Difference between revisions of "Parachute"

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'''Parachutes''' are parts that when deployed slow down the speed of a [[craft]] in an [[atmosphere]] by creating drag. If/when part reuse becomes part of the game, it might become important to attach parachutes to detached booster stages to help try to recover them.
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[[File:Mk16-XL Parachute.jpg|thumb|A [[Mk1-2 Command Pod]] hanging on a [[Mk16-XL Parachute]]]]
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'''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 [[Recovery|recover]] craft landed on [[Kerbin]] which returns [[funds]].
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While in theory it is possible to recover boosters like the [[w:Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster|Solid Rocket Booster]]s of the Space Shuttle with parachutes, it's difficult in practice because all craft without [[Command module|command modules]] outside the 2.5&nbsp;km sphere around the controlled craft while in the atmosphere are 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.<ref>“[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3DyY3Y5G9E Kerbal Space Program - Recovery And Reuse Tutorial in First Contract]” on YouTube by Scott Manley</ref>
  
 
== Usage ==
 
== Usage ==
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[[File:Tweakable.png|thumb|left|The options on a [[Mk16 Parachute]]]]
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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 craft 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.
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Parachutes require a minimum air pressure to deploy, so they will work neither in higher parts of atmospheres nor in a vacuum (see [[Parachute#Deployment|Deployment]]). Parachutes will automatically cut once the pressure applied to them falls below the pressure set in the tweakables, for example when the craft is at rest.
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A deployed parachute can also be cut manually (right-click on parachute and executing '''''Cut Parachute'''''). Once cut, they can be repacked on [[EVA]] by a level 1+ [[engineer]]. (To do this, right-click on the parachute and click '''''Repack Chute'''''.) Repacked Parachutes can be deployed like fresh ones, although the staging sequence must be reordered to be able to stage them normally.
  
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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.
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{{clear|right}}
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<span id="Staging icons"></span>
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{| class="wikitable" align="right"
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|-
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! Icon!! Meaning
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|-
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! [[File:Parachute_icon-ud_at_rest.png|32px]]
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| At rest / safe to deploy
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|-
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! [[File:Parachute_icon-ud_unsafe.png|32px]]
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| Not safe to deploy
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|-
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! [[File:Parachute_icon-dep_unsafe_notsemideployed.png|32px]]
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| Released while unsafe and insufficient pressure
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|-
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! [[File:Parachute_icon-destroyed.png|32px]]
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| Destroyed
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|-
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! [[File:Parachute_icon-safe.png|32px]]
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| Risky / probably safe to deploy
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|-
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! [[File:Parachute_icon-semideployed.png|32px]]
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| Semi-deployed
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|-
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! [[File:Parachute_icon-fullydeployed.png|32px]]
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| Fully deployed
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|-
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|}
  
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Parachutes require a minimum air pressure to deploy, so they will work neither in higher parts of atmospheres nor in a vacuum (see [[Parachute#Deployment|Deployment]]). In addition, parachutes are cut automatically on the ground and so can't be used to, for example, aid in slowing landing aircraft once they are 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.  
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Changes were made to the staging icons in version [[1.0.5]]. The staging background colour now indicates whether or not it is safe to deploy the parachute, being light grey when safe to deploy or at rest, a yellow-green colour to indicate that deployment may be risky (at around 250 m/s on Kerbin for main parachutes, nearly twice this speed for drogues) and dark red at any higher speed. The foreground colour (i.e. the colour of the parachute itself) indicates the state of the parachute, starting at white (unstaged/undeployed) and running through cyan (released but insufficient pressure to semi-deploy), yellow (semi-deployed), green (fully deployed) and bright red (destroyed).
  
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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.
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A cyan parachute on a red background is therefore a highly undesirable combination since it means that the parachute has been released at too high a speed and will be destroyed as soon as air pressure is high enough for semi-deployment. Recovery will only be possible by slowing before air pressure rises, or (if time permits) by right-clicking the parachute to disarm it. Accidentally staging the parachute in space is therefore recoverable via the part's right-click window.
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The mean parameters of the deployment are [[tweakable]]. The tweaking is possible in the small window popping up by right-clicking on the parachute in the [[editor]] or during the spaceflights:
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:'''''Altitude''''' (50-5&nbsp;000&nbsp;m) - The full deployment's altitude <u>above ground level</u>.
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:'''''Min Pressure''''' (0,01-0,5&nbsp;atm) - The semi deployment's pressure threshold.
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{{clear}}
  
 
== Parts ==
 
== Parts ==
  
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There are currently four options for parachutes.
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There are currently five options for parachutes.
  
 
{{Stats Table Parachutes}}
 
{{Stats Table Parachutes}}
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== Deployment ==
 
== Deployment ==
  
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Parachutes deploy at different altitudes on different bodies, depending on the local atmospheric pressure. Rough deployment altitudes are shown below. Note that full deployment depends on height above ground, not pressure. Full-deploy altitudes can be found in the above table.
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Parachutes semi-deploy at a specific atmospheric pressure. which is situated in different altitudes on different bodies (rough semi deployment altitudes are shown below). Contrastingly, full deployment occurs depending on height above ground, not pressure. Deployment altitudes and pressures of various parachutes can be found in the above table.
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Both of these deployment settings are [[tweakable]]; Although, the semi-deployment pressures are set at minimum by default, so it's only possible to delay semi-deployment by tweaking. A delayed semi-deployment, along with prior areobraking, can avert broken parachutes due to high temperature on reentry
  
