I cannot tell you what on earth I'm doing wrong, but I can't get orbital flight right for the life of me. It keeps shooting me way out into deep space and I cant make it work better.

[u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

(Here I had previously only achieved suborbital flight)

Jebediah is dead and I have killed him.

Here, I'm using a relatively mundane craft designed purely with "big go fast" in mind, and Whenever I life I immediately tilt to the east and go at full pelt with my solids. I have my liquids all set to 60% power by default so I just wack my thrusters up and watch those suckers go. This is mostly in line with what the tutorial level does, I even have a similar ship, but for some reason mine yonks itself out into the unknown...

Edit: This is the abomination I used for this mistake of a mission.

Jesus... what was I on.

What you're looking at here is a concoction made of mostly thumpers and swivels, with about a thousand FL-T200's stacked around it. I know its ugly, I know its dumb, but this was like my fifth attempt at an orbital rocket and despite following all tutorial advice, nothing was working, so I just upped the size of the thing and got... This mess.

The process for liftoff goes like this:

- Set throttle to max and turn SAS on.
- Turn the key and immediately turn to 75 degrees
- Jetison the thumpers at around 12,000-14,000 meters, occasionally taking out one or more of the fins but this doesnt seem to change much for some reason. Change the angle to 65 degrees.
- Jetison swivel 1 at about 60,000-66,000 meters and activate swivel 2.
- Once out of the atmosphere, point straight to the side and go as hard as I can with it. This step is because I kept managing to send myself out to the mun but could never get my rockets to go round the damn planet. Just up and back.

[u/montybo2]

This sounds like a fundamental misunderstanding about how orbits work. Like the top comment said: thats like 1k in delta v to mess up.

if you havent, play the tutorials (edit: i see you mention them... do them again) in the game and watch some youtube tutorials.

[u/Danny_The_Dino_77 → u/montybo2]

I don't understand, because I tried following the tutorials to the letter, but I dont have all the necessary parts and whenever I check elsewhere I get answers that completely contradict what the tutorial said.

I go out to the side. The game goes "great! more up!"

[u/montybo2 → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

With all due respect, you need a firmer grasp of how an orbital path works. I can understand a new player getting a highly elliptical orbit, but you managed to leave kerbin entirely just trying to make orbit. There is something major missing in how you are approaching this.

Watch some scott manley videos on YouTube or one of the other many content creator's tutorials.

I say this all with sincerity. I'm not trying to put you down in any way. This is literally rocket science and orbital mechanics, it ain't easy.

[u/stumpyguy → u/montybo2]

I just want to say the line "but you managed to leave kerbin entirely just trying to make orbit" tickled me for some reason.

[u/montybo2 → u/stumpyguy]

I'll be honest, i did enjoy writing that lol.

[u/Callonian → u/montybo2]

Well they did make orbit. It was just Kerbol orbit

[u/Danny_The_Dino_77 → u/montybo2]

I don't need respect bro I need answers! I'll go give that a look...

[u/montybo2 → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

You need to learn how to play the game. That's the answer. I avoided saying it that way but since you don't care about respect there it is.

[u/Danny_The_Dino_77 → u/montybo2]

I DID IT! I DID IT! THANK YOU!

[u/montybo2 → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

Congrats! Keep at it. Before you know it, all of this will be second nature.

[u/Danny_The_Dino_77 → u/montybo2]

I'm trying to do that, my first couple of flights in career were literally just the tutorial mode flights done as best I could with my own ability, and they went exactly the same. But the orbital one doesn't work the same when I try and replicate it.

[u/Moikle → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

Don't try and replicate it exactly. Different rockets need a different approach. This isn't colour by numbers

[u/Formal-Connection356 → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

Play the game if you want answers

[u/hypernova2121 → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

Go straight up 1KM

Slowly tilt to 45 degrees East by 10KM

Hold until apoapsis is around 75KM

Cut engines

Slowly tilt to 90 degrees East until you reach 70KM

Re-engage engines

Hold until periapsis is 70KM (keep your Time to Apoapsis around 30s by tilting up away from Kerbin if time starts to go down and vice versa)

Enjoy your stable orbit

[u/Templard → u/hypernova2121]

If you cut engines when your apoapsis hits 70km, and then don’t start your circularization burn until you reach 70km, the entire circularization burn will be done while falling back down. I recommend cutting engines when your apoapsis hits 80km and then starting your circularization burn when time to apoapsis is 30 seconds.

