Is it possible to get into orbit in the Kerbal Space Program demo?

[alexdr5398]

Or am I just really bad at this game? I am using a default ship by the way.

[Nasakev]

It is harder than the vanilla game, but it is possible. Are you using the Kerbal X?

Here's a good, basic method for getting into orbit that should work for a good ship.

http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Tutorial:_How_to_Get_into_Orbit

[TheCanadianVendingMachine]

Are you going straight up? If so, then you are doing it wrong.

Read the tutorial Nasakev posted, or look at Scott Manley on youtube.

[Nasakev]

Oh yeah, Scott Manley's tutorials are the best. Here's a good all around one:

It covers orbiting, as well as a few other things. It is from an older version, but still good.

[HeadHunter67]

You can get to the Mun in the demo, so yeah, orbit is definitely possible.

[SRV Ron]

Not only can you reach orbit, this made it to Mun orbit and return.

The thruster pack is needed to place the capsule into an aerobraking return to Kerbal.

[Sirine]

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/49509-Party-at-the-Mun

Mun party!!! DEMO....

[capi3101]

It is possible; I started out with the demo, and I can assure you it is possible to make it to the Mun and back. Here's the ship I did it with in the demo:

The Fireball 7. A beginner's ship, no doubt. Feel free to steal it if it helps you.

I would chalk any problem's you're having getting into orbit at the moment to piloting. Here's what you do:

1) Before launch, go into map mode and get your nav ball open. Go ahead and swing the camera around so that you're looking down at Kerbin's north pole.

2) Throttle up, turn on SAS (demo brings back some memories) and launch. Watch your fuel in each stage and stage as necessary.

3) Your initial heading is straight up - you want the nav ball to be completely blue.

4) You don't want your speed to get above 250 m/s in the first 10,000 meters of the ascent. If you're going faster than that, throttle back a bit - keep the gee meter in the green zone. There is actually an ideal ascent profile (130 m/s at 3000 m, 160 by 5000, 210 at 8000 and 260 at 10,000), but don't worry too much about the specifics until you've actually made orbit once.

5) At 10,000 meters, turn to course 090 at 45 degrees elevation. The prograde marker on your nav ball will begin edging down towards the horizon. Stay at 45 until you reach 30,000, then turn your ship to match the prograde marker. Realign when your speed switches over to "Orbit".

6) Occasionally switch over to your map mode. When the Apoapsis (Ap) marker gets to 100,000 meters, kill your burn (X-key). SECO ends your ascent burn.

7) When your altitude gets above 70,000 meters (you should be coasting at this point), begin setting up your orbital insertion burn. Place a maneuver node at Apoapsis and pull the prograde marker until the altitude of the Periapsis is above at least 70,000 meters. Ideally you want the planned Periapsis altitude to be at least close to your Apoapsis altitude, but it's not strictly necessary (the "above 70,000" part is necessary, however).

8) Your maneuver node should give you a burn time. Half that amount; round any remainder up to the next second. When you reach the same amount of time, begin your orbital insertion burn (before you get there, align your ship with the blue targeting marker that appears on your navball). Burn until the amount of delta-V indicated along the right side of the navball gets down to zero (or as close as you can manage).

9) Check the altitude of your -apses on the map. If both are above 70,000, congratulations: you're in orbit.

An orbit capable craft in the demo is a Mk-1 Capsule with chute and decoupler, an RCS tank with four blocks (which you'll use to deorbit yourself), two FL-T800 tanks and an LV-T45 engine. Add some TT-38-Ks with RT-10 SRBs if it makes you feel better; you don't really need them, though.

Good luck.

[lajoswinkler]

It is possible to go interplanetary, but it's harder. The rockets become really huge and flimsy.

[Dooz]

Yes it can be done my first orbits were in the demo just a bit harder with less parts

[Scarecrow88]

I used a much smaller ship than some of those shown above, and quite happily made it to the surface of Mun, with plenty of fuel to return to Kerbin.

Edited October 3, 2013 by Scarecrow88

[Pds314]

Not only into orbit, I couldn't figure out liquid engines when I was using the demo, so I got there using solid boosters alone.