 
{{Deploy Table Parachutes}}
 
{{Deploy Table Parachutes}}
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== Trivia ==
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<div style="float:right;">[[File:MK16XL.png|thumb|upright|left|Pre-0.18 [[Mk16-XL Parachute|Mk16-XL]]]][[File:MK16.png|thumb|upright|Pre-0.18 [[Mk16 Parachute|Mk16]]]]</div>
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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.
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{{clear}}
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== References ==
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<references />
  
 
[[Category:Parts]]
 
[[Category:Parts]]
 
[[Category:Parachutes| ]]
 
[[Category:Parachutes| ]]

Latest revision as of 19:05, 5 February 2021

A Mk1-2 Command Pod hanging on a Mk16-XL Parachute

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 without command modules outside the 2.5 km sphere around the controlled craft while in the atmosphere are 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]

Usage

The options on a Mk16 Parachute

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 craft 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). Parachutes will automatically cut once the pressure applied to them falls below the pressure set in the tweakables, for example when the craft is at rest.

A deployed parachute can also be cut manually (right-click on parachute and executing Cut Parachute). Once cut, they can be repacked on EVA by a level 1+ engineer. (To do this, right-click on the parachute and click Repack Chute.) Repacked Parachutes can be deployed like fresh ones, although the staging sequence must be reordered to be able to stage them normally.

Icon Meaning
Parachute icon-ud at rest.png At rest / safe to deploy
Parachute icon-ud unsafe.png Not safe to deploy
Parachute icon-dep unsafe notsemideployed.png Released while unsafe and insufficient pressure
Parachute icon-destroyed.png Destroyed
Parachute icon-safe.png Risky / probably safe to deploy
Parachute icon-semideployed.png Semi-deployed
Parachute icon-fullydeployed.png Fully deployed

Changes were made to the staging icons in version 1.0.5. The staging background colour now indicates whether or not it is safe to deploy the parachute, being light grey when safe to deploy or at rest, a yellow-green colour to indicate that deployment may be risky (at around 250 m/s on Kerbin for main parachutes, nearly twice this speed for drogues) and dark red at any higher speed. The foreground colour (i.e. the colour of the parachute itself) indicates the state of the parachute, starting at white (unstaged/undeployed) and running through cyan (released but insufficient pressure to semi-deploy), yellow (semi-deployed), green (fully deployed) and bright red (destroyed).

A cyan parachute on a red background is therefore a highly undesirable combination since it means that the parachute has been released at too high a speed and will be destroyed as soon as air pressure is high enough for semi-deployment. Recovery will only be possible by slowing before air pressure rises, or (if time permits) by right-clicking the parachute to disarm it. Accidentally staging the parachute in space is therefore recoverable via the part's right-click window.

The mean parameters of the deployment are tweakable. The tweaking is possible in the small window popping up by right-clicking on the parachute in the editor or during the spaceflights:

Altitude (50-5 000 m) - The full deployment's altitude above ground level.
Min Pressure (0,01-0,5 atm) - The semi deployment's pressure threshold.

Parts

There are currently five options for parachutes.

Image Part Radial size Cost
(Funds)		 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.png
 Mk16 Parachute Tiny 422 0.1 2 500 12 50 0.8 20.7 0.04 1 000
Mk16-XL Parachute.png
 Mk16-XL Parachute Small 850 0.3 2 500 12 50 2.5 51.2 0.04 1 000
Mk2-R Parachute.png
 Mk2-R Radial-Mount Parachute Radial mounted 400 0.1 2 500 12 50 1.6 41.3 0.04 1 000
Mk25 Parachute.png
 Mk25 Parachute Small 400 0.2 2 500 12 50 0.9 6.3 0.02 2 500
Mk12-R Radial-Mount Drogue Chute.png
 Mk12-R Radial-Mount Drogue Chute Radial mounted 150 0.075 2 500 12 50 1.3 7.7 0.02 2 500
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 This setting is tweakable


Deployment

Parachutes semi-deploy at a specific atmospheric pressure. which is situated in different altitudes on different bodies (rough semi deployment altitudes are shown below). Contrastingly, full deployment occurs depending on height above ground, not pressure. Deployment altitudes and pressures of various parachutes can be found in the above table.

Both of these deployment settings are tweakable; Although, the semi-deployment pressures are set at minimum by default, so it's only possible to delay semi-deployment by tweaking. A delayed semi-deployment, along with prior areobraking, can avert broken parachutes due to high temperature on reentry

Semi-Deployment Altitude (m)
Image Part Eve Kerbin Duna Jool Laythe
Mk16 Parachute.png
 Mk16 Parachute 44 226 20 004 10 689 126 238 25 146
Mk16-XL Parachute.png
 Mk16-XL Parachute 44 226 20 004 10 689 126 238 25 146
Mk2-R Parachute.png
 Mk2-R Radial-Mount Parachute 44 226 20 004 10 689 126 238 25 146
Mk25 Parachute.png
 Mk25 Parachute 46 315 23 547 14 912 134 228 31 829
Mk12-R Radial-Mount Drogue Chute.png
 Mk12-R Radial-Mount Drogue Chute 46 315 23 547 14 912 134 228 31 829

Trivia

Pre-0.18 Mk16-XL
Pre-0.18 Mk16

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.

References

  1. ↑ “Kerbal Space Program - Recovery And Reuse Tutorial in First Contract” on YouTube by Scott Manley
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