Basic help?

[Rex3921]

Hi!

So I downloaded KSP over a month ago after watching many videos. But my problem is that my rockets can't fly, I can't get to orbit, and I can't control them.

Precisely:

1. I can't get to orbit without running out of fuel
   
2. When I hold the "F" key to toggle ASAS/SAS I can't move unless my rockets are at full blast
   
3. When I decouple Empty tanks I gradually fall down
   
4. My mailsails won't stop overheating even on 2/3s of power
   

So please help me !

Thanks,

Rex3921

Edited June 29, 2013 by Rex3921

[Jeff Bird]

I had problems with the mainsail overheat too. Put another tank between the mainsail and the orange fuel tank. Any one of the wide grey ones. That should help with the overheating.

I use the "T" key to toggle ASAS. On to fly straight. Off to maneuver.

Edited June 27, 2013 by Jeff Bird

[capi3101]

Can we see some pics of what you've built so far? That'd help us diagnose problems.

Off the bat, I'd say you need to be starting small; a Mk-I command pod and a chute can easily make space on the top of two or three FL-T800 tanks and an LV-45 engine. Add some winglets for control. Add a small RCS tank and some blocks so you can steer (and de-orbit if necessary). Add a stack decoupler to detach the command pod from the booster when you've completed the de-orbit burn.

Piloting might also be your issue; how are you flying your designs? Common wisdom is to go straight up to 10,000, then turn to 45 degrees on heading 090. Shut down when your apoapsis is where you want it, then burn along the horizon once you're up there until your speed is about 2,250 m/s (you could also just plan for that with a maneuver node).

Gonna for tutorials. Start with Sputnik I.

[Sirrobert]

About the orbiting thing:

Practice with the stock rocket 'Kerbal-X' it can get into orbit with fuel to spare, a really good practice craft.

If you can't get into orbit with that either, than you are probably thrusting straight up till you run out of fuel. That's not going to get you in orbit no mather how much fuel you burn.

If so, check this tuturail:

[Hovis]

Hi!

So I downloaded KSP over a month ago after watching many videos. But my problem is that my rockets can't fly, I can't get to orbit, and I can't control them.

Precisely:

1. I can't get to orbit without running out of fuel
   
2. When I hold the "F" key to toggle ASAS/SAS I can't move unless my rockets are at full blast
   
3. When I decouple Empty tanks I gradually fall down
   
4. My mailsails won't stop overheating even on 2/3s of power
   

So please help me !

Thanks,

Rex3921

I shall take a whack at these problems cos I feel lucky.

1. Gun to my head, I honestly don't really know what the precise system to get into space is either (I can do it, but it's messy and random). I use Mechjeb. To be honest, until I got Mechjeb and just saw with my own eyes what a proper ascent looked like, I had no clue what I was doing. I mean I was literally just firing rockets straight up, as far as I could, thinking if I got one high enough it'd magically start to orbit. These are the things we must learn. Mechjeb can get you into a 100k orbit if you've got about 4700 DV, and it'll tell you how much DV you have, which you won't know without it, or some similar mod.

2. That's an odd one. I must confess I've never knowingly used the F key to toggle ASAS. I just fly my rockets, I didn't know it was even a button. So not sure what to make of that. Maybe leave it alone completely?

3. Is it possible that you've not got the engines of your next stage connected to a fuel supply? Some parts do not have what is called Fuel Crossfeed, so if they are between an engine and some fuel, it won't get that fuel. Alternatively, it's possible that you might have accidentally hooked an earlier stage to a later stage via a fuel crossfeed, this would mean your earlier stage is noshing on your fuel for later on.

4. If you jam Mainsails together they will get much hotter.

If you're anything like I was when I started out you might be at the panicky "NEED BIGGER ROCKET!" phase (if you're running multiple Mainsails it sounds like you are). What I would suggest is to dial it down. If your first goal is orbit then start real simple.

If you put together a really simple orbiter/return home capsule, maybe a three man capsule with a parachute and ASAS attached to a decoupler, then attach that to a Jumbo fuel can with a Skipper engine, a decoupler below that, then another Jumbo with a Mainsail on the bottom, you should be able to make orbit with that.

In fact, I just built one, looks like this. 4800DV, gets to orbit easily enough. Use the last of the fuel to de-orbit to come home, pop the capsule on the way down and hit the chute to avoid dead Kerbals.

[Flixxbeatz]

Hi!

