Mk16 Parachute Doesn't Deploy

[gradi3nt]

I am attempting to complete a mk16 paracute testing contract.

I launched a rocket whose flight meets all test conditions (all green checkmarks) as it is descending back to Kerbin. I quicksaved a few thousand feet above the window where all the conditions are met.

Each time I enter the window, I bash the spacebar repeatedly to try to open the chute, but to my dismay it never opens until just after I have passed through the lower bound altitude from the contract. It is like the game is just trying to .... me off. I have even tried opening the chute a few thousand feet above the window, but still, it never opens until below the window.

Does anyone know what is going on?

Thanks!

[Javster]

Right click the parachute and click run test when the conditions are met. It shouldn't deploy.

[Randazzo]

The parachutes won't pre-deploy until you are in at least .01 atmospheres of pressure, around 23km. If your minimum altitude is higher than that, it will not deploy.

I didn't think it actually had to deploy for the test to work though. As long as you've activated it, that should be good enough, just like engines with no fuel.

[gradi3nt]

Thanks for your comments!

The lower window is 23.7km, just above the pre-deploy threshold, so I guess that's why I didn't see anything happen.

There is no 'run test' option in the parachutes context window.

So, I was able to complete the contract after a half dozen more tries, but I'm not sure why it worked. I simply continued with my bashing of the spacebar and it miraculously worked.

If you end up at this thread and had a similar problem please post! It's possible this is some sort of repeatable bug.

[Mister Dilsby]

I always fly horizontal for those, to give myself plenty of time to activate by space, right-click, or whatever. It's dodgy at best to take the data just in the right window of conditions--sort of like real life

[kerbiloid]

In KSP/GameData/Squad/Parts/Utility/your chute/*.cfg you can read (and write):

MODULE

{

...

name = ModuleParachute

minAirPressureToOpen = 0.01

deployAltitude = 500

deploymentSpeed = 1

semiDeploymentSpeed = 1

}

[Mitchz95]

I had the same problem recently while trying to land a probe on Duna. Suffice to say, it turned into a powered descent.