kerbal space program how to plot a course

by Izabella Green 5 min read

How do I create a Kerbal Space Program tutorial?

Feel free to check out the Kerbal Space Program Media Page for tutorials, channels, and other videos exploring what you can do in KSP. To create your own tutorial, start with Tutorial:Template. When adding to the Category:Tutorials add the name of the tutorial (like in the template) to sort the pages without the prefix Tutorial: .

Where can I find a tutorial for KSP?

Feel free to check out the Kerbal Space Program Media Page for tutorials, channels, and other videos exploring what you can do in KSP. To create your own tutorial, start with Tutorial:Template.

How do I get into Kerbin orbit?

Wait until your periapsis (pe) is above 70km and then cut the throttle (X key). If you go past the apoapsis while doing your Orbital Insertion, use the A key and tilt your ship to the left until the apoapsis is ahead of you. You are now in Kerbin Orbit!

How to de-orb in Kerbin's atmosphere?

Try to save as much fuel as possible when de-orbiting so you can use it to slow yourself down in Kerbin's atmosphere. Pro Tip: You can aerobrake on all planets with an atmosphere. If you put your periapsis inside the atmosphere of a planet, the atmosphere will help you slow yourself down and save fuel.

How do you set maneuver nodes in KSP?

Adding a maneuver node Click on the vessel's orbital line and a popup will give the option to add a new maneuver node. Once created, selecting and right-clicking the node gives the option to delete it. If the maneuver node has been passed, selecting it immediately puts it in "delete" mode.

How do I use navigation in KSP?

In case of survey missions, selecting one of the marks opens a short check window, clicking on the Activate Navigation activates the navigation system and targets the chosen location. The deactivation of the chosen target goes on same way. There is only one location can be targeted in the same time, naturally.

How do you get maneuvers in KSP?

0:318:20KSP 1.12 Maneuver Tool Tutorial: How to Get from Here to ThereYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTool over here select minmus as my destination. And then the create option becomes available. So iMoreTool over here select minmus as my destination. And then the create option becomes available. So i will select create.

Is KSP easy to learn?

Even though Kerbal Space Program is a challenging game to play, it doesn't mean players need to play it in the most difficult setting. So, new players do well in starting the game on a lower difficulty setting since it'll give them leeway if they make a mistake.

What does activating navigation do KSP?

Activate Navigation to a Launchsite will target the chosen location and add a navigation mark in the NavBall. Players will be able to activate this feature from the Map View at any time.

How do I use SAS in KSP?

The system can be toggled with (by default) the T key and temporarily switched by holding down the F key (for example, if SAS is on, holding F will turn it off, and releasing F will turn it back on). The current state of the SAS system is shown by a blue light on the navball.

How do you build a Mun lander in KSP?

1:2016:07How to do your FIRST MUN LANDING! KSP Tutorial (Science Mode)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo just another stage below the lander of the same fuel tank with the same engine the Terrier. AndMoreSo just another stage below the lander of the same fuel tank with the same engine the Terrier. And then add two of the bigger fuel tanks with a swivel engine.

How do Kerbals gain XP?

Gaining XP requires a kerbal to do something new, namely flybys, orbits, landings and planting a flag at a planet or moon, with the latter offering more. Repeat missions do not yield more experience and planting a flag will give all experience for the previous things, you don't get more for doing them separately.

How do you rendezvous in KSP?

0:029:14How to Rendezvous and Dock in Kerbal Space Program - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou can find the center of mass by pressing this button in the vab. Then you can place the thrustersMoreYou can find the center of mass by pressing this button in the vab. Then you can place the thrusters using quad radial symmetry for perfect rcs.

Is KSP good for kids?

I recommend KSP to all people who like science and rockets, I think it is best for kids that are 11 and up, just because it takes a while to learn and might be hard for younger kids to understand, but kids that are 11 and up should be able to manage the game if they are really interested in physics and things like that ...

Why is KSP so complicated?

But since Kerbal Space Program is rooted in real physics, things get hard. The game calculates a LOT of stuff all the time when you play. It takes the aerodynamics and air resistance into play when you try to fly. It simulates your rocket's center of mass, and if that is offset it might tilt.

How realistic is KSP?

What sets Kerbal Space Program apart is that it's heavily based in science fact rather than science fiction, using a physics simulation that's as realistic as its developers can manage with only the power of a home computer.

Real life missions

The high level of realism in Kerbal Space Program allows to recreate historical, current and future missions of human spaceflight. These missions start simple and become gradually more complex, so they are a great way to learn KSP.

Stubs

These tutorials aren't completely finished yet. You can help to complete them.

Video tutorials

Feel free to check out the Kerbal Space Program Media Page for tutorials, channels, and other videos exploring what you can do in KSP.

Creating New Tutorials

To create your own tutorial, start with Tutorial:Template. When adding to the Category:Tutorials add the name of the tutorial (like in the template) to sort the pages without the prefix Tutorial: .