So I downloaded KSP over a month ago after watching many videos. But my problem is that my rockets can't fly, I can't get to orbit, and I can't control them.

Precisely:

1. I can't get to orbit without running out of fuel
   
2. When I hold the "F" key to toggle ASAS/SAS I can't move unless my rockets are at full blast
   
3. When I decouple Empty tanks I gradually fall down
   
4. My mailsails won't stop overheating even on 2/3s of power
   

So please help me !

Thanks,

Rex3921

1. NEEDS MOAR TANKS!

2. That's how SAS/ASAS works.

3. Must be unstable.

4. Use mainsails with caution.

Also, screenshots will do

[Frederf]

Learning to build and learning to fly are quite tough to do at the same time.

1. Fly a known design.

2. Use capslock to soften the controls

3. Fly without any (A)SAS control

4. Keep the rocket pointed within 5 degrees of the velocity vector on the navball

5. Go up until 10,000m then pitch over about 10 degrees and keep it falling equal to your height (10km=10deg, 20km=20deg, etc. until you are at 90km=90deg)

6. Keep 1.5-3.0G during the ascent

7. Go east.

8. When your Ap on the map is >80km cut engines and wait until Ap to burn sideways.

The goal is to start with vertical velocity and end with horizontal velocity. You need vertical to get out of the atmosphere but you want it to go away by the time you're in orbit. At 2200 m/s or so +-5 degrees of the horizon you should be in orbit.

[Scarecrow88]

Your rocket will only turn while the engines are burning if you haven't fitted RCS, as without that there is nothing on the rocket to turn it other than the gimballed engine nozzle, and if the engine isn't running that doesn't work.

[Sirrobert]

That mainsail IS going to overheat.

It's cause of the orange tank not being able to disapate the heat fast enough. It's a weird bug with the heatsink mechanisms. Put a tiny tank under between the mainsail and the orange one, and you'll be fine

[Nibb31]

1. NEEDS MOAR TANKS!

This is the worst advice ever.

If you are running out of fuel before reaching orbital speed, the typical mistake is often because your TWR is too low: you are not going fast enough, so you burn for too long, which wastes fuel. Adding more fuel just makes the problem worse. Your rocket will go even slower and you waste even more fuel just to lift that extra fuel. The answer is to add more engines or to carry less fuel to make the rocket lighter. This will get you out of the atmosphere faster, so you burn for shorter time, which actually saves fuel.

As with many space-related things, this is counter-intuitive, but it works.

[EmissionGeneration]

Hi!

So I downloaded KSP over a month ago after watching many videos. But my problem is that my rockets can't fly, I can't get to orbit, and I can't control them.

Precisely:

1. I can't get to orbit without running out of fuel
   
2. When I hold the "F" key to toggle ASAS/SAS I can't move unless my rockets are at full blast
   
3. When I decouple Empty tanks I gradually fall down
   
4. My mailsails won't stop overheating even on 2/3s of power
   

So please help me !

Thanks,

Rex3921

Even though the best thing about KSP is Trial and Error, sometimes when the time comes, it's best to take a easier approach. Your first step with that was asking for Advice =]

As I'm no Rocket Scientist, I can't explain things in Great details, but this other Thread here ==> A Moon Rocket and Moon trip Walkthrough definately points it out to help. It also comes with the Ship to Download for the Tutorial so you can put it to the test yourself.

Using this, will not only give you better knowledge of the advice you seek, but the Ship design will also help you when it comes to building future Rockets. I've tested it out just then, and it works perfectly. If you are unsure on how to add Ships into the Game just ask and we'll help you out.

Good luck and hope you over-come your problems.

Edited June 28, 2013 by EmissionGeneration

[AddMeGamers]

[ImpulseSpaceCenter]

Hi!

I can't get to orbit without running out of fuel

Could be:

- Not enough fuel as you said

- not enough thrust from you engine.

- Engine not designed for atmosphere or vacumm (check ISP)

When I hold the "F" key to toggle ASAS/SAS I can't move unless my rockets are at full blast

If you toggle your (A)SAS on, then the goal is to have the rocket keeping the same direction so you wont move! (EDIT: until next update at least [0.21])

If you toggle your (A)SAS off and still can't control it, then you may need more torque, RCS, Control surfaces, engine gimbal (which works only when engine are on)

Just in case: T -> Permanent toggle, F-> temporary toggle

When I decouple Empty tanks I gradually fall down

Could be:

- no engine?!

