How low can you go ( into Kerbin's atmosphere to aerobrake)

[flyboy67109]

I'm returning from Minums and was looking up in the wiki on the recommend altitude to dip into to slow me down from a return from Minmus and I can't seem to find any information. One option is to do a quicksave and experiment. However, I know there are much more experienced Jebadites out there who already are yelling out the answers to their computer screens. Now is the time for them to speak out and share their knowledge. Otherwise, I am going to subject a poor kerbal to a deja vu nightmare as I experiment with him with repeated fiery deaths until a perfect trajectory is achieved.

[dudester28]

Do you want to land on kerbin or just lower your apoapsis?

If you want to land, there is no deadly re-entry (yet) in vanilla ksp. It's just aesthetics. I, however, try to be realistic by doing a shallow reentry with a periapsis of about 30km. That usually works.

If you wanted to lower your orbit, I would think that a periapsis between 45 and 50km would do the job.

[flyboy67109]

Thanks dudester. And Camtop Kerman thanks you, too. I've been just doing a standard reentry burn but wanted to challenge myself this time and try to circularize my orbit using aerobreaking. Thanks again.

[PUNiSH3R]

I'm with dudester, 30-35km periapsis and no flaming death to be found in vanilla yet...

For reference, some people find the aerobraking calculator helpful.

[flyboy67109]

They may not die. But the looks on their faces is pure terror.

[The Destroyer]

I perfer to make my orbital velocity 0 and come straight down, jeb likes it.

[Claw]

If you come in too steep during a reentry in KSP you can still run the risk of ripping off a parachute. I haven't done this on a return from Minmus, but even in stock it's important to not come in tooooo steep.

From Minmus I do like Dudester. 30k-ish for reentry or 45k for returning to Kerbin orbit.