Tutorials

How hard can it be?

This article is a list of tutorials that will guide you through the finer points of the Kerbal Space Program.

Please note that these articles are user-created, and each user is responsible for their tutorial.

• For a high-level overview of the game mechanics, you can read this Game Manual by SGCam.
• For first-time players, try Tutorial: Walkthrough for Ye Compleat Beginner.
• A less detailed "cheat sheet" type reference is available as Basic Maneuvers.
• For a logical series of missions that build up your knowledge, check out Campaigns.
• A list of the game's default key bindings is also available.

Rocket and Probe Design

• Cheat Sheet A KSP Rocket Scientist's Cheat Sheet
• Basic Rocket Design by Senshi
• Basic Probe And Satellite Building By Nova Storm
• Exploring The System a comprehensive mission and vehicle design campaign by Pecan
• Intermediate Rocket Design
• Advanced Rocket Design by Vincent McConnell and Kosmo-not
• Asparagus Staging a method to design very fuel-efficient rockets
• Rocket Assembly Making the most of sub-assemblies, by shadowraven
• What's with all the math? A non-rigorous explanation of the math in KSP
• Recovering Rocket Stages Recovering those usually-expended stages for more funds!

Orbiting and Docking

Orbiting Fundamentals

• How to Get into Orbit a primer on how to get into your first orbit
• Basic Orbiting (Math) by Entroper
• Walkthrough for Ye Compleat Beginner
• Advanced Orbiting by Entroper
• Land at the Space Center by an anonymous person from Albany, New York
• Performing a gravity assist
• Camera view How to see yourself in space
• Geosynchronous Orbit (Math)
• How do I Rocket: Beginners Orbiting Cheat Sheet By JoerT

Orbital Rendezvous

• Tutorial: The Berry Maneuver Simple 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
• Tutorial 1 and tutorial 2 (should be merged)
• A detailed discussion on how to meet objects in orbit, including how to synchronize orbits/phases

Docking

<--* Tutorial: Docking Is Easy (if you follow this tutorial) Docking is easy if you understand the navall. Waiting for a close intersection is not necessary. This tutorial is simple and detailed instructions to dock without frustration. By Gregory Berry-->

• Basic Docking by PD
• Orbital Docking with the Kergena Target Vehicle

Plane and Spaceplane Design

• Basic Plane Design by StelarCF
• Fighter Plane Design by ZXZX10000 & StelarCF
• Spaceplane basics by Heatseeker
• Basic Aircraft Design - Explained Simply, With Pictures by keptin

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 Campaigns article to get ideas in planning your own space program.

• Sputnik 1 - first satellite in orbit
• Vostok 1 - first human spaceflight
• Gemini 6A & 7 First orbital docking
• Luna 9 - First soft landing of a probe on the moon
• Apollo 11 - First human moon landing
• Apollo 15 - First moon buggy.
• Salyut programme - First space stations of any kind
• Deep Impact - first look into a Comet.
• International Space Station - Series of missions for the current space station.
• Mars One - first colony on Mars consisting of four people at first by 2023.

Career mode

• Basic Career Mode Knowledge by TheVman
• Maximizing the First Mission by Brendan

Science mode

• Basic Science mode
• Science Mode Tutorial

Planets and Moons

General

• Hopping around celestial bodies

Mun

• Traveling to The Mun by craigmt1
• Free Return Trajectory to the Mun by PD (Credit to Rascal Nag (Forum Profile) for original forum tutorial)
• Tutorial:Mun Orbital Station by JimbobIsEpic
• Building a lunar base by Mnethercutt

Minmus

• Traveling to Minmus by craigmt1
• Minmus For Beginners by Thebro21

Eve

• Traveling to Eve by craigmt1
• Returning from Eve

Duna

• Traveling to Duna and Back by craigmt1

Jool

• Tutorial:How to get to Jool

Laythe

• "Let's Fly!" Tutorial: Traveling to Laythe by greenjinjo
• Take a Spaceplane to Laythe and Back

Eeloo

• How to get to Eeloo by StanzInc

General Information

• Orbital and physics terms
• Tutorial:Action group
• Maneuver node
• Orbit darkness time
• Science
• Tech tree
• Tutorial:Installing Addons

Customization

• Modifing Kerbals
• Create custom flags!
• Part Tweaks by geostar1024
• Changing CFG Files by Mnethercutt
• Sharing craft files

Add-on Development

• Making an asset from start to finish - Darrknox & Killerhurtz
• Plugins (using and creating) - N3X15
• Adding Airlocks and Ladders to Parts
• Editing MBM Textures
• Kerbal to Pro: Modelling in 3ds Max - Bilsta1000 covers modelling, texturing, basic animation and importing to KSP
• Configuration File Definitions - Joshuadery covers what each of those marks means, from modules to resources and everything in between
• Community API Documentation

Stubs

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

• Multifunctional rocket by Adicogames
• Basic SSTO Design by Suzaka
• Basic Orbiting by Entroper
• Spaceplane basics by Heatseeker
• Direct-Ascent Mun Landing by B_36
• Kergena Target Vehicle by Mpickering
• Orbital Rendezvous
• Making a planet by JebKeb

Rureglathon's Narrated Video Tutorials

• Playlist of all tutorials
• How to get into orbit
• Rover design tutorial
• Advanced rocket design tutorial
• Basic orbiting/maneuver tutorial
• How to set up and perform transfer burns
• How to build and fly SSTO Spaceplanes
• Geostationary orbit tutorial
• How to land on Moons
• How to return from Moons
• Asparagus staging tutorial
• Space Shuttle design tutorial
• Apollo style mission tutorial/walkthrough
• Advanced plane building tutorial
• Rendezvous tutorial
• Docking tutorial
• How to get a free return trajectory
• How to make interplanetary transfers (without a calculator)
• How to capture asteroids
• How to recreate Apollo 11
• How to make Cargo Bay Doors

For more tutorials and other videos, my YouTube channel is here.

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.

• Beginner's Guide to Kerbal Space Program (Getting Started - Narrated)
• Getting&Making Orbit
• Docking Part 1 Docking Part 2
• Tips & Tricks & Hints Part 1
• Tips & Tricks & Hints Part 2 (Getting orbit)
• Action Groups Tutorial
• Changing the Primary Command/Pod Module's Tutorial (Not required since 0.21)
• Getting the Perfect Orbit Everytime
• Easy guide to Orbiting, updated for v0.11 also works for v0.12
• Build and Fly A Rocket Into Orbit (Narrated)
• Orbit Made Easy
• Moon Landing
• Beginners Guide on How To Get To The Mun in Kerbal Space Program
• How to Get into a Solar Orbit
• Armor Building Guide
• Missile Building Guide

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:.

Note to tutorial writers: These are supposed to be tutorials. Think "Orbits for Dummies." If you're going to explain intricate details (including math!), consider marking your tutorial "Advanced".