- Not enough thrust from your engine.

My mailsails won't stop overheating even on 2/3s of power

Also mainsail directly under a orange tank will overheat, put one of the grey tank under the orange (the smallest will be the best to avoid overheating)

What to do:

- Start by launcing the game -> start game -> training -> do all 4 in game tutorial. If you stuggle with them, look on the wiki for additional tutorials on the theme.

- Want to practice more? try the scenarios also, it will "validate" your knowledge of construction, orbital mechanic.

- keep on playing, start small, and slowly build your way up.

- Don't hesitate on following up your questions when you have more, and remember a picture is worth a 1000 words, so don't hesitate to post one from your design that have problems.

Edited June 28, 2013 by ImpulseSpaceCenter
(A)SAS update

[Robbii6]

Hi!

So I downloaded KSP over a month ago after watching many videos. But my problem is that my rockets can't fly, I can't get to orbit, and I can't control them.

Precisely:

1. I can't get to orbit without running out of fuel
   
2. When I hold the "F" key to toggle ASAS/SAS I can't move unless my rockets are at full blast
   
3. When I decouple Empty tanks I gradually fall down
   
4. My mailsails won't stop overheating even on 2/3s of power
   

So please help me !

Thanks,

Rex3921

The First thing that is screaming out to me is that you dont have much control. i suggest putting RCS thrusters on ( don't forget to have fuel for them).

The bigger the ship is the harder it is to control. Bigger ships with lots of fuel and engines are not always the best, the bigger the heavier. you need to kind of... find the sweet spot where its not too small, that there is not enough power or fuel, but its not too large that it is way too heavy. ASAS modules apply torque to control the ship, but there main use it to use things like SAS and RCS to control the ship, not to control the ship on its own. i suggest putting an SAS and an ASAS.

A simple design to get into orbit is to use the small command Module with the FL-T800 fuel tank underneath with a LV-909 engine under that. then with four radial decouplers four FL-T800's.then under them put some LV-T30's. for launch fire the four first until they run out and then the LV-909. don't use the LV on lift-off.

Mainsails tend to over heat if there are many engines around them, also when you use the orange tanks<-- i don't know why. just use the other smaller large tanks that add up to the same amount of fuel.

The reason you fall down is because, im not being patronising here, but you fall down due to gravity. you need to be in orbit to not fall down or out of the sphere of influence to not fall.

hope this helps

Rob

Edited June 28, 2013 by Robbii6

[Sirrobert]

ASAS modules apply torque to control the ship, but there main use it to use things like SAS and RCS to control the ship, not to control the ship on its own. i suggest putting an SAS and an ASAS.

Actually, ASAS doesn't give any torque, it's ONLY a computer. Normal SAS does give torque

[SRV Ron]

I shall take a whack at these problems cos I feel lucky.

1. Gun to my head, I honestly don't really know what the precise system to get into space is either (I can do it, but it's messy and random). I use Mechjeb. To be honest, until I got Mechjeb and just saw with my own eyes what a proper ascent looked like, I had no clue what I was doing. I mean I was literally just firing rockets straight up, as far as I could, thinking if I got one high enough it'd magically start to orbit. These are the things we must learn. Mechjeb can get you into a 100k orbit if you've got about 4700 DV, and it'll tell you how much DV you have, which you won't know without it, or some similar mod.

2. That's an odd one. I must confess I've never knowingly used the F key to toggle ASAS. I just fly my rockets, I didn't know it was even a button. So not sure what to make of that. Maybe leave it alone completely?

3. Is it possible that you've not got the engines of your next stage connected to a fuel supply? Some parts do not have what is called Fuel Crossfeed, so if they are between an engine and some fuel, it won't get that fuel. Alternatively, it's possible that you might have accidentally hooked an earlier stage to a later stage via a fuel crossfeed, this would mean your earlier stage is noshing on your fuel for later on.

4. If you jam Mainsails together they will get much hotter.

If you're anything like I was when I started out you might be at the panicky "NEED BIGGER ROCKET!" phase (if you're running multiple Mainsails it sounds like you are). What I would suggest is to dial it down. If your first goal is orbit then start real simple.

If you put together a really simple orbiter/return home capsule, maybe a three man capsule with a parachute and ASAS attached to a decoupler, then attach that to a Jumbo fuel can with a Skipper engine, a decoupler below that, then another Jumbo with a Mainsail on the bottom, you should be able to make orbit with that.

