The final step of production is actually assembling a full Spacecraft. This is handled at the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building). Production here is relatively straight forward, but you must ensure you’ve created a design first.
Creating A Design
A design is created from the “Design Rocket” button located in the top right of your Launch Complex. You cannot design a rocket if you do not yet have a VAB. Designing a rocket is simple, yet complex.
Below is a preview of the designer. Note that some items may not appear for options until you have completed enough pre-requisite research!
Minimum Requirements
The design must have an engine, a maneuvers system, and a tank for propellent.
The design must be either all Prototype Components, or all Full Production Components. It cannot be a mixturefull production types. In the future prototypes may be used for special prototype launches.
The design must have a thrust to weight ratio (TTW) of atleast 1.01. Anything less and your design wouldn’t lift off!
On the above, you can risk something as low as .95 TTW, but realize you will burn a couple seconds of fuel getting forward thrust as you burn fuel and your weight decreases.
Design Cost is 5x the cost of all components combined, but is immediate, so production can begin immediately.
Prototype Vs. Full Production
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Designing a prototype allows it to be used for further testing to try and improve stats, see the Prototype Research article for more.
Designing as a full production means it is ready to be used.
Note: A prototype design can be locked in to full production. This will happen either when a player chooses to on the main design, or when any component from that design is locked in (Which will force locking in all of all other components on that design.)
Design Notes
Each component has a weight, the more you add, the heavier your craft.
Each engine provides a certain amount of thrust, while adding weight and adding a fuel consumption.
Frames are automatically added as needed based on the components you select. The more components, the more framing will be needed, and therefore, more weight.
A design is not finalized until you lock it in, so experiment with designs to find something that fits your mission plans.
Experimenting is the best way to get the best results, so try different numbers of fuel tanks, engines, payload designs etc to find what works best for you.
Once you ‘Check’ a design it will give you a readout of basic information such as craft weight, thrust, fuel consumption per second, thrust to weight ratio, and estimated powered flight time.