Reusability of spacecraft

[Jodo42]

I'm attempting to build a fully reusable launch system for my 1 man orbiter, and pretty much have it figured out. All the parts that need to be reusable (suffer no damage upon landing, be it splashdown or touchdown) are capable of just that... but only if I follow them down. Simply ditching them and continuing to fly the main ship doesn't work. The stages simply... disappear. Can't be found anywhere in the tracking station, including under debris. Each one has a probe core on it, as I thought that would ensure that the parts wouldn't disappear. Obviously it didn't work.

Just wondering how I'd go about having these parts basically land themselves while I continue to fly my ship, if that's possible. They don't need user input, the chutes deploy on decoupling and are more than enough to slow each stage to a safe landing velocity. They're also not falling over and being destroyed, I've followed them down and unless they land in steep mountains they survive any impact, on land or sea, completely intact. Persistant debris is set to unlimited as well. I'm running KSP .21.1, completely stock.

Edited July 27, 2013 by Jodo42

[espm400]

Just put a powered probe core on your jettisoned stages. As long as they can land safely without your input, they should stay in the world as you fly on.

[Jodo42]

Just put a powered probe core on your jettisoned stages. As long as they can land safely without your input, they should stay in the world as you fly on.

Must it be powered? I'm off to attach some RTGs then, haha.

[astropapi1]

Must it be powered? I'm off to attach some RTGs then, haha.

Anything that goes beyond 2.5 km in the atmosphere will disappear. However, if you install something from Romfarer's lazor plugin, you will be able to change that distance.

Another thing you can do to play 100% reusable is using a SSTO planes with a crane to put new payloads in it and a refueling truck, both besides the runway. Use this video as a reference:

(Quite old, but you'll get the idea)

[bsalis]

Anything I think below about a 20Km threshold on Kerbin will be removed unless it is within the 2.2Km physics sphere.

So I would recommend either an SSTO or a two-stage system. For two stages, have the first stage push the craft into a sub-orbital with your desired Ap. Then decouple at Ap, and circularise the orbiter. Then switch back to the first stage and land it.

[Jodo42]

Ah, that's rather unfortunate. I'll have to try out that lazor plugin, and get building some SSTOs. Thanks guys.

[astropapi1]

Ah, that's rather unfortunate. I'll have to try out that lazor plugin, and get building some SSTOs. Thanks guys.

Just remember that building cargo SSTOs is quite difficult, and most ones people design are just for looks and have no real use. You can ask for one in The Spacecraft Exchange. Lots of guys there will be glad to help you.

[espm400]

Anything that goes beyond 2.5 km in the atmosphere will disappear. However, if you install something from Romfarer's lazor plugin, you will be able to change that distance.

~snip~

It's funny, I had a longish, slightly convoluted post all written out about the Lazor Systems Pack until I had the probe core thought. I had forgotten that it wasn't just debris that got deleted at 2.5km. I guess it's been a while since I've tried the 'drop and forget' re-usablility' tactic since I'm currently working on a Falcon 9 style lifter.