Newbie requires some advice.

[T3E]

Hello Guys.

Since few days I am also happy owner of this unique game, and I enjoy it since then 24/7.

Even tho I lurked through the forum and the internet, i still have issues with certain things, maybe someone can help me out (if you can answer one question, its good for me!)

So far I managed to reach every desired Orbit around Kerbal, also Orbits around were achieved.

1) I fail to land on the Moon. I reach the Orbit, I manage to get a good angle on the surface on the moon and then the problem starts:

I run out of fuel OR the engine is to weak (or i started to late to slow down) to make a smooth landing. I mean, i struggle at landing the moon with my fuel, not even talking about the way home to send my dear astronauts home.

If I add more tanks (all kind, at all kind of stages) it doesnt change a thing usually (due to increased weight I guess).

I tried it with small rockets (1man capsule) and bigger ones, small ones were much better. (i have no clue how you guys send the heavy 3 man capsule to the moon).

2) For the future I plan to get to other planets as well ofc. I once overshot over the moon orbit and ended up in an orbit around the sun with no real way or possible solution to LEAVE the sun orbit somehow. How do you guys "plan" a voyage to planets more far away?

3) Is there a possibility to build a "hull" around satellites? Like some aerodynamic hull I can remove when I am in space? (english isnt my native language, I hope you get why I mean )

Thats it so far, but sure I will post more questions in the near future ;>

Cheers

[AlexL]

Hello t3e, welcome to the forums!

congratulations on making orbit so quickly, my first week was spent much closer to the surface. Don't be disheartened if it takes a while to reach the mun, it's a real challenge to get a first landing, but when you do, it'll be awesome. I'd recommend you look for some tutorials, try Scott Manley on youtube.

This should help you with the mun

He should also be able to help you reach other worlds.

In the game as it is, you can build a 'hull' or 'shroud' around your satellites, but they will not reduce drag or help you launch due to the current drag system. If you do, it's just for show.

Good luck!

AlexL

[T3E]

Thanks for the Link!

I was first shocked with what a simple rocket this dude is flying, I usually go for more stages

Also I didnt know about the maneuvers, i always estimated it by myself how to get to and where to burn

In the game as it is, you can build a 'hull' or 'shroud' around your satellites, but they will not reduce drag or help you launch due to the current drag system. If you do, it's just for show.

So assuming I like the show, with which parts do you mainly do it ? Most of the things are quite flat and wouldnt really look like I imagine ;>

Kudos and thanks

[smunisto]

The "hull" is called "Fairing". For the stock game, as it is, the easiest way to have a fairing (or hull) is by building one of structural plates, beams and hardpoints(which can be ejected, i am almost sure there was a hardpoint with ejection force on it in the stock game).

If you want something much simpler(in terms of part count) and better looking you might want to take a look at the KW Rocketry revised mod pack, which adds 6 types of fairings in 3 different sized, 3m diameter parts such as fuel tanks, engines and more.

You may want to hold up a little with mods though, since at this stage in your "career" in KSP they are more like to confuse you with the bigger part variety and complexity

Edited May 14, 2013 by smunisto

[joppiesaus]

welcome to the forums!

1) I have a craft you can train on here!

2) same like the mun, but than bigggger!

3) that hull you can call fairings!

to build one, just use some radial decouplers and the structural panels, there aren't fairings implented yet.

[T3E]

I just landed on the moon

Since I understand "Add maneuver" game got much easier!

Sadly the height indicator fooled me and when there was still 1km to go, i hit the ground (thank god with low speed) so I lost my engine.

But Bill Kerman survived and made the first Steps on the moon (in my universe at least ;>).

Thanks to additional tanks I also had enough fuel to go back, so at least I figured out a good rocket model.

One quick question:

The two tanks, do they get used first due to the fuel ducts? Or due to the lack of additional engines I use all tanks at the same time? If so, is it possible to use the 2 first before the main one?

Do more fuel ducts have any impact?

Also Bill sends greetings (sadly he disappeard after i restarted the game,thank god i made a snapshot with my mobile before).

Sorry for the quality, but I blame lousy communication systems I installed!

Cheers

Edit:

If you want something much simpler(in terms of part count) and better looking you might want to take a look at the KW Rocketry revised mod pack, which adds 6 types of fairings in 3 different sized, 3m diameter parts such as fuel tanks, engines and more.

You may want to hold up a little with mods though, since at this stage in your "career" in KSP they are more like to confuse you with the bigger part variety and complexity

Thanks for the hint. But I decided like you advised, to play around without mods first. Will do that when the stock parts arent enough anymore

Edited May 14, 2013 by T3E

[Crown]

1) I fail to land on the Moon.[...]

