How is it even possible to get into orbit earlier in career mode?

[wastelander8899]

I just don't understand what i'm really doing wrong. Why is it that my rocket uncontrollably spirals and crashes for no real reason? I just need some help on making my rocket stable. I've researched up to tier III i believe. (that is if it's the one that includes general rocketry)

[Leszek]

You need to put the fins on the bottom. Your fins are in the middle front. That would take real effort to get that to fly. Think of an arrow, the heavy bit is in the front and the feathers are in the back. You have the feathers in the front and the heavy bit in the back.

Actually if you fly right you don't need fins at all. You just have to stay inside the circle that is the prograde vector.

Like so, just ignore the commentary at the end.

[Tex_NL]

Leszek is correct about the fins but I still want to add two minor pieces of advice: Use SAS and a pilot!

You might think 'What do you mean? I have Bob in the cockpit.' Well, Bob is a scientist and Bill is an engineer. No matter their skill level Bob and Bill will never be able to use SAS. Val and Jeb are pilots.

[sdj64]

As said before, use a pilot and SAS, and move your fins down to the bottom. Also, put some nosecones on the bottom tanks, they matter for aerodynamics now. Because rocket engines are now less efficient than before, something that small probably won't reach orbit. Build bigger and with multiple stages.

If you do get to orbit, you might want a heatshield and decoupler below your pod if you want to make it back down in one piece.

[EtherDragon]

As others have stated, you need to make your rocket aerodynamically stable. Fins at the bottom keep the nose pointed forward. (More accurately, it causes the tail to drag behind, but yea.)

[Peder]

It might also be of some help if you try to stay below 300m/s when you are below 10.000m.

[Leszek]

It might also be of some help if you try to stay below 300m/s when you are below 10.000m.

I was thinking this advice is wrong because soupmoshpere is gone but actually more I think about it, It makes sense. I think that it is also a bit off, you should have a starting TWR of 1.2 - 1.5 or so. This TWR makes it easier to complete your turn before you are blasted out of the atmosphere and also prevents you from going too fast in the lower part of it. I normally start with 1.25 and I will thrust limit engines to makes sure I get it.

[Tex_NL]

The most important reason you should moderate your speed is drag. With the new, more realistic atmosphere drag increases exponentially when speed increases. And only the tip of your rocket experiences all this drag making your rocket extra unstable and hypersonic speed.

[NathanKell]

Drag does not increase exponentially. Drag increases by the square of velocity, and it always has done so in KSP. You're correct that it's now the case that orientation and part placement matters regarding drag, but even in a purely straight-on orientation, not all the drag is being caused by the nose. (And if it's purely straight on, there's no torque; there's only torque if you deviate from prograde.)

[Dust]

You may need to upgrade the VAB and Launchpad to handle more parts and heavier rockets. That's what I had to do.

[Ulzgoroth]

Orbit is achievable with an early-career three-stage rocket that you can launch from the starter VAB and launchpad. Maybe even with something simpler, but that's my best.

However, the technique to flying a successful orbital launch well is more involved in 1.0 than it was in the past. You may want to blast upward a bit further than the old 'tilt to 45 degrees at 10km', and you definitely want to drop your nose to orbital prograde at lower altitudes than before, since the upper atmosphere has so little drag.

I'd recommend designing and flying so that you don't need tail fins rather than using them. They'll increase stability if they're in the right place, but SAS alone is more than sufficient to keep you pointing where you need to without the extra cost, weight, and drag.

[SRV Ron]

You should have no problem designing a 2 stage liquid fueled rocket to do your first orbit without the need to upgrade the pad. Just watch your speed through the first 20,000 meters of flight. Do upgrade so Jeb can do an EVA for science points.

[Starwhip]

Drag does not increase exponentially. Drag increases by the square of velocity, and it always has done so in KSP. You're correct that it's now the case that orientation and part placement matters regarding drag, but even in a purely straight-on orientation, not all the drag is being caused by the nose. (And if it's purely straight on, there's no torque; there's only torque if you deviate from prograde.)

For those confused, drag has increased with the square of velocity, while lift was linear before. Now both are the increased with the square of velocity.

[Kosmo-not]

Since it is very beneficial to point into the relative wind to avoid exposing a big cross sectional area, start your gravity turn early (10° or so, depending on the TWR of your rocket).

[SRV Ron]

To prove the concept, this was designed with the restriction of the Level 1 pad and limited tech. (No LV-909) It made a 75k orbit with enough fuel left to return safely. (Note, the funds reflect four upgrades made after that flight, my third in Career plus one parts testing, prior to unlocking some additional tech.)

[EtherDragon]

You can reach orbit with just the Tech-2 Nodes:

Video Proof: