I know there is a tutorial on reaching orbit, but could you guys give me some pointers in being able to achieve highly efficient orbits? I know how to orbit but I would like to be able to reach very efficient orbits, using the least amount of fuel and delta-v as possible, while being able to lift heavy payloads into orbit and beyond. Thank you all in advance :D
It varies depending on the rocket, but most of mine have a TWR of about 1.3 or 1.4 and I find it best to wait until my apoapsis reaches 1km then I pitch over by about 5 degrees, wait until the prograde marker lines up with my crafts direction then lock to prograde, if by the time your apoapsis reaches 10km your craft is pointing above about 60 degrees or below 45 then you should point slightly above or below prograde to correct its course, once you apoapsis reaches 60km and your far enough out of the atmosphere point directly at the horizon until you reach about 10 seconds to apoapsis, if your upper stage has a low TWR then use your first stage to put it on a higher trajectory to it has time to complete its burn, stay within about 10 seconds of your apoapsis by pointing above or below the horizon by as much as you have to (ideally you want stay as close the horizon as possible to reduce gravity loses but you also don’t really want to go past apoapsis) until you get close to orbital velocity then level off completely or point below the horizon so that you reach orbit when your as close to apoapsis as possible to get a perfectly circular orbit without ever having throttle down, shut down your engines or coast at all.