Learning about spaceflight

[william212]

My son and I have learning from US2 every night for the last few weeks.  Its been loads of fun and lead to a lot of discussion on the space physics, mass, gravity, etc...

I would love to be able to explore and learn how different parameters affect spaceflight.

We've tried "launching" objects from planets but have found it difficult to fine-control objects or replicate experiments with different parameters.

Would love to be able to do the following:
 

• Selecting and launching a spacecraft from a designated spot on earth, allowing for the launching of the same or similar objects with different parameters.
• Once in space, the ability to apply thrust at a user-defined velocity. 
• Ability to program pre-and-post launch velocity changes - something like  travel for x minutes/distance, thrust X10-Y3-Z0 km/h for 30 second. Wait 15 minutes.  Thrust X22-Y1-Z12 km/h for 5 second...
• Projected estimated routes based on changes to pre-programmed velocity.

A bonus would be requiring hydrogen (or other) and then decreasing the amount of available hydrogen in proportion to the thrust produced.  The need for a complex maneuver would then require additional hydrogen, increase mass and requiring more lift to orbit.  This would then lead to learning about gravitational assisted maneuvers to compensate for lack of fuel / increase velocity, as well as other avenues.

You would want to be able to save all these vectors in order to run the simulation over time or using different parameters.

[DoctorWh0?]

For this, it would be better to check out Kerbal Space Program.

[william212]

Thanks! I'll check it out.

[william212]

Enjoying Kerbal

Kerbal is about is about creating rockets and fulfilling missions - it has an economy-based structure which allows you to play it as a game (research upgrades, funding management, etc...) or the sandbox model (which I haven't explored yet).

I do think it would be great if US2 (maybe as an expansion pack) would allow for the bullet points above without incorporating the economic aspects of Kerbal.

[DoctorWh0?]

I know. I just think that it would be hard to fit it in without making it a bazzilion dollars.

[quantumMechanic]

If you've ever heard of Space Engine, it's a free game that also has a spaceflight feature. While it's not the game's main purpose, it is implemented pretty well. It has most of the features you're looking for, as well as a lot more that don't have to do with spaceflight. It's definitely an awesome game.

If you do get it, I'd recommend getting the 0.9.7.4 beta. Even though it's a beta and it has some bugs, it's a much improved version from the current 0.9.7.3 release, especially when it comes to the spaceflight feature. It's somewhere on the dev forums, but if you just google "space engine 0.9.7.4" it should be the first result.

[Physics_Hacker]

If you've ever heard of Space Engine, it's a free game that also has a spaceflight feature. While it's not the game's main purpose, it is implemented pretty well. It has most of the features you're looking for, as well as a lot more that don't have to do with spaceflight. It's definitely an awesome game.

If you do get it, I'd recommend getting the 0.9.7.4 beta. Even though it's a beta and it has some bugs, it's a much improved version from the current 0.9.7.3 release, especially when it comes to the spaceflight feature. It's somewhere on the dev forums, but if you just google "space engine 0.9.7.4" it should be the first result.

About space engine, theres a release candidate out that I can link if you want. 

[william212]

Would appreciate the link.

Thanks!

[Physics_Hacker]

Would appreciate the link.

Thanks!

Here's the one for RC3:
http://en.spaceengine.org/forum/21-3022-66419-16-1466354362