4 ms·

They should really teach physics using KSP.

delichon 11mo ago
I doubt SpaceX could put a satellite in orbit with KSP physics. Just the absence of realistic thermal conduction would prevent it. The outer skin temperature typically peaks around 300–600 °C during the densest part of the atmosphere. If you calculate those forces wrong the rocket has a bad day. Best case it is over engineered and has a reduced payload. They might as well do their calculations with pi equal to 3.
- 0_____0 11mo ago
  What does thermal conduction affect? Is it mostly practical spacecraft construction, or actually related to orbital mechanics?
- bogzz 11mo ago
  The FAR mod is touted as being realistic; I haven't played it though.
- iso1631 11mo ago
  https://xkcd.com/2205/ https://xkcd.com/2205/ comes to mind with your pi approximation. Nobody is saying KSP physics is perfect. Until I played KSP, I had no idea how hard orbit was compared with just going up into space (and generally the greater population thinks the same -- they think that sending New Shephard upto 100km is about the same as sending a Dragon into orbit). I had no idea how you move in orbit, how getting from low earth equitorial orbit to Jupiter takes less energy than getting from the same ship to a polar orbit (and even then that the only real way to change your orbit like that is to go out beyond the moon and back), etc.
vannucci 11mo ago
I tried to teach a group of HS students about orbital mechanics as a high school physics teacher using KSP. It was... difficult. Not impossible. But I agree it's an excellent learning tool.
- hobs 11mo ago
  Right, the UI/UX is a lot to just get to the rocket part. KSP is probably the best game that forces that into your head with a classic simulation that's fun, but I gotta say something like Rocket League was better at building my intuition for rocket behaviors.
dabluecaboose 11mo ago
I'm a professional astrodynamicist and I owe my base level understanding of orbital mechanics to KSP. It's a fantastic resource for learning the basics of Keplerian motion. Also, obligatory XKCD: https://xkcd.com/1356/ https://xkcd.com/1356/
- taneq 11mo ago
  Arguably aerodynamics is confusing on a whole other level to mere orbital dynamics. :D
  - M95D 11mo ago
    No, it's simple. Just make sure the airplane falls nose-first if it ever stops (speed<stall).
  - dabluecaboose 11mo ago
    I washed my hands of aerodynamics after I got my first job in satellite navigation. Messy stuff, that Navier-Stokes business
matheusmoreira 11mo ago
Yeah, it's amazing. With enough docking and maneuvering practice I developed some kind of intuition for moving in space. I could maneuver without meticulously planning the burns. Still can't leave Eve though...
aaronblohowiak 11mo ago
I wish ksp 2 hadn't been a boondoggle
- mikkupikku 11mo ago
  I haven't kept up with it, but hopefully Kitten Space Agency will be able to take up the torch.

I doubt SpaceX could put a satellite in orbit with KSP physics. Just the absence of realistic thermal conduction would prevent it. The outer skin temperature typically peaks around 300–600 °C during the densest part of the atmosphere. If you calculate those forces wrong the rocket has a bad day. Best case it is over engineered and has a reduced payload. They might as well do their calculations with pi equal to 3.

0_____0 11mo ago
What does thermal conduction affect? Is it mostly practical spacecraft construction, or actually related to orbital mechanics?
bogzz 11mo ago
The FAR mod is touted as being realistic; I haven't played it though.
iso1631 11mo ago
https://xkcd.com/2205/ https://xkcd.com/2205/ comes to mind with your pi approximation. Nobody is saying KSP physics is perfect. Until I played KSP, I had no idea how hard orbit was compared with just going up into space (and generally the greater population thinks the same -- they think that sending New Shephard upto 100km is about the same as sending a Dragon into orbit). I had no idea how you move in orbit, how getting from low earth equitorial orbit to Jupiter takes less energy than getting from the same ship to a polar orbit (and even then that the only real way to change your orbit like that is to go out beyond the moon and back), etc.

vannucci 11mo ago

I tried to teach a group of HS students about orbital mechanics as a high school physics teacher using KSP. It was... difficult. Not impossible. But I agree it's an excellent learning tool.

hobs 11mo ago
Right, the UI/UX is a lot to just get to the rocket part. KSP is probably the best game that forces that into your head with a classic simulation that's fun, but I gotta say something like Rocket League was better at building my intuition for rocket behaviors.

dabluecaboose 11mo ago

I'm a professional astrodynamicist and I owe my base level understanding of orbital mechanics to KSP. It's a fantastic resource for learning the basics of Keplerian motion. Also, obligatory XKCD: https://xkcd.com/1356/ https://xkcd.com/1356/

taneq 11mo ago
Arguably aerodynamics is confusing on a whole other level to mere orbital dynamics. :D
- M95D 11mo ago
  No, it's simple. Just make sure the airplane falls nose-first if it ever stops (speed<stall).
- dabluecaboose 11mo ago
  I washed my hands of aerodynamics after I got my first job in satellite navigation. Messy stuff, that Navier-Stokes business

matheusmoreira 11mo ago

Yeah, it's amazing. With enough docking and maneuvering practice I developed some kind of intuition for moving in space. I could maneuver without meticulously planning the burns. Still can't leave Eve though...

aaronblohowiak 11mo ago

I wish ksp 2 