Regarding Kerbals, Parachutes, Death & Physics range & Multitasking

[OddFunction]

Now that you got past that abomination of a title, allow me to explain. 

I was just wondering the rules regarding Kerbals in physics range, specifically while parachuting. 

 

For instance imagine I have a fully functional plane on Duna. This plane has a drop-pod attached that has a scientist with some science (and of course a parachute). Can I, while flying across the terrain, drop the Kerbal with chute armed, and then switch focus back to the plane, fly out of physics range in the plane, and the Kerbal will survive? Or will it kill him?

 

What about dropping Kerbals in a re-entry pod from orbit, chutes armed, and never focusing on him?

 

Additionally, If the Kerbal does end up surviving, Does 'Armed' vs 'Fully Deployed' matter with the chute & leaving physics range?

Edited November 4, 2016 by OddFunction

[bewing]

No, they will not survive because of the concept of autodeletion. Anything (including a Kerbal) that is above the surface and less than the autodeletion height for the CB in question will get autodeleted if it leaves physics range of your focused craft. One of the things this means is that it's not a good idea to set your Pe too low when you are orbiting.

The autodeletion altitude for Kerbin is 25km. AFAIK for the Mun and Minmus it is 6 or 7 km.

If you loiter in physics range while your decoupled bit falls to the ground, then "armed" parachutes are good enough because they will deploy themselves properly.

Edited November 4, 2016 by bewing

[AeroGav]

11 hours ago, bewing said:

If you loiter in physics range while your decoupled bit falls to the ground, then "armed" parachutes are good enough because they will deploy themselves properly.

For most spaceplanes it would be tough to stay within 2.5km on Duna.   The thin air sends many craft's stalling speed above 150m/s, so you'll be more than 2.5km away very quickly.   On Kerbin, you might be able to keep within 2.5km by circling in a 9g turn, but in that thin atmosphere you might only be pulling half a G.  Basically if you stalling speed is low enough that you can pull this off, you could just land there and let Jeb climb out.

[bewing]

39 minutes ago, AeroGav said:

For most spaceplanes it would be tough to stay within 2.5km on Duna.   The thin air sends many craft's stalling speed above 150m/s, so you'll be more than 2.5km away very quickly.   On Kerbin, you might be able to keep within 2.5km by circling in a 9g turn, but in that thin atmosphere you might only be pulling half a G.  Basically if you stalling speed is low enough that you can pull this off, you could just land there and let Jeb climb out.

In atmosphere (not on the surface) the physics range is 10 times bigger -- 21.5km iirc. So it's theoretically doable. But since you can't just strand Jeb there on the surface, he's got to be able to get back aboard. Which pretty much means you have to land anyway. So I agree with you in principle.