What is the closest you can get to the Sun?

[Ncog Nito]

Hello to you all.  Hope everyone has had a good night, been a while since I have had any questions.  However, as you can tell from the title, I want to know what is the closest you can get to the Kerbin Sun without burning up? 

[Vanamonde]

That depends on how well your craft handles heat. Some parts are more vulnerable to it than others and radiators can help, so there isn't a single answer to your question. 

[Ncog Nito]

13 minutes ago, Vanamonde said:

That depends on how well your craft handles heat. Some parts are more vulnerable to it than others and radiators can help, so there isn't a single answer to your question. 

Probably not well.  No radiators, except on the solar panels.  Multiple antennas, Lab, Hitchhiker Pod, a couple of 2 kerbal lander pods, a cupola.  Its a science station put into solar orbit for a contract and I want to do a "close approach" for some extra science.

Just looking for a ball park number here...

Edited July 25, 2017 by Ncog Nito
Added last line for clarity.

[Vanamonde]

Sorry, I seem to have lost my screenshots of the last time I tried it, but I think I started to see really dangerous heat at around 6 million kms? And by "dangerous," I mean the ship was glowing a dull red. 

[Julien Kerman]

Once I had a sun probe with a periapsis of 980.000km , so I could get the "in space near sun" science.

The probe used 2 radiator panels and did not explode.

[NISSKEPCSIM]

I'm fairly sure Robbaz got to about 800m from the surface of the sun.

[Regor]

I did 560.000 km once with no heat shield/radiatir

[Harry Rhodan]

6 hours ago, Ncog Nito said:

Its a science station put into solar orbit for a contract and I want to do a "close approach" for some extra science.

Just looking for a ball park number here...

The border between high in space around the sun and low is at 1000Mm. You don't get any extra science for going much lower.

[steuben]

1 hour ago, Harry Rhodan said:

The border between high in space around the sun and low is at 1000Mm. You don't get any extra science for going much lower.

True. But, you do get do get bragging points which is more important in the KSP meta-game.

[TheKSPBeginner]

250 meters in, almost like Jool.

Edited July 31, 2017 by thekspbegginer
edits are people