Every part in the Utility category: what it does for a landing, and its figures from the info card.
Utility parts get you down in one piece: a canopy to slow you, a leg to stand on. Read Landing and recovery for how a touchdown is judged, and Staging for how a part like a chute or a leg is fired at the right moment.
Parachute
Part · Utility · sold by Rocketry
A canopy that opens over about a second to slow a descent. Stage or tap Deploy to open it, then Cut once you are down or want it gone.
Figure
Value
MASS
180 kg
COST
90 cr
DRAG NOSE-ON
0.8×
HEAT EXPOSURE
0.55×
MAX TEMP
2000 K
MAX G
18 g
IMPACT
14 m/s
BLAST
5 kN
PARACHUTE AREA
400 m²
PARACHUTE CD
1.4
PARACHUTE DEPLOY
1.2 s
PARACHUTE MAX LOAD
100 kN
PARACHUTE MAX Q
12 kPa
NODES
1
STAGEABLE
YES
Its one attachment point sits on top of a stack, canister facing down into whatever it rides on. That is usually the last part before the capsule.
Heads up
Its 12 kPa PARACHUTE MAX Q is low: open it too fast and it tears off instead of slowing you. A Drogue Chute survives far more dynamic pressure and can go first.
Deploy and Cut are both staged actions, so one stage can open the canopy and a later one throw it away as debris. A plain tap, in flight, deploys it the same way a bare stage entry does.
Pairs with the Drogue Chute to slow a fast descent before this one opens. Instead of a Heat Shield alone, which sheds heat but not speed.
Drogue Chute
Part · Utility · sold by Recovery
A small chute that opens fast and high, and survives far more dynamic pressure than the main canopy, so it slows a fast descent enough for the Parachute to open safely after it.
Figure
Value
MASS
40 kg
COST
25 cr
DRAG NOSE-ON
0.7×
HEAT EXPOSURE
0.6×
MAX TEMP
1900 K
MAX G
45 g
IMPACT
16 m/s
BLAST
3 kN
PARACHUTE AREA
20 m²
PARACHUTE CD
0.8
PARACHUTE DEPLOY
0.6 s
PARACHUTE MAX LOAD
60 kN
PARACHUTE MAX Q
70 kPa
NODES
1
STAGEABLE
YES
It bolts to the flank of a capsule with one radial point, so it can open first while the main canopy stays packed above.
Deploy and Cut are both staged actions, exactly as on the Parachute, so it can be opened on one stage and cut away on a later one. A tap deploys it the same way.
Pairs with the Parachute as the first canopy out on a fast re-entry. Instead of the Parachute alone, which tears off at much lower dynamic pressure.
LT-1 Landing Strut
Part · Utility · sold by Landing Gear
A sprung strut that swings out and takes a touchdown a bare hull would not. Deploy it before you land, or you touch down on whatever part is lowest instead.
Figure
Value
MASS
40 kg
COST
30 cr
DRAG NOSE-ON
0.8×
HEAT EXPOSURE
0.8×
MAX TEMP
1400 K
MAX G
25 g
IMPACT
30 m/s
BLAST
4 kN
LANDING LEG TRAVEL
1.1 m
LANDING LEG DEPLOY
1.2 s
NODES
1
STAGEABLE
YES
SUSPENSION
9 rad/s · damping 0.6
It bolts to the flank near the base of the stack, one radial point per leg. Three or four spaced evenly round the hull make for a stable stand.
Its part sheet offers Deploy while stowed and Retract once it is out, the same action either staged or tapped. Legs work on the pad too, so a vessel resting on its engine can rise onto them.
Pairs with a light lander or probe. Instead of the LT-2 on a heavier ship, which needs more suspension travel.
LT-2 Landing Strut
Part · Utility · sold by Heavy Gear
A longer, stiffer strut for a heavy lander on a hard world: more travel to soak up the touchdown and a higher impact tolerance than the LT-1.
Figure
Value
MASS
90 kg
COST
45 cr
DRAG NOSE-ON
0.8×
HEAT EXPOSURE
0.8×
MAX TEMP
1400 K
MAX G
25 g
IMPACT
45 m/s
BLAST
6 kN
LANDING LEG TRAVEL
2 m
LANDING LEG DEPLOY
1.6 s
NODES
1
STAGEABLE
YES
SUSPENSION
7 rad/s · damping 0.7
It bolts to the flank near the base of the stack, one radial point per leg, the same way the LT-1 does.
Its part sheet offers Deploy while stowed and Retract once it is out, staged or tapped, and it works on the pad as well as in flight.
Pairs with a heavy lander bound for a rough world. Instead of the LT-1, which folds under more weight and takes a gentler touchdown.
