I had a big rocomax solid booster in my invent. and now it's gone

[ActuallyImad]

I'm new to the game, only bought full version today, after my first few missions I had a massive solid booster, at least 3x as big as the FL-T400 and now it's disappeared, I loaded the rocket I've got highest with (35-40km), but it's saying uses parts that are unavailable, I also used these small external boosters, I forget what they're called but I've seen them applied with 8x symmetry all around the rocket, they're also gone, anyone know why?

Also does anyone know why most of my flights tilt/ lean, when I made it to 40km it lifted off perfectly, get nowhere near that on almost all other runs. It shouldnt be a uneven weight problem, I use angle snap and symmetry when applying anything to the exterior

Thanks in advance

[TheCanadianVendingMachine]

If you are playing career - You need to research those parts to use them

[Leszek]

We are going to need details. Are these all in the same career, what mode are you playing in, are you using SAS to stabilize your rockets? A picture of the rocket might help if you can.

[Starman4308]

I'm new to the game, only bought full version today, after my first few missions I had a massive solid booster, at least 3x as big as the FL-T400 and now it's disappeared, I loaded the rocket I've got highest with (35-40km), but it's saying uses parts that are unavailable, I also used these small external boosters, I forget what they're called but I've seen them applied with 8x symmetry all around the rocket, they're also gone, anyone know why?

Also does anyone know why most of my flights tilt/ lean, when I made it to 40km it lifted off perfectly, get nowhere near that on almost all other runs. It shouldnt be a uneven weight problem, I use angle snap and symmetry when applying anything to the exterior

Thanks in advance

Some contracts will ask you to use parts you haven't researched yet: once you complete the contract, you are no longer able to use the experimental part.

This can be abused if the contract asks for you to use a part you really want to keep: just don't complete the contract until it's about to expire (or until you're about to research the node anyways).

As for the straightness of your flights: is thrust perfectly in line with CoM (Center of Mass)? Are you using SAS to stabilize your rockets? Are there aerodynamic control surfaces in weird places? Are your aerodynamic control surfaces properly placed on the bottom, as far behind CoM as possible? If you haven't done the tutorials, you should, because they are rather helpful for getting down some of the basics.

[bakanando]

If you had a contract to test an experimental part, you'll have it available until you complete the contract. After that you will need to research it yourself or wait until you get a similar contract to test the part.

[Pecan]

...Also does anyone know why most of my flights tilt/ lean, when I made it to 40km...

Rockets should be leaning well over by the time you get to 40km, possibly even flat, engines off, cruising to orbital altitude. Getting into space (>69km) is easy, getting into orbit, so you stay in space, means going sideways fast enough that you keep missing the ground as you fall towards it. The most efficient way to do that is to gradually lean further and further as you ascend so that more and more of your thrust is given to horizontal acceleration. This is generally known as a 'gravity turn'.

[Lheim]

Rockets are almost inevitably going to lean - any slight variation will get magnified by the thrust and aerodynamic forces.

However: you're probably not turning on your SAS - stability assistant, sorta like a bit of an autopilot that'll use your rocket's torque and thrust vectoring and control surfaces to try to hold a heading. Just hit T - you'll see the sas light come on up at the upper right corner of your nav ball.

Note, though, that like Pecan said - you want a rocket to turn. Orbit isn't about height beyond just getting above the air that'll slow you down - they're about horizontal velocity. By the time your rocket's 40 clicks up you definitely ought to have leaned it over near horizontal by yer own choice, just to be pouring on that horizontal speed. There's some great tutorial videos on getting to orbit on youtube.

Edited October 28, 2014 by Lheim