It actually is possible to land the lander from the scenarios-section. What helped me a lot is to know that Apollo did leave the engine on all the time. Just a little bit. And I do the landing with about three major burns. First I come in quite shallow, looking as if I would overshoot the target. While approaching the ground I do burns to make my descent path more steep. The rest is trial and error and learning by doing.

[...]How do you guys "plan" a voyage to planets more far away?

I usually test my rockets if the vessel's inter-planetary apoapsis can reach the target planet's orbit. Usually I overpower the rockets but don't think about a return. I honestly calculate the angles for rendez-vous and interplanetray travel. Direct travel, no sling-shots or anything. This is far over my ability to calculate.

3) Is there a possibility to build a "hull" around satellites?[...]

There is a website (which's URL I forgot) where you can design some fairings. But you don't need them other than for fancy looking rockets, because the game doesn't care about a satellite open to air or under a shell.

[AlexL]

Congratulations on surviving your collision with the mun!

As you noticed, the altimiter does not show distance to the ground (some command pods have one inside that does, but only works when less than 3000m above the surface)

The fuel will get taken from the outer tanks first. The engine will use the fuel thats furthest away from it, so both the outer tanks will drain first, then the inner.

If you want to take a screenshot, the F1 button is your friend, these shots can be found in the games Screenshots folder.

As for your missing pilot, I may know the cause. If when you were shutting down, you press the "end flight" button, the thing you're controlling will be removed from the game. Next time if you want to return to your person/ship/whatever, make sure to hit the space center button and exit from there.

Happy rocketeering!

Edit: If you want to practice landings, you can get fairly good by practicing at the space center

[T3E]

Okay, update: I landed on the moon. And I was mistaken that I had enough fuel. Sadly Jebediah Kerman will be forever in the Kerbin Orbit in 9000km altitude. Poor guy.

So the question is now: Additional fuel tank on the lander? would it be really that easy? Or is it more about more efficiency regarding the landing? I wasted nearly 50% on the landing.

And dear god, I just found out theres a quick save/load option. Sorry Kermans, that I wasted a whole village for my space program.

Cheers

p.s.

thanks for the "End Flight" button advice, its better to learn it now then when I did something really big

[Specialist290]

Welcome to the forums!

I've been working on a little project to collect as many links to useful info as I can. Be sure to check out The Drawing Board; it's got many helpful tutorials, graphs, and other such information that you might find useful.

[sal_vager]

Welcome to the community T3E

As you can already see, we are all very helpful and glad to see new players, it does not matter what your skill level is, it's still possible to have fun in KSP, and in fact learning can be the most fun of all

[Malaugrym]

Okay, update: I landed on the moon. And I was mistaken that I had enough fuel. Sadly Jebediah Kerman will be forever in the Kerbin Orbit in 9000km altitude. Poor guy.

It is my painful duty to inform you that, should Jebediah be left in his current location, all your future endeavors are doomed to messy, painful failure. Jebediah's presence is required at all points where "MOAR POWER" is required. All other Kerbals are relatively expendable. Therefore, a rescue mission is an absolute necessity. I wish you luck.

[Capt'n Skunky]

Happy Launching!

Arrr!

Capt'n Skunky

KSP Community Manager

[Boffinbox]

an additional fuel tank would add only slightly more use to the lander - because the increased fuel would be (nearly) counteracted by the extra weight of the lander, meaning you would have to thrust harder to have a similar deceleration to the surface. i wouldn't worry about your efficiency in landing on a "good" trajectory at this time, because not only would you have to focus on your speed, but also the direction your ship is pointing in. easier to get yourself still above the surface and then descend straight down.

as for the fuel ducts, they work by drawing fuel from the outermost tanks, and in the direction of the arrows on the fuel lines

soldier on, it's really rewarding when you can get a kerbal there and back unharmed

[T3E]

Hello again,

Yeah i followed your advice and removed the fuel tanks, i went with 1 FLT-400 on my landing module, worked out very well.

After all, I tried today the first time with the newly discovered quick safe ability.

One fail landing (again in the last 10s things went wrong) but in the 2nd try i managed very well a smooth landing.

Nothing new so far, but since I (somehow) picked excellent timing and position with the maneuvers, i had plenty fuel left for THE WAY BACK HOME

So Jebediah Kerman, first Kerbal on Mun returned safely and (maybe little hot due to the entrance angle back to Kerbin) happy home!

Thank you all for the advice.

I also noticed that I kinda abused the forum section since I didnt really introduced myself and went straight to the questions:

Im a 23y young, and study Maritime Engineering in Germany (Bremen to be exact).

I think you probably wont see me for the last time, my to-do list is quite long and will be probably enough for over a year

T3E