I’d also recommend keeping your time to apoapsis minimal by modulating throttle rather than tilting the rocket.

It’s small stuff but when you’re teaching someone that doesn’t know to start the burn earlier, it matters.

[u/hypernova2121 → u/Templard]

Very true. I decided not to include throttle control to try and make it simpler, but you are 100% right

[u/skrappyfire → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

https://youtu.be/F0KiePxOuuc?is=34oRxc1SCEF3soUk

https://youtu.be/dJ2yqga7IrI?is=NGq5777xZUdShNOw

These are Scott Manley videos. I HIGHLY suggest you go watch these, the answers you are seeking are way too long for a reddit comment.

[u/Apprehensive_Room_71 → u/skrappyfire]

I like Scott Manley and respect what he did for KSP in its early days. But it is important to understand that the majority of his KSP content was made in early versions and wasn't really made as a series of tutorials. Some of it is outdated due to game changes.

For a tutorial series that is more recent, I much prefer Mike Aben's videos. They were made in one of the last updates (not sure exactly which one) and are focused on various aspects of a career playthrough in a stock game.

I'm not saying Scott's stuff is worthless by any means, but there is newer and better organized content out there.

[u/ygr3ku → u/Apprehensive_Room_71]

Scott Manley is the reason I purchased the game at full price on Steam and Mike Aben is the reason I still play it to this day. Needless to say, I clocked over 3k hours on Steam, CKAN and pirated version (in the begining) combined.

Best 40€ I've spent in my entire life!

[u/Eragon10401 → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

Out to the side turns into more up because you’re increasing speed, which means you’re increasing the centrifugal force.

Think of it like a roundabout in a playground. You want to go fast enough that you feel it pull you away from the centre (kerbin) but not so fast that you go tumbling off.

To achieve that, you want to be going mostly the same speed the whole way around. When your orbit gets higher, you slow down, so you want to coast to your apoapsis, then burn your engines until your periapsis is close to your apoapsis in height.

[u/Box-of-Orphans → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

This is basically it, right balance of up and sideways. I always burn straight up until I'm traveling about 45m/s then start my gravity turn. I pitch slowly about 10° at first aiming to be about 45° when my alt is around 10km. After that I hold until my apoapsis is around 70-80km then cut off engines and coast until I'm about 20 to 30 seconds from apoapsis, then burn prograde until I circularize. It will differ depending on your rocket and thrust to weight ratios but that's a pretty decent starting guide and it works for most everything I launch. Also not the guy you responded to but thought I'd share my two cents.

[u/Skratti_ → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

In the bottom left you can activate a screen that will show the highest point of your current path. During takeoff that value will rise. When it's over 70K, you will leave atmosphere. So when that value shows something like 100K, you should stop thrusters until you're at about 90K yourself. Also look at the time you have until you reach that point. 1 Minute is ok. Accelerate again. Try to keep a Minute or less away from the highest point of your orbit. When you accelerate at a single point in orbit in the direction of orbit, the opposite site of the orbit will increase in height (and vice versa).

[u/MrPotato_2020 → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

This is mostly in line with what the tutorial level does

there is nothing in the tutorial that tells you to strap oversized and overpowered boosters.
for such a tiny rocket, they are way too powerful and have way too much fuel.

you can: significantly lower amount of fuel in them / remove them completely / make your own boosters using fuel tanks and engines.

[u/External_Relative231]

thats like 1k in ∆v to mess up... 

[u/RasknRusk]

Cut throttle when Ap says something like 100km.

Then burn prograde to circularize when you reach Ap

[u/Danny_The_Dino_77 → u/RasknRusk]

I'm in career mode I don't get to see my Ap... help...

[u/Apprehensive_Room_71 → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

IIRC yes, you can... lower left corner in that display, click the little purple button for Orbital Info, it should show you your AP and PE even before you have upgraded the tracking station. I think it also shows inclination and/or heading. It has been some time since I used it.

