[Cause found] When using target 'Prograde', rocket is pointing wrong direction

@AndrewGarrison Thanks a lot, with your information what seemed to be unexpected now becomes really useful!

This happens when your velocity is in Target mode. Your prograde and retrograde directions are based on your speed relative to your target. Prograde becomes the direction you are moving away from the craft and retrograde becomes the opposite of that. You can quickly zero out your relative velocity by locking retrograde and burning to 0m/s target velocity.

@Smastronut I think it is a bug as well. Still looking for a way to reproduce to help the devs in this. It's definitely not 'expected' behavior.

So, an update from me. I think I know when this is happening (or what can cause it to trigger), it's when using (or having used) the 'Target' feature. So for clarity, nothing was wrong until I was trying to chase the other craft that I wanted to dock to. Getting into orbit was regular, including the last stage.

Here are the screenshots of it happening:
https://my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=kZTk64kZkbhEDb9vaS7HwmiwwHfhE7z5zRg7

Hmm, apparently you can't share images easily here? :)

@Mod I did not change the orientation of the pilot :)

You need to make sure the "pilot" is oriented correctly. To do this you'll need to adjust its rotation via the command pod settings.

I've had the same issue with several craft. I think you should report it as a bug :)

When activating the nav sphere it shows a white arrow indicating the orientation of the craft. Does it point in the correct direction?

wait, did this happen with solar panels on?

@AlexNL I'm sorry I thought it was in the atmosphere, I don't know anything else that could have caused this though. can you provide a link to the rocket?

@Chuckwagon28996 No fins, but I can't see how that would make sense in a vacuum :) It went fine up to orbit and after spinning a few rounds around the earth.

hey, were there fins on it? that could explain the rocket pointing down.