parachute deployment very late using NEAR+DR

[SmashBrown]

Hey folks. I have started using mods the past couple of weeks, NEAR & DR to name but a few, it is however making my parachute deployment very late, as I have to wait to hit under around 315 m/s or else they rip off. I get very low to the ground before I deploy them, we're talking under 5000m here. How do you folks cause more drag to slow down better?

[RainDreamer]

Shallower reentry path. Maximize your time in the atmosphere for your aerobrake, and you should be slowed enough that you can start open chutes at much higher altitude.

[Jouni]

5 km is still quite high for deploying parachutes. It's about 8.5 km in Earth's atmosphere. For example, the Apollo capsule deployed drogue parachutes at 7.3 km, and the main parachutes at 3 km.

[BudgetHedgehog]

NEAR doesn't model skin drag and mach tuck - both help slow down vessels as high speed. FAR models both and I'd recommend using that (and disabling the disassembly option) but if you'd rather stick with NEAR, you'll need a much shallower re-entry patch so you stay longer in the atmosphere, as thin as it is. But yeah, 5km isn't that high at all.

[Alshain]

Since you are already using mods, RealChute gives your chutes the ability to deploy gradually among other things. It has a combo chute that deploys a drouge before the main to lessen the shock as well.

Edited January 22, 2015 by Alshain

[michaelsteele3]

I don't use FAR/NEAR, but would using multiple "smaller" Parachutes first perhaps help with this? It should slow the craft down enough before deploying the big one(s)

[RainDreamer]

I don't use FAR/NEAR, but would using multiple "smaller" Parachutes first perhaps help with this? It should slow the craft down enough before deploying the big one(s)

Deadly Reentry prevent chute opening when you are faster than 315m/s, opening at that speed will cause chutes to rip. You have to aerobrake the whole way till you go lower than 315m/s, or use air brakes.

[SmashBrown]

Since you are already using mods, RealChute gives your chutes the ability to deploy gradually among other things. It has a combo chute that deploys a drouge before the main to lessen the shock as well.

Ah sorry i am using realchutes as well. Air brakes it is!!!

[Jovus]

Why do you want your parachutes to deploy sooner? It just means more waiting. 5km is still really high up.

[Axelord FTW]

Ah sorry i am using realchutes as well. Air brakes it is!!!

If you are using RealChute, you might want to use drogue chutes (either separate or combined types).

Real useful. If you click on a chute with the action group tab on in VAB, you can set stuff like auto-cut.

I don't use DR (yet) but I like to have my drogue out by 10km, deploy at 7.5km, cut at 5km. Then the normal chute out by 4km and deploy at 1km.

Just arming them will do the work instead of having them go with staging.

I have yet to test the drag chutes (just found out today about them by bugging around the AG chute menu).

[NathanKell]

Yep, if you choose to use an aero model that does not model mach effects, reentries will be HARD. Remember, just because NEAR is simpler, doesn't mean it's easier.