Hello Kerbolverse!

[ChrisWill]

Hello, my name is Chris and I got the game about a week ago. I have successfully landed unmanned rovers on the Mun and am currently working on a manned mission. Any tips specifically for getting back, should I Apollo it with one half in orbit of the Mun and a lander or try and build a lander that can get me back?

[Fyzzi]

Hello Chris and welcome to our community hope you're gonna like it...

I would recommend using nuclear engines for the münar lander, as they are far more efficient and you should be just fine with fuel for the return trip (it's not a problem to land with 2 of these engines)... as of the Apollo styled mission - it is easier, to land and return to Kerbin with this type of mission, BUT if you're new, you might have slight problems with the orbital rendezvous in the münar orbit...

Anyways, good luck with your space program and have a nice stay with us

Best regards

[ChrisWill]

Thanks, yeah just tried orbital rendezvous and wasn't able to do it. I'm going to look into a good design for a lander and return vehicle and practice rendezvous and docking in LKO.

[Fyzzi]

Thanks, yeah just tried orbital rendezvous and wasn't able to do it. I'm going to look into a good design for a lander and return vehicle and practice rendezvous and docking in LKO.

Good idea I'd recommend you one of the many tutorials that you can find on Youtube... however one of my most favourite tutorial makers and youtubers is Scott Manley... just so that you had something to begin with

[dshuck]

Welcome aboard! I'm new on the forums too, although I've been playing KSP for over a year now.

Because the Mun is smaller and closer than Earth's moon, I tend to find that it's easier to simply have an extra stage on your Mun rocket, so you have a stage or two to get up to space, a stage to enter Low Kerbin Orbit around 80 km or so that then transfers you to the Mun, and then your final stage can complete the landing and return to Kerbin. This way you don't have to deal with the difficulties of orbital rendezvous and docking, EVA crew transfers, or building your launch vehicle large enough to carry your heavy lander rockets, the extra crew cabin for landing, and all the heavy RCS fuel that you need for the docking operation (until you get the hang of it, docking will require lots and lots of RCS.)

When you're ready to learn rendezvous and docking, I suggest putting up two small one-man capsules with lots of RCS on them (make sure you align the thrusters with the Center of Mass), so that you have plenty of fuel to learn how to adjust your orbit to find a rendezvous, and if you run out of fuel in the first vehicle, you can just switch over to the second and complete the docking.

[ChrisWill]

Thanks dshuck, great idea I was able to make there and back into orbit of kerbin and then I ran out of fuel and can't deorbit but I'm probably going to use it and practice rendezvous and docking with it in order to rescue them.

[austin4050]

Docking and rendezvous can be quite difficult, it takes many (failed) attempts to complete but one day you will get it and feel like a ksp champ. (as in throw a party) Remember feel free to ask questions, and post comments or issues in their correct place.

[ChrisWill]

Yeah it seems to be but I'm getting closer for me that is, about 5km to 6km each attempt. Don't worry I will.

[Capt'n Skunky]

Happy Launching!

Arrr!

Capt'n Skunky

KSP Community Manager

[zxczxczbfg]

Hello Chris and welcome to our community hope you're gonna like it...

I would recommend using nuclear engines for the münar lander, as they are far more efficient and you should be just fine with fuel for the return trip (it's not a problem to land with 2 of these engines)... as of the Apollo styled mission - it is easier, to land and return to Kerbin with this type of mission, BUT if you're new, you might have slight problems with the orbital rendezvous in the münar orbit...

Anyways, good luck with your space program and have a nice stay with us

Best regards

You can avert the rendezvous trouble by getting MechJeb, makes it a bajillion times easier, and being able to nail down a hundred-kilometer equatorial orbit is very useful.

[ChrisWill]

I have thought about MechJeb, I really wouldn't want to use it all the time just for more difficult things mainly I might get it when I become decent at stuff like rendezvous.