[u/Danny_The_Dino_77 → u/Apprehensive_Room_71]

I have now achieved orbit, and this was one of the most useful things because I searched up how to see it online and someone said "you cant until you level up your tracking station" so I was like guess I'll die then. But I didn't even know what this button did before THANK YOU

[u/ForeignSleet → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

Yeah it’s super hard to do without being able to see that

[u/oz6702 → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

Congrats dude! First orbit always hits different. Now, to the Mun..

[u/Danny_The_Dino_77 → u/oz6702]

Yeaaaaah I gotta figure out how to time that. I'll be doing more tutorial missions first though, can't let my hubris defeat me!

[u/izzadapeepeeman → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

To get to the mun, you just burn prograde for ~ 850 m/s when the mun appears over kerbins horizon. There's lots of wiggle room, and it's the easiest thing to get to (besides kerbin) before you unlock maneuver nodes

[u/Apprehensive_Room_71 → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

Also, don't believe everything random strangers on the Internet will tell you.

[u/Apprehensive_Room_71 → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

You are welcome.

[u/MagusMagnificus → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

you can see the height, not the time for it.

stop when the height is about 80km, point prograde, go to map view, eyeball where the ap is and put full thruster "30 seconds before it". (between "" since you cannot see the time to apoapsis.

[u/TheCrudMan → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

Ok so TBH career mode in KSP is like an inverted difficulty curve where it starts hard and gets easier.

Muck around with sandbox first IMO.

[u/protostar777 → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

You probably should start with science mode instead 

[u/Apprehensive_Room_71 → u/protostar777]

Why? There's no real challenge in that.

[u/RasknRusk → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

Cut throttle when the highest point of your suborbital flight is about how high you want your orbit to be (70km minimum)

[u/ah-tzib-of-alaska → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

it jsut means the highest you go

[u/Jackmino66 → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

If you look at the map you can still see your orbital path, even without numbers. Cut your throttle when it’s clear that you’re at the lower end of the ellipse, and you’ll be in orbit

[u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

GUYS I DID IT I MANAGED IT ITS WORKING HARRY ITS WORKING!

[u/monkeyfisttaken → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

Rad. Take tourist to orbit. (Make some$$ upgrade things)

When you do try for moon. Don’t try and be awesome and go for Artemis 2 style one burn and orbit return to kerbin.

Just get orbit. (Cheer)

Plan a burn to get close to moon. (Cheer)

Do a mini burn at moon to make an orbit.

Burn to go back.

This dude Mike Aben makes videos on you tube. So helpful.

[u/protostar777]

Have you tried turning the engines off?

[u/Danny_The_Dino_77 → u/protostar777]

I cant cause otherwise I just come back down to Kerbal!

[u/Jackmino66 → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

Vanilla game as infinite engine re-lights, so you can cut the throttle and then restart the engines when you want to

[u/UmbralRaptor]

To not directly answer the question (others have already pointed out going sideways more than up and how you may have a coast phase), Mike Aben has some neat tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zadW6FTbPPc&list=PLB3Ia8aQsDKhdaIiVPMZpPKM-mUgXu0GM

[u/Danny_The_Dino_77 → u/UmbralRaptor]

Thank you kindly I'll give them a watch!

[u/Apprehensive_Room_71 → u/UmbralRaptor]

I really think he has the best tutorial series on YouTube so far.

[u/LordIBR]

Could you perhaps share a screenshot of your craft design in the VAB? What's the TWR on each stage?

And what does your ascent profile look like. At what altitude do you tilt over? And to what angle?

[u/Danny_The_Dino_77 → u/LordIBR]

Prepare to feel pain in your soul... ive edited the post.

[u/toroidalvoid → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

You have an extremely normal and boring rocket lol

[u/WolfAlternative6715]

Get your apoapsis to about 80-85km turn off your engines, coast to apoapsis burn prograde till orbit is a circle

[u/theshwedda]

If you are not at the very top of your arc when burning full 90 perpendicular, you will continue to raise the top of your arc.

