Talk:Tutorial: Apollo 11

Return boost alternative

Hi, I don't know if this tutorial is finished, but isn't it better to burn prograde when you are between Mün an Kerbin like here? —XZise (talk) 11:01, 27 February 2013 (CST)

Hello XZise. Thank you for your interest in my tutorials. That actually depends on if you ended up on a prograde or a retrograde orbit around the Mün. When you are retrograde, it's best to accelerate at the most distant point, while when you are prograde, the most energy-efficient point is the point where you are closest. I should mention that. --Crush (talk) 16:05, 27 February 2013 (CST)

Fixed. --Crush (talk) 03:39, 28 February 2013 (CST)

I can't build this ship

Hey, I've really tried to build the ship you've described using all the parts but it just isn't possible going by the parts you've got listed used. In the screenshot, I can see you've got rockomax connectors on stage one (connected to stage 2 as well, it seems, although we aren't instructed to do this at all) where there aren't any listed in the instructions, among other things. If I use ONLY the parts you've listed, following your instruction, I get an incredibly unstable ship that can't make it into orbit without disaster. Is there any way you could improve the instructions for building this ship, and perhaps include the parts in the screenshot? and perhaps provide a higher res screenshot. The way it is now, I can't seem to even get the ship built yet, and I really want to try out this mission. Yazman (talk) 07:26, 2 April 2013 (CDT)

Hello Yazman. Thank you very much for your feedback. Could you publish the .craft file so I can see what mistake exactly you made? That would help me much to spot where the instructions are unclear. --Crush (talk) 13:21, 2 April 2013 (CDT)

Hello again, I fixed some mistakes in the description in the first stage. I hope that this was the reason you couldn't replicate it. Otherwise please post your .craft file. --Crush (talk) 13:30, 2 April 2013 (CDT)

Yo Crush, here's my .craft file. Take a look and let me know where I failed miserably: mediafire.com/?a20y67hlcrbgn1k Yazman (talk) 01:31, 6 April 2013 (CDT)

Hello Yazman. Your main mistake was that you used Hydraulic Detachment Manifolds to link the four outer rockets of the 2nd stage to the central rocket. They are supposed to be attached directly to the central rocket. --Crush (talk) 11:21, 6 April 2013 (CDT)

Hey Crush, I too have been having some problems with this ship. I've built it and get it into circular orbit, but it seems I'm missing a decoupler somewhere during the docking stage. Mind giving it a look? http://www.mediafire.com/?xx7c8o9od6guj8a Dukat (talk) 22:55, 15 April 2013 (CDT)

As an addendum, I want to say it appears I've built the craft up to spec - I mean I've gone through the lists several times and everything you mentioned on the page appears to be included and in the right places. So in the instructions during the docking phase, you specifically say not to use the stack seperator - but that is the only way to seperate the CMS from the LM, and of course using the stack seperator results in a very difficult docking procedure due to an extraneous piece that comes off which blocks the CMS from the LM. Should I add in a decoupler to the docking port just beneath the stack seperator? It just seems there is something missing from the tutorial. Dukat (talk) 10:04, 18 April 2013 (CDT)

Hello, Crush. Been enjoying going through the tutorial series; the Gemini 6A and 7 mission in particular really gave me a sense of accomplishment...

Anyway, I too have been having problems with getting the Saturn V replica into orbit. Granted, I've only tried two launches so far. I had a structural failure on the first stage during the first launch resulting in catastrophic mission failure (saved the crew); I replaced the TR-18As with Rockomax Brand Decouplers between the first and second stages and I replaced the TR-18A between the second and third stage as well since that's how the picture looked. Second time the structural fault occurred at the TR-18A holding the third stage to the LM after first stage jettison, also resulting in catastrophic mission failure (saved the crew again). Any thoughts on what may be going on? I'm not in a position at the moment where I can post my .craft file but I'll do so as soon as I get an opportunity. Capi3101a (talk) 08:42, 19 April 2013 (CDT)

Update: Had a successful launch; I think the key to avoiding a structural fault/catastrophic mission failure is to "nurse" the first two stages when you're making turns. Make the gravity turn gradually. If faults keep on happening, figure out where in the after-action report and shore it up with more struts.

I haven't actually landed on the Mün with this design yet, though; inadvertently did the "Kerpollo 13" suggestion first. Learned a lot about the nature of docked ships that way, actually... Capi3101a (talk) 08:35, 22 April 2013 (CDT)

I tried building this ship in v0.19.1, and it wouldn't fit.

The lowest stage has 3 fuel tanks in height, and then an engine. The lowest tank could be placed, but it was heavily clipping through the floor. The engine could not be added at all. Chezzik (talk) 09:30, 21 May 2013 (CDT)

I've just tried replicating the rocket. I've managed to build the middle part of the first stage without the tank clipping the floor. There was only a small gap left, but I managed to get the engine underneath. For the outer parts of the stage I had to copy the inner part and move it a bit lower, because the Decouplers would have collided otherwise. In that case the tanks and engines were in the floor, but on the Launchpad the rocket was above ground again. If the problem you have is about the middle part, you should check if you accidentally put in an extra decoupler or used a wrong engine somewhere. --Dgelessus (talk) 13:34, 21 May 2013 (CDT)