Signs You're In for a Short Flight

[ImmaStegosaurus!]

Build an SLS Block I replica, complete with humongous SRBs (one of which ends up slightly angled cause tired ADD and general putz). Immendietly after launch rocket starts to roll like crazy. Cut off the main engines but it's still going. This is why you include LES to every crewed design with proper action groups.

Staging too. Especially with separatrons. It's always fun to launch and find out that you have those little rockets firing at the core from point blank range. Always be careful with separatrons.

Edited July 11, 2016 by ImmaStegosaurus!

[foamyesque]

When your Launch Stabilizers require Launch Stabilizers.

[Corona688]

You discover that 0.0km sometimes also means 0.0m, even if your intercept speed is in the three digits.

[Draco T stand-up guy]

Finding out, while on the way to Mun, that I've left off one decoupler meaning that I can't get rid of the large fuel tank which means that I don't have enough gas to land or get back to Kerbin and even if I did manage to land would probably fall over and blow up anyway.

 

Moment of Silence for Jebidiah, who bravely tried to land, and the four tourists who were with him.

 

 

Several minutes of cursing and swearing as I start a new career mode game as the penalties for killing four tourists left the Funds in the seriously negative territory.

[cubinator]

"Time to quicksave!" *presses alt-F4*

Spoiler

AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

[Nikolai]

When you're excited to use the official Asteroid Day mod so that you can create your own Kuiper Belt, park the telescope inside the orbit of Eeloo, and find out that you forgot to pack an antenna to report back to Kerbin.

Long flight, I guess, to be technical.  Still, somehow, it seemed to fit in with the tone of the thread...

[FyunchClick]

2 hours ago, cubinator said:

"Time to quicksave!" *presses alt-F4*

  Hide contents

AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

^ This, and the only slightly less annoying version which is "finicky maneuver nearly done, aaaaaand cut engines (press key directly left of X)".

[Corona688]

You confuse the quicksave and restore keys.

Your rocket's flight plan includes mandatory back-flips from 25,000m-35.000m (after which the atmosphere becomes thin enough to regain control.)

7 hours ago, FyunchClick said:

^ This, and the only slightly less annoying version which is "finicky maneuver nearly done, aaaaaand cut engines (press key directly left of X)".

"emergency stop" and "destroy everything" are a bad, bad, bad key to be so close to each other.

Edited July 13, 2016 by Corona688

[Alchemist]

When they first introduced full throttle on Z, I totally found it by accidentally missing X. Fortunately, it was just a Mun landing.

[Corona688]

When the thrust limiter on your left engine is different from your right.

When the tracking station says something important is 'on suborbital flight'.

You forget that 6.0m away means ZERO meters away for a 6 meter craft.

Edited July 14, 2016 by Corona688

[IncongruousGoat]

When your vessel explodes on the launchpad because the weight of the payload crushed the structural linkage between the fairing and the fuel tank below.

When you almost, but not quite, align CoM and CoT on a rocket susceptible to wet noodle syndrome.

When you get distracted during a rendezvous and crash into your target.

Edited October 21, 2016 by IncongruousGoat

[Corona688]

When you timewarp forgetting that kerbal days are 6 hours, not 24.

When you realize you must eject your fuel tank temporarily to disengage a satellite.

When, after doing so, you realize that was *ALL* your fuel.

[Corona688]

You realize that the satellite you just detached was by far your smartest pilot.

Edited July 14, 2016 by Corona688

[insert_name]

When you use the station's solar panel to decrease relative velocity

[Corona688]

When you're 10 klicks up and falling fast and your drop-tank refuses to drop.

[specialopsdave]

When your upper stage simply pops off of your lifter before launch

 

Edited July 14, 2016 by specialopsdave
Added "When"

[KerbalKid]

you forget to press "record" for a epic

video.

[Corona688]

You consider giving a kerbal brain transplant via persistence editing.

"OK, Sheldin, everything's okay but start transmitting your data.  RIGHT NOW."

[Corona688]

When you find yourself docking random space debris to try and change your return vehicle's center of drag.

[LordFerret]

When she walks into the room and says "Well?!? Are we going or not?!!"

Game over.

[michaelhester07]

When your boosters hit your main engine during separation.

When the launch clamps are in a stage all by themselves.

When your rocket starts tumbling after 1000m.

[ProtoJeb21]

You know you're in for a short flight when at least one of these happens:

1.) Jeb starts screaming

2.) You're Danny2462

3.) You can't increase your thrust after booster separation

4.) Jeb laughs like a maniac

5.) You launch a rocket after a several month-long KSP hiatus.

6.) Reentry effects show up less than a minute after launch

7.) There are no pilots on board.

8.) You fly a rocket with a 10 meter heat shield 

 

[Bev7787]

1. Build an asymmetrical ship without modifying thrust.

2. You have an inbuilt Launch Escape System

3. You forgot the fins.

4. You forgot the heat shield.

5. Too lazy to add struts.

6. MechJeb ascent guidance.

7. Wrong type of fuel in RealFuels.

8. The rocket is pointed upside down upon launch.

9. Your rocket disintegrates upon launch.

10. Find out more in Danny's videos.

[Kerbinchaser]

On July 8, 2016 at 11:45 AM, Norcalplanner said:

When bits of solar panel flutter away with your discarded fairing because you were trying to keep your fairing as small as possible.

Oh, I hate that. I had to recover 3 Kerbals from a Mün mission because they were out of electric charge.

Oh well. I can get to the mün any day. 

Edited July 18, 2016 by Lo Var Lachland

[Corona688]

1 hour ago, Lo Var Lachland said:

Oh, I hate that. I had to recover 3 Kerbals from a Mün mission because they were out of electric charge.

Oh well. I can get to the mün any day. 

FYI, RCS thrusters -- and parachutes -- can both operate without power as long as a kerbal's in the pod.  Purely mechanical.  That's saved me a couple times.

Edited July 18, 2016 by Corona688