Hello from new player!

[MyIronGiant]

Hey everyone,

Kind of new player here, been fiddling with the game since the weekend and felt like I should join up and say hello!

I currently have two probes successfully orbiting both Kerbin and the Mun. Just thought I'd say hey as I poke around the forums!

-MyIronGiant-

[NetZer0]

Welcome, MyIronGiant, to the forum!

How are your probes constructed? Do they bear any science utilities? How do you power them? And how many tries did you need to get them to a stable orbit?

[Gniuz]

Welcome,

Its great the constant flow of new people coming to the game and to the forum.

Need anything just ask around, people are really nice and helpful around these parts.

Good luck for future missions.

G.

[MyIronGiant]

Thanks for the replies!

My probes are Stayputniks with a pair of solar panels attached. They each have the smallest fuel tank with the smallest thrusters on them with all science equipment affixed to the fuel tanks. It also has the long range antenna on the top, with 4 short range antennas on the back to kind of simulate a Sputnik feel. To get them into orbit around Kerbin it took, I think, three tries. And to get around Mun it took two, although it's not a circular orbit so I'm going to try again later today.

I'm having some trouble when I separate form my launch rockets, I'm using the nuclear engine and when I detach it sends my ship spinning end over end and I have to manually recover when I'm trying to expand my orbit. Any tips on how to have more control when I detach in orbit? Do I need more thrusters or is it a weight balance issue?

Thanks so much!

[Gniuz]

probably centre of mass issue, use the tool in the VAB (bottom left) to help. As probes don't do anything with the science gizmos or comms you could try out some mods which make probes more practical.

#allows you to scan all planets and moons for easter eggs.

Mapsat:http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/isa-mapsat-3-3-4/

#makes you use sat as a mode of communication (i'd prob stick to the mapsat if your new to the game)

RemoteTech Relay:http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/16347-PLUGIN-PARTS-0-16-RemoteTech-Relay-Network-Debris-automation-%E2%80%93-V-0-3

G.

[MyIronGiant]

Cool, I'll definitely check that out.

Thanks so much Gniuz!

[Specialist290]

Welcome to the forums!

Another mod that makes probes more useful is the Kethane pack, which also adds resources you can extract from other planets' surfaces and refine into fuel. You can put a detector on a probe and have it scan for deposits from orbit, then send a mining craft to extract and refine them.

If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the How To section of the forums. I also maintain a little something called the Drawing Board (link in my sig), which has links to a number of useful player references.

Happy landings!

[Capt'n Skunky]

Happy Launching!

Arrr!

Capt'n Skunky

KSP Community Manager