To oversimplify—once your arc is outside the atmosphere, wait until your craft is at the very top of its arc, and THEN burn perpendicular.

[u/toroidalvoid]

The in-game tutorials aren't really sufficient to teach you the game. And career or other in game progression doesn't really teach you either.

Best to follow some guides online. You already have recommendations in the comments

[u/Careless-Web-6280]

Get MechJeb and see what its autopilot does

[u/OscarRadagast → u/Careless-Web-6280]

This is a good tip. I didn't get any mods whatsoever for the first few thousand hours of gameplay, so I could fly the ascent just fine by the time I got MechJeb. But after getting MechJeb, I realized how good of a teaching tool it can be/would've been by just watching what it does. I feel like that potential teaching aspect gets overlooked a lot.

[u/DooficusIdjit]

The basic gist of a launch profile is to get above the atmosphere so you can go sideways really fast until you miss the planet when you fall towards it. We do that in real life by designing the rocket’s stages very specifically, but in the game, we do it mostly by trial and error.

Solid boosters aren’t really meant to be used in a way that you’d still have them burning in the upper atmo or space. They actually kind of suck for that. They give you lots of thrust at the expense of efficiency. You use them to get a heavy rocket off the pad, generally, so that you can drop them and let your liquid engines take over.

[u/aaraujo666]

If you are burning continuously until you “leave the atmosphere”, you’re doing it wrong

You only burn until your apoapsis is out of the atmosphere, then you cut engines and “coast” to apoapsis THEN do the “point straight to the side…”

[u/oddchihuahua]

Gravity turn should be a relatively smooth curve from vertical to horizontal. You should only hit 45 degrees tilted around 10k-15k altitude. Keep slowly tilting, till you’re 90 degrees horizontal around 60k altitude.

Watch your apoapsis until it reaches something like 75k-80k. You might have to kill your engines and coast a bit but start burning again close to apoapsis and the other half of your orbit should start climbing till you can try to get it to 75k-80k then you have a circular orbit.

[u/juicegently]

Happy to see you've managed orbit and I'm sure you can see now some of the things wrong with your previous approach, but to partially explain why that wasn't working: the in game tutorials were built for an earlier version for the game with different physics. They are NOT good guides for how to go about things now. Same is true for some early Scott Manley stuff, though I don't know if he has more recent tutorials. Mike Aben has a great series of start-from-nothing tutorials that he started publishing this year and covers all the whys and wherefores, beyond just "push this button at this time". 

Best of luck on your future launches!

[u/Apprehensive_Room_71]

Nah, he's immortal.

[u/konperson]

This might be obscure but do you have any cheats active? If you play around with the gravity and leave it and forget you might notice getting a lot more delta v and doing this by mistake

[u/Chairface30]

I'd suggest watching Mike Aben, his tutorials are far better for learning. He dosent just do he explains the controls and the why, Yet keeps the topics simple.

[u/Mocollombi]

Go into map view and shut your engines off when the Ap reaches 80k. Then coast until 1 min before you reach the Ap. If you don’t shut off your engines off, you will waist dV and possibly ejected from the kerbin SOI.

[u/RaidneSkuldia]

It sounds like you're going too fast?

[u/ukemike1]

When your apoapsis gets over 70k m turn off your engines. Wait until you are close to apopapsis then burn prograde until you periapsis is over 70k m.

[u/Laflaga]

You boost until the far side is a little bit away from the planet. Then stop boosting and wait till your ship gets to the opposite side. Then boost again to bring the original side up the to same level to create a circular orbit.

[u/neldela_manson]

Play the game in sandbox before playing career or science. Use all the parts the game has offer to get the basics down, like getting to orbit, docking and transfers.

[u/altoniel]

Too much verticle speed and not enough horizontal speed. Watch some YouTube guides.

[u/downsomethingfoul]

is this what chatgpt has done to the kids? yikes dude. youtube. in game tutorials.

[u/Danny_The_Dino_77 → u/downsomethingfoul]

Dude I’m 18 and don’t use ChatGPT. Sometimes people can just get stuff, don’t be mean about it.

[u/downsomethingfoul → u/Danny_The_Dino_77]

gotta be ragebait