Difference between revisions of "Debris"

From Kerbal Space Program Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(+how debris is determined by the game; *rewritten the lonely sentences; +how to avoid them;)
(+link to Kessler syndrome; +text about unlikely collisions;)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Stub}}
+
'''Debris''' are space vehicle components left behind from decoupling of tanks or engines, or the parts not destroyed in a catastrophic failure. These parts remain behind, and when in space, orbits continue to be tracked for these objects. The user can track debris from the [[Tracking Station]] when the filter to show debris is activated, which is not the case by default.
 
 
Debris refers to space vehicle components left behind from decoupling of tanks or engines, or the parts not destroyed in a catastrophic failure. These parts remain behind, and when in space, orbits continue to be tracked for these objects. The user can track debris from the [[Tracking Station]] when the filter to show debris is activated, which is not the case by default.
 
  
 
To remove debris it can be recovered or terminated via the Tracking Station. To recover the debris it has to be landed on [[Kerbin]] otherwise only termination is available, which kills the crew and adds them to the lost list in the [[Astronaut Complex]].
 
To remove debris it can be recovered or terminated via the Tracking Station. To recover the debris it has to be landed on [[Kerbin]] otherwise only termination is available, which kills the crew and adds them to the lost list in the [[Astronaut Complex]].
Line 9: Line 7:
 
It may desirable to avoid debris which can be achieved by various tactics. One is to decouple before the orbit is stable, so that the object falls back and either collide with the surface or gets slowed down by the [[atmosphere]]. To get slowed down the debris has to be loaded, so in most cases it has to be active. It is also possible to add a command module and don't let all fuel drain from the tank. With the rest fuel and command module the debris can do a retro burn making the orbit unstable. It is also possible to add a docking port and send a small vessel to dock with it and deorbit it by performing the retro burn with the small vessel. As spend rocket stages are relatively light, compared to their mass when fully fuelled, the thrust and fuel needed to do so is low compared to the thrust the stage produced before jettisoned.
 
It may desirable to avoid debris which can be achieved by various tactics. One is to decouple before the orbit is stable, so that the object falls back and either collide with the surface or gets slowed down by the [[atmosphere]]. To get slowed down the debris has to be loaded, so in most cases it has to be active. It is also possible to add a command module and don't let all fuel drain from the tank. With the rest fuel and command module the debris can do a retro burn making the orbit unstable. It is also possible to add a docking port and send a small vessel to dock with it and deorbit it by performing the retro burn with the small vessel. As spend rocket stages are relatively light, compared to their mass when fully fuelled, the thrust and fuel needed to do so is low compared to the thrust the stage produced before jettisoned.
  
The default quantity of tracked objects is set to 250, but can be changed in the [[Settings]] menu.
+
The default quantity of tracked objects is set to 250, but can be changed in the [[Settings]] menu. But as even the small [[Kerbol System]] is so huge, random collisions are unlikely. Also crashing debris can only generate part sized remains or completely disappear there is no hazard of having a large amount of very small fragments.
 +
 
 +
== See also ==
 +
* {{Wikipedia|Kessler syndrome}}

Revision as of 16:16, 27 September 2013

Debris are space vehicle components left behind from decoupling of tanks or engines, or the parts not destroyed in a catastrophic failure. These parts remain behind, and when in space, orbits continue to be tracked for these objects. The user can track debris from the Tracking Station when the filter to show debris is activated, which is not the case by default.

To remove debris it can be recovered or terminated via the Tracking Station. To recover the debris it has to be landed on Kerbin otherwise only termination is available, which kills the crew and adds them to the lost list in the Astronaut Complex.

The game automatically set discarded stages as debris, when they have no command module which would allow to control it. If it has a docking port, the object the resources can be recovered by docking to it.

It may desirable to avoid debris which can be achieved by various tactics. One is to decouple before the orbit is stable, so that the object falls back and either collide with the surface or gets slowed down by the atmosphere. To get slowed down the debris has to be loaded, so in most cases it has to be active. It is also possible to add a command module and don't let all fuel drain from the tank. With the rest fuel and command module the debris can do a retro burn making the orbit unstable. It is also possible to add a docking port and send a small vessel to dock with it and deorbit it by performing the retro burn with the small vessel. As spend rocket stages are relatively light, compared to their mass when fully fuelled, the thrust and fuel needed to do so is low compared to the thrust the stage produced before jettisoned.

The default quantity of tracked objects is set to 250, but can be changed in the Settings menu. But as even the small Kerbol System is so huge, random collisions are unlikely. Also crashing debris can only generate part sized remains or completely disappear there is no hazard of having a large amount of very small fragments.

See also