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. Be aware that some tutorials may be outdated.

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

New for version 1.10.1 is a comprehensive How to Play guide by Quizzical.
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 history-based 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 handy collection of mathematical equations and calculation examples
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!
Making a Small Satellite Great for littering space with. By ReadingChicken
How to make real rockets with making history
How to Make Effective Space Station Launch Vehicles by Noah of Dryve Aerospace

Breaking Ground tutorials

Quick notes regarding parts
Tutorial:Making a Breaking ground Propeller Creating a tutorial using Breaking grounds DLC
Tutorial:Deployable Science How to deploy and use the new parts to collect science

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
Advanced Earth-Moon Aldrin Cycler Orbit
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)

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 navball. 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

Rover Design

Basic Rover Design by Alto

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 (partially obsolete as of 1.0; ignore comments about drag)
Tutorial: Your First Plane by AnArgonianSpellsword (edited by Rosuav)

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 rendezvous
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
Mir - First Modular space station
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
Money Farming by bshagopian
Getting Started - The First Two Missions
Tutorial:Career mode (Richmountain112) (It should be obvious who made it) - Covers literally everything you need to know.

Science mode

Planets and Moons

General

Traveling Around the Kerbol System by nicnacnic (Not Complete)
Hopping around celestial bodies

Kerbin Orbit

Mun

Mun For Dummies: Travelling to the Mun and Back by nicnacnic (For Version 1.0 to 1.2)
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 with a major edit by DiamondT
Building a lunar base by Mnethercutt
Mun Landing Without All That Math
Tutorial: Realistic Munar Base by User:KAL2000

Minmus

Moho

Eve

Duna

Jool

Tutorial:How to get to Jool by nicnacnic (For Version 1.0 to 1.2)

Laythe

Eeloo

Tutorial:Traveling to Eeloo by StanzInc

General Information

Customization

Modifing Kerbals
Create custom flags!
Part Tweaks by geostar1024
Changing CFG Files by Mnethercutt
Sharing craft files
Making Your Own Planets With Kopernicus by KspGuy415

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
Community API Documentation
Garbage Reduction

Stubs

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

Rureglathon's Narrated Video Tutorials

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.

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".