Aspiring to Jebhood, currently a Hanley

[RabidMonkey]

I've been messing about with KSP for a couple weeks now, and I'm working on getting an all-up space program going. I've figured that the NERVA is the best exoatmospheric engine in terms of fuel efficiency, but I'm having trouble getting my stuff into orbit without it either falling apart or burning so much fuel on the ascent that by the time I'm up, all of the fuel I was planning to use for transfers ends up getting used for establishing orbit. I use asparagus staging, but I'm having a lot of difficulty getting clustering working without my lifters either flying apart in midair from floppiness and/or flipping all over the place because they're unbalanced in spite of what the CM and CT show in the VAB. I've tried using MechJeb, but it doesn't seem to handle asparagus staging - the discards seem to impact the rest of the rocket about 80% of the time, and the whole thing wobbles like a fnoodle in a hurricane.

Are there any good tutorials out there for the current build that take the reaction wheels into account and might give some good pointers on design?

[RadiatorArray]

Start off simple - stack staging, boosters, etc. Asparagus is a more advanced technique, so I suggest against it if you're just starting out.

A quad coupled LV-30 main stage and a LV-45 secondary, followed by a final orbital tug LV-909 or NERVA should get you into a successful orbit, assuming you're using the secondary to grav turn as opposed to using the first (heavier payloads may require more than just this. A successful design I've been using for the past week is 8x3 large boosters with the large radial decouplers + a Mainsail first stage (remember to activate the boosters, decouple when dry, and use this stage for the push into space!!), then an orbital tug secondary, plus a final bonus manouver stage and capsule decoupling stage if you feel like heading back home).

Also, remember! STRUTS, WINGLETS, SEPATRONS AND SASes ARE YOUR FRIENDS! Use them when necessary!

FALIURE IS THE FORWARD MOTION IN SCIENCE, or that's what they say anyway.

If you really need good tutorials, search up Scott Manley on Youtube.

[Capt'n Skunky]

Happy Launching!

Arrr!

Capt'n Skunky

KSP Community Manager

[RabidMonkey]

Scott Manley and a return to basics has definitely helped. Now my only question is: How do I get my signature working on here so I can put up ribbons?

[HeadHunter67]

You need five posts to unlock your sig, avatar, etc. So a response to this answer ought to do it for you.

Welcome to the forums, and Fair Skies!

[RabidMonkey]

You need five posts to unlock your sig, avatar, etc. So a response to this answer ought to do it for you.

Welcome to the forums, and Fair Skies!

Awesome - thanks! So far, I'm working through a basic Kerbal-centered spaceflight program with single-kerb capsules and small satellites. Got >this< close to a kerbosynchronous orbit with my first satellite launch.