Overview
Hello Kerbineer![Outdated Note] This guide is out of date in terms of flying mechanics (lower end of the guide) but building should be the same. I see that you are interested in going to space. I welcome thee. To my guide. I will explain a basic process for getting up there and best of all, it’s demo comaptible meaning that you can use this guide in the demo version as well.
Basic Introduction
If you a reading this, you are fully capable of understanding the description of this guide and what I will be discussing. This guide will utilize images to guide you through. Note that throughout the guide, my images and parts in the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building) may look totally different from yours. This is OK, I own KSP in all it’s $40 glory and the most up-to-date files. I also have some (ok maybe alot) of mods installed. Don’t let that get in your way. I will only use and talk about parts available to ALL users. Not just KSP owners. Who knows yout might end up like this:
Welcome To KSP Engineering
So, in order to get to space, there is one very vital and fundamental step to anyone who will play this game or build a rocket. Let’s just say that without this step, you ain’t flyin’ no rocket. Let’s go build a rocket shall we.
First, go ahead and open up the VAB (the tall building). Note that mine looks different than some of yours becuase you may be using the demo. This is where you will be building eveything in KSP except spaceplanes, which this tutorial doesn’t cover becuase I can’t fly one of those worth poop.
Building Our Rocket
Now to the building. You see the parts list on the left and you may have noticed, I have TONS of parts. Not only is my game modded, but as I said earlier, I own the full game. Don’t be scared, this is perfectly normal.
Now, the first part you’re going to want to add is the command pod. Since you demo users only have one, go ahead and throw it in there by clicking on it. Note that the very first piece in any rocket will always snap into position in the dead center of the screen. Every part after will need to be placed by you.
Now, we will need to add a parachute for when we return to Kerbin. Remember, we are only going to space and we will return. If we don’t have a parachute, and since most of use dont have the engine power or fuel to create a retro-thruster for counter Delta-V, we are just going to slap on a Mk16 Parachute under the utility tab here.
Now, when you are in orbit, you want control of your craft right? We dont want to be hurdling around in an out-of-control motion. Some of you who have gone ahead and checked out the specs on all of the parts may have noticed that the Command pod has its own stability system called SAS (Stability Augmentation System). However, in your future endeavours, you will need more than this can provide. So I’m here to show you what to do. Slap in the only stabalizer that will fit and then we’ll move on. Stabalizers are located under the stability tab.
Now we can add a decoupler for when our mid-stag fuel tank runs out (of course this wont matter but I’ll need to show you eventually). Under the structure tab, there are 2 types of decouplers, chose the round one, this is a stack decoupler and it goes in the middle of the craft.
Now you can add the first fuel tank. This will be our mid-stage section that can be used to further launch us into orbit, or make our orbit better, whatever the heck you desire to do with it. Put the half size tank on there.
Next, we need an engine or else that fuel in the tank is going to slow our ascent just sitting in there because of mass. Yes…welcome to KSP: real life physics, in a game. Engines are located under the engines tab (or the fuel tanks/propulsion tab for demo users).
Throw in another decoupler to separate stages and then add on a second fuel tank under that. This new fuel tank is the standard “FL” series size, and the largest tank available to demo users.
Add a half size fuel tank like the one under the decoupler for the command pod; under that previously added tank and slap another engine like before on it. Next, we add on radial decouplers, which is the second type of decoupler. Press the “X” key 3 times to turn symmetry on to x4. This will add 3 more decouplers onto each side equally relative to the one you place.
Now we add “MOAR BOOSTERS”. Go back to where we grabbed the engines and slap on 4 “Hammer” boosters. To those using the demo, these are the only boosters you get. Make sure that when you are attaching, that you place them ON THE RADIAL DECOUPLERS. It won’t work without it!
Now for some aerodynamics. Luckly the demo version features these parts. Put on some aerodynamic nose cones from under the aerodynamics tab like so:
Then, using symmetry, throw on some winglets for advanced ascent stability.
