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[Fikes]

basically, in order to orbit, you can't just go straight up, you need to fly horisontally.

also, here's my first ship to reach orbit with:

I got that part. But I end up going 3500m/s and just getting further and further away from the planet. maybe at some point I'd come back, but I get too bored and head back to the VAB to create a fireworks show. I think the green circle will help me. I always point myself directly at the horizon, I probably need to point myself below that so my ship settles more quickly somewhere between straight up and straight over.

[TheBronzePickle]

Little tip for anyone who uses parachutes as an air-brake in atmospheric flights: the parachute releases based on velocity, not on impact with the ground. Hit near-zero and bye bye chute.

[Eagleon]

Define problems? If you mean them bending and breaking, I don't think that's getting "fixed" any time soon.

Actually,

Hi,

First of all congrats on the parts! they're awesome!

I want to tell you all about what I'm planning to once and for all control the wobbliness of parts, in the best way possible.

My plan is to create a new type of part, called Strut Connector.

This part is different from the others so far, because it is a compound part. That is, once you place it (it will attach to the surface), you immediately get a second part to attach. That is Connector B.

So, once connectors A and B are in place, a truss will be created between them, allowing you to essentially strap any loose parts of your rocket.

This part also will detect any controlled separations, and jettison the truss when that happens. If the stage breaks off in an uncontrolled manner, they won't separate.

This could be in as soon as the update after this one.

Also, Fairings are planned as an official feature as well. They're a special set of parts, with a new set of attachment options, that will enable pacing them onto exposed parts like liquid engines. They can even be activated to break apart when it's time to expose whatever's inside it.

Cheers

From http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=79.0, last post first page. Hopefully goes in soon, this kills more of my rockets *shakefist*

[BloodBeard]

I've been trying to get to orbit with enough fuel to deorbit and decouple the command module with the smallest possible rocket.

Getting to orbit with the smallest rocket is actually pretty easy if you don't plan to deorbit and parachute with just the module. A command module, 3 fuel tanks and a LFR can do it easy enough, but i'm trying to do it with a parachute and decoupler added and it's proving to be very difficult, if not impossible. I've tried not dropping my nose untill exiting the atmosphere, dropping my nose at varying heights and amounts. The atmosphere is very thick, even at the outer most edge so it's difficult to get enough horizontal speed with the allotted fuel.

[Soulwynd]

Great news... Now I can make my super starfish rocket stop flapping its arms.

[Sensei]

Well, I've achieved an apparently elliptical orbit (don't know whether I can even get down) and seen the dark side of Kerbal! The stars are quite visible.


And... the BLACK HOLE! _{or just bad UV mapping}

[noah22223]

Damnit, I need help getting to orbit!

[Sensei]

It's not easy. In fact I seem to have passed the 700 km mark because I kept accelerating to account for decay when I was lower. Even having used the last little bit of fuel to thrust towards the planet. I think the Kermans have been lost to space forever. Playing minecraft for a while to see if they fall down.

Edit: Passed the thousand kilometer mark, units of altimeter changed to kilometers.

[Lightning4]

They might come down eventually, but I'm sure you're not willing to wait for like ten months to do it.

I had the same thing happen, except even worse since the poor guys bounced between 140 km and 37 km. Only 2 km away from the parachute taking effect and saving them.

[Sensei]

I'd activate the parachute and leave it, like, overnight. Except I'm worried that the parachute will vanish when it reaches the end of its parabola.

Edit: Topped out at 1540K. Parachute activated. Taking shower.

[BloodBeard]

Quick guide to getting into orbit:

Take a command module, add 3 fuel tanks, a LFR and nothing else. Not even SAS.

Takeoff at full thrust and keep your rocket pointed perfectly vertical. This will need alot of small adjustments without a SAS so keep your eye on the ball thingy. I forget what it's called.

At 25,000m pitch your nose all the way down to 0 degrees at the horizon line on the ball and hold it steady. This can be in any direction, I prefer to go east because i'm used to it in orbiter where going with the direction of the earths rotation help you achieve orbit. I don't think Kerbal rotates, but it would be a good feature.

