How to Beat Sputnik and Not Burn Out On Sounding Rockets 101

I write this short guide to help the many new players (of whom I was recently one) who feel stumped by the early game. Unlike the rest of the game, there is really only one way to play RP-1 effectively before your first orbit. After that, the possibilities open up. This fact is rarely obvious to new players, and leads to the feeling of stuckness that nearly made me leave the game before kindly, more experienced players guided me onto the right route. Once you discover it, the early game becomes almost alarmingly simple.

The following is a guide to launching your first orbital rocket in 1953/54. Yes, that early. You'll beat Sputnik, and you'll beat it by a lot. Doing '53 is rather contingent on minmaxing your build designs and getting lucky with engine failures, but you can achieve '54 orbit reliably even with many failures and a relaxed approach to rocket design. The fundamental idea that makes this work is that rather than grinding many sounding payload contracts, you will focus solely on the few high-paying science contracts.

The contracts listed below are the ONLY contracts you need to do! Without failures, you'll only need 10 launches to get to orbit. Build the rockets as indicated to complete the contracts with as little slack time as possible. If your rockets are building faster than the tech you need to complete the next contract on the list, you've put too many points in the VAB.

When upgrading, remember you can pay to make rockets build faster but there's no way to speed up tech. Prioritize R&D! However, a few points in VAB is important for the very early part just so you can build your downrange rocket before the end of the first year.

Unless indicated, all rockets are to be completely unguided. Yes, even the downrange one. Spin-stabilization is your friend!

1951:
Launch 1) First launch: just a tiny tim
Launch 2) Karman line: Tim+WAC
Launch 3) Recovery: Tim+WAC+WAC (You'll get a lot of science from this)
Launch 4) Downrange: RD101+XASR

1952-1953:
Launchs 5-9) X-1 cockpit launches x5: RD101. (Put a pair of early film cameras below the cockpit and be tactical about which direction you aim the launch for max science. Helps if your launch center is near multiple biomes.)

* During this period, you are getting science and some money while waiting for Tank II and the Early Rocketry node to unlock. You might also need supersonic-rated fins.
* Shoot for 5 VAB/15 R&D points through here, you need to get the tech done.
* Make sure you accept the science satellite contract--the advance is critical for funding your first orbit. Make sure you start researching that next science node soon!

Late 1953/Early 54:
Launch 10) Orbit: What your first orbital rocket should be and how many of the early orbit contracts to complete in your first launch is a matter of taste. Without going into details, I prefer using guided RD103 and S2.253 stages with an unguided XASR kick stage (all Tank II) to complete the first and polar orbit contracts at the same time.

Remember kids, just say NO to sounding payload contracts. Good luck!