I cannot get this thing to orbit, Can someone help me?

[CookiezFort]

Ok, I have the first part of my space station into orbit and now i am trying to get the second thing up there to rendezvous with the first part. My problem is that i could only get it up to 50,000 m and not up to 100 where the first part is

Here are some picks of both the launch stage with the part of the space station and the part of the space station alone, If you need i can upload the files of the rockets too (Everything is with default latest version)

Sorry if the images are massive

[StainX]

Yeah, thats the point of the game to figure such things out

If that thing has not enough power... you need more thrust (Engines or Boosters)

[AlbinoFox]

Pictures of the first part?

[CookiezFort]

does it ahve to do with the top part being to heavy?, I am scared of adding even more thigns to the bottom to make it lift off the ground (which it does) because it may just be too much, I tought it would work as on my first try (first part) i had A LOT of fuel remaining, well i will wait for mroe answers anyways

[StainX]

if its about to tilt over you should activate rcs

[CookiezFort]

it does not tilt over it is flying straight the problem is that i cannot get it into orbit, Cmon anybody help me...

[Jas0n]

You know that there are 2 meter tanks and engines, right?

[shand]

scale the launch vehicle with the mass of the payload.

if your first part was 10 tonnes, and the second was 20 tones. you will need twice the fuel for the second launch.

Also if you havent reached 100m/s by 5km (in my opinion) you need more thrust.

[Scrogdog]

I'm certainly no expert, but of it were me, I'd say that this problem calls for a total redesign of the stack.

Starting with the larger diameter tanks and the more powerful engines for them.

[Nibb31]

Yes, you need to add a few stages to that rocket, and use the orange tanks and mainsails for the 1st stage.

[shand]

the skipper engine with a big orange tank can get a small probe SSTO (and some).

I plan on using it as my final stage for my station construction/acheiving LKO stage on all flights

PS: nibb. everytime i see your sig I decide afresh i love you.

[Thefallenhun]

I would think that thing would wobble like crazy. You need to use the larger boosters, try using some of the big red ones with atlas engines. As a general tip for getting things into orbit, if you aren't getting it up there, add more engines. Try using concentric rings of staging using the detachment manifolds.

[shand]

asparigus staging (i think is what fallen is aiming for there) is tricky and doesnt gain you much. although it is doubtless essential for heavy payloads.

You should be able to get your payload to orbit with maybe 4 engines and 4 tanks? i dont know. what is the mass of the payload?

[CookiezFort]

How can i see how heavy a stage is... (i do not care if i use mods)

[falofonos]

For mods --

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/20373-0-20-VOID-Module-Vessel-Orbital-Information-Display-v-0-7-2

Vessel information tab will tell you all sorts of things, the other tabs will tell you even more.

Or this one

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/18230-0-18-1-Kerbal-Engineer-Redux-v0-5-%2812-Dec%29

Or Mechjeb, assuming you can find the thread.

[Jaedinator]

How can i see how heavy a stage is... (i do not care if i use mods)

Google for Kerbal Engineer, it is a great info mod.

[CookiezFort]

Thank you very much

[shand]

kerbal engineer is great, fully recommend it!

[Khrissetti]

What is that puny launch vehicle? May I recommend the Khrissetti Patent Heavy Launch Vehicle?

At the bottom of that RCS tank, attach one of the big orange fuel tanks then strap a mainsail engine to the bottom. Attach six orange tanks with mainsails and asparagus stage them.

[Heagar]

How can i see how heavy a stage is... (i do not care if i use mods)

The mod for this is the "Kerbal-Engineer", where you can readout the mass, Delta-V your rocket haves and the TWR (Thrust to weight-ratio).

And in case you don't knew how to build an asparagus-stage, take a look at this video from Scott Manley:

[CookiezFort]

Great, i used hte orange tank and a mainsail (it has triple the thrust of that thing that i had in the first post) but it is reaaally woobly so much in the gravitational turn it gets out of control!, I guess i should try and use boosters? and asparagus stage them around the build in the first post?

[CookiezFort]

Ok i managed to get it in orbit and have an intersection with seperation of 8.2 km !!!! the problem is that because it is a testing 'rocket' incase of a failure i have a parachute on and no docking port i guess i have to land it and take off again with docking ports

[MarkusA380]

Defenitley, more boosters. Or build a heavy carrier rocket.

[CookiezFort]

I managed to get it in orbit now!, Also i managed to get (on the second correct try) a difference of 6.4 km is that ok to rendezvous? Or it has to be even closer?

[Trueborn]

Assuming you've still got some fuel left in your mains, or a lot of RCS and time, 6.4km is plenty close. Just make sure you have the other station part set as your target and your nav ball set in target mode (click on the velocity to cycle through modes). Now point at the retrograde vector and kill your speed. Now point at the target position (pink circle) and burn toward it for a while. When you get close, turn around and stop again. Repeat until you're inside 1000m, and then use RCS to line up on your docking port of choice. Using the "Control from here" and "set target" right clicks on the docking ports will help you line up, as will chase view (press "v" to cycle through views). Good luck!