Am I ready for RO RP‐1? - KSP-RO/RP-1 GitHub Wiki

So, you've checked out the introduction and RSS/RO/RP-1 is sounding fun, but you aren't sure what you will encounter once you start playing. How much knowledge you should bring depends on your willingness to deal with a steep learning curve, but for a easier learning curve you should already know or be willing to learn most of the following:

• KSP's UI and Basic Orbital Mechanics: If you are not already decently familiar with KSP's UI, you may have a difficult experience, as this mod pack introduces many new UIs to keep track of which will be overwhelming if you are also trying to learn KSP's UI at the same time. For the same reason, you should be familiar with KSP's patched conics implementation of orbital mechanics, where most of the same lessons will apply to RSS. It is recommended to already be comfortable with performing dockings, gravity assists, and re-entry. If you are playing with Principia, it is likely that only lessons learned by orbiting at low altitudes will fully carry over, as you will begin to feel significant perturbations from other bodies once you leave low orbit.
• Basic Rocket Building: RO adds many new features to the VAB, but most of your old rocket building techniques will still work. However, expect to pay way more attention to your Dry to Wet mass ratio; unlike Stock, you will often encounter times when you need to think of new methods to cut down on your Dry mass. While the Dry mass of tanks and engines are reduced in comparison to Stock, you will need around triple the Delta V in order to make it to orbit (3000m/s vs >8500m/s). You will not always be able to get away with picking the most efficient engine. Hydrolox may be efficient, but it requires large tanks and MLI shielding/radiators to keep it cool, which both increase your Dry to Wet mass ratio, so consider your options. You will need to try to build your rockets around a common design, as reusing an existing size for a tank (Tooling) is far cheaper than using a new size for a tank, especially in regards to diameter of your tanks. Your engines will have a burn time maximum, after which they are increasingly likely to malfunction.
• Money Management: Unlike Stock, you can easily run out of funds if you do not run your space program well, especially as your money will come from programs covering a wide range of contracts instead of per contract. If you are just starting out, it is not recommended to try to beat or even match IRL accomplishments, since you will likely drain your funds through mission failures and expensive rockets. Speaking of rockets, simulations are your friend when designing one. Building a rocket takes time and money, so you don't want to wait months for your rocket to be constructed without testing it first. Most recommend that you test all aspects of your mission in simulations before building the rocket, and retesting when you change anything that isn't absolutely insignificant. Feel free to use the simulation options to place you in any orbit of any Celestial Body you want so you can get right to the part you want to test. Make sure you can build the rockets in time for a program before accepting it, you don't want to run over the deadline. Additionally, Make sure to take advantage of your Leaders and Contractors, they can provide some sizable benefits, especially when stacked.
• Rocket Flying: Flying a rocket to orbit without some sort of computer assistance in RSS is incredibly difficult. Nearly all players will use Mechjeb's Ascent Guidance in the PVG mode or their own custom kOS script to fly the rocket, stage automatically, tune their launch angle, and tune their exact orbit. PVG (Primer Vector Guidance, previously called Powered Explicit Guidance) in particular uses launch algorithms derived from the actual Surveyor launches, and it can deliver you into an incredibly precise orbit if your rocket is capable of it. Additionally, the Test Flight mod included with the RP-1 express install can cause your engines to fail randomly, with the likelihood based on the IRL reliability of that engine. If you find this too frustrating, don't be ashamed to revert your launches or install the Test Lite mod which has no random failures.
• Additional challenges of real life rocketry: Scott Manley's "Things KSP Doesn't Teach" series and "Ignition!" by John D Clark are two good options for learning the real life challenges encountered when building rockets, and they are surprisingly helpful for getting ideas to build a rocket in RO/RP-1.