A good way to get your Science Jr's down from the atmosphere

[Starfellowe]

I'm trying to figure out a way to successfully parachute a stack of three Science Jrs from orbit. I've been using radially mounted parachutes, but it always gets destroyed on landing, even though it deploys fine. Has anyone had any luck getting large amounts of the things safely to the ground?

[vexx32]

Simply put -- lots of parachutes. Also be very careful where you place them to ensure the object lands with the greatest surface area hitting the ground at once.

[Alistone]

I'm trying to figure out a way to successfully parachute a stack of three Science Jrs from orbit. I've been using radially mounted parachutes, but it always gets destroyed on landing, even though it deploys fine. Has anyone had any luck getting large amounts of the things safely to the ground?

It tends to automatically destroy "debris" that falls too close to a planet. More importantly, it stops rendering atmospheric drag for object beyond a certain distance from the ship you are flying. I think you actually have to switch to the debris then "fly" it to the ground.

I haven't tried it yet, but attaching a "probe" to it may help prevent the "delete debris" issue. But you'd still have to fly it to allow physics to render (and thus for the parachutes to function all the way to the ground to avoid a cratering impact).

[Dave Kerbin]

Are you following them down, or are you staying focused on a ship in orbit. Even with a parachute unattended ships will just get deleted if they get too close to a planets surface, since they are not being fully simulated.

If you are following them down, are the parachutes snapping (unlikely) or are one or more pods exploding when they touch the ground? To prevent them from exploding on impact you need to be aware of each parts impact resistance (it's in the tool tip). An impact resistance of 6 means the part will be destroyed if it hits the ground at 6m/s or more. Since the pods are so fragile you need enough parachutes to slow them down to below 6m/s. The speed of a falling item is based on its weight and drag. Adding more pods increases weight which increases speed. Adding more parachutes increasings drag which reduces speed.

[Taki117]

The way I bring down a single pod is with 3 parachutes attached to the back. You might try a similar solution, just attach 3 radial chutes to the back of each pod and see if that works.

[ScottyDoesKnow]

Could put some landing legs on it. For greater stability, you could add the legs on one side and parachutes on the other (bring it down sideways). Just be careful of your center of mass. Could also add a fuel tank and some radial engines to slow it at the end, but now you're just building a lander.

[Sirrobert]

Put them on a pod with engine and lander legs would probably make it alot easier