[HalcyonSpirit]

Kerbal Space Program
Kerbal SpacePort - Official Modding Site
Version 0.18 released 11/30/2012

Build your own rockets! Build your own spaceplanes! Build your own space stations! Explore the solar system! Try not to explode!




Kerbal Space Program is a semi-arcade-style spaceflight simulator currently in development. From small space probes to manned spacecraft and spaceplanes, you can build just about anything that can fly or be flown withan ever-expanding collection of parts and accessories. The recently-introduced docking feature expands the possibilities even further, allowing you to ferry parts up into orbit and put them together once you've arrived at your destination. Space stations close to home or in the outer reaches of the solar system are possible, as are land-based outposts on other worlds.

While it doesn't yet have a career-mode with specific objectives, the sandbox mode currently available is enough to satisfy those with an urge to build, explore, and just go crazy with the available parts.

The game is also moddable, with an active community of contributors constantly adding new parts, accessories, and even new physics to the game for added complexity and enjoyment.

The possibilities are practically endless, limited only by what you want to achieve. One man has attempted and succeeded in building an aircraft-based launch platform that flies a small rocket into the upper atmosphere before launching it into orbit; a video of one such flight is here. Another person sent a small probe to do a series of flybys of all the major objects in the solar system in a single trip, seen here.

There is plenty more to see and do. So go, build your rockets, fly your planes, and explore the solar system. And just remember the Kerbal mantra: If it doesn't fly, add more rockets!

[phill]

Originally Posted by HalcyonSpirit

It's only a month old, in Alpha, and the only working part of it so far is the rocket-building

That is enough to keep me happy.

[HalcyonSpirit]

Originally Posted by phill

That is enough to keep me happy.

Likewise.

Finally got my first successful orbit insertion. Final orbit parameters:

Perigee: 145,553 meters, 2176 m/s
Apogee: 146,041 meters, 2175 m/s
Period: 35.9 minutes
Eccentricity: 0.00167

Now to do it with a payload...

[HalcyonSpirit]

Giving this thread a big ol' bump because the game has come a long, long way since I first posted it here more than a year ago. A growing solar system, new aerodynamics, completely new aircraft-construction capability, a completely revamped set of rocket parts, docking ability for in-space rendezvous and even construction, parts for space probes, an electrical system, fuel-transfers, EVAs (with IVAs in development), and more. The modding community is even more active these days, too, with the additional modding capabilities being built into the game. It's still in very active development as well, so even more will be coming!

I'm having a blast trying to construct my first space station for mid-flight refueling before moving on to landing on the many new planets and moons. If you haven't checked the game out yet, now would be a good time to do so!

[Dhsu]

Apparently the physics is accurate to the point that one of my friends is literally using rocket science equations to build his spacecraft.

[HalcyonSpirit]

Originally Posted by Dhsu

Apparently the physics is accurate to the point that one of my friends is literally using rocket science equations to build his spacecraft.

I would too if I wasn't having so much fun just throwing things together and seeing if it works. I have the aerospace background for it. The aerodynamics aren't up to the same level of quality yet, but those should be receiving another update in 0.19, so we'll see.

The orbital mechanics are also fairly accurate (using patched conics analysis), so one could conceivably take an existing real-world analysis program, plot out a route, figure out the fuel consumption and such, and have it work as analyzed in the game. One guy was writing such software for the game specifically (hasn't updated for a while, though), and every so often I think about doing it myself. Of course, with the new orbit planner in the game itself, there's much less need for it, so I probably won't.

I'll see if I can get some pictures of my space station up soon, provided I can finally get the fuel tanks attached to it without destroying anything.

[Emperor Charlemagne]

My friend and coworker is a pilot with a fair knowledge of aerodynamics and he loves this game to death. From what he's told me, the physics in the game are fairly accurate and that makes the game even more fun when things start to go wrong.