How to orbit - career mode?

[OZ1SEJ]

I can't orbit! I found this tutorial:
[url]http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Tutorial:_How_to_Get_into_Orbit[/url]

-but it says I need a FL-T400 Fuel Tank and a LV-909 Liquid Fuel Engine, and I don't have those!

Also, I tried to build a humongous rocket, but the pad couldn't support it. Is it possible to upgrade the pad?

I've completed quite a lot of missions now, but I don't seem to get any science credit anymore. How do I get more science credit?

Best regards,
Steen

[RocketPropelledGiraffe]

You can get to orbit in early career with a single stage rocket, it takes the T-45 engine and I think 9 FL200 tanks. Be sure to atach some fins and do your gravity turn gently, so you don't lose control. Good luck!

With the 909 and multiple stages it is a lot easier, but you can get to orbit with the above setup in career just as well.

[Phil deCube]

[URL="http://imgur.com/a/arKpL#2"]This rocket[/URL] below might work for you if you exchange the LV-909 with another LV-T45, or just leave the LV-909 out, but use the rest. Edited November 26, 2015 by Phil deCube

[Mastikator]

It's very possible to upgrade the pad, you probably shouldn't need to yet but since it's one of those "long term investment" things it's fine to do so.

You can get extra science by putting a command pod plus all your science parts on the runway (not launchpad), it counts as a different biome so you'll get a science from doing experiments there if you haven't already.
It's not a huge amount but probably enough to help you unlock the next technology.

Scott Manley did a good tutorial on how to orbit in 1.0+ [URL]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q_8TO4Ag0E[/URL] Edited November 26, 2015 by Mastikator

[Alshain]

That tutorial is old. The ascent path is wrong for the new atmosphere. Theoretically speaking the ship should be fine.

I made a video to show how bad it is launching at only 45 degrees. Watch it from a computer, the annotations don't work on all mobile devices.

[video=youtube;n6EQjFeo3nw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6EQjFeo3nw[/video]

[Snark]

If you're starved for science, make sure you're getting everything that you can:

You have the goo canister, you have crew report, and you have the materials bay practically right off the bat.

Make sure you get science from the launch pad. And while flying (low altitude). And from upper atmosphere. And splashed down. And landed on the "coast" (just outside of KSC). And landed on the grasslands (a little inland of KSC). And so forth.

The Juno jet engine and basic airplane landing gear are available pretty low in the tech tree. If you get those, you can make a very simple jet-powered rover that will let you meander around KSC. That's handy because every building at KSC is its own biome-- you can collect all three of your science types from every one of the buildings (launch pad, runway, tracking station, R&D, etc.)

[radonek]

This is bugging me for some time. I understand that tech-tree is supposed to introduce you into new parts at slower pace, which should make things easier. In theory. But in practice, you end up struggling with landers without legs, rovers without wheels, unstable patchwork lift vehicles…

[GoSlash27]

Steen,
Orbit is possible from the first moment you get liquid fuel engines and stack decouplers, but it's not easy.
[img]http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g13/GoSlash27/BasicOrbit_zpsqhnwr4un.jpg[/img]

As for how to get more science, have you collected the science from the launchpad and runway? Don't forget that you can EVA while on Kerbin.

Best,
-Slashy

[COLOR="silver"][SIZE=1]- - - Updated - - -[/SIZE][/COLOR]

Better yet, watch how 5thHorseman gets a stock career going:
[video=youtube;T-0MshSjHzE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-0MshSjHzE[/video]

Best,
-Slashy

[Ulfstein]

Playing on moderate, this is what got me into low orbit. It consists of two radial Hammers, a reliant with 4 tones of fuel, and a swivel with 2 tones of fuel. dV= 4462. If you dont have these you may not be quite ready. to calculate dV, its dv=lsp(engine)*9,81*ln(mass fueled/mass emptied) do this for all stages to get the sum delta V. Until you get good at launching, I'd say shoot for a delta V above 4000. I also like to send them unmanned with the basic probe head so i don't waste kerbal lives and know how the thing will fly without SAS, but thats my personal preference. Most NASA flights were rehearsed and simulated unmanned before sending people up.

[URL="http://s411.photobucket.com/user/Aidan_Hodge/media/2015-11-26%2008_45_27-Greenshot_zpsqd0ulspn.jpg.html"]
[/URL][URL="http://s411.photobucket.com/user/Aidan_Hodge/media/2015-11-26%2008_46_38-Greenshot_zpsgmgljasl.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp193/Aidan_Hodge/2015-11-26%2008_46_38-Greenshot_zpsgmgljasl.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

This is my high orbitor after upgrading the launch pad. if you need money do ferrying missions. dV=4270

[URL="http://s411.photobucket.com/user/Aidan_Hodge/media/2015-11-26%2008_46_20-Greenshot_zpsm0w8davl.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp193/Aidan_Hodge/2015-11-26%2008_46_20-Greenshot_zpsm0w8davl.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

This is the same design, but with the next tier fuel tanks and the Terrier engine. Notice the dV jumps to 6520. This was enough delta V to send probes and orbiting satalites around the moon and minmus and satalite missions have reaped in tonnes of cash. not quite enough for a lunar landing though.

[URL="http://s411.photobucket.com/user/Aidan_Hodge/media/2015-11-26%2008_46_04-Greenshot_zpse2h5ibje.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp193/Aidan_Hodge/2015-11-26%2008_46_04-Greenshot_zpse2h5ibje.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[GoSlash27]

An even more helpful update:

I just started a vanilla career to walk through the process of getting a space program off the ground.

Flight 1&2: Just a command pod with 2 goo experiments. Get goo, crew report, EVA "flying" and on the surface at the launchpad and runway.
This unlocks Basic Rocketry and Engineering 101.
Flight 3&4: Command pod with Science Junior. Get material analysis from pad and runway.
This unlocks General Rocketry.
Flight 5: Orbit and recover using a pod, 'chute, decoupler, 10 FL-T200, LV-T45, and fins. Get crew report in orbit, EVA "flying" where you land, EVA on the surface, and crew report landed.
This unlocks Stability.
Flight 6: I botched this one, but was still able to proceed. Orbit and recover the same ship with a Science JR. Collect all the science as above. I tumbled and lost the Science Jr (don't try it with Bob :( ) but was still able to unlock Aviation.

Flight 7: Construct a jet powered science rover and collect science from mission control, the spaceplane hangar, astronaut complex, R&D, Admin, Tracking station, and crawlerway. This will yield about 100 science.

Unlock Advanced Rocketry, Survivability, and Basic Science.

You will now be able to do pretty much whatever you want. You can start exploring Kerbin with a science jet or start collecting science from space low & high and even do flybys at the Mun and Minmus (but remember you have no patched conics or maneuver nodes yet).

Best,
-Slashy

[Harry Rhodan]

[quote name='GoSlash27']Flight 7: Construct a jet powered science rover and collect science from mission control, the spaceplane hangar, astronaut complex, R&D, Admin, Tracking station, and crawlerway.[/QUOTE]

The flag pole also counts as a biome.

[GoSlash27]

[quote name='Harry Rhodan']The flag pole also counts as a biome.[/QUOTE]

Harry Rhodan,
This is true, and several of the rooftops are also biomes, but last I checked (I haven't checked in 1.05) you need to be in or on them for the biome to count. This is tricky to pull off in early career which is why I didn't bother mentioning them.

Best,
-Slashy

[Hysterrics]

Just don't over think your rocket. Think simple. You don't need a big ol rocket just to get you in orbit.