Moon Base Rocket Design [Need help]

[Regnium]

[im am new in the forum, so sorry if this is the wrong thread!]

Hey Guys,

first, sorry for my English, im from Austria so my motherlanguage isnt english.

I have a problem, i want to create a moon base, i have design but i dont bring it on the moon....

Here is a picture of my (i dont know the right words.. :/) Core Base/Headquarter or something like that...

That my design, i dont think i have to change anythin, arent i? Its bassacly for getting into the moon orbit and for the landing.

I tried many rocket designs, but ....

Now a few pics about my rocket designs:

That design wasnt working...

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This design worked but i had to use the landing eniges and fuel for getting into the Kerbin orbit, so i had nothing for getting into moon orbit or landing.

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This version is the best of all, but i have again to use the landing eniges and fuel, not as much as above, but i had to use them and then i had not enough....... And its very instable....

I tried many, i edit but i dont get it on the moon :/ Have you editing ideass/tipps or a better rocket design for me?

Mfg Regnium

[sturmstiger]

Hi Regnium,

Your problem is that your rocket does not have enough "deltaV" to put your payload (the Mun base) to an orbit around Kerbin. DeltaV is perhaps the most important concept in rocketry and there are several posts on the tutorial section, on the wiki and elsewhere on the Internet that explains it in detail. Simply put your rocket's deltaV is its capability to change velocity, and when it changes from one orbit to another (Kerbin surface to low kerbin orbit, low kerbin orbit to a Mun transfer orbit, and to an orbit around the Mun, etc), some amount of deltaV will be consumed. In another word, your rocket must have enough deltaV to perform these "tasks". To get to a 70km ~ 100km circular orbit around Kerbin you need ~4500m/s of DeltaV. DeltaV is "produced" when your rocket engines burn fuel. So the simplest way to increase deltaV of a rocket is to increase the amount fuel you carry. The second way is to use an engine of higher ISP (efficiency). And the third way is to decrease the weight your "payload" - in this case anything that is not fuel is considered payload.

Before you go and use a rocket design someone else would undoubtedly try to "sell" you, I recommend playing around more with your own designs, by considering the three ways to increase a rocket's "deltaV" capability mentioned above. The fun of KSP (at least for me) is to figure out these things yourself by trial and error. You should be able to get to higher and higher orbits, and eventually to any destination in the Kerbol system. From the picture your Mun base probably weighs around 50 tons, and a rocket to lift 50 tons to low Kerbin orbit is probably not very easy to build for a new player. You could try a smaller (say 15~20 ton) Mun lander and then gradually increase your payload as you get more experience with rocket design. Another thing to consider is to download a mod that provides you deltaV information of your rocket / spacecraft, e.g., MechJeb or Kerbal Engineer. They can give you a good idea of your rocket / spacecraft's capability without needing to even launch it.

Edited June 5, 2013 by sturmstiger

[Akalaël]

Totally agree, see this to improuve your rocket design.

I sould let Temstar make his own promotion, but as I am a great fan of his job, I just link here his Zenith Rocket Familly.

Take care : one of the pleasure of this game is to buid your own rocket, with the Temstar's rocket familly you'll won't need to build any longer, it's too perfect

The way to put onto orbit huge playload is called asparagus. You're on a good way with your fuel line, but need a more info...

[N_Molson]

To begin with, you can pile up two orange tanks, the Mainsails are powerful enough for that.

Then you lack a second stage. Once empty, all those first stage tanks and engines are a lot of dead mass.

[1of6Billion]

Just add MOAR BOOSTARS

[kerbomatic]

You mention that one of these designs gets into orbit - this sort of implies that some of the things you're trying are overkill and can be fixed by improving your efficiency (in staging, for example). Alternatively, you could consider docking a separate ship to the base in orbit and taking it to the Mün that way. Depending on your docking skills, this is much easier and potentially less frustrating than creating laggy rocket with a thousand struts.

[Regnium]

Thanks guys, i did it!! I will post the pics ;D

[Flixxbeatz]

You don't have a mass problem with your lander. Your booster are just underpowered for the job.