Vectors

These are your 6 vectors that you will use in Orbit

• Prograde and Retorgrade: Prograde is the direction that you are travelling in, firing your engine in this direction (Burning) will increase your velocity. Retrograde is the opposite of Prograde. Burning towards this vector will reduce your velocity
• Normal and Anti-Normal: Burning towards the Normal or Anti-Normal vectors change the inclination of your orbit
• Radial and Anti-Radial: The Radial and Anti-Radial vectors point towards the center and away from the center of your orbit. Burning towards these swings your orbit around your craft like a hula hoop circles around your hips

Delta-V or ΔV

Delta-V literally means "Change In Velocity". It is probably the most useful statistic you can have about your craft as it can tell you what your limits are in terms of how far you craft can go

Shown above is a "Delta-V Map". A Delta-V Map tells you the amount of ΔV required for specific operations and maneuvers. For example:

I start on Kerbin (The KSP equivalent of Earth). Say I want to get into Low Orbit around the planet Duna. To get to Duna I need to enter LKO (Low Kerbin Orbit), in order to do this I will need 3400m/s of ΔV. I then need to transfer into the sun's Sphere Of Influence (SOI) as part of my interplanetary transfer maneuver, this will take me another 950m/s of ΔV. To then adjust my orbit so I intercept with Duna I need another 130m/s of ΔV. Because this is only an intercept however I need to close my orbit around Duna as currently it is a parabole, and do do that I need another 250m/s. FinalIy I now want to get my craft into Low Duna Orbit which will cost me an additional 360m/s.

Adding this up will give me the total amount of ΔV required to get to Low Duna Orbit.

3400+950+130+250+360=5090m/s

Starting The Game

Here I'll show you how to load up the game and what everything means

There are 3 modes in the game currently

• Sandbox: Players may freely construct any rocket they can imagine with little or any constraint
• Career: The career game mode has an open Research and Development facility. The player has to design and complete missions while performing scientific experiments. These yield Science points which can then be used in the Research and Development facility where new parts can be “researched”. This will allow the player to purchase the new parts associated with the researched node. The player can use only parts which are already unlocked, so every game starts with the Start node unlocked
• Science: Is an intermediate choice between "freestyle" Sandbox mode, and the heavily resource dependent Career mode. The point of the Science game mode is the undertaking of various scientific activities without the burden of the contract, funds and reputation system present in career mode

On this screen you can choose the flag of your Space Program and then name of your save. Difficulty options are also available.

• Red = VAB: The Vehicle Assembly Building (or VAB for short) is a large construction facility at KSC, where rockets and other vertically launched spacecraft can be designed. Craft designed in the VAB can only be launched from the Launch Pad, though it is possible to import vessels between the VAB and SPH
• Green = SPH: The Spaceplane Hangar (or SPH for short) is a facility similar to the VAB that allows construction of aircraft and spacecraft in a horizontal environment which can then be launched from a conventional runway.
• Orange = Launch Pad: Craft designed in the VAB will be launched from the launch pad. This launch platform allows vertical launches, or may serve as a starting point for rovers. It is too small to be useful for crafts that require take off or landing runs.
• Dark Red = Runway: Vessels designed in the Space Plane Hangar can only be launched from the runway. It can also be used for landing.
• Yellow = Tracking Station: The Tracking Station allows access, observation and management of all missions currently active, including splashed-down or landed ships. Note that this does not include crashed or otherwise ended missions. Any Kerbals, craft or debris safely on Kerbin's surface can be recovered here (debris around the KSC can also be recovered directly from the main screen). Debris can be tracked and deleted here. Celestial bodies can also be observed at the Tracking Station.
• Purple = Research & Development: The Research and Development building allows players to unlock spacecraft parts in career and science mode by researching nodes on the tech tree.
• Turquoise = Astronaut Complex: The Astronaut Complex allows hiring of astronauts to join the crew of future missions.
• Pink = Administration Building: The Administration Building is a small building in face of the Astronaut Complex. It is can be used for getting/using strategies.
• Blue = Mission Control: Mission Control is a small building located north of the VAB and east of the SPH. It is used for getting contracts.

Building A Rocket

To start building a rocket, click on the VAB

This is where we build most of our up-goers

On the left hand side you will see the Parts section and on the extreme left edge is the Parts Tabs. Click these to switch between different category's of parts.

Lets start building a rocket that will get us into Low Kerbin Orbit