Orbiter Page
Countdown84's
Orbiter Links:
A Simulator, not a Game
Orbiter is a free, highly detailed space flight simulator developed by Dr. Martin Schweiger at the University College of London. It is a program with incredible breadth - it has the simplicity to serve as a wonderful learning tool, but can be configured to simulate very complex historical and future space missions (Apollo, Space Shuttle, Voyager slingshot trajectories, etc.)
What's more is that Orbiter includes a well documented programming interface that allows individuals to develop their own extensions for the program. As a result, highly detailed recreations of virtually every historical space mission are available online, for free. This also means that Orbiter is constantly under development - Dr. Schweiger is continually adding new features to the sim itself, and a whole community of users and enthusiasts are constantly working on new spacecraft, instruments, surface bases, or even solar systems to broaden and deepen the Orbiter experience.
Make no mistake, Orbiter is not a "computer game." Its primary purpose is to simulate real Newtonian physics with high accuracy. This means that you can't get very far flying in Orbiter without a decent knowledge of orbital mechanics and the basics of space flight in the real world. The learning curve can be steep, but for a nerdy science-type like myself, the reward is well worth it. I actually started playing Orbiter back when I was taking AP Physics in high school, and you better believe it deepened my understanding of vectors, velocity, acceleration, and centripetal motion!
Ryan's Orbiter Addons
Developing quality addons for Orbiter is quite a challenge. It requires that you learn to edit text-based configuration files, program in C++, and do 3D modelling. I enjoy this challenge, though, because all of these skills are useful in a technical profession like engineering. These links will take you to my Orbiter addons:
The Orbiter Flag Project
The Orbiter Flag Project is an idea I came up with for a very simple addon that has turned into something much bigger. Orbiter attracts users literally from around the world, a thrilling part of (virtual) space exploration is being able to land and plant your country's flag on some far-away celestial body. The Flag Project invites Orbinauts from all around the world to contribute a flag from their homeland.
Visit the Orbiter Flag Project online
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