Atlantis in orbit

[coopermarsh]

I have managed to take off and get the boosters to automatically detach,

Once i am out of the atmostphere all i do is drift back into it again.

How can i acheive orbit after the boosters have deteched?

 

[garyw]

Use the delta-glider first as Atlantis is not very forgiving. The key to getting into Orbit is to use the Orbit MFD and make sure that the APD and PER figures are above about 180km. There should be no red line on the Map MFD.

 

[Artlav]

I have managed to take off and get the boosters to automatically detach,

Once i am out of the atmostphere all i do is drift back into it again.

How can i acheive orbit after the boosters have deteched?

Everything that goes up must come down.
If you're going straight up, please read some orbital physics tutorials.

If you're going on a proper profile, make sure you have unlimited fuel option unchecked, since Atlantis cannot reach orbit with it on.

If you're going the right way and unlimited fuel unchecked, make sure you're going the right way - Shuttle is quite sensitive to incorrect launch profile, it might simply be tricky to get into orbit.

If you drift back half-a-planet away, then you're forgot to do an OMS burn - circularise the orbit by burning prograde at it's highest point.