New reentry and parachutes.

[MathmoRichard]

orbit Kerbin at 100km or so, then go for a shallow reentry at maybe 2500m/s

But this defeats any ideas of aerocapture - Kerbin or otherwise.

[Pedro29]

However I have noticed a piece of space debris has a periapsis of 28,000km and keeps skipping out of the atmosphere, where as it would previously have re-entered Kerbin.

Don't know if bug or feature but I noticed that ships / debris would get atmospheric braking only if active (in 1.02).

Otherwise they would orbit like there is no atmosphere.

I had this with 5 ships at the same time, stranded ships I kept in orbit, I came back with a module equpped with a "basket" and force them to slow down to burn in the atmosphere but they wouldn't slow down in the atmosphere until I take control.

[Kryxal]

My standard method was a "phased" deployment of chutes ... drogues at .2 or so, then main chutes at .3, .4, .5 ... I get the feeling that I'm going to have to do chutes via staging now.

[Warzouz]

At what speed can we open drogue chutes ?

[MathmoRichard]

At what speed can we open drogue chutes ?

I think it's 750 from experiment, but definitely ok by 500 m/s.

[Warzouz]

OK, so just after stoping burning. Cool I'll try that...

What would be the drogue / chutes paramters to get them auto-deploy ?

[Landwalker]

OK, so just after stoping burning. Cool I'll try that...

What would be the drogue / chutes paramters to get them auto-deploy ?

I've had success so far setting the Mk16 and Mk2-R parachutes to automatically release at 0.5 atmospheres and to fully-deploy at 1,000 meters. I suspect you can get away with 500 meters for full-deployment, but I'd be nervous about going much lower than 0.5 (maybe 0.45) for the initial release. Just make sure you aim for a low-altitude landing area. =P

I'm not sure about droguesâ€â€haven't unlocked them yet in my 1.0.4 career. However, you can sort of back into itâ€â€run a test flight, and on the way down, right-click on a drogue parachute. Hit the Escape key when the info box tells you it's safe to deploy, then check your speed (for curiosity's sake) and altitude above sea level. Then consult this table and figure out what atmospheric pressure level roughly corresponds to that altitude, and use that for the initial release. No idea what an appropriate "full deployment" altitude-above-surface is for drogues, as I've honestly never used them beforeâ€â€didn't have to in 1.0.2, at least not for the fairly primitive missions I was running, so I'm not familiar with their operation.

[Warzouz]

Hmmm, I'm not even sure I can release chutes with pressure value. I may be rushing to ground to fast. I may need drogue chutes to slow down.

I'll give it a try.

The stages dry weight ranges from 15T (A 1 mainsail SSTO) to 230T (a 6 mammoth SSTO). Even the heaviest only has 24 chutes and 12 airbrakes. Final slowdown is powered.

[Warzouz]

Ok here is my reentry parameters

230T return stage with 12 airbrakes, 24 drogue and 24 chutes

Coming from LKO (75km), 60m/s deorbit 90° west of KSC (over the crater) : PE at 8km

24 Drogue chutes are configured

- Min pressure = 0.4 (6000m)

- Open = 5000m

24 chutes are confugured

- Min pressure = 0.65 (3000m)

- Open = 800m

Terminal velocity = 17m/s (need a powered landing)

You can safely stage chutes anytime during reentry. I think the only issue is the mountains just before KSC...

Edited June 25, 2015 by Warzouz

[NathanKell]

Note that safe speeds will vary a lot with atmospheric density, so higher speeds are safer on Duna (and vice versa on Eve).

[SelectHalfling0]

My only problem with the new chute mechanics is that 5+ kerbals are now stranded in space (the parachutes don't rip off, instead they don't slow the craft enough before hitting the surface) and my 2 million fund Duna Mission has to be aborted and returned to Kerbin.

[Warzouz]

My only problem with the new chute mechanics is that 5+ kerbals are now stranded in space (the parachutes don't rip off, instead they don't slow the craft enough before hitting the surface) and my 2 million fund Duna Mission has to be aborted and returned to Kerbin.

Yes, I've also a mission on route to Duna with a SSTO lander fior Ike and another for Duna. I suspect I'll have trouble with Duna. But I'll priobably edit the save file to replace the lander. I don't want to wait then next window to send an upgraded lander.

On another matter, do you think Drogue chutes are the way to go or should I add more airbrakes ?