Cheat sheet

Kerbal Space Program rocket scientist's cheat sheet: Delta-v maps, equations and more for your reference so you can get from here to there and back again.

Mathematics

Thrust to weight ratio (TWR)

→ See also: Terminology

This is Newton's Second Law. If the ratio is less than 1 the craft will not lift off the ground.

${\text{TWR}}={\frac {F}{m\cdot g}}$

Combined specific impulse (I_sp)

If the I_sp is the same for all engines in a stage, then the I_sp is equal to a single engine. If the I_sp is different for engines in a single stage, then use the following equation:

$I_{sp}={\frac {(F_{1}+F_{2}+\dots )}{{\frac {F_{1}}{I_{sp1}}}+{\frac {F_{2}}{I_{sp2}}}+\dots }}$

Delta-v (Δv)

Δv Basic calculation

→ See also: Tutorial:Advanced Rocket Design

Basic calculation of a rocket's Δv. Use the atmospheric and vacuum thrust values for atmospheric and vacuum Δv, respectively.

$\Delta {v}=ln\left({\frac {M_{start}}{M_{end}}}\right)\cdot I_{sp}\cdot 9.81{\frac {m}{s^{2}}}$

Transitional (true) Δv of a Stage that Crosses from Atmosphere to Vacuum

Body	Δvout
Kerbin	1000 m/s2
other bodies'	data missing

Calculation of a rocket stage's Δv, taking into account transitioning from atmosphere to vacuum. Δv_out is the amount of Δv required to leave a body's atmosphere, not reach orbit. This equation is useful to figure out the actual Δv of a stage that transitions from atmosphere to vacuum.

$\Delta {v}_{T}={\frac {\Delta {v}_{atm}-\Delta {v}_{out}{\frac {m}{s^{2}}}}{\Delta {v}_{atm}}}\cdot \Delta {v}_{vac}+\Delta {v}_{out}{\frac {m}{s^{2}}}$

Maps

Various fan-made maps showing the Δv required to travel to a certain body.

Total Δv values

• http://www.skyrender.net/lp/ksp/system_map.png

Δv change values

• http://i.imgur.com/duY2S.png

Δv nomogram

• http://ubuntuone.com/1kD39BCoV38WP1QeG6MtO6

Math Examples

TWR

draft

(I_sp)

draft

(Δv)

draft

See also

Links to collections of reference material.

• Tutorials
• Terminology
• The Drawing Board: A library of tutorials and other useful information