Difference between revisions of "Parachute"
m (→Deployment: Outdated notice to warn people about inaccurate numbers) |
(→Deployment: Not outdated any more. N.B. the template will only give accurate results for 0.02 and 0.04, so don't use it to do a altitude for pressure table for other pressures, until such times as it is fixed.) |
||
| Line 27: | Line 27: | ||
Parachutes semi-deploy at different altitudes on different bodies, depending on the local atmospheric pressure. Rough semi deployment altitudes are shown below. In contrast to semi deployment the full deployment depends on height above ground, not pressure. Full-deploy altitudes can be found in the above table. With the [[tweakable]]s added in {{version|0.23}} the deployment pressures and altitudes can be modified. It is not possible to semi-deploy the parachute sooner. The tables show the default deployment altitudes and pressures. | Parachutes semi-deploy at different altitudes on different bodies, depending on the local atmospheric pressure. Rough semi deployment altitudes are shown below. In contrast to semi deployment the full deployment depends on height above ground, not pressure. Full-deploy altitudes can be found in the above table. With the [[tweakable]]s added in {{version|0.23}} the deployment pressures and altitudes can be modified. It is not possible to semi-deploy the parachute sooner. The tables show the default deployment altitudes and pressures. | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
{{Deploy Table Parachutes}} | {{Deploy Table Parachutes}} | ||
Revision as of 16:53, 30 May 2015
Parachutes are parts that when deployed slow down the speed of a craft in an atmosphere by creating drag. In career mode this allows to recover craft landed on Kerbin which returns funds.
While in theory it is possible to recover boosters like the Solid Rocket Boosters of the Space Shuttle with parachutes, it's difficult in practice because all craft outside the 2.5 km sphere around the controlled craft while in the lower atmosphere are getting removed. The timing has to be so that the circularization of the orbit with the main craft is not while the boosters are in the lower atmosphere.[1]
Contents
Usage
Parachutes are used on bodies with atmospheres such as Kerbin and Eve to slow the craft for a landing. The deceleration depends on both the mass of the craft and the density of the atmosphere. Therefore crafts that are either very heavy or land on bodies with thin atmospheres (Duna, Laythe) require either multiple parachutes or additional engines for a soft landing. Parachutes can also be used to aid with aerobraking to create additional drag. On the other hand, a heavier parachute part generates more drag than a lighter parachute. Parachutes can also be used to help stop space planes as they land.
Parachutes require a minimum air pressure to deploy, so they will work neither in higher parts of atmospheres nor in a vacuum (see Deployment). In addition, parachutes are cut automatically on the ground and can't be used, for example, to aid in slowing a landing aircraft once it's already on the runway. The part's mass isn't affected when the parachute is cut. A deployed parachute will cut automatically during descent if propulsion is used to increase vertical speed past zero.
A deployed parachute can also be cut manually (right-click on parachute and executing Cut Parachute). Once cut, they can be repacked by nearby Kerbals on EVA (right-click on parachute and executing Repack Chute). Repacked Parachutes can be deployed like fresh ones, although not automatically via the staging sequence.
Before version 0.18 the image shown in the part selector of the VAB and SPH showed the parachute deployed. Since then all parachutes are shown stowed.
Parts
There are currently four options for parachutes.
| Image | Part | Radial size | Cost (  ) |
Mass (t) |
Max. Temp. (K) |
Tolerance (m/s) |
Tolerance (g) |
Semi-Deployed Diameter |
Fully Deployed Diameter |
Semi-Deploy Pressure (atm) [Note 1] |
Full-Deploy Altitude (m AGL) [Note 1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Mk16 Parachute | Tiny | 422 | 0.1 | 2 500 | 12 | 50 | 0.8 | 20.7 | 0.04 | 1 000 |
 |
Mk16-XL Parachute | Small | 850 | 0.3 | 2 500 | 12 | 50 | 2.5 | 51.2 | 0.04 | 1 000 |
 |
Mk2-R Radial-Mount Parachute | Radial mounted | 400 | 0.1 | 2 500 | 12 | 50 | 1.6 | 41.3 | 0.04 | 1 000 |
 |
Mk25 Parachute | Small | 400 | 0.2 | 2 500 | 12 | 50 | 0.9 | 6.3 | 0.02 | 2 500 |
 |
Mk12-R Radial-Mount Drogue Chute | Radial mounted | 150 | 0.075 | 2 500 | 12 | 50 | 1.3 | 7.7 | 0.02 | 2 500 |
Deployment
Parachutes semi-deploy at different altitudes on different bodies, depending on the local atmospheric pressure. Rough semi deployment altitudes are shown below. In contrast to semi deployment the full deployment depends on height above ground, not pressure. Full-deploy altitudes can be found in the above table. With the tweakables added in version 0.23 the deployment pressures and altitudes can be modified. It is not possible to semi-deploy the parachute sooner. The tables show the default deployment altitudes and pressures.
| Semi-Deployment Altitude (m) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Part | Eve | Kerbin | Duna | Jool | Laythe |
| |
Mk16 Parachute | 44 226 | 20 004 | 10 689 | 126 238 | 25 146 |
| |
Mk16-XL Parachute | 44 226 | 20 004 | 10 689 | 126 238 | 25 146 |
| |
Mk2-R Radial-Mount Parachute | 44 226 | 20 004 | 10 689 | 126 238 | 25 146 |
| |
Mk25 Parachute | 46 315 | 23 547 | 14 912 | 134 228 | 31 829 |
| |
Mk12-R Radial-Mount Drogue Chute | 46 315 | 23 547 | 14 912 | 134 228 | 31 829 |
References
- ↑ “Kerbal Space Program - Recovery And Reuse Tutorial in First Contract” on YouTube by Scott Manley
