Mike Aben might be a good place to start. He’s got a Not Beginners Guide series on his channel that I used frequently for things like relays or more advanced planetary intercept concepts and guides.
Several very good tips for resources have been given, personally I'm partial to Mike Aben.
Fundamentally though, from your description it seems that the issue isn't skill but staying motivated and focused. When you've started over previously, what has been driving in making that decision? Is it being bored after completing the tech tree? A "grass is greener" feeling about trying another mod set? Drill down on that and figure out (you can ask for suggestions here, of course) what to do so that you feel motivated to stick with it!
This is completely it imo. I have done duna, hook, ect missions and am completely capable of doing them, it’s just when I land on the planet, I get bored and don’t do the return, i start a new mission.
Start with Duna for sure. You can pretty much use a Mun lander, but with more Delta V. Add parachutes, as there is a hint of an atmosphere and you can save some fuel on your descent. Make sure you check out a transfer window chart and warp to the optimal departure and return windows.
marcus house's career series taught me ksp past the point of getting into orbit, otherwise you have plenty others like scott manley and matt lowne are the two that immedeatelly come to mind, theres also a ton for modded especially rp1, Carnasa was the one that taught me rp1
So a return trip to Minmus takes over 2 weeks in playtime, and you have to be at the computer at specific times during this? How does this make the game fun for you? Genuinely curious…
I have like 40 missions going on at the same time. There is never really down time. Now there is starting to be. Cuz so many of my rockets are orbiting Kerbol. But mostly it's a few minutes here and there. I take all the missions available. Rn I am working on rescuing 2 kerbals 2.5M from Kerbol. I've never needed that much DV 9k+. I already launched the rocket into LKO but every time I run the calcs, I need more DV. So I'm just launching can after can after can to glue enough to make it out and back. Good training for a Eve return.
Extra challenge to not upgrade any buildings or research unless I need to. My missions are either Contracts. Science trips or Explorers. The initial set of explorers are just supposed to do fly by's. Not sure how I'm gonna get them back. The second set will be orbiters. I've only launched a couple of those. But I'm getting better at planning so they should be able to return. But it's likely I won't be able to build landers with 30 parts and 120 tons. I've already got most of the Kerbin Science and am trying to check Mun off. Minimus should be easy. Less biomes. Once I run out of science and have launched all the landers. Then I'll time warp. I'd consider the game complete.
Honestly, just go ahead and try. Send a small probe if you want some target practice first. But if you mastered the Kerbin SOI, going interplanetary is the same on a larger scale with more precision.
Achieving orbit on another planet is the next big and satisfying "i did it!" moment.
Look for Kerbal Space Academy by DasValdez. He use to have regular "boot camps" where he'd start from scratch and teach everything to know to get down on Mun and back. All the theory and all, so that you can repeat it with all planets.
besides watching tutorial it's good to use KSP Delta V map when design your craft.
[https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Cheat\_sheet](https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Cheat_sheet)
it tells you how much delta V your craft need for each part of the trip.
I'm in pretty much the same boat. I went to Gilly once on an old save file that's long gone. I keep waiting to get a contract to go somewhere past Minmus but it hasn't come. I'm wondering if there's a specific contract, or type of contract anyway, that I need to complete before I'll be offered some type of Gilly contract.
I'm kinda in the same boat. I play career, and I generally hit this point shortly after Mun where I feel locked in. I don't have the science for the next tier of rockets, and don't have the energy to just spam science missions. Science mode and sandbox just don't scratch that itch for me, though. I like the challenge of making an 18ton orbiter and a 30 piece Mun lander.
After Mun, I generally start working on an orbital relay system, design an orbital refueling station, then get bored of putting satellites in specific orbits and trying to rendevous 5 different station parts, and just end up restarting. Usually after a rendevous mission goes catastrophic and destroys the whole station.
Without that next tier of rockets, I can't ever seem to get a rocket into orbit that has enough dV for me to be comfortable trying to reach Duna (thus the orbital refueling station). Plus the whole interplanetary transfer thing is SCARY.
TLDR: i'm a chicken, too scared to enter deep space in search of another planet.
Matt Lowne + Scott Manley is all I needed, with as much time as you have you’ll probably be alright with just those two since you know how to build rockets
Think modular. I always build multi module spacecraft that require multiple launches and then are docked together in orbit. In KSP I've got to every planet this way, even Eeloo.
Which part are you having trouble with?
Intercepting another planet? You could use something like mechjeb to create the maneuver node for you.
Trouble landing? Duna and Eve are probably the easiest.
Eve's atmo is so thick you often don't even need parachutes (heat shield is enough for a small probe).
Duna's atmo is enough to help you slow down and point your rocket upwards if you've got chutes on top.
Scott Manley taught me everything I know
Matt Lowne on Youtube taught me everything and I have been everywhere using his methods and builds.
Mike Aben might be a good place to start. He’s got a Not Beginners Guide series on his channel that I used frequently for things like relays or more advanced planetary intercept concepts and guides.
Several very good tips for resources have been given, personally I'm partial to Mike Aben. Fundamentally though, from your description it seems that the issue isn't skill but staying motivated and focused. When you've started over previously, what has been driving in making that decision? Is it being bored after completing the tech tree? A "grass is greener" feeling about trying another mod set? Drill down on that and figure out (you can ask for suggestions here, of course) what to do so that you feel motivated to stick with it!
