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I'm playing KSP. I've successfully gotten a craft in circular orbit around Eve about 100,000 meters up for the first time (I'm a noob). I'd like to land on Eve, however when I try to adjust my orbit into the planet, I'm going way to fast. Over 3200 m/s.

My question is actually rather simple: Is it possible for me to slow down enough to land, and if so how can I slow down?

My resources are as follows:

  • 1 atomic rocket motor
  • 4 electric propulsion engines
  • 2 Mk2 radial parchutes and 1 top parachute
  • 2155 Xenon Gas
  • 470 liquid fuel
  • 1 poor Kerbal who might be stuck in orbit for the rest of her life

This is my craft: enter image description here

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  • Are you attempting aerobraking? Or just going straight for the landing? Sep 4, 2016 at 6:47
  • @DanmakuGrazer dunno what that even means TBH. Lol, like I said I'm a noob. I just want a way to get my Kerbal on Eve alive. Sep 4, 2016 at 16:13
  • Aerobraking means slightly dipping into a planet's or moon's atmosphere and letting the atmosphere slow you down instead of using fuel for it. Once you're slow enough you can then ignite your engines to slow you down enough for the parachutes not to get destroyed. Eve's atmosphere is particularly good for this as it's very thick. Unfortunately, it's also good for lighting your ship on fire. Sep 4, 2016 at 16:23
  • @DanmakuGrazer ok thanks for telling me. I don't think aerobraking will work in this case because I have no heat sheilds. I'm gonna try what these guys recommended: forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/… Sep 4, 2016 at 16:53

1 Answer 1

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I'm sorry, but an Eve landing is not going to happen with that ship.

Eve has an atmosphere which is even thicker and a gravity which is even higher than that on Kerbin. That means your craft needs an even stronger heat shield for atmospheric entry than it would need for Kerbin, and you don't seem to have any at all. Even if you switch off deadly reentry in the difficulty settings, you will still be unable to make a landing, because your craft seems to lack the necessary trust-to-weight ratio to fight Eve's gravity.

However, if you want to get something useful out of this mission you could go for Eve's moon Gilly. Your craft should easily be able to land there.

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  • Thanks for the reply. I figured this. I went to Ike like you suggested Sep 14, 2016 at 23:42

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