Orbiter Space Flight Simulator

[arobie]

A while back, najab introduced me to this excellent space flight simulator,Orbiter Space Flight Simulator. Just recently, an updated version came out. So for those who have already known about Orbiter, I just wanted to bring this up just incase you haven't already seen it. There are some cool improvements to the original. (Scramjets come to mind) Check it out. <img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /><br /><br />To those who have not heard of Orbiter before now, it is the most awesome space flight and atmospheric flight simulator there is. Absolutely awesome. It's realistic in everything, gravitational and orbital mechanics, atmospheric properties when flying, planetary distances, speeds, masses, realistic in everything, making it all the better.<br /><br />Although because of this, it does have a very steep learning curve to actually be able to fly well. It's not too hard though. You'll get it. I've gotten suborbital hops mastered, although thats not too hard, just point you're nose up and fire the rockets till you get to space!, and I can rendevous with Mars' two moons if I take off from Mars. Very awesome flight that was!<br /><br />It's an awesome simulator, very fun, and spectacular views. I absolutely love it! Take a look at the website and try it out. You'll enjoy it!

 

[arobie]

Just a bump incase anybody's interested. With the upcoming Discovery RTF flight, I'm having fun trying to fly shuttle missions myself. <img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" />

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Damn, this looks cool. Now I have to work out Zip files <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" />

 

[arobie]

You don't have a program that will unzip Zip files?<br /><br />Well if you don't, this looks like it might do the job. It's a free unzip program.<br /><br />If that's not good, I'm sure you can find one with a google search. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[henryhallam]

Highly recommended "addons" to Orbiter: (I would consider these essential)<br /><br />http://www.orbitermars.co.uk/TransXV309.zip - TransX MFD, for planning trips to the moon and beyond. Very useful because it does numeric calculation of your trajectory so you don't have to make lots of large course correcting burns - you can work out exactly which initial burn to make to get where you want.<br /><br />http://orbiter.dansteph.com/index.php?disp=d - OrbiterSound and DeltaGliderIII. OrbiterSound as the name implies adds sound to the simulator, giving a rather more immersive feel. (Don't worry, you can't hear your rocket engines in the external view while outside an atmosphere!) DeltaGliderIII is a much-enhanced version of the DeltaGlider that comes standard with Orbiter. DGIII provides a flight computer simulation, checklists, electrical system simulation and most importantly realistic reentry tolerances so if you screw up, you burn up.<br /><br />http://sourceforge.net/projects/nassp/ Apollo simulator. 'Nuff said.<br /><br />If you enjoy the simulator and these addons, it's worth writing a quick thank-you email to the respective authors. They put a lot of work in off their own backs to provide us space nuts with this fantastic software.

 

[shuttle_rtf]

I've got the unzipper, it's just I'm going to download everything, including the patches, then what do I do (I'm crap with this, can you tell <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> )

 

[arobie]

First you unzip the 'base' package into a folder you created named 'Orbiter'. Then you just unzip everything else you want...the patches, addons, into the main folder, 'Orbiter'. They will be placed where they need to be automatically. Actually very easy and simple. <img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" />

 

[SpaceKiwi]

<font color="yellow">Actually very easy and simple.</font><br /><br /><br />Yeah, it's the trying to operate that confounded program where the difficulty will kick in! <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[arobie]

True. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" />

 

[arobie]

henryhallam,<br /><br />Thank you for that. If I found anyone interested in orbiter, I was going to type up the addon nessecity list...so thank you for beating me to it.<br /><br />I had found and downloaded those three also.<br /><br />I haven't quite figured out how to work TransX yet. I just haven't spent the time to figure it out yet. I probably should though. I had trouble getting to Mars in my described below mission.<br /><br />I love orbitersound. It really adds to the game. I love hearing my engines roar, my thrusters firing, and most of all the satisfying clunkity click click click of docking. I also like the orbiter sound addons. They are real mission apollo or soviet audio. I sometimes just go through my sound directory to listen to the different sounds and conversations there are. <br /><br />DeltaGlider III has got to be the best addon I have ever seen. I absolutely love it. It is harder to fly because it is the most realistic ship made.<br /><br />Beware, Mission Log:<br /><br />The last mission I flew was the longest most complicated mission I have flown yet. I flew it with the DGIII. I took off from Cape Canaveral in the DGIII and got to orbit. I docked with the MIR and repropped (repropellant-refuel). Then from there I undocked and alligned my orbital plain to that of the Moon and went there. That was the first time I transferred orbits farther than orbits in LEO or LMO (Low Mars Orbit). I made it and landed at the Moon base, Brighton Beach. Man is that hard without an atmosphere! <br /><br />Then I repropped again then took off. I docked with the spinning wheel station in Lunar polar orbit. No particular reason, I just wanted to. Luckily, they don't take into account when you are not rotating the same as the station to dock. I would not have made it if they did. (I hear that might be changed in some future patch.) I repropped again. From there I undocked and aligned my plane with Mars this time. I had checked the orbits and found that I was within the launch wind

 

[spacefire]

gotta try the Glider 3... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>