P.Funk

I posted this in another thread. My version of a Saturn V. Staging breakdown in the picture of course. Uses the Wobbly Rocket parts, Wuff's parts, and thats about it. This thing can get you into the 100s of KM high by default. It is heavy though so you have to manage your tilt right for horizontal velocity pickup or else you'll end up using up too much Third Stage fuel just to get into orbit if you have ambitions of doing more than one orbit and a reentry. Was fun making this one cause it feels like a real life rocket. Looks like one.

I forget my first orbit. Was only like 5 days ago but I've come so far since then it was unremarkable most likely. I have done some tasty circular orbits. Just today I had an orbit of 17867 Apogee and 17135 Perigee. My first orbit though had to have been on Tuesday. So the 19th I guess. July 19th 2011!

Thats exactly the same as the first rocket I achieved semi orbit with. After initial experiences of mine going haywire everytime at 400m I figured it out. Course woulda helped if I'd known about SAS. ;D

So if I understand this correctly from your documentation in order to project a Hohmann Transfer Orbit I enter my 'current' circular orbit then drag either the apoapsis or periapsis to my desired target orbit in order to create the Hohmann Elliptical orbit which I will use to transfer. I would then burn to achieve the velocity marked at whichever apsis coincides with my starting circular orbit. To level out after the intercept with the new orbit I circularize the elliptical orbit to the circular orbit I am now entering and use the apsis velocity data to set myself in line with it. Make sense?

This is my best effort to make a mock up of a realistic looking rocket. I looked at pictures of the Saturn V and tried to replicate the design concept. Now I did use user created parts but thats just cause I like how it looks. The other thing to note is that adding a third stage necessitated the addition of SRBs to get it off the ground. I think the staging is a decent replica of how a Saturn V would have taken off. It has no SAS modules and isn't that hard to control. The hardest stage to control is the start when those SRBs are still on there. I found that mounting them on brackets a bit higher rather than even with the Liquid Motors gave better stability at the start and meant the rocket wouldn't try and tear itself apart. I've achieved decent orbits with this. First stage gets you over 5km and the Second Stage with all that First Stage weight dropped really kicks you up into the upper atmosphere. By the time you get to the Third stage you should be over 45km and already burning to achieve your orbital velocity. Some may not like the use of non stock parts but I think its a balanced ship that actually looks like a real rocket and doesn't actually go overboard with cheat parts. After you ditch the third stage your Spacecraft will have one tank of gas left so its not like you're gonna go for Escape Velocity too easily with that. I found that adding any more fuel tanks to the third stage or the orbital stage actually made the engines just break off the second it got onto the launch pad. Improvements I could imagine would be adding stock SRBs, maybe 2, to the Second Stage to give it more vertical thrust for achieving extreme orbit (by basically saving more third stage fuel). I haven't tried this yet though and its a distinct possibility it could break the rocket again on the pad. EDIT. Realized I typo'd SRB as SLB.

Union Jack is the coolest thing to put on anything. Can't wait for mine.

First thing I noticed was how authentic the pipes made them look. Very nice job.

I used the JSGME too for my parts additions. Makes it nice and easy to add or remove at your leisure. Remember to add the folders correctly or else it'll paste the files into your main folder. I did this and couldn't figure it out. I think I've done it every time I've used JSGME with every game at least once.

I'm pretty sure I could do it but I want to try and make a ridiculously cool or absurd vehicle with which I can accomplish this so that pix are actually entertaining. We'll see what I can do with that.

My question is what do you do to further stabilize your orbit when already at the circular velocity needed? If I'm at say 200km at my apogee above Kearth and the calc says I need to be going 2100.7 m/s to be in a circular orbit, and I am what do I do to change the fact that I'm continuing to rise and fall? Do I burn to change vertical speed? Is it actually possible to remain in a window the size of a few meters? Do we just not have the instruments to calculate this right now?

I was similarly confused til on a hunch I compared the numbers from the calculator to the Table provided here: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=647.0 If you look at the value for 'Initial' on the upper most pair labelled 'Velocity for Transfer Orbit Injection' you'll see that it matches the circular orbit speed for the particular elevation entered. This is your starting point and the speed you should be at since a Hohmann Transfer starts from a circular orbit. Looking at that same first pair of numbers the 'Final' figure is the speed you're supposed to accelerate to and kill your burn at once you reach it. The part in the middle with the triangle is the difference between those two speeds. Essentially its the amount you have to accelerate. In the second pair titled 'Velocity for Target Orbit Injection' the numbers are labelled the same but mean different things. 'Initial' is now the speed you should be at once you've reached the new orbit. 'Final' is the speed you are supposed to decelerate or accelerate to with a fast burn. Achieving that speed should put you in a circular orbit at the entered elevation. Now I'm just speaking from personal experience. I figured it out on my own. I don't know the tricks. For instance if I reach the target elevation but I'm not at the stated speed it says I will be at do I burn to decelerate THEN or do I wait until I'm at the stated speed before deceleration? I'm not sure. Someone care to comment on my uncertainty?

I'm confused about how to properly enter data in this thing. I enter data in some parts of it and it changes the other entries. I took readings on my last orbit and tried entering them to see the orbit displayed however before I enter all the data it changes the other values. Is this not meant to be used that way and is instead exclusively for learning values to correct your orbits instead?

Agreed. I have no idea wtf that is but if its harder than the standard then I need something to keep me going after I master standard orbiting. BTW can you give a full list of the mods you use in the video? I saw a lot of juicy looking extras there in your Vehicle Construction screen.