How to stop a rocket spinning in the air?

[Prawn]

Most times that I make a rocket, no matter how much I try, it spins when I try to turn it to get into an orbit. How do I resolve this issue?

[TotallyAverageGamer]

Try using fins near the base of every stage that will be below 45k meters

[The_Mell]

Fins at bottom, weight at top (like badminton ball), not too much speed (no mach effects) or too harsh steering (some degrees then wait for prograde to align with rocket orientation).

This problematic situation is known, quite common and therefore was asked&answered many times. A search would have brought up quite something regarding it. Just a hint for next time. ;)

Oh dear, i'm just happy that i don't drink alcohol or the KSP drinking game would have killed me by now...

[jhendriks87]

Like Capt. Odysseus says. Fins are the best and easiest solution. You can also try having a gimbaled engine powering your rocket (like the swivel engine), try to keep your CoM high in your rocket, do slow smooth movments rather than sharp turns (don't just try and flip to 45degrees at 40km, but rather start turning very slowly, early in your launch), keep the speed under 300m/s under 10km, Try adding more SAS units to your rocket design (I am assuming you are already activating SAS with T). So yeah there are a few things you can try. If none of these suggestions help at all please post a screenshot of your craft and we can help you out further.

[Ragnaman]

Have you ever shot an arrow from a bow, the shaft has fins on the rear of the shaft, for a reason;

The ship has a center of mass as well, in time you will learn what this all means...and it will be glorious.

[necrolok]

Originally posted by Festive Puerta:

Most times that I make a rocket, no matter how much I try, it spins when I try to turn it to get into an orbit. How do I resolve this issue?

I am there with you man. At first my "rockets", in the sense that they had an engine a fuel tank, would spin all around crash and everything in between, but in the end. You will be making good ones, or flying them atleast. If I may watch some Youtube videos, Bob Manley and some others and soon you will be there. I never would have imaged that I would be calculating Delta-V and doing "rocket science". It is all good and fun.

[Ragnaman]

Originally posted by necrolok:

Originally posted by Festive Puerta:

Most times that I make a rocket, no matter how much I try, it spins when I try to turn it to get into an orbit. How do I resolve this issue?

I am there with you man. At first my "rockets", in the sense that they had an engine a fuel tank, would spin all around crash and everything in between, but in the end. You will be making good ones, or flying them atleast. If I may watch some Youtube videos, Bob Manley and some others and soon you will be there. I never would have imaged that I would be calculating Delta-V and doing "rocket science". It is all good and fun.

Scott Manley

[Ogre420]

Hope this helps...

In the newest versions of the game high speeds and hard turns in atmo equals crashes.
NOTE: This applies to re-entry also.

For improved stability from launches in Ver. 1.0.+....

Add fins to BOTTOM centerline of EACH stage of your rocket that you expect to be firing below 45k.
(Make sure that they are NOT AIR BLOCKED by fairings or other stuff above.)
Fins on booster stages or fins that are NOT centerline are OK also, but remember that the fins drop off with the boosters.

Turn OFF all thrust vectoring from any firing engine in each stage that is NOT dead center (can be done in VAB)

If you are seeing MACH EFFECTS (The white speed lines around the rocket) throttle back if you can until they disappear.

The nav ball has a flying "V" with a DOT dead center that shows where the rocket is POINTED.
The PROgrade marker (Circle with 3 lines around the outside in a cross pattern) shows where the craft is GOING.
To be safe make sure that the DOT in the flying "V" does NOT go past the ends of those lines on the outside of the PROgrade marker during your grav turn.

SAS and RCS can help keep the craft stable durring the grav turn, extra SAS units can be added (and dropped) with booster stages. If you add RCS JUST for the stability assist during launch, place the monoprop tanks/RCS thrusters where they can be ditched as you reach orbit.

If you are launching with solid rockets as your main boosters around a liquid engine, add a bit more fuel and have the liquid engine firing at low throttle for the thrust vectoring during the SRB's burn.

All rockets and launches are different but as a rule of thumb...
Get to 150 m/s as fast as possible then a slow throttle up to 200 m/s at 10k.
From 10k to 20k a slow throttle up to 350 m/s.
From 20k to 30k a slow throttle up to 500 m/s.
After 30k it's usually safe to floor it and go max throttle.

NOTE: most people will say that these speeds/altitudes are off, these numbers are just to get you started in the new version, as you gain experiance with the new versions adjust to your own playing style.

[Ragnaman]

I just blaze it !

[Prawn]

Thanks guys you have been very kind and helpful

[necrolok]

Originally posted by Ragnaman:

Originally posted by necrolok:

I am there with you man. At first my "rockets", in the sense that they had an engine a fuel tank, would spin all around crash and everything in between, but in the end. You will be making good ones, or flying them atleast. If I may watch some Youtube videos, Bob Manley and some others and soon you will be there. I never would have imaged that I would be calculating Delta-V and doing "rocket science". It is all good and fun.

Scott Manley

Woops, sorry about that I put both names together..

Bob Fitch

and

Scott Manley

[Operation40]

always mind your prograde mark -- even an arrow will flip end-over-end if you tried to angle it to the horizon line while its prograde path was 45+ degrees; it's like holding it flat against the wind.

[NFSPredator]

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/106190-why-does-my-fliping-rocket-always-flip-over-easy-picture-explanation/

This is a very good explanation with pictures.Tip:To see where your center of mass will shift as the fuel is being burned,while you are building a rocket,enable center of mass indicator so you can see where it is on the rocket and then right click on the fuel tanks and drag the fuel bar(reduce fuel in the tanks).You will see the center of mass moving and you will know where it will be when the fuel is spent.Position of the center of mass is very important in atmosphere among other things :)

Another thing I did was disable the fuel intake from upper tanks,so that the engine spends fuel from the bottom tanks first.That way COM won't shift too far down and create more leverage for the drag on the upper parts to flip it over.You can do this by clicking on a tank and pressing a little button on the right side of the fuel/oxy bars