What constitutes Eve orbit as opposed to flight in it's atmosphere?

[PTNLemay]

I sent a probe to Eve to try and get as much science as possible, but I can't seem to get to any biome there beside "in space near Eve". I was hoping to do some in space, some in high orbit, and send some in low orbit just before the probe crashed (didn't pack a chute this time). But I went a down all the way to 60 Km and the damn experiments all tell me I'm still in space near Eve. The wiki tells me that Eve's atmosphere starts around 90-something kilometers, so why does it keep telling me I'm still in space?

Screengrab for reference

Is it because my apsis is still in space?

Edited February 15, 2014 by PTNLemay

[Awaras]

Yeah, as long as your apoapsis is above the atmosphere, the game considers you 'in space'...

[PTNLemay]

I see... well I'll just have to crash it and hope I can do all of the science on the way down.

EDIT: lol, that thick atmo's damn good at slowing you down. I was able to break my landing well enough that the probe survived. Got a ton of ground science.

Edited February 13, 2014 by PTNLemay

[quantumpion]

Yeah, as long as your apoapsis is above the atmosphere, the game considers you 'in space'...

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought it's your periapsis which matters. If your periapsis is above the ground than you are orbital and in space. If your periapsis is below the ground than you are suborbital and flying (while in the atmosphere). I.e. a ballistic trajectory with an apoapsis in space will still be flying while in the atmosphere. When aerobreaking from orbit you will be flying once your periapsis goes below the surface.

[CaptainKipard]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought it's your periapsis which matters. If your periapsis is above the ground than you are orbital and in space. If your periapsis is below the ground than you are suborbital and flying (while in the atmosphere). I.e. a ballistic trajectory with an apoapsis in space will still be flying while in the atmosphere. When aerobreaking from orbit you will be flying once your periapsis goes below the surface.

That's not entirely right.

Both PeA and ApA above the atmosphere means a stable space orbit

PeA in upper atmosphere and ApA in space is useful for aero braking but after a few orbits will result in a decaying orbit and crash/landing

PeA in lower atmosphere and ApA in space will result in a crash/landing probably after one orbit.

PeA under ground and ApA in space means a crash/landing 100% of the time obviously

A sub-orbital flight means ANY orbit which intersects either the atmosphere or the ground.

Edited February 13, 2014 by Cpt. Kipard

[quantumpion]

That's not entirely right.

Both PeA and ApA above the atmosphere means a stable space orbit

PeA in upper atmosphere and ApA in space is useful for aero braking but after a few orbits will result in a decaying orbit and crash/landing

PeA in lower atmosphere and ApA in space will result in a crash/landing probably after one orbit.

PeA under ground and ApA in space means a crash/landing 100% of the time obviously

A sub-orbital flight means ANY orbit which intersects either the atmosphere or the ground.

I was referring only to how KSP determines what situation/biome you are in for science experiments not a general sense.

[Rickenbacker]

In that case, the current altitude has to be above the atmosphere for the game to consider you "in space", no matter what your periapsis.