How Low Can You Go? 2

[Noname117]

How Low Can You Go? 2

So this challenge is very simple: Get a spacecraft into the lowest non-decaying orbit possible.

Rules:

You will be graded on only your apoapsis.

A picture from the tracking station of your craft at periapsis showing the apoapsis altitude is required, along with at least one picture of the craft.

Now, you all may be saying: "This challenge is really easy, uncreative and it has been done before. Someone only needs to put their spacecraft in a 69,078 meter orbit and they win!"

What if I said that non-decaying orbits below 69,078 meters are indeed possible? KSP does not model drag for non-loaded spacecraft and debris in the portion of the atmosphere which has less than .01 atm (atmospheric pressure). This, in theory, should put the lowest non-decaying orbit of a non-loaded spacecraft to somewhere above 23,000 meters. This means that if you build some kind of craft, get it to where it is on a circular path around Kerbin but still inside the upper atmosphere, detach a part from the craft, switch to that part, and get out of load range of the craft, you could theoretically put it in a non-decaying orbit below 24,000.

Mods:

Types of allowed mods: Visual/Audio enhancements, Information mods

Types of disallowed mods: Parts mods, mods containing construction/launch outside of the KSC, mods changing the render distance, mods changing aerodynamics (I may make a FAR/NEAR category if anybody wants it)

Disallowed mods can be installed, they just cannot be used. BD Armory users, please uninstall it or set your craft render distance down to 2,500 meters.

Low Orbit Records:

Lowest orbits:

1:

2:

3:

4:

5:

6:

7:

8:

9:

10:

Lowest Manned Flights:

1:

2:

3:

4:

5:

6:

7:

8:

9:

10:

My proof-of-concept launch (it is disqualified because I have BD Armory installed with the render distance at 5,000 meters)

This last photo is an example of what your proof photo should look like.

Hope you have fun with this challenge!

[HoloYolo]

69.2 km is the lowest, this should be easy. Make this harder, for example, how many kerbals? Can you make other bodies with atmosphere an potion too? I wanna do this with Jool.

[Noname117]

69.2 km is the lowest, this should be easy. Make this harder, for example, how many kerbals? Can you make other bodies with atmosphere an potion too? I wanna do this with Jool.

Did you read the entire post? Because KSP does not delete non-loaded rockets in atmosphere with less than .01 atm (atmospheric pressure), orbits down to below 24 km are possible. This becomes a challenge because you have to successfully pilot a spacecraft down to having an orbital path (ignoring atmospheric drag) in the atmosphere, then launching a smaller craft from your main ship and getting it far enough away from your main ship that the game un-loads your main ship. My proof of concept had an apoapsis of 64,968 meters (viewed from the tracking station, of course. Viewing from the craft itself would cause it to begin experiencing atmospheric drag again, therefor eventually bringing it down to Kerbin).

[Dman979]

Hm, interesting challenge. I like how you've expanded on my original concept. I might give it a try if I have the time.

Speaking of time, it's time for a shameless plug! Go to http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/111183-How-Low-Can-You-Go for the first one!