Making orbit with LOX but solid booster problems

[RobH]

Hi

After quite a few attempts, I have made orbit (and back) twice now with a 2 stage liquid fuel rocket. I have tried to add solid fuel boosters and get them to fire with the first stage and then dump them when they burn out, but I cant seem to get this right. What I want to happen is the solid fuel boosters and the main first stage engines to fire at lift off and when the boosters burn out, to dump them but leave the first stage firing until its fuel runs out. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get this right and clearly I am missing some sequencing.

Is there a guide to how to do this somewhere?

Tks

RobH

[Johnno]

This is a simple staging list rearrangement issue. Use the + and - icons to create new staging sequences, have all engines fire first, then only put the SRB decouplers into the next staging, after that put in your second stage decoupler (and second stage engine if you like, I prefer to stage + fire next engine).

That way you press space to launch, next press you separate SRBs, wait for first stage to empty then press space to drop stage 1 and light stage 2.

[SRV Ron]

On the right side, while in the VAB, there is an order of events column that forms as you add engines and decouplers. It works from bottom up each time you hit the spacebar during flight. You can rearrange those events to control what happens when you press the spacebar during flight.

To set the order of events for your booster assisted design, drag the first stage engine icon down to the booster icon. That will cause the liquid engine to fire with the boosters. The decoupler icons for the boosters should then be the next in line by themselves. Then, the first stage decoupler should be by itself. Finally, second stage ignition, capsule separation, and last parachute deployment. That will put your spacebar sequence in order. 0. fire booster and first stage. 1. eject boosters. 2. eject first stage. 3. fire second stage. 4. seperate capsule. 5. Deploy parachute.

You can check the order by mousing over each icon which will then show the highlighted selection on your rocket as to what is affected by that icon.