How to build an orbiter in career mode?

[Super_]

I can't seem to orbit Kerbin anymore no matter what I build. It either has little fuel and runs out or it too heavy and again runs out of fuel too early.

I don't want examples of ships as I can just build it and I won't have learned anything. I need a guide or something that can tell me if a ship will orbit or not and why.

[Operation40]

you'll need to learn about delta-V -- the "real" fuel gauge for space. It's really just a number.. you need about 3300 to orbit.. and I like 5500+ for a Mun landing (and return)

you can calculate it yourself, or get a mod like "KER" that gives you the number.
KER will also tell you your thrust/weight ratio (TWR).. since as you discovered already, if you keep adding fuel, you can't take off, TWR needs to be > 1

Then use a "delta-v" map to tell you what you could (theoretically) do with that number: https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/87463-13-community-delta-v-map-26-sep-29th/

ofc, it's just a ballpark, atmo drag and ineffecient burns cause losses

[Chibbity]

KER mod. (Kerbal Engineer Redux)

Will tell you your crafts DeltaV as you build it. (How far it can go.)

Compare that to a Dv map off Google for the Kerbin system and you'll know what bodies it can reach.

[Super_]

I don't see why that mod isn't in the base game as it seems really important

[Chibbity]

It's not like the game can't be played and beaten without it, but yeah; most players consider it a "must have" mod.

[Operation40]

i feel like a lot of players get stuck and this is the reason -- though I can understand others consider it like having everything handed to you.. for that reason, I think it makes sense as a difficulty option in a career game; enabled for easy, disabled for hard, or customize as you like

[Jupiter3927]

It's possible to calculate the dV of your rocket manually.
It's usually a lot of numbers being punched into a calculator though.
There are a couple different formulas to use too.

Guessing and reverting your flight works too but it gets frustrating after a while.

[Super_]

Finally got into orbit lol.

Also KSP is a game. It should do the calculations for you. If I wanted to calculate delta v for every failed rocket I'd become a physicist.

[Chibbity]

The reason I once heard quoted; was that "Lots of numbers scare players away."

While there is some truth to that, I think a at least a loose visual representation of Dv would be nice.

[Super_]

It's a game about rocket science. Adding a few helpful numbers won't scare any more people away.

[Chibbity]

You'd be surprised.

Lot's of people play this game with no interest in rocket science.

Players have put hundreds of hours in and never even left Kerbin.

[Manwith Noname]

Originally posted by Super_:

Also KSP is a game. It should do the calculations for you.

It might in 1.5. We will see.

[Operation40]

nasa very rarely talks about dv .. then gives units in miles/hour .. bugs the carp out of me

[doum]

When i first start the game i used to double mass between stage(2 to 2.5 time).

If i want to put a 5 tons ship in LKO with a 2 stages rocket.
i will put a 10 tons fuel tank and an engine for the stage bellow the 5 tons ship (2e stage). Ship now weight around 15 tons.
Then i put a 30 tons fuel tank bellow with an engine(1e stage). Final rocket mass is around 45 tons. Then its trial and error. i mostly tweak the first stage if i need more speed. Like adding more fuel and or engine. You will rapidly get use to build any rocket and need less tweaking on your design as you get experience.

That is one way of doing it without calculus. By the way i mostly build my rocket like that but i do make the calculus for delta v of the ship i put in LKO. For fun. Good luck.

Only place i didnt lift off is Eve. All other worlds have been done. So that method work fine.

[Jupiter3927]

I have an excel spreadsheet somewhere that spits out how many fuel tanks you would need for so much mass to have so much dV with this engine.
All the liquid fuel and oxidizer tanks have the same wet/dry ratio but the liquid fuel only tanks are special and don't all have the same ratio.
I think the smallest tank had the best ratio.

It's not hard to find dV or solve for how many fuel tanks you need.
You just need to know what you're doing, at least a little bit.

I would like to see something like KER in the stock game.
dV values are nice but having orbital information off the map screen is nice too.

[RoofCat]

just another weekly KER ad topic to me. Oh, god, what should I do. Could there be a mod for more numbers, that saves me? No shet, there is. Hallelujah!

Do you need calculator to drive a car?

KSP can be played by 10y.o. You do what works and avoid what doesn't. Increase or decrease. Power or mass. Progress as you go. As simple as that. Just do the training before to learn the major differences to 2D surface travel.

KSP was designed the way it was for a reason to not make it number focused. To have explosions and fun trying. Not professors discussing the influence of cos on orbital burns.
Because you know, KER only shows you theoretical limits for every stage in perfect circumstances. Not the real delta v you will use or anything.
Just rotate your launch engines upside down and see what KER suggests for your LKO success rate :D

KSP is like a field. It's your mind that builds the walls to feel at home and then asks for a door.