Taking off a rocket in 1.0

[DeadlyPeanut]

Seems like a simple thing but im having a problem with it now.

Whenever im taking off now the slightest movement east or west and my rocket just instantly flips out... Its ALOT more touchy than it was before, im sure this is part of the whole new aerodynamics part of the update.

Anyways whats some tips and tricks to prevent this ? Ive tried control surfaces they seem to keep a rocket steady in a strait line going up but any turns an the atmosphere and i lose control. So atm thats what im doing, going straight up into orbit than a 90 degree turn, but that's hardly the most efficient way to do it.

Im early in a science game so i have limited retraction wheel options but on my small probes the retraction wheel seems to have limited effectiveness in the atmosphere also. Thrust vectoring engines help but thats also very very sensitive just going slightly too far flips the thing.

Im just curious to find what other people are doing, or is this just the new way the game is and old take off methods aren't going to cut it anymore ?

[Phil deCube]

I think the best answer to this is to go to Youtube and watch the Scott Manley tutorial series (the latest one). If a picture can say a thousand words, a video...

[cybersol]

I recommend the delta-deluxe winglet. They add a lot of stability and a little control, which is usually what you want. Otherwise some combination of AV-T1 winglets for stability and Av-R8 winglets for control can also be useful if you need to tune the amount of control versus stability more. Also with any early probe core, I would always use at least one control wheel; I usually stick both the core and stabilizer in a service bay with a couple of batteries.

[DeadlyPeanut]

Ok ill try that tutorial series when i have the time. It seems like winglets are a lot more important. I don't think I ever put a winglet on a rocket before this version and I got around quite fine during take off.

[mrclucks]

I was having trouble with 1.0.2 for a while but I think I have it down now. You want to add some fins at the very bottom with center of mass preferably closer to the top. I disable SAS for practically everything and lower the gimbal a whole lot, especially for your boosters. After you take off, you want to nudge the rocket slowly east when you are around 50-100m/s(some people use 1km-2 km) just enough so the prograde marker slowly goes east and finally flats out around 40km.

The directional accent profile(having the prograde marker go east) takes a bit of finesse to get right, but once you do the initial nudge you shouldn't have to do anything except follow prograde marker.

Don't be afraid to reduce thrust, every successful launch has never gotten any mach effects since I fear it is the start of being uncontrollable.

Im MrClucks, fly safe!

[-ELF-]

Sorry to be annoying, it is not Retraction wheel. It is Reaction wheel.

Kinda confusing.

P.S.

Sorry.

[DeadlyPeanut]

I am still trying to get it down, adding control surfaces defiantly helps but still having some problems with it, Ill try your tips and see how it goes. You may be on to something with mach effects... may just have to make my rocket slower.... as odd as that sounds , Im always getting mach effects and thats when stuff sometimes gets a little unstable, sometimes im able to power through it.

[Snark]

Also, watch out for what you have on the front end of the rocket-- make sure that it's as aerodynamic as possible. Smooth, round, narrow, and pointy. If it's not, that can really contribute to instability.

Nosecones, fairings, and service bays can help with this.

[n0xiety]

I never add fins to my rockets only make sure they are solid and they always go straight up. I don't know how i can really tell if a rocket is too thin or too tall to fly but it seems i got used to 1.02 by now. Oh and i start turning at 20km and aim for a 120km orbit generally. That helps alot since i don't have to deal with the thickest part of the atmosphere. I know that is a bit high to start gravity turn but i might even be gaining dV since i don't have to deal with air coming from the upper side of the rocket and hitting all of the body. I always try to make my rockets as aerodynamic as possible. Even if you are using the biggest possible tanks and don't have anything aerodynamic to put over rocket i made some tests and putting a fairing with a really pointy tip actually made my rocket gain %8 dV eventho fairing adds a bit more mass.