What's wrong with my asparagus staging?

[DaveKermin]

Hi. What I'm trying to do is get this up into space and docked with as much fuel in the center tanks as possible. I'm told the key is this asparagus staging, which I don't totally understand. I followed a tutorial video and it looked something like my picture. When I launch this though, only one of my Number 1 tanks runs out of fuel really quickly, and that sets the whole thing off balance, and she flips. As far as I can tell, my fuel lines are going the right way, albeit a little sloppily. Any advice? I numbered them as to which decouplers will fire as a pair when that tank runs dry. I'd really appreciate some help.

Edited July 28, 2014 by DaveKermin

[Wanderfound]

You need to watch the direction of your fuel lines; fuel flows from where you place the start of the line to the end. If there are multiple tanks in series, the furthest will drain first.

For a simple asparagus with a core and four boosters, run fuel lines from two opposite boosters to the other pair of boosters, then run fuel lines from that pair to the core. The first pair will drain, then the second, then the core.

You always drop them in pairs to maintain balance.

Edited July 28, 2014 by Wanderfound

[Taki117]

It looks like the 6 that is clearly visible in the picture has its fuel line running opposite of what its supposed to. It appears that the fuel line goes from the central tank to the radial tank, where it should be going from the radial tank to the center tank. The arrows indicate the direction of flow, but it is also good to remember that your first click is where it will come from, and your second is where it will go to.

[DaveKermin]

Hm. Okay. I'm going back in for a redesign. Thank you.

Edit: Woo! I think I've got the hang of it. Silly mistakes.

Edited July 28, 2014 by DaveKermin

[Sirrobert]

If you need some practive, I'd suggest you start with a smaller asperagus. 4 side boosters, split in 2 stages. That'll be easier to spot mistakes

Looks good though other than that

[Clockwork_werewolf]

If you are running sandbox then this is defiantly the best way to get the most fuel per ship mass into space. If you just want the most fuel up there then the largest engines work best for part counts to fuel.

If you are using funds then this is definitely not the best way to do it. Each stage needs a radial decoupler and fuel line costing 750 combined. That's the same as a medium solid rocket. I won't go into details unless you are using funds.

[SRV Ron]

You may find that onion staging is more practicable in such a design, or better still, do a 6x asparagus paring directly to the core. You have the room to mount a ring of two sets of six or three sets of four. It would simplify the bracing that can control spin and stability issues. Also, replace all the pairs of RCS tanks with a single larger 2.5 meter one.

[Riph]

SRV, the wasteful largesse on display in Fuel Cans Five has horrified me to my core. You are the reason why we have no ozone layer now.

(That thing is awesome.)