MrXenox

I just downloaded Hotrockets for the first time last week, so I don't think that's the issue.

I apologize if this has been mentioned before, but I'm having a problem with Hotrockets. Some engines have their default effect overlayed with the hotrocket effect, the default effect is always there as if the engine is at full throttle, even when the engine is inactive. This effect also shows up in the VAB while placing the engine.

I finally launched my nuclear powered, ion driven, 166 ton space ship, the Spirit of Antwerp. It's mission is to survey all of the Joolian moons in one trip. It is fully crewed, and I only have to do one refuelling mission and dock the four landers to it before it can begin its maiden voyage.

I finally got to Bop, didn't get to see the Kraken though, maybe next time. I had only 300 m/s delta V left after my deorbit burn, so it was pretty close getting home. I left a flag reading "Mission control said there'd be ice cream here"

My Tantalus 3 mission landed on Pol for the first time, I just barely had enough fuel to get home, with about 200 delta V remaining after my Kerbin de-orbit burn, I completed two contracts at once Explore Jool and Explore Pol, I'll have to come back later though, as I still have contracts to explore the other moons.

Today I landed on Gilly for the first time, I found the gravity to be quite troublesome as my craft kept bouncing off the terrain and I had to retro thrust with RCS to get it to settle. I also utterly failed at towing an asteroid into a stable Kerbin orbit.

I agree that more varied, complex, and long term contracts would be fun. I also think additional rewards from contracts would make the system more interesting, perhaps make it so there are a few very useful parts that can only be obtained through contracts. Or perhaps one of the companies could reward you with a stock craft design for you to use.

The flag for my first Mun landing simply read "One small step for a Kerbal, and one giant leap for Kerbalkind"

I'd agree with the people above, it definitely looks like you need more struts though. If your problem is at 4000 metres, then reaction wheels won't help too much, I think the answer definitely lies in moveable control surfaces.

When you try to land a spaceplane horizontally on the Mun.

I was able to bring a modified Aeris 4A to Duna, it could function and land like a plane, I found that it only functioned below about 10 kilometres above sea level.

You are supposed to be able to conduct experiments/reports normally in contract mode, all features from the previous career mode should still be there, as far as I know they've only added features. It may be a bug, could you be a bit more specific about the problem?