For New Players: My additions to Space.com's KSP video.

[Whirligig Girl]

Response to http://www.space.com/22166-build-and-fly-your-own-rockets-in-kerbal-space-program-video.html.

[Avid KSP fan] I make my own Launch Escape Tower using Struts, Tiny Ullage Motor Rockets, and the special Action Groups. system. It's fun to engineer and troubleshoot the system.

Also, there is a Mars-like planet and Jupiter-like planet, and a pluto-like dwarf planet called Duna, Jool, and Eeloo.

Mods I recommend are KW Rocketry, Nova[slug]Punch Remix, and the KSPX (Kerbal Space Program Expansion) pack, which adds a few parts to the game that look like they are from the game itself, not mods. In fact, they are becoming actual parts, more in every update come from KSPX.

To get used to the game I recommend a YouTuber named "Scott Manley" and "Wernher Von Kerman" over any other, although Wernher's tutorials are outdated to some extent, he usually updates the playlist every time something changes.

The game needs a good computer, because although the graphics aren't too intensive, the physics simulations are very intensive.

This is very controversial, but if you just can't fly, or learn orbital maneuvers, there is a great and very well put together autopilot called Mechanical Jebidiah, or MechJeb.

Who is Jebidiah? Jeb is a badass. He's the first Kerbal you fly in your rocket, and he is the most brave. His other orange-suited brothers, Bill and Bob, are scared all the time. Jebidiah is supposedly the best pilot there is, which is why MechJeb is called what it is, because the copied his brain and put it in a computer.

If you want to re-enact historic NASA and Russian Launches, there are a few Mods you might want to try.

--Historic Russian Spacecraft Pack: Includes Soyuz, Progress unmanned module, Buran, and a few others.

LINK: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/24724-0-20-X-BobCat-ind-Historical-spacecraft-thread

--FASA Gemini and Mercury: This includes the Redstone, Atlas, Titan GLV and IIIC rockets, and the Gemini Spacecraft, fictional Gemini Lander, as well as a conversion kit to turn the regular Mk1 Command Pod into a Mercury Spacecraft.

LINK: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/24867-19-1-Gemini-and-Mercury-Pack-FASA-v1-3

--Apollo Mission Pack: *WORK IN PROGRESS* Saturn V rocket, Apollo Lunar Module and Command/Service Module. Textures on current version are pretty bad on the LM and CSM, but the Saturn V is good. The pack is a WIP, and they are working on a new version of the mod that is much prettier.

LINK: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/29411-Apollo-Mission-Pack-Development-%28Beta-version-released%21%29

Of course, you could download stock craft replicas of real craft, made by the amazing Mulbin.

Link: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/41575-Mulbin-s-Ships!-All-in-one-place!

Or maybe you will build your own. Anyway, that's all I have to say for now about Kerbal Space Program, be sure to watch the video at the top of this post! [/Avid KSP fan].