In fact, I just built one, looks like this. 4800DV, gets to orbit easily enough. Use the last of the fuel to de-orbit to come home, pop the capsule on the way down and hit the chute to avoid dead Kerbals.

My similar design, with thruster pack, gets to an 200K orbit with fuel to spare. The thruster pack can then be played with while in orbit to circurlize it, change orbital plane, or return to Kerbal if you use up all the fuel in the second stage.

emini three Kerbalnaut orbiter. 33 Parts

First stage

1. Command Pod MK1-2

2. Parachute MK16-L

3. Rockomax coupler

4. Advanced SAS Large

5. FL R1 RCS Fuel Tank

6. Rockomax X200-32 fuel tank

7. Rockomax “Skipper†engine

8. Set of 4 RV-105 Thruster Pack mounted at center of gravity

Second Stage

1. Rockomax coupler

2. 2 stacked X200-32 fuel tanks (or that big orange one.)

3. Rockomax X200-8 fuel tank. (Controls overheating of the Mainsail Engine)

4. Mainsail Engine

5. Set of 4 Delta Deluxe Winglets

6. Stitch all second stage fuel tanks with 4 braces for stability.

Launch stabilizers optional

Edited June 28, 2013 by SRV Ron

[Flixxbeatz]

This is the worst advice ever.

HUH WHAAAT!? NOT AGAIN!!!? WHY CAN'T I GIVE THE BEST ADVICES TO PEOPLE EVERYTHING WAS AT ITS WORSE!!!11!!!!11ONEONEONEELEVENQUESTIONMARKEXCLAMATIONPOINT

Ofcourse I was kidding in that bit

[thescientist]

Remember that engines can overheat, but it isn't a problem unless they are nearly to the max heat (you risk to melt them down) ie. a nuclear engine work at full throttle without having any accident,even if the "overheat" alert is at 1/3-1/2; so Mainsail engines can work at 85%

[Rhyunix]

When your ever pondering why the rocket is tumbling over the horizon and not in space, think about real life! Take for example, the rocket above. It isn't really designed as a rocket. Its a slap together of rocket parts (as much as that sounds close to normal kerbal rockets) That doesn't work. Think logically, use initiative (not plans dug up from some dudes who build them) for example, you'd want tail fins on the 1st stage, not the second, You'd want a smaller but powerful engine for a smaller sized rocket (because the rocket loses mass after separation) etc, etc. For making it go up, you don't have to do much. Advanced SAS installed on your craft will steer you to your direction (Toggle with T)

[Hovis]

That mainsail IS going to overheat.

It's cause of the orange tank not being able to disapate the heat fast enough. It's a weird bug with the heatsink mechanisms. Put a tiny tank under between the mainsail and the orange one, and you'll be fine

You can just turn the throttle down a little bit. You just run it at about 80%.

[Sirrobert]

You can just turn the throttle down a little bit. You just run it at about 80%.

With mechjeb's prevent-overheat function, you burn at like 95% and it's still fine.

Eitherway, it's a flawed design. With something half as big you can get twice as far

[Hovis]

With mechjeb's prevent-overheat function, you burn at like 95% and it's still fine.

Eitherway, it's a flawed design. With something half as big you can get twice as far

Maybe so. But something better takes longer. I was shooting for something quick a struggling player could get into orbit with. Does it do that? Yeah. So what's not to like? Why do you hate orbit?

[Rex3921]

Okay. Thanks to everyone who posted! As you said, I needed a pic. So here!

At the bottom there are all mainsails...

I guess you were right about start small...

Edited June 29, 2013 by Rex3921

[Sirrobert]

Maybe so. But something better takes longer. I was shooting for something quick a struggling player could get into orbit with. Does it do that? Yeah. So what's not to like? Why do you hate orbit?

I don't hate orbit, I hate your design.

Here's why:

Extremely quick build ship, 4937m/s deltaV. Top engine is an L909, bottom one an aerospike. Put some boosters on the side and you'll get it out to wherever you want

Your design. 3818m/s deltaV. Replace the Skipper with a Poodle and the Mainsail with a Skipper, and you'll go up to 4507m/s deltaV

@Rex: Can you get a bigger pic? It looks ok, but I can't see the details

[Rex3921]

I couldn't fit the WHOLE rocket in a single screen shot but heres the bottom half:

And here's the top half:

Edited June 29, 2013 by Rex3921