Drag in orbit?

[Abraxas]

Hey there community!

I hope this question wasn't asked anywhere, the search function didn't show me a similiar thread...

My problem: I have a Space Station part in orbit (~150 km) and the Apo-/Periapsis slowly goes down (like 50m each revolution). I have some solarpanels attached to the station and wondered if they have any drag even if theres no air anymore.

Or is the orbit too low?

If there is another thread with the same problem, please delete this and be so kind and send me a link to it :-D

Thanks in advance

[kacperrutka26]

Hey Abraxas!

Could you tell us what is your Apoapsis and Periapsis when in the map view, that will help.

[nhnifong]

Search is a pain to use here. Click on advanced search, then click on "Search Single Content Type" even though it appears you are already on that tab. This will give you the option to search by the sub-forum. I usually restrict the search to post titles only and sort by number of replies. If you don't do at least that much you will find nothing. Without advanced search You could search for "Kerbal" and none of the results would even have that word in the title. So either use the advanced search here and fiddle with all the settings or just use Google for older stuff

[Abraxas]

@ kacperrtka26: I made some screenshots, maybe you know the answer (c; No RCS or SAS was used in the making, also a pic of my solarpanels: http://imgur.com/NA1C4,Dm8mx,wOTAa

@ nhinifong: Thanks for the tip, I already wondered if the search function works properly!

[Wjolcz]

Maybe you have your engines running, but you can't hear THEM?

[kacperrutka26]

The orbit looks fine to me it's out of the atmosphere, I don't really get the reason why it's falling though...

[Abraxas]

@Veeltch: I have no engines, just RCS

@kac: I increased my orbit from 150 to 200 km and it still loses hight... well, the real ISS also loses hight and has to be RCSed up once in the while ^^

[Wjolcz]

Using RCS may slightly change your Ap/Pe too.

[Abraxas]

Yes of course, but I don't use any of it (nor RCS, no SAS) and still the orbit lowers in minimal accounts

[sal_vager]

How much height do you lose Abraxas? If the pod is at one end, that is where the measurement is taken from, and it'll look like you are losing height when you rotate around Kerbin.

[AncientAstronaut]

No. You're too high to be experiencing drag. The ISS's orbit goes down because it is not *completely* out of all atmosphere.

But once you hit 70km, you should be completely out of all atmopshere.

[Abraxas]

That could be it... I have two parts connected with warp clamps, and they have a little different Inclinations and heights... I will look out for that, thanks!

[sal_vager]

If I'm right, you should see your height fluctuate while orbiting, but you should not actually lose altitude over time, it'll seem to fall and rise with each revolution.

[Abraxas]

Yeah, that was it... it fluctuates like you said, thanks, great relief...

on a side note: anyone too finds, that the warp clamps are considerably better than the ORDA clamps? In managability and stability I mean... (but the docking assistant is quite useful!)