How to do Asparagus Staging!

In this easy and simple guide I lead you, the reader/ KSP Architect through the basics of Asparagus Staging!

Introduction

So in this easy and simple tutorial, I, Michaelmillion, will instruct you, the designer of a ship, the basics and concepts of the term known as Asparagus Staging.

But what is Asparagus Staging? Let's find out!

Part 1: The concept of "Asparagus Staging"

So what is Asparagus Staging, you ask? Well actually, it's very simple. Asparagus Staging is where a ship has atleast 4 thruster/engines (we won't go over more than 4 in this tutorial) that are staged and, one after another, decoupled or "booted off" from the rocket. In turn, they support each other while also making the ship rise after losing the weight to go higher. Each of the 4 have their own thrusters and fuel pipes to help the ship progress.

Now just typing that made me confused! Let's go into detail through these next few steps.

Part 2: Creating a Ship to use Asparagus Staging

This part is NOT required to read as I am just creating everything ABOVE the actual staging. There is no purpose to this ship such as going to the Mun or anything, but really just to show how to get the top part of the ship. So please, skip over this section if you are not interested in me making this ship. But, if you are interested in this simple design, please continue.

So, with all ships, let's just give it a cool cockpit!

After that, why not grab an Advance SAS Unit? I prefer the large one for this cockpit.

Next, let snag a RCS tank, again, the large one.

Then put some RCS thrusters on the corner ot the cockpit...

And that should do it for the top of our ship! Well cockpit, but wait! There's one more thing I forgot...

PARACHUTES! Just to be safe.

Well there we go!

Now onto just a couple of tanks and a "Skipper" thruster..

Okay! Now just one more decoupler and then we can move onto the next section!

Part 3: The Staging

So we have just about everything ABOVE the Staging, but now it's time for what you all have been waiting for!

That's right,

THE ASPARAGUS STAGING!

So first, lets add one of those 64x Orange Jumbo Tanks. Also, a "Mainsail" Thruster.

But now is where it is the MOST important for you to PAY ATTENTION! If you haven't been doing so up until this point, it's fine, but this is where it's time to snap up and look!

On one side of the tank, add a Radial Decoupler with Symmetry set to TWO! Not four, TWO!!!

Then, place more jumbo tanks on them, also set to TWO! And once again, TWO more "Mainsails".

There is the first part to Asparagus, and now we do the exact same thing on the other side but MAKE SURE IT IS SET TO TWO! Like shown in the pretty pictures above.

(Just a tip, try to make the tanks as close to symmetrical as possible, even if they are seperated.)

Next comes the part where you have to decide which tanks will fall first and STICK TO THAT PLAN!

For example, look at my staging, you can hover over the decouplers to see which will drop first. The thrusters can launch together, but the decouplers must be in different stages.

So, whichever tanks drop first, go to propulsion and drag a fuel cable from the first-dropped to the other which will drop second.

And by the way, make sure it is set to TWO!

Now drag a fuel line from the second-dropped tank to the center tank, and you're done!

Just make sure your staging is set right and you're ready to take off!

Conclusion and End Notes

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this tutorial on Asparagus Staging, a highly effective and in some ways simple method of getting thie biggest bang for your, um, fuel? But anyways, this was my first guide for any Steam game and I would HIGHLY appreciate it if you left some feedback in the comments or even favoriting it! Thank you and may your ship soar ever higher!

[zeeb]

I might've missed it, but you should perhaps mention as to the benefits of using the Asparagus staging in relation to the other ones. What makes it better etc.

[Cringe Lizard]

It's an older guide, but it still checks out. Thanks for the help!

[Kaiser Mikael]

Like I made this back when I was 13... it's pretty horrible lol

[=WW= Rebel]

i found it even though it is 4 years old :)

[Kaiser Mikael]

Fellas fellas.... I made this 4 years ago. Why anybody has found this again is beyond my ability to comprehend xD

[JDPhoenix]

i used this in my biggest rocket, the atmosphere annihilater, you can check it out on my screenshots ;)

[【 Katie 】]

instructions unclear
when i staged it went back to kerbin in seconds

[thenixieproject]

Instructions unclear, dick stuck in asparagus

[Kaiser Mikael]

That's good advice!

[Raylor47]

If you're trying to lift a bigger load, this method works with 6 tanks too, jujst make sure you're using the mainstall engine (if you're using no mods, i don't know what kind of engine mods there are) ah and, for me they start to rotate mid launch so a few fins work a treat! I learned how to do this watching a playthrough on youtube, but this is a great guide good job!