How close can you get to the sun?

[Kimberly]

After finding out that my new launcher design leaves plenty of fuel for light vehicles to escape the Kerbin system, I'm interested in sending a probe to the sun. I want to establish a circular orbit as close as possible to the sun. (An equatorial orbit would be a bonus.) So, quick question: with standard parts (rated for 3400 degrees, I think), how close can an orbit can be indefinitely maintained?

Edited June 25, 2013 by Kimberly

[matt_cain]

I currently have a probe orbiting at 60,000,000m from the sun and there are no temperature problems (on side facing the sun it is 014.91 degrees). Sorry that does not fully answer your question.

Edited June 24, 2013 by matt_cain

[GJames]

I think the limit is around 4500km from the surface, but you'll have a bit more than that to worry about. Even getting to Kerbol takes around 4km/s dV once your in Kerbin orbit, and circularizing would need another 10km/s at least.

I have a probe with an elliptical orbit inside Moho's orbit, and it took 12km/s to get there from Kerbin orbit... So, yeah, debug menu or huge rocket is the order of the day!

[zanzibar196]

I think, the closest you can get to the sun is the surface... of course, you won't be returning... but you could crash into it...

[BFGfreak]

Any closer and, well watch the video if you haven't already.

[SRV Ron]

Last night's probe, aimed to an intercept trajectory, came in to about 1,300 meters before exploding in a puff of grey smoke. Another probe orbits with a periapsis of about 100,000KM and apoapsis to Kerbal.

[Kimberly]

1300 meters? That's awfully low. I suppose proper temperature modeling isn't in yet.

[SRV Ron]

1300 meters? That's awfully low. I suppose proper temperature modeling isn't in yet.

No doubt. The "Too Hot" thermometer should be registering excessive temperature as well as there should be reentry heating starting long before the overheat exploding. Since at that altitude there should be almost no curvature showing, the programmers could be adding those features in future updates.

The flight report does indicate failure due to overheating.

Interesting in that it took a lot more fuel to send the probe to the sun then it did to launch a voyager style mission from a parallel Kerbal orbit burn.

[Jason Patterson]

No doubt. The "Too Hot" thermometer should be registering excessive temperature as well as there should be reentry heating starting long before the overheat exploding. Since at that altitude there should be almost no curvature showing, the programmers could be adding those features in future updates.

The flight report does indicate failure due to overheating.

Interesting in that it took a lot more fuel to send the probe to the sun then it did to launch a voyager style mission from a parallel Kerbal orbit burn.

I wonder if ~1300m is the top of the sun's atmosphere. I know that when Moho had an atmosphere there weren't heating issues until you got into it. In any case, it's pretty clear that the graphics don't line up with the altitude at all.

[Khrissetti]

My closest was the Icarus at 1000Mm, which is still quite distant.