How do I get gravity scans in flight?

[thereaverofdarkness]

I've got a contract to collect gravity scans while in flight above a certain altitude, yet it seems I cannot use the gravmax while in flight at all.

Edited December 17, 2014 by thereaverofdarkness

[OhioBob]

The GRAVMAX is supposed to work in space, but not while flying in an atmosphere.

[cantab]

It could be an impossible contract. They're not uncommon, so you have to be careful.

[AlexinTokyo]

Not 100% sure, but I believe that survey contracts specifying 'in flight above xxx m altitude' include being in orbit.

This is different behavior to part-test contracts which explicitly require the 'flying' situation.

[Arsonide]

Correct, that contract is asking for orbital scans of the planet.

[Kerano]

Just came across this issue myself, and was thoroughly perplexed until I found this thread. To me, "in flight" pretty clearly correlates to "in atmosphere". Maybe worth updating the wording for this particular contract parameter to specify "in low orbit" rather than "in flight" to remove the confusion.

[Janos1986]

Not 100% sure, but I believe that survey contracts specifying 'in flight above xxx m altitude' include being in orbit.

This is different behavior to part-test contracts which explicitly require the 'flying' situation.

You have a point, "Above x Meters" is not clear. I have to test this tonight.

It could make surveys easier if you have an orbiting vessel with enough deltaV to heavily change inclination accordingly to waypoints to fulfill multiple surveys in one flight.

[AlexinTokyo]

Solution - constellation of small gravsats (e.g. QBE probe core, OX-STAT solar, battery, Gravioli thing, antenna) in low- to medium-altitude, high-inclination Kerbin orbits. Ensure each satellite has a sufficient relative inclination to the others.

That should give you sufficient coverage (with a large enough constellation) that you can survey almost any point on Kerbin's surface in a not-unreasonable amount of time, I think.