Having issues... Seeking help

[PlasticSporks]

: Ok guys, I am seeking help. Help to better understand the way to build an efficient, simple rocket. Help learning how to get said rocket into orbit (I can get into orbit... sometimes... very unreliable...), and perhaps even one day learn to get to Mun and beyond.

This is a video of myself describing my frustration. The video also has footage of a failed launch.

Any help/criticism/tutelage is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Sporks

[Nibb31]

Your first mistake is that you are going straight up to get to orbit. Orbit is all about horizontal velocity, not altitude. The only reason you need to go up at the beginning is to get out of the gooey atmosphere that\'s causing drag. Once you\'re out of the goo, the horizon is where you want to go.

The trick is to progressively start tilting eastward somewhere between 10-15000m so that you reach a 45° angle somewhere around 30000m. By the time you reach 60000m, you should be pretty horizontal and the atmosphere will be pretty much gone. Watch your Apoapsis and stop burning when it reaches your target altitude, regardless of your current altitude. Then, you just coast to your Apoapsis (all engines off), and then as you approach it, do a second burn, aiming towards your prograde marker (the yellow marker on the navball that you call 'direction of travel'), to circularize your orbit.

It also looks like your second stage is slighty underpowered.

[PlasticSporks]

Your first mistake is that you are going straight up to get to orbit. Orbit is all about horizontal velocity, not altitude. The trick is to progressively start tilting eastward somewhere between 10-15000m so that you reach a 45° angle somewhere around 30000m. By the time you reach 60000m, you should be pretty horizontal.

Watch your Apoapsis and stop burning when it reaches your target altitude, regardless of your current altitude. Then, you just coast to your Apoapsis, and do a second burn, aiming towards your prograde marker (the yellow marker on the navball that you call 'direction of travel'), to circularize your orbit.

It also looks like your second stage is a but underpowered.

Great info. A bit of an update, about 20 minutes ago I think I did all the tips you said on accident, haha. I now have a craft orbiting Kerbal, preparing to do a munar burn.

Thanks for the help!

[Endeavour]

Try to make your rockets wider if you want them bigger. Currently, the game has the same drag for skinny and wide rockets with the same parts

[PlasticSporks]

Try to make your rockets wider if you want them bigger. Currently, the game has the same drag for skinny and wide rockets with the same parts

So, say, if I wanted, I could have a few more engines/fuel tanks stacked side by side, and reduce the height of the craft? That\'d make it easier to handle also, right?

[Endeavour]

Yes to all of that, but remember that if its too wide it may hit the tower. I hate the tower.

[PlasticSporks]

Yes to all of that, but remember that if its too wide it may hit the tower. I hate the tower.

Haha, yeah, I have smacked it a few times myself. Man, I should have posted for advice much earlier. You guys have been awesome. Now... let\'s just see if I can land on Mun...