Lowest kerbol orbit

[Kialar]

Hi there.

Somewhere was a post, how close one may approach Kerbol. But I can't find it, the search function leaves me alone.

So here is my question: How close may a unmanned probe get to Kerbol before it is melting away?

-Kia

[Aeshi]

I don't think temperature has really been implemented in the game yet for parts that aren't Liquid Engines or Thermometers, and the wiki claims Kerbol's "Surface" begins at 4500-4700km, so I guess in theory you could orbit at something like 4702km, though you'd probably need an INSANE of Delta-V to do get there (you'd probably need Ion Engines, which is just as well because Liquid Fuel engines would probably just blow up due to overheating anyway)

When they implement fully heat mechanics, I guess it'll just depend on how heat-resistant your particular craft is

Edited July 8, 2013 by Aeshi

[AndreyATGB]

I don't think liquid engines overheat faster close to Kerbol, but you're gonna need an insane amount of dV to circularize at 5000km, probably over 30k. Did I mention you can't timewarp?

[Kialar]

OK. 4700 km are quite unreasonable (for me).

I'll try a probe at something like 2 Kerbol radia. That would result in a 525 000 km x 525 000 km orbit. That should be well in the corona of Kerbol, if I take the sun and it's corona as base.

Thanks.

[StainX]

why not use a heatshield? like nasa's messenger?

[Richy teh space man]

iirc you can get to around 500m above the surface of Kerbol before you explode.

[timzim817]

I've done it with liquid engines, within 10 km, and I'm sure you could get closer. Heat is not a factor in the game yet other then for the overheating of engines while in use.

[Colonel_Panic]

The answer is 1300m.

It is the same regardless of the temperature resistance of your probe. Everything will spontaneously explode from overheating the instant it hits 1300m, including EVA'd kerbals.

You can orbit quite happily at 1350m indefinitely.

I routinely use a 1500m periapsis to slingshot my Oberth class deep space probes out of the system.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Colonel_Panic

[Kialar]

Thank you for the support!

I'll try a mission like this: Start from Kerbin, Swingby near Kerbol, deploy a kientific satellite, circularize the satellites orbit, and return the Kerbals to Kerbin to land'em safely. That's the plan.