Anyways When you reach 40,000m cut your engines. Now, keep your eye on the green/yellowish direction indicator circle on the ball. When that reaches 5 degrees, or just above the horizon line go full thrust and keep directed at the center of that circle untill you're around 2,300m/s and then cut engines. Congratulations, you just got into orbit with the smallest possible rocket. You should have enough fuel left over to de-orbit but you'll crash and die. de-orbit worthy spacecrafts need a bit more power.

Theres better ways to get into orbit then pitching your nose right from 90 to 0 but it's simple. With this I got an apoapsis of 64,000m and a periapsis of 42,000m but yours will probably vary.

If you drop your nose to 0 at 20,000m and have good control of your thrust and pitch you can achieve a near circular orbit at the very edge of space. (space beginning somewhere around 34,500m)


I've been doing some experimenting with thrust levels trying to optimize fuel consumption. These used a command module, 1 or 2 SAS modules and a LFR with 1 fuel tank.

1 SAS at 50% thrust: 28,166m in 2:46, top speed 415.2m/s

(This was the minimum thrust needed to get liftoff. For the 50% test I moved it down just after liftoff)
1 SAS at 62% thrust: 28,267m in 2:34, top speed 438.9m/s

1 SAS at 62% thrust, moved to 52% at half fuel: 28,607m in 2:37, top speed 426.3m/s

1 SAS at 75% thrust: 27,293m in 2:20, top speed: 455.9m/s

1 SAS at 100% thrust: 20,834m in 1:40, top speed: 456m/s



2 SAS at 62% thrust: 19,029m in 2:18, top speed 306.6m/s

2 SAS at 75% thrust: 19,116m in 2:08, top speed 327.8m/s

(This was also the minimum thrust needed to get liftoff, same deal as the other)
2 SAS at 75% thrust, moved to 65% at half fuel: 19,295m in 2:11, top speed 316m/s

2 SAS at 100% thrust: 16,275m in 1:32, top speed 364.3m/s

[Sensei]

I've gone back towards the planet, but it looks like I'm going to miss it again. These guys look like they're caught in eternal orbit.

[Fayrik]

Okay, haven't played the game. Considered it until I saw it's a bit unoptimized. Not sure if I wanna put that much stress on my computer. I might stick it on an older one if they can meet the requirements though.

But, err. If this really has proper Orbital mechanics then...

I've gone back towards the planet, but it looks like I'm going to miss it again. These guys look like they're caught in eternal orbit.

That's probably the worst way to get back into the atmosphere. A de-orbit burn is usually performed "Retrograde" for maximum fuel efficiency. Basically you need to fire the engines in the exact opposite way from the way you're travelling. That will slow you down so that you gently graze the atmosphere, where the air should then slow you anyway.
You'll probably hit the atmosphere too fast to actually re-enter on the first try, but at least you should be using less fuel to get back this way.
Oh, another big fuel saving tip. Watch your altimeter, after a couple of times around you should know roughly the highest point of your orbit (Aka: Apoapsis.). If you perform your de-orbit burn then, you will hit the atmosphere faster, but it will take much less fuel to get back into the atmosphere.

[Shadowlord]

Okay, haven't played the game. Considered it until I saw it's a bit unoptimized. Not sure if I wanna put that much stress on my computer. I might stick it on an older one if they can meet the requirements though.

But, err. If this really has proper Orbital mechanics then...

Well, gravity doesn't seem to be implemented properly. You can tell if you detach some heavier rockets from you, and don't turn yours back on, or if you detach light things from you and keep your main rocket really heavy. Heavy things are being affected by gravity more than light things, which isn't how gravity actually works in real life (In real life it depends only on your distance and the mass of the objects exerting their gravity on you - your own mass doesn't matter).

[Sensei]

Okay, haven't played the game. Considered it until I saw it's a bit unoptimized. Not sure if I wanna put that much stress on my computer. I might stick it on an older one if they can meet the requirements though.

But, err. If this really has proper Orbital mechanics then...

Well, gravity doesn't seem to be implemented properly. You can tell if you detach some heavier rockets from you, and don't turn yours back on, or if you detach light things from you and keep your main rocket really heavy. Heavy things are being affected by gravity more than light things, which isn't how gravity actually works in real life (In real life it depends only on your distance and the mass of the objects exerting their gravity on you).

I think that's because they have more drag (items DO have a drag coefficient, I've checked).