nurburg

I'm trying out the Kerbal Engineer mod (this is the kind of thing I need!): https://github.com/jrbudda/KerbalEngineer/releases

No, math is good! Calc, linear algebra, differential equations. I'm more than happy to crunch the numbers. Funny, KSP has inspired me to work on learning matlab again (haven't touched it since college 15 years ago and I was a CS major so we BARELY used it). It would be fun to make some simulation models. I don't have time to go over your entire post at the moment but trust me I will be soon. Thank you thank you again! I figured I was a) designing vehicles with way too much mass and b) not enough stages. I guess I'm just fixated on Ascent, Kerbin orbit, Mun rendezvous, Mun landing, ascent blah blah blah. I will start over with the less-is-more approach and see what I can come up with.

Hey, thank you! Those numbers make sense to me. Quick question: When designing a ship the numbers in the staging stack to the right correspond with the delta-v for that stage correct? Like, when designing the ascent stage to get into orbit I'm finding it impossible to get a delta-v over 2000 m/s. I've tried adding more fuel tanks for the liquid engine but it doesn't make much difference (adds more than 250m/s for a flt-400 tank). I mean you look at the Apollo missions and it has a HUGE first stage to get into orbit. Do I just need to add fuel and rockets to my research tree? I have about 110 points I can spend (not enough yet for both fuel systems AND advanced rocketry).

Hi all. Quick update. I've been doing a lot more experiments/trial and error. So I've managed to rendezvous with the Mun, orbit the Mun in a stable circular orbit, AND return safely from the Mun. My problem now is landing on the Mun. I have done it successfully several times but I had to turn on Infinite fuel in the debug menu (I know, shameful but it's helping me learn ) because the ship I'm using never seems to have QUITE enough fuel to get home (I have a two stage landing craft that starts with full fuel in Kerbin orbit, then I capture the Mun, establish orbit, land, engage second stage which is just the [pod, heat shield, flt-200 fuel tank, and Terrier rocket]. I'm still tweaking weight and fuel requirements to get everything balanced out so as usual it's a lot of trial and error. Of course it's a big system of equations so you add a little more fuel to the final stage and you have to adjust every other stage as well! This is the monstrosity I have right now (I've been adjusting it a lot but this is from quite a few attempts earlier). It's obviously highly unstable but I feel like I need larger components (more fuel, bigger engines) to get the delta-v I need: My next problem: I'm trying to design a 3 stage rocket that can land on the Mun but having a hell of a time getting all the right delta-v's. Based on the wiki I need ~3400m's for the ascent stage, Kerbin orbit insertion ~1000m's, TMI/Mun landing/Return ~3000m/s. I don't know if I can do that with my current research tree (see attached image): Maybe I'm just not thinking out of the box?

... Good gravy. WHY DID I HAVE FLEAS?! Total brain fart. I thought those Fleas WERE the hammers. That explains a lot haha. However, since I posted those images I finally managed to limp into orbit with that 4 engine frankenstein and achieve a near circular orbit at about 80km altitude . It took quite a few tries. I even had enough fuel left for a retrograde burn and landed safely in the ocean! But by the time I was done practicing getting into orbit I went back to snag the orbit contract and it had expired. Just my luck I'm going to redesign that rocket with the proper SRBs and see how I make out (try to do an EVA while I'm in orbit). I shall return. Thanks for your continued help!

Hi Everyone. And wow! Thank you for all the patient and detailed responses. I'm sure my questions get asked a million times but I had a hard time searching the forums. @Snark Thank you for the detailed write up, very helpful. So first issue: Science Points I've just been using a lot of trial and error after I posted here. I've managed to accrue quite a few more science points by running the goo experiment, temp, and barometer readings at the different levels of atmosphere and way out into space (I crewed the MK1 capsule with a scientist hoping that makes a difference). These took a lot of fiddling around with fuel and thrust levels but I got it eventually. I didn't realize about EVA's and walking around on Kerbin. I'm going to fool around with that and see if I can figure it out. I've spent the last of my science points on some advanced control stuff I apparently didn't need so I'm tapped out. Second thing: First time orbiting Kerbin This album has my current research tree and my best attempt so far at orbiting Kerbin: https://imgur.com/a/ta2gmwZ I've been trying to model this after the orbiting tutorial as best I can because frankly that's all I have to work off of. As was said RCS thrusters and Reaction Control Wheels are not needed (now I know). With this setup I'm getting closer (I think) to having the necessary Delta-V and weight management to get my apoapsis where I want it to be (tutorial recommended 80km so I'm trying that). My biggest problem is that in the tutorial 1) there is a convenient target marker to aim for telling you exactly what attitude you need on the gimbal and 2) There are additional targets available in SAS like prograde/retrograde, normal/antinormal, etc. So I'm having a heck of a time eyeballing the correct flight path which makes me think there's something missing (Can you like... plan launches from the control station so you're not just flying by the seat of your pants?). That leads me to the 3rd question. Third thing: Targeting regions This ties in with my last question but again I'm having a really hard time getting into the proper attitude to hit these targets. I try orienting the spacecraft in the assembly hangar to point approximately in the target direction so I can use mostly just pitch up/down. It's still very hard to control the gimbal the way I want. Is there any way to do flight planning so trying to reach a region isn't so haphazard? It seems a lot of my issues are just learning the game. It's definitely not intuitive at first. The tutorials are a good start but still a lot of trial and error in career mode (not a complaint, it's fun!).

Hello all. I'm new to the game and have gone through all the tutorials and about 10 contracts in career mode. I still have a lot of general confusion for some things. So, first, I'm stuck. For example I'd really like to attempt the "Orbit Kerbin!" contract but don't have the necessary research for parts like RCS thrusters and a reaction wheel (It appears I would need "Flight Control" and "Advanced Flight Control" which cost 45 and 90 points respectively). Am I missing some basic concept about how to acquire science? I've tried running a few experiments and getting crew reports outside of a contract and it didn't return very many science points. Thanks for you patience. This "game" is so hard and SO rewarding.