Finally back to KSP!.. but I need help :(

[Dewm]

So I put a few hundred hours on KSP back in the day (almost 2 years ago now?) and I finally came back, been having a blast with the career mode. BUT I'm having trouble orbiting efficiently, I'm burning way to much fuel for what I'm doing.. So assuming physics have changed a little and/or aerodynamics, what is the efficient launch trajectory? Thanks!

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Side note: haha looking at my forum join date it was almost 2 years ago :S

[HoloYolo]

You have to fly like you would've with FAR in 0.90 and below.

[klesh]

The atmosphere changed with 1.0, and then changed a few more times with subsequent panic patches.

What to do now is to pitch 10 degrees after about 1km off the launchpad (sometimes less) to initiate a gravity turn into orbit. By 10-15km I am at 45 degrees, I burn out of the atmosphere and circularize. Atmo still stops at 70km. Its a little different than the ol straight up to 10k and turn, you have to watch your speed as heating can become a factor if you're too fast.

[Dewm]

Yeah I remember the 10K and turn, that's what I've been doing, and like I said..its bad.

I appreciate the info, I've been running into heat issues on the way up, and getting completely fried on the way down, I think I need more shallow re-entry trajectories. So things have definitely changed. but like I said, been having a blast.

[KSK]

Yup - shallow re-entries are the way forward now and Klesh has you covered for the new launch profile.

The new aerodynamics are great though - you can do proper gravity turns now, as in 'switch off SAS and let the rocket fly itself.' Well sort of - I tend to chicken out at about 45 degrees and fly the rest of the ascent manually. But it's still pretty cool to watch the first half of the launch!

[klesh]

Indeed. Play with your thrust levels on boosters stages and such, so you don't go screaming up, you want to stay around 250m/sec or so for the first while, then you can get faster once you're through some of the thicker air. Also, I find I dont use SAS on the initial stages or you get too much wobble. Potentially limit engine gimbal as well. I'll turn it on when I am just about to go to my upper stage, higher up where there is less air for the gimbaling to fight against causing wobble. Re-entry can be tough too with the heat, and aerocapturing is vastly different now.

[Dewm]

Thanks for the info everyone!

Klesh, I was looking at your pictures in your sig, you have one "preparing a flyby of Vall on the way to Jool", are those stock graphics? I turned mine all the way up (I thought) but those look really good, is there a nice texture/shadow mod or something?

Thanks!

[klesh]

Thanks for the info everyone!

Klesh, I was looking at your pictures in your sig, you have one "preparing a flyby of Vall on the way to Jool", are those stock graphics? I turned mine all the way up (I thought) but those look really good, is there a nice texture/shadow mod or something?

Thanks!

Holy moly, someone actually looked at those!?! Thank you None of my friends are into KSP, so they never appreciate my accomplishments, lol.

The only change in graphics I have that might be modifying that scene is Environmental Visual Enhancements, which probably puts clouds around Jool. I use Distant Object Enhancement too, but everything you're seeing there is loaded and probably not altered by it. I don't have any shadows mod, but I do think I have them cranked up in the settings maybe?