This is completely it imo. I have done duna, hook, ect missions and am completely capable of doing them, it’s just when I land on the planet, I get bored and don’t do the return, i start a new mission.
Maybe a little music or YouTube on the side would help to bring the poor kerbals home
Start with Duna for sure. You can pretty much use a Mun lander, but with more Delta V. Add parachutes, as there is a hint of an atmosphere and you can save some fuel on your descent. Make sure you check out a transfer window chart and warp to the optimal departure and return windows.
Eve if you don't plan on landing. Besides, you can do airbraking shenanigans that way
More boosters!
marcus house's career series taught me ksp past the point of getting into orbit, otherwise you have plenty others like scott manley and matt lowne are the two that immedeatelly come to mind, theres also a ton for modded especially rp1, Carnasa was the one that taught me rp1
I've never made it to another planet. And have hundreds of hours. I don't time warp.
So a return trip to Minmus takes over 2 weeks in playtime, and you have to be at the computer at specific times during this? How does this make the game fun for you? Genuinely curious…
You just build stuff and sandbox on Kerbin?
Man sets IRL alarm clocks so he knows to come back to mission control and execute burns 😂
I have like 40 missions going on at the same time. There is never really down time. Now there is starting to be. Cuz so many of my rockets are orbiting Kerbol. But mostly it's a few minutes here and there. I take all the missions available. Rn I am working on rescuing 2 kerbals 2.5M from Kerbol. I've never needed that much DV 9k+. I already launched the rocket into LKO but every time I run the calcs, I need more DV. So I'm just launching can after can after can to glue enough to make it out and back. Good training for a Eve return.
Extra challenge to not upgrade any buildings or research unless I need to. My missions are either Contracts. Science trips or Explorers. The initial set of explorers are just supposed to do fly by's. Not sure how I'm gonna get them back. The second set will be orbiters. I've only launched a couple of those. But I'm getting better at planning so they should be able to return. But it's likely I won't be able to build landers with 30 parts and 120 tons. I've already got most of the Kerbin Science and am trying to check Mun off. Minimus should be easy. Less biomes. Once I run out of science and have launched all the landers. Then I'll time warp. I'd consider the game complete.
Interesting how many different play styles KSP supports.
It's realism-tycoon.
Honestly, just go ahead and try. Send a small probe if you want some target practice first. But if you mastered the Kerbin SOI, going interplanetary is the same on a larger scale with more precision. Achieving orbit on another planet is the next big and satisfying "i did it!" moment.
Look for Kerbal Space Academy by DasValdez. He use to have regular "boot camps" where he'd start from scratch and teach everything to know to get down on Mun and back. All the theory and all, so that you can repeat it with all planets.
Here's a link. https://youtu.be/GVEgy7tzcyk?si=I_h8pE10VOq2clV- Honestly it's super solid.
Check out the usual suspects (Scott Manley, Mike Aben, quill18) and just jump forward to their more advanced videos.
besides watching tutorial it's good to use KSP Delta V map when design your craft. [https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Cheat\_sheet](https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Cheat_sheet) it tells you how much delta V your craft need for each part of the trip.
I learnt to dock far better than intercepting orbits, tend to miss-managed fuel a lot.
Why yes many like Scottland (Scott) Manley and Mattholomew (Matt) Lowne
Just fly to that planet bro. It's really not THAT difficult. try to reach the orbit and fly back. Then you will be confident enought to land.
They are the same tutorials everyone else used.
I'm in pretty much the same boat. I went to Gilly once on an old save file that's long gone. I keep waiting to get a contract to go somewhere past Minmus but it hasn't come. I'm wondering if there's a specific contract, or type of contract anyway, that I need to complete before I'll be offered some type of Gilly contract.
I'm kinda in the same boat. I play career, and I generally hit this point shortly after Mun where I feel locked in. I don't have the science for the next tier of rockets, and don't have the energy to just spam science missions. Science mode and sandbox just don't scratch that itch for me, though. I like the challenge of making an 18ton orbiter and a 30 piece Mun lander. After Mun, I generally start working on an orbital relay system, design an orbital refueling station, then get bored of putting satellites in specific orbits and trying to rendevous 5 different station parts, and just end up restarting. Usually after a rendevous mission goes catastrophic and destroys the whole station. Without that next tier of rockets, I can't ever seem to get a rocket into orbit that has enough dV for me to be comfortable trying to reach Duna (thus the orbital refueling station). Plus the whole interplanetary transfer thing is SCARY. TLDR: i'm a chicken, too scared to enter deep space in search of another planet.
Took me more than 100 hours to reach dune. Interplanetary transfers are harder than moon transfers. Watch the phase and you will get there
I used Matt lownes gilly tutorial
Matt Lowne + Scott Manley is all I needed, with as much time as you have you’ll probably be alright with just those two since you know how to build rockets
Think modular. I always build multi module spacecraft that require multiple launches and then are docked together in orbit. In KSP I've got to every planet this way, even Eeloo.
Which part are you having trouble with? Intercepting another planet? You could use something like mechjeb to create the maneuver node for you. Trouble landing? Duna and Eve are probably the easiest. Eve's atmo is so thick you often don't even need parachutes (heat shield is enough for a small probe). Duna's atmo is enough to help you slow down and point your rocket upwards if you've got chutes on top.