Tourist contracts -- exactly was does "sub-orbital trajectory" mean?

[Loren Pechtel]

Do I have to actually be sub-orbital or is it acceptable to do this while in orbit?  (The altitude is specified as over 70,000m so orbital height is fine.)

[GDJ]

Suborbital means you don't complete a single orbit. You go up, you come down. You can go a long way around Kerbin. You can go 99% around Kerbin, but you can't complete a single orbit.

[Loren Pechtel]

12 minutes ago, GDJ said:

Suborbital means you don't complete a single orbit. You go up, you come down. You can go a long way around Kerbin. You can go 99% around Kerbin, but you can't complete a single orbit.

Stupid tourists!  Who cares if it's going a little faster?

And are you saying I can't meet it by deorbiting over the target biome?

[bewing]

22 minutes ago, Loren Pechtel said:

Stupid tourists!  Who cares if it's going a little faster?

And are you saying I can't meet it by deorbiting over the target biome?

The contract specs will complete the instant you go over 70km the first time. Because you aren't going quite orbital speed yet at that point. After that moment, you can do anything you want, because the contract will be complete.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

14 minutes ago, bewing said:

The contract specs will complete the instant you go over 70km the first time. Because you aren't going quite orbital speed yet at that point. After that moment, you can do anything you want, because the contract will be complete.

 

That would apply if you fly over the biome before attaining orbit.  I'm thinking of a polar orbit, simply waiting until you fly over it.

[bewing]

You always attain suborbit before you attain orbit. Orbit requires being over 70km and going really fast. Suborbit just requires being over 70km -- so suborbit always happens first. So start burning for your polar orbit, and when you get to 70km, your contracts will complete because you will still be suborbital. Burn some more, and you will achieve your polar orbit, and that's fine. Deorbit whenever you like, because the contract is already complete.

[Loren Pechtel]

1 minute ago, bewing said:

You always attain suborbit before you attain orbit. Orbit requires being over 70km and going really fast. Suborbit just requires being over 70km -- so suborbit always happens first. So start burning for your polar orbit, and when you get to 70km, your contracts will complete because you will still be suborbital. Burn some more, and you will achieve your polar orbit, and that's fine. Deorbit whenever you like, because the contract is already complete.

The contract requires suborbital, >70km and a specific biome.

[bewing]

Oh. In that case, set your Pe at 69.8 km in your polar orbit. You'll be surborbital, but you won't fall out of the sky too early.

[Loren Pechtel]

18 minutes ago, bewing said:

Oh. In that case, set your Pe at 69.8 km in your polar orbit. You'll be surborbital, but you won't fall out of the sky too early.

Good idea!

[Snark]

On 12/7/2016 at 7:46 PM, GDJ said:

Suborbital means you don't complete a single orbit. You go up, you come down. You can go a long way around Kerbin. You can go 99% around Kerbin, but you can't complete a single orbit.

Just to be clear, this is not what suborbital means.  You can be in a circular orbit and not stay there long enough to go around once, but it doesn't count as suborbital.

@bewing's explanation above is correct-- @Loren Pechtel, follow his advice. 

Just to be completely specific and accurate, here's exactly what the definition of suborbital is:

• If you're in the SoI of a world with an atmosphere, Pe is lower than the atmosphere height (70 km, on Kerbin).
• If you're in the SoI of a vacuum world, Pe is lower than zero.
• You're traveling at less than escape velocity.  (For example, if you're in Kerbin's SoI and going 4000 m/s, it doesn't count as "suborbital" no matter how low your Pe is, or even if you're on a direct collision course with the planet.  Going straight down at the ground at 4000 m/s isn't "suborbital". Or, indeed, wise... but very Kerbal.)