Fastest and safest re-entry

[tk5800thesecond]

after jettisoning my thruster pack i accidentally left the throttle up, fear the worst i just waited to crash into the ground, but i was saved thanks to the atmosphere, my spead got up to around 3700mps but i was wondering if any one could get it faster AND land safely

[boolybooly]

yes

http://youtu.be/izzkqcYcJNg

[UmbralRaptor]

The current drag model is such that you can hit the atmosphere at remarkably high speeds (10+ km/s?) and still slow down to parachute capable speeds.

eg: the results of this old challenge thread.

[Entroper]

The current drag model is such that you can hit the atmosphere at remarkably high speeds (10+ km/s?) and still slow down to parachute capable speeds.

eg: the results of this old challenge thread.

Even a realistic drag model would have this property. The Apollo missions faced re-entry speeds of over 10 km/s. What we\'re missing is a heating model and a limit to the number of Gs that a Kerbal can withstand. In the video above, the poor crew would\'ve been pancaked.

[Gojira]

Even a realistic drag model would have this property. The Apollo missions faced re-entry speeds of over 10 km/s. What we\'re missing is a heating model and a limit to the number of Gs that a Kerbal can withstand. In the video above, the poor crew would\'ve been pancaked.

Or melted.

[Arrowstar]

Or melted.

Probably both, though perhaps not simultaneously.