How do you complete a contract that requires a temp scan of Gilly above 7000m?

[jwilhite]

My contract requires me to take a temperature scan of a certain point on Gilly above 7000m, but the thermometer doesn't work at that altitude on Gilly. It just says "Temperature scan cannot be done." Is it possible to get contracts that are impossible to complete according to the rules of the game?

Edited December 20, 2014 by jwilhite

[Anquietas314]

Did you by any chance attempt to use the thermometer at a higher altitude (not necessarily at gilly)? If so there's a bug that makes thermometers unusable if you try to use them in a situation in which they can't be used. Switching ships or going back to the space center and then back to the ship should fix it.

[Geschosskopf]

Besides the bug armagheddonsgw mentioned, you shouldn't have a problem. Even if there is no data to be had, you can still complete contracts by satisfying their parameters, despite the instrument not working or there being no science left there to be had.

[thereaverofdarkness]

You still need the button to be present. Just make sure you're pretty close to 7000m but a bit higher, then swap to another craft (or the space center) and back to your Gilly ship.

[Captain Vlad]

I'm having a similar problem with gravitational scans on Kerbin. I get over the area above the minimum altitude and if I hit the gravitoli device, it says it can't do a gravity scan there.

[thereaverofdarkness]

I'm having a similar problem with gravitational scans on Kerbin. I get over the area above the minimum altitude and if I hit the gravitoli device, it says it can't do a gravity scan there.

You can't do gravity scans in flight. You have to do it from orbit.

[cantab]

According to the Wiki, "In Space Near" over Gilly is up to 6000 m. You can check this with a mod like KER that will show the situation. So it does seem like the contract is impossible.

So, you fail to meet the contract and either let it time out or cancel it in Mission Control. Your space program goes back to its funders and says "We're really sorry, our thermometers just cannot give useful data that high over Gilly.". The contract's penalty clause activates and your space program takes the financial and reputational penalty for its failure.

Impossible contracts like this aren't unknown, there's a few that can pop up. Some people would say they're bugs, but I prefer to think of them as something to keep the player on their toes. After all real companies in any line of business can and do sign contracts then find they can't meet them.

[Anquietas314]

According to the Wiki, "In Space Near" over Gilly is up to 6000 m

Where on the wiki was this? According to http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Gilly, Gilly's surface is higher than 6000m...

[Captain Vlad]

You can't do gravity scans in flight. You have to do it from orbit.

That explains a lot.

[jwilhite]

According to the Wiki, "In Space Near" over Gilly is up to 6000 m. You can check this with a mod like KER that will show the situation. So it does seem like the contract is impossible.

Yup. I verified that it wasn't just the thermometer bug. Even if I am able to click the Log Temperature button while I'm in the designated zone and above the designated altitude, it doesn't fulfill the contract conditions if the thermometer reads "Temperature scan can't be done right now"

Oh, well. I guess I'll just lose that one (and be careful not to take that contract in the future).

[cantab]

In this table: http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Science#Celestial_body_multipliers

[Anquietas314]

In this table: http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Science#Celestial_body_multipliers

Hmm. Given the surface of Gilly extends higher than that, that table seems suspect. If it's correct, that's probably a bug. I'll have to send something out there to confirm it *flies off to do just that*.

EDIT: Confirmed the wiki is correct... but 6 km is actually lower than the non-physical timewarp limit (8 km)!

Edited December 21, 2014 by armagheddonsgw

[irigi]

For me, the game also generated contract to scan temperature above 6700 m in flight over Gilly and it couldn't be completed, because it was not "in space near Gilly". I had to edit the save game by hand and change "above" to "below".