So I sent a probe on a mission straight up from the launchpad...

[evildroid101]

I like to do this sometimes, and I got to about the top of the "arc" it was on and realized i neglected to give it any chutes. Anyway, I do not know what to do. (I'm in sandbox but i hate to waste all that hard watching I did. hehe)

[Motokid600]

Looks like your gonna have to continue watching it all the way to the scene of the crash.

[merendel]

see how much of a spin you can initiate before you hit the ground.

[Wanderfound]

If you've got FAR/NEAR installed, angle it right and you may be able to bounce off the atmosphere.

[problemecium]

Try the Maximum Impact Velocity Challenge.

[Motokid600]

see how much of a spin you can initiate before you hit the ground.

Would such forces possibly reduce the impact? I've wondered for awhile now if ksp can emulate what helicopter pilots do before they crash. I forget the name of the manouver, but right before impact pilots spin up the helicopter to spread the impact forces outward.

[CatastrophicFailure]

Would such forces possibly reduce the impact? I've wondered for awhile now if ksp can emulate what helicopter pilots do before they crash. I forget the name of the manouver, but right before impact pilots spin up the helicopter to spread the impact forces outward.

Autorotation. They "spin up" the rotors, or rather, maintain their spin by dropping very quickly (but under control) then increasing the blade pitch just before reaching the ground. It's a bit like doing a suicide burn with next to no fuel, it has to be timed *just* right. FAR & other mods might simulate it but there's no way it would work in stock Kerbal.

So to the OP, sorry, you're boned.

[phunk]

Would such forces possibly reduce the impact? I've wondered for awhile now if ksp can emulate what helicopter pilots do before they crash. I forget the name of the manouver, but right before impact pilots spin up the helicopter to spread the impact forces outward.

No, that's not right. You're thinking of autorotation, and it's not to spread impact forces, it's to land safely without engines.

[pokeman]

Autorotation is the maneuver you are thinking of where a unpowered helicopter can land safely, obviously that can't happen if the rotors are damaged as in the case of most crashes.

EDIT: Ninja'd lol

[SpacedCowboy]

Autorotation. They "spin up" the rotors, or rather, maintain their spin by dropping very quickly (but under control) then increasing the blade pitch just before reaching the ground. It's a bit like doing a suicide burn with next to no fuel, it has to be timed *just* right. FAR & other mods might simulate it but there's no way it would work in stock Kerbal.

So to the OP, sorry, you're boned.

Yeah, really,,," INCOMING !"

[evildroid101]

oh

well i guess it's screwed then

at least it's not a pilot.

[r4pt0r]

yeah, orbiting is just falling and missing the planet. get more horizontal speed and you will be eating duna snocones in no time.

[Tripzter]

Set the probe up in orbit, once you get more parts capture it and bring it home, whats so difficult? Not enough fuel for orbit?

[Blue]

If you can fire the engine you can have an unpowered landing, or at least a hard landing.

Worst comes to worst you can angle your vehicle fully retrograde and use the entire vehicle as a hard cushion, letting parts below the probe act like a crumple zone.

[James_Eh]

Try the Maximum Impact Velocity Challenge.

Why did I find this as funny as I did??? <Can't breathe... Laughing...>

[Mesons]

Looks like your gonna have to continue watching it all the way to the scene of the crash.

This! Best thing I've read in the past week! If you've got no fuel left, you're stuck with option A here, I concur.

[Mesons]

Set the probe up in orbit, once you get more parts capture it and bring it home, whats so difficult? Not enough fuel for orbit?

Actually, why not do something similar to this? Assuming it can't get to orbit, send another ship with a claw to rendezvous with it, claw it, and re-enter with it. Just don't forget the chutes on the rescue craft. Also keep in mind that it will take a lot more dV than it took to strand your probe on an impact trajectory.