Now, our rocket is pretty much ready for launch. We can now add some launch stabalizers from the structure tab on there so that our craft doesn’t fall over on the launchpad.
Now go up and enter a name in the top center so we know what craft it is:
Save it in the upper right corner next to the “new” and “open” buttons.
But wait! I forgot something very very important! We need to change our stack order! Notice the list of part events in the bottom right side of the screen.
Adjust it like mine here so that all the engines on the lower stage fire at once and that the launch stabalizer release the rocket. The decouplers for the engines also need to be the stage that decouples next after launch. Everything else should be fine. The list can be changed by dragging elements.
Now, we can launch…whew. Click save button again and then hit that green launch button.
Getting Into Space (Return Orbit)
Hit “T” while on the launchpad to enable SAS systems and raise the throttle for the liquid engine by holding “L-Shift” until the needle on the left side of the nav-ball is at the top.
^^This image, I havn’t raised throttle yet, but in the next image you will see the needle is at the top.
Now PRESS SPACE TO LAUNCH!
See here that we are in flight and accelerating rapidly. Note that in the following images, there will be a green notice on some of them talking about aerodynamics overlay: you need not worry about that as it is an effect from pressing my ‘take screenshot” button. It has no effect on flight. You may notice that in some there are lines coming from the engines, that is the effect of enabling the overlay.
When our boosters have run out, if you ordered the list correctly, you can press SPACE to decouple them. If you didn’t, something else will happen; probably bad. Press Esc (Esacpe) and click revert to VAB and fix the problem. After that, go ahead and relaunch.
Once we reach 10,000 meters, we can begin whats called a gravity turn. Press “D” to turn the craft until the marker reaches the line marked 90 (between the blue top and the orange/blue divide). Keep the craft there. If the rocket does a flip, press “A” and re-stabalize the craft.
Press “M” to view the orbital map and our current orbital trajectory (path we are going). You should see a blue line extending from Kerbin.
Pretty soon, we are going to have to ditch that stage. Once it burns out, press SPACE to decouple. Press space again to fire off the next stage and continue our ascent to space.
Just checking the map again:
In the above images, i over shot my mark just for the heck of it. You can press “X” to terminate the engine’s burn and stop the ascent or simply turn the vessel to alter orbit, or just continue to burn until it goes out. This vessel isn’t strong enough to get into an LKO or HKO (Low-Kerbin Orbit or High-Kerbin Orbit) which is a stable, non-returning orbit.
Eventually the stage will burn out and hopefully, if you’ve done everything correctly, you will hear music, or you will hear it pretty soon, this means that you’ve past the 70k meter mark. Welcome to SPACE!
Being In Space & Returning to Kerbin
Now that we are in space, there is nothing to do until our command pod re-enters Kerbin’s atmosphere. If you havn’t done so, go ahead and empty out that fuel tank and hit space to decouple and get rid of it. now you should only have a Command Pod and a stabalizer along with your parachute.
Once you hear the music stop suddenly, or see that you go beneath 70,000 meters in height, hit space to enable the parachute if it isnt already. You will know by the color change in the staging list on the bottom left.
Eventually, the parachute will shoot out and you will float gently to the ground. This is where my tutorial ends.
Conclusion
I must say, It has been fun, and I enjoy this game. If you had fun flying stuff and getting into space, go ahead and play around more.
There is much to do like go to the Mun, or Minmus (Kerbin’s moons). Im fairly sure that the demo can take you to the Mun, but maybe not Minmus. I highly recommend this game, and if you don’t own it, i suggest that you buy it as soon as possible before the price rises again.
I know that the full version allows you to:
- Get TONS AND TONS of MOAR BOOSTERS and parts.
- Go to new places with new parts
- Play career and gain science
- Land rovers
- Build space stations
- Do so much, much, more.
As of right now, when this guide was finished, KSP had just release the 1.0.2 update and is on sale for 25% off.
Hope this has been helpful and I wish to see you guys go far into the cosmos.
Happy flights,
-“Hitler Wasnt A Christian”
-“SkyeRangerDelta”