10 Science Mode Is A Great Place To Learn

If you're a complete novice to rocket building (as most of us are) then Science Mode might sound intimidating, but it's actually the ideal place to start. This game mode gives you unlimited funds for your missions, meaning you can focus on rocket launches and not running a successful space enterprise.

9 You Won't Go To Space Immediately

In both Career and Science Mode, you have to unlock rocket components and upgrades as you progress. That means you'll start out with the most basic items available and those are pretty unlikely to get you to space. Instead, you can work on researching the home planet of Kerbin and creating aircraft to accomplish early missions.

8 Don't Aim For The Moon Until You're Ready

It can be tempting to shoot for the moon as soon as you have the ability to go into space, but there's a lot of things you need to figure out before doing that. First, you need to unlock components capable of getting there without stranding your crews in open space, then you have to figure out the details.

7 Plan For The Landing

Speaking of flying amongst the stars, if you're planning on visiting the moon or other planets, then you're going to need a way of landing your rocket. Whether it's extending legs or wheels, thinking about your landing gear is almost as important as thinking about your engines. Parachutes only work once after all.

6 Make Incremental Saves During Missions

Things can go wrong quickly in space, and when that happens there aren't a lot of chances for you to get things back on track. Fortunately, Kerbal Space Program isn't real life and that means you can make quick saves to recover from disaster. On PC, use Alt+F5 to make an incremental save at each phase of your mission.

5 Start With Lower Difficulty Settings

Career Mode offers the broadest challenge of any Kerbal Space Program game mode, with players having to balance a variety of financial targets and requirements as they try to make it to the stars. This does mean that it's possible to reach a failure state, unlike in other game modes.

4 Some Contracts Don't Need A Spaceship

Particularly in the early stages of Kerbal Space Program, many of the contracts you take on won't require you to leave Kerbin's atmosphere. Some contracts will even ask you to test a feature or run a research module while landed, which you can initially do from the launch pad, meaning you don't need to take off at all.

How to do orbital insert?

Orbital Insertion. Turn your ship (or use SAS) to face the prograde vector. then, when the timer under the apoapsis (ap) is at T-20s, activate the throttle (Z key). Wait until your periapsis (pe) is above 70km and then cut the throttle (X key).

How to leave the Mun?

When you are ready to leave the Mun, you should first quicksave and name it "Mun Departure". Start by activating the throttle and starting to turn eastward to about 70 degrees. Once your apoapsis has reached ~50km from the surface, cut the throttle. Wait until you are close to the apoapsis (about 20 seconds or so) then tilt your ship so it faces the prograde vector on the navball. Activate the throttle and burn until you get into a stable orbit.

Does the orbital alignment matter in Kerbin?

The Planetary Alignment does not really matter because you can access it from anywhere in Kerbin Orbit. If you want to go directly from your Orbital Insertion to your Mun Transfer, the Mun should be about 45 degrees to the west of the Launchpad .

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Rocket and Probe Design

Orbiting and Docking

  • Orbiting Fundamentals
    1. How to Get into Orbita primer on how to get into your first orbit 2. Basic Orbiting (Math)by Entroper 3. Walkthrough for Ye Compleat Beginner 4. Advanced Orbitingby Entroper 5. Advanced Earth-Moon Aldrin Cycler Orbit 6. Land at the Space Centerby an anonymous person from Alban…
  • Orbital Rendezvous
    1. Tutorial: The Berry ManeuverSimple instructions on how to get to another planet or moon without all the waiting (it is not necessary to wait for your target planet to reach you) by Gregory Berry 2. Tutorial 1 and tutorial 2(should be merged) 3. A detailed discussion on how to meet obj…
See more on wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com

Plane and Spaceplane Design

Real Life Missions

  • The high level of realism in Kerbal Space Program allows to recreate historical, current and future missions of human spaceflight. These missions start simple and become gradually more complex, so they are a great way to learn KSP. For a logical and progressive list of missions, goals, and milestones that may or may not have tutorials linked, check out the Campaignsarticl…
See more on wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com

Career Mode

  1. Basic Career Mode Knowledge by TheVman
  2. Maximizing the First Mission by Brendan
  3. Money Farming by bshagopian
  4. Getting Started - The First Two Missions
See more on wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com

Science Mode

Planets and Moons

  • General
    1. Traveling Around the Kerbol System by nicnacnic(Not Complete) 2. Hopping around celestial bodies
  • Kerbin Orbit
    1. Reusable Kerbal Exploration 1: LKO 2. Making a Gigantic LKO Space Station 3. How to make a spaceship with an interior living space
See more on wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com

General Information

Customization

  1. Modifing Kerbals
  2. Create custom flags!
  3. Part Tweaks by geostar1024
  4. Changing CFG Files by Mnethercutt
See more on wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com

Add-On Development

  1. Making an asset from start to finish - Darrknox & Killerhurtz
  2. Plugins (using and creating) - N3X15
  3. Adding Airlocks and Ladders to Parts
  4. Editing MBM Textures
See more on wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com