How do I force open a parachute?

[Guapo]

I made the mistake of staging all the way through to parachute in space, and now the staging color is gray, which i believe means parachute won't open. I've gone through hell and back to get Bill Kerbin home, how can i prevent him from faceplanting into Kerbin?

(He's at 30k altitude and the game is paused, advice appreciated!)

[GluttonyReaper]

You can right-click the parachute, and it will give you the option to deploy.

[Guapo]

I can select altitude and pressure, but no 'force deploy' button...version 0.23.

[Guapo]

(I do appreciate the quick response, though!)

[Geredis]

Are you checking at the VAB or while on a mission? The deploy option, of course, only shows up during a mission.

[Kasuha]

Did you repack the chute after deploying it by staging? You need to send your Kerbal on EVA near the chute, right-click the chute and select "Repack chute" option. Only after that the Deploy option will appear.

Also I don't remember gray icon for a chute. Isn't it light blue? If yes then the chute is "primed" and will deploy once you reach sufficient atmospheric pressure.

Primed chute icon:

Edited January 15, 2014 by Kasuha

[Guapo]

Did you repack the chute after deploying it by staging? You need to send your Kerbal on EVA near the chute, right-click the chute and select "Repack chute" option. Only after that the Deploy option will appear.

Also I don't remember gray icon for a chute. Isn't it light blue? If yes then the chute is "primed" and will deploy once you reach sufficient atmospheric pressure.

Yes, it's supposed to be light blue. didn't know you had to repack it; no way to revert so i think Bob's dead meat. Bummer.

[Guapo]

Are you checking at the VAB or while on a mission? The deploy option, of course, only shows up during a mission.

I'm on the mission; in the middle of re-entry. (the BEST time to find out your parachute doesn't work!)

[Guapo]

Managed to revert by quitting game, but i still have no primed chute. spacewalked, nearly touched the parachute but still no option to repack when right clicking the parachute...the parachute looks just like it's packed like your picture, it has not opened!

[FenrirWolf]

Pretty sure that it is grey in space and will open as you get deeper into the atmosphere.

[Guapo]

ok - i reset staging, heard a noise when i triggered it but it's on the dark side so i'm kinda praying it works

[Kasuha]

Press F5 to quicksave while you're still in space, then try descending to the atmosphere and you'll see if you can open the chute. If things go wrong, hold F9 to reload the quicksaved state.

By the way, are you playing full version of the game or just the demo?

[Guapo]

Chute opened. I landed on water, broke stuff and lost all the science but i've got Bill home. Thanks, guys! (yes, i need to redesign this thing!)

[Guapo]

Press F5 to quicksave while you're still in space, then try descending to the atmosphere and you'll see if you can open the chute. If things go wrong, hold F9 to reload the quicksaved state.

By the way, are you playing full version of the game or just the demo?

Full version, I'm just very, very bad pilot! (when i land on land, my landing legs absorb impact, on water, no such luck!)

[Kasuha]

I'm just very, very bad pilot! (when i land on land, my landing legs absorb impact, on water, no such luck!)

Inexperienced is not the same as bad. The important thing is, you're willing to learn.

Yes, water in KSP is deadly. When landing more than just the pod, it's a good idea to use more parachutes (e.g. radial ones) and put them on things you don't want to lose. Later make sure you get drogues, they'll help prevent your ship falling apart when main chutes open at 500 m.

[Guapo]

Thanks, much obliged for the help!

[Taki117]

You could also try RealChute For more parachuting options.

[Collin Dow]

Yeah, if you stage your chute in space it will open as soon as it hits 500m or whatever altitude you choose. But you can't repack or anything, because it hasn't actually popped.

[Guapo]

Thanks, Collin! What worried me was that usually the indicator changes color and this time it didn't.

[TechnicalK3rbal]

Yeah, it should just open when you get lower, usually for normal chutes its around ~25000 meters, I think.

Unless you tweaked the altitude.