daddio]

I have a contract to test a protective shell. How can i achieve orbit and be between 53000m & 54000m at the same time? Hope this, my first question, is not too dumb.

[James Kerman]

Welcome to the forum @Daddio, I think the contract only requires that you be between 53000m and 54000m altitude when you perform the test. The contract will turn green when you fulfil the conditions.

[bewing]

You need to read the fine print in the contract very carefully. It probably does not say "orbit". But it may say that you need to stage or test the fairing. And the altitude range is only 1000m? That's going to be very tricky if you try to get the craft into orbit as well as meet the contract.

[James M]

If the fine print does in fact say 53km - 54km orbit, then try accelerating to orbital speed really friggin fast as soon as you hit like 52km maybe then detach and really quickly click the test part function on the heat shield? Thats the only thing I can think of. Otherwise you may have to ditch that contract. Rip. 

[RoninFrog]

Does it mean orbiting Kerbin?  Maybe you need to be orbiting some other planet or moon.

[swjr-swis]

On 6/19/2020 at 10:29 AM, Daddio said:

I have a contract to test a protective shell. How can i achieve orbit and be between 53000m & 54000m at the same time? Hope this, my first question, is not too dumb.

Can you show us the exact description of the mission? It's been a while since I've accepted that kind of contract. I suspect that you can fulfill this contract simply by taking a normal trajectory into orbit, and during your regular gravity turn towards Ap, you stage the fairing when passing 53km altitude. Then circularize at Ap to also get the orbit requirement.

If it really expects you to be orbital at the same time as being between 53-54km, then you'll have to make sure you have accelerated to orbital speed when you reach that altitude. KSP considers you orbital when Pe is anything over 25km, if I recall correctly - this is when the camera switches from atmospheric to orbital mode. In that case, take a shallow gravity turn, shallower than you would normally take to get to LKO, aiming to circularize when you get to 53-54km. Then either stage the fairing right then if you have time, or simply boost Ap on the opposite side to give yourself more time. The remaining drag at that altitude will slowly drop Ap and a good portion of your orbit back into your target band even if you overshoot. At 53km the atmosphere gets very thin already and you shouldn't have to worry about overheating, but this way you can take your time to stage the fairing at the right moment.

That would not give you a stable orbit due to drag, obviously, but I do think for the KSP mission system this is considered orbital and would fulfill the requirements.

 

[Spricigo]

12 minutes ago, swjr-swis said:

KSP considers you orbital when Pe is anything over 25km, if I recall correctly 

I'm not sure if that is the case either. But if it is, getting in orbit and then lowering Periapsis seems to be the easier way to setup the testing conditions.

[Daddio]

Hi guys. sorry for the long gap. thanks for replies.