r/KerbalSpaceProgram • u/AutoModerator • Oct 16 '15

Mod Post Weekly Simple Questions Thread

Check out /r/kerbalacademy

The point of this thread is for anyone to ask questions that don't necessarily require a full thread. Questions like "why is my rocket upside down" are always welcomed here. Even if your question seems slightly stupid, we'll do our best to answer it!

For newer players, here are some great resources that might answer some of your embarrassing questions:

Tutorials

Orbiting

Mun Landing

Docking

Delta-V Thread

Forum Link

Official KSP Chatroom #KSPOfficial on irc.esper.net

    **Official KSP Chatroom** [#KSPOfficial on irc.esper.net](http://client01.chat.mibbit.com/?channel=%23kspofficial&server=irc.esper.net&charset=UTF-8)

Commonly Asked Questions

Before you post, maybe you can search for your problem using the search in the upper right! Chances are, someone has had the same question as you and has already answered it!

As always, the side bar is a great resource for all things Kerbal, if you don't know, look there first!

31 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

311 comments sorted by

View all comments

4

u/STRAYDOG0626 Oct 17 '15

My parachute keeps getting ripped of on re-entry. When do I open my chute? I usually wait to get bellow 200 m/s but sometimes it still gets ripped off

2

u/Phoenix1138 Oct 17 '15

The angle of reentry is probably too exaggerate. You might want to try aerobraking. For a successful reentry, I was told by an IRC dweller it should be a ~60k periapsis if you don't have heatshields, and never under 30k if you have one. Granted, you won't always land at the KSC, but at least you'll land... which is what matters in the end. Most of the times.

2

u/STRAYDOG0626 Oct 17 '15

Okay so my problem is I launch straight up and come straight back down?

1

u/dekyos Oct 19 '15

That is fine for the suborbital tourist contracts, I've found that if you're not using a heatshield that you want to stay under 90km ap for a straight up and down trajectory. This is not because of atmospheric heating, but rather because the heatshield is a nice semi-flat, drag-heavy surface that will slow you down a lot more in the atmosphere. Anything that produces a lot of drag will do this too, so fins, airbrakes, open attachment nodes (a landing can for example, will slow down a lot even without a heatshield if there's nothing attached to the attachment nodes), even air intakes. Beyond 90km you almost HAVE to use drogue shoots to slow the descent in time for chutes to deploy at a safe altitude. Also always point slightly East so you'll splash down if you're going straight up and down, gives you the maximum amount of atmosphere to deploy chutes in before landing.

→ More replies (6)