bisto

Should this happen? I use the engineer mod in the VAB. My first stage, after SRB seperation, consists of 6 liquid tank stacks feeding to a central stack of the same size. The engineer mod tells me my kerbin TWR is about 1.6 for this stage, yet still decelerates when the outer 6 tanks drop off, until some fuel is burnt off. Can anyone explain?

My ksp background is similar to yours. Did make it to the mun...but blew up on landing. Today decided to make it there, also upgraded to the 3 man craft. Didn't get any pictures, but i used 3.5 stages. I also used a central extra wide tank with fuel feeding from (6 for me) equally sized extra wide tank boosters to the centre, then lost the boosters (is this asparagus staging?) . Each booster has just the one full sized SRB (the .5 stage). I have to keep an eye on the throttle, for instance keeping it low transitioning between the first and second atmosphere layers and too much does rip the beast apart. Second stage was just 4.5 of the extra wide fuel tanks with a single big engine- there was a bit of deceleration at first until some fuel burnt away. This got me into orbit and 3/4 of the way to the mun intercept (i'm not the most efficient pilot so a good pilot might make it to the mun and begin the descent with this stage). My lander originally used a small stack of normal width tanks and 4 of the white engines that protrude out the side. However, it was so top heavy the slightest horizontal velocity made it bail over on landing. I redesigned it with one half lengh, extra width tank below the capsule, and 2 of the same tanks sticking out the side, each with 2 of aforementioned engines (sorry, forgot the name!) and a lot of landing gear. Touched down, quick EVA, and then back home, with enough fuel to spare to change my re-entry path to go pretty close to KSC (well, on the southern tip of the "africa" continent where it is) Just wanted to share my similar story Not sure what to do next, minmus seems like a whole other ballpark, never mind the planets! Especially considering the size of my vessel, i need to become a more efficient engineer and pilot first! My first attempts with planes didn't go well either, might have a look on youtube for that first.

I'm a soon-to-be physics student, who's been wanting KSP for ages! Always loved rocketry, and only just got a laptop capable of running it. Only built a few (inefficient) rockets, but getting better. In my last attempt, I made it to the mun, but ran out of fuel about 2k above the surface D: I'm holding off from downloading mechjeb until ive proven to myself i can do a completely manual mun landing (possibly even a return if my kerbals are lucky)