Will parachutes open up at a certain height automatically?

[Valley]

I have learned from YouTube that the best point to open up the chutes is around 5,000 meters up, for Kerbin, and that they start to really grab air around 500 meters. But will they open automatically anyway at a certain height from the surface? Do you have to hit the space bar or click on them with the mouse to trigger them?

Edited August 2, 2013 by Valley

[lucidLemon]

The parachutes partially deploy around 21,000 meters above the surface, and they fully deploy exactly 500 meters above the ground. So if the terrain you're above is at 3,000 meters, they will fully deploy at 3,500.

Drogue chutes have slightly different parameters. I'm not sure how they're set up.

[painking]

Hitting space will semi-deploy the chutes provied there's enough atmosphere to allow for it, they'll fully deploy by themselves at lower altitudes.

[Valley]

Thanks! That's good to know.

[lammatt]

no u hv to activate that stage

but yes it will deploy automatically if u activated the stage before hand

[Cranium]

no u hv to activate that stage

but yes it will deploy automatically if u activated the stage before hand

I just want to point out a few things wrong here:

1. This is not a chat room or a text message, so you do have time to use the full word, not a single letter, as well as punctuation.

2. The stage does not have to be activated in order for the chute to deploy. Parachutes can be activated by action groups.

[lammatt]

there is surely pleasure being a grammar nazi isnt there?

anyways... whatever makes you feel good bro.

I just want to point out a few things wrong here:

1. This is not a chat room or a text message, so you do have time to use the full word, not a single letter, as well as punctuation.

2. The stage does not have to be activated in order for the chute to deploy. Parachutes can be activated by action groups.

Edited July 31, 2013 by lammatt

[SRV Ron]

The same parachute behavior is true for landing on Eve and Laythe. For Duna thin atmosphere, you may have to activate thrusters to slow down when the main parachute opens if it doesn't slow your lander down to 4 m per second or less for landing.

[Echostatic]

there is surely pleasure being a grammar nazi isnt there?

anyways... whatever makes you feel good bro.

That isn't being a "Grammar Nazi", it's asking someone to show a little common courtesy when posting on a forum. So please, do so, we all would appreciate it.