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[LoSboccacc]

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/64569-How-well-would-near-future-and-interstellar-mix

found the answer, and it is no.

[TherosPherae]

So are there any parts in the default game that act as a failsafe if your probes accidentally run out of batteries? That tends to be pretty infuriating - oh, I'll just aerobrake back to Kerbin with all this science and pack up the solar panels so they don't break, except I'm now somehow getting an accidental gravity assist from the Mun. Nevermind, I'll burn that off, wait what do you mean I'm out of batteries and now hurtling into solar orbit?

[BigD145]

That would be the thermoelectric thingie.

[Putnam]

Free return trajectory by making sure you go around the moon in the opposite direction of its orbit instead of the same direction

[TheDarkStar]

So are there any parts in the default game that act as a failsafe if your probes accidentally run out of batteries? That tends to be pretty infuriating - oh, I'll just aerobrake back to Kerbin with all this science and pack up the solar panels so they don't break, except I'm now somehow getting an accidental gravity assist from the Mun. Nevermind, I'll burn that off, wait what do you mean I'm out of batteries and now hurtling into solar orbit?

Use the RTGs (radioelectric thermoisotope generators, I think) for all the power you need short of beaming large amounts of data to Kerbin.

[sluissa]

So are there any parts in the default game that act as a failsafe if your probes accidentally run out of batteries? That tends to be pretty infuriating - oh, I'll just aerobrake back to Kerbin with all this science and pack up the solar panels so they don't break, except I'm now somehow getting an accidental gravity assist from the Mun. Nevermind, I'll burn that off, wait what do you mean I'm out of batteries and now hurtling into solar orbit?

My method with probes is that I don't accidentally anything. Everything is well planned out... even if that plan is to wing it. You must go into it understanding that because of the relatively smaller size of everything involved, the margins of error are smaller. For a full manned mission you'll bring plenty of fuel along because you need plenty of fuel just to do the things you need to do. So if something goes wrong, you've got a lot more resources to play around with in order to get things back in one piece.

Yeah, you always have the option of overengineering the crap out of a probe... and I suppose that might be a very kerbal thing to do... but at the same time, if you're doing that, why not just send a kerbal instead?

[MaximumZero]

So, I'm just now (in career mode) to the point that I can build planes. They fly! They land, mostly! Sometimes even intact! Mostly only partially intact, though.

Suggestions on what to do with planes? I've gotten data from all the Kerbin biomes except badlands, because I can't seem to find them.

[My Name is Immaterial]

I've gotten data from all the Kerbin biomes except badlands, because I can't seem to find them.

Head east.

[TherosPherae]

So are there any parts in the default game that act as a failsafe if your probes accidentally run out of batteries? That tends to be pretty infuriating - oh, I'll just aerobrake back to Kerbin with all this science and pack up the solar panels so they don't break, except I'm now somehow getting an accidental gravity assist from the Mun. Nevermind, I'll burn that off, wait what do you mean I'm out of batteries and now hurtling into solar orbit?

My method with probes is that I don't accidentally anything. Everything is well planned out... even if that plan is to wing it. You must go into it understanding that because of the relatively smaller size of everything involved, the margins of error are smaller. For a full manned mission you'll bring plenty of fuel along because you need plenty of fuel just to do the things you need to do. So if something goes wrong, you've got a lot more resources to play around with in order to get things back in one piece.

Yeah, you always have the option of overengineering the crap out of a probe... and I suppose that might be a very kerbal thing to do... but at the same time, if you're doing that, why not just send a kerbal instead?

I do plan ahead. The plan is usually "deploy solar panels when I'm not aerobraking so they don't fall off." I'm just a forgetful bastard is all, and don't notice until I've time-warped halfway through the orbit and see the Munar "assist".

Also, I haven't acquired enough science for RTGs yet, but it seems that they're only a few missions to various astronomical bodies away, so I might hit up Moho to finish it off once I (finally) finish rescuing that poor Kerbal from the greedy surface of the Mun.

[Descan]

... Is that a smiley face?

[WillowLuman]

Since they weigh so little, I always place one of those cheap-o non moving solar panels in every direction, so I at least get some power no matter which way I'm facing. It can be a life saver.

[LoSboccacc]

exept if you need to circularize during an eclipse

[Eric Blank]

If you need to circularize during an eclipse and your battery isnt sufficient to keep your probe alive for the duration of said eclipse, folding solar panels aren't going to help you either. One of those thermoelectric doohickies would be plenty to keep it responsive, at least.

[alway]

Or just use the flat non-deployed solars on the surface. Those won't rip off unless you've got something like deadly reentry burning them off.

[IronTomato]

I'm curious, do any other people here listen to music while they play this? A lot of the time I listen to Rick Astley while flying, because it fits.