Hello? Any Tips?

[SemiaCloud]

I am new, I just purchased the game (version 0.90) and joined this forum!

So I decided to go into sandbox mode to get the hang of the game, and built a rocket to send it into the orbit of Kerbin.

When I launched it (after doing the tutorials construction, flight, and orbiting of course.) I was not able to get a orbit no matter how hard I tried my capsule would go far above Kerbin and back like a mortar shot.

Any Tips or rocket designs to help with this?

[Tweety]

Welcome!

Depends on your method of learning. Some people learn by watching someone else and others just by reading etc. Generally a good starting point is watching Scott Manley.

He has some great tutorials. Any other questions fire away

Tweety

Edit: Very quick and dirty trainer rocket. Plenty of Delta-v (you only need 4500 for LKO(low kerbin orbit))

Edited March 2, 2015 by Tweety
Added rocket.

[Pecan]

Conveniently enough, I've just finished that last chapter in the 'Induction To Construction' complete-beginners' guide. For lots more information about vehicle and mission design you may also like 'Exploring The System'.

Both linked in the signature; Click on the banners.

[Panzerbeard]

Welcome to the game and the forum! Many fun times lie ahead

There are plenty of good tutorials around the place, as Pecan and Tweety said, but if you'd like more specific advice posting a screenshot of your rocket and telling us what you're doing when you launch it would help us spot the problem

[vixr]

are you just going straight up?

[Thnd3r]

Try pitching your rocket over to 45 degrees gradually , then burn your rocket towards the prograde marker once you reach apoapsis. If you don't know what I'm talking about, watch lots of basic YouTube videos.

[Vanamonde]

Tips and rocket designs? Here you go.

[helaeon]

TL;DR for Vanamode's awesome post:

Orbit is not really getting up high though that is often part of it to get outside of an atmosphere so no drag (aerobraking) or to avoid hitting terrain (lithobraking).

The key is going sideways fast, I suggest east so the rotation of the planet helps you. For Kerbin, you need to reach about 2300 m/s at 70 km or higher.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPlbDEI63B4 (Newton's Cannon)

[QuantumInc]

The generally accepted method is 1. Go straight up until 10,000m, move slower than 200m/s here

2. Turn to the ocean, the east, aim for a 45 degrees above the horizon

3. Check the map, cut engines when your AP reaches your desired orbit, which must be at least 70km

4. Right before you reach your AP tilt down to the horizon, and burn horizontally until the PE rises to where you want it, stop if you see AP and PE moving around a lot, wait until you reach the new AP and start again. When the PE is above 70km you're officially in orbit.

I'd hate to say it, but there are a few mods that are ridiculously useful. Mechjeb, Engineer Redux, VOID, launch window planner, these all give you a lot of essential information, such as your delta-V.

Delta-V refers to how much you can change your velocity before running out of fuel. Another important term is ISP, specific impulse, which is essentially fuel efficiency.

Liquid fuel has better fuel efficiency than solid fuel, but solid fuel booster are cheap. So only use solid fuel for the first stage.

All of the engines have better fuel efficiency in space than in the atmosphere.

Most of the liquid engines have a similar ISP, though the short engines typically have slightly better fuel efficiency in space at the cost of thrust power.

Ion engines and Nuclear engines are high tech, but have wonderful ISP in space. They are favored for moving around after you've reach orbit.

Toroidal Aerospikes have significantly better ISP that other engines, but are only available at the end of the tech tree.

Jet engines only work in the atmosphere and need air intakes on the front of the craft, but they have a much, much greater ISP. Generally a space plane is more fuel efficient, but many people have trouble getting one to work.

[WOOTtheWall]

Welcome!I am here to help in anyway I can.(I've had kerbal for around two years and have around a thousand hours on steam in it...which is increaseing at a alarming rate)(And got on the forums last mounth)So if you have any questions or need help message me and I'll help in anyway I can

Safe voyages,-WOOTtheWall