Help with Career Mode

[fhbf]

I've been playing Kerbal for a few days now, and mainly in sandbox due to the fact that playing in career mode requires me to complete contracts to progress, the only contracts that I have the resources to complete are "Perform Visual Surveys of Kerbin". Whenever I set a destination on the map it shows up on the nav ball, and when I try to fly to it I end up losing control of my rocket in its final stage. Here is the rocket I am using http://imgur.com/A50m8r8. I know the staging is incorrect in that screenshot, but I would normally have it correct. So is there any way to have better control of my rocket, especially when it is in the final stage with a single liquid fuel booster.

[Alshain]

I think it's the winglets. Once you drop to that final stage your lift is most likely too far forward in relation to the center of mass.

Additionally, though it's possible with rockets, visual surveys were originally made for planes in the mod they came from. Squad made it so you could do it however you want, but it's still easier with a plane if you have the ability to build one. If you don't you may want to avoid that type of contract for now. It's your call though.

[ghpstage]

You start (with no science whatsosver) with the resources to complete all the altitude records, reach orbit, the science from orbit around Kerbin contracts that come available after completing orbit, and with the first tech, Basic Rocketry, most of the good orbital and sub orbital tests (radial and small engines) that come up soon after!

I would strongly advise leaving the Kerbin surveys if your new to the game, as they are harder than any of the above to accomplish using rockets!

Edited January 18, 2015 by ghpstage

[SRV Ron]

Your early career rocket, way too expensive and complex. Much cheaper if you wish to do the close by fly by survey is either of these two cheap SRBs, with tweaked fuel and thrust.

And, first orbiter.

Try my tutorial for your first time in Career 0.90 Beta

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/106183-An-easy-guide-for-first-time-Career-in-KSP-0-90-Beta

Edited January 18, 2015 by SRV Ron

[DBT85]

I've been playing Kerbal for a few days now, and mainly in sandbox due to the fact that playing in career mode requires me to complete contracts to progress, the only contracts that I have the resources to complete are "Perform Visual Surveys of Kerbin". Whenever I set a destination on the map it shows up on the nav ball, and when I try to fly to it I end up losing control of my rocket in its final stage. Here is the rocket I am using http://imgur.com/A50m8r8. I know the staging is incorrect in that screenshot, but I would normally have it correct. So is there any way to have better control of my rocket, especially when it is in the final stage with a single liquid fuel booster.

My question would be, why do you only have the resources to do those missions?

They are best undertaken with wheeled vehicles and planes really, but plenty can be done with just rockets even if all you have are SRBs.

You can't do EVAs until you upgrade the Astronaught complex, but you can use a stranded in orbit kerbal to perform EVA reports to get you some science for new parts!

[WanderingKid]

Cancel the survey missions and get new contracts.

You can get satellites up to orbit very cheaply once you open up the tree to OKTOs and Solar Panels. You can get science pretty simply if you play with the administration building, but shipping a Mat Bay, 3 Goos, and a thermostat to random nearby biomes, upper atmo, and space can also get you going too, once you have radial parachutes.

Survey Missions are best left alone until you're on near Zero-G worlds. The Kerbin Survey missions are challenging and require a lot of high research parts to do easily, and simply don't return enough for their time consumption. Do them for Fun, not profit.

If you can tell us (or better, show us) your science tree, and describe what problems you're having working with space, we can help you out a lot more specifically.

[fhbf]

You start (with no science whatsosver) with the resources to complete all the altitude records, reach orbit, the science from orbit around Kerbin contracts that come available after completing orbit, and with the first tech, Basic Rocketry, most of the good orbital and sub orbital tests (radial and small engines) that come up soon after!

I would strongly advise leaving the Kerbin surveys if your new to the game, as they are harder than any of the above to accomplish using rockets!

http://imgur.com/sSEHu0NThese are the only missions I have, none seem very easy...

[DBT85]

http://imgur.com/sSEHu0NThese are the only missions I have, none seem very easy...

Your Seperatron, RT-10 and stack decoupler ones are easy to do as they are landed at Kerbin. You don't even have to go anywhere Just take all the fuel out and test away.

The other test ones you can decline until you get ones that seem possible or reasonable. You don;t have to take every mission and there is no penalty for rejecting them. I tend to only do testing oens that are ethier a) landed at Kerbin or going to be part of my ship anyway.

After that you need to get your orbit one done!

That's mostly easy, but you'll learn a lot from your mistakes while trying for the first time.

Try watching some of Scott Manleys videos for some help He's very good!

Ep1

Ep2 - Starts at hitting the 31km altitude goal and covers orbit a bit later

I should add, welcome to KSP. It's fun!

Edited January 18, 2015 by DBT85

[juanml82]

Do the test landed contracts, but first, remove all fuel from the rockets in the VAB (right click on the parts and slide the fuel to 0). That will give you some funds and remove some contracts from the list. And, at the same time, doing them without the fuel means you recover 100% of the test vessel

Then do the orbit kerbin contract and use an LV-T45 as your upper stage, so you can kill two birds with one stone. It might be possible to do some of the "in flight" contracts in the same mission (you could, for instance, put a pair of TT-38k decouplers with nothing attached to them around your ship. If the speed and altitude match a vertical rocket take off (say, nothing of 600 m/s at 10,000 meters) it will work. The parachute contracts require you to either make them while you're returning from space (and speed and altitude may not match) or, during ascend, to attach the parachutes to radial decouplers (like the TT-38k) so you both activate the parachute and expel them from the ship at the same time.

[ghpstage]

Orbit would be the best one to get done in my opinion. It'll give a lot of cash, opens up a bunch of very lucrative space based contracts, isn't difficult to learn and is the most fundamental lesson in KSP.

The second Scott Manley video linked by DBT85 will be helpful for getting into orbit.

Watch that vid and when you've gone into orbit a couple of times you will be surprised how easy it was!

Edited January 19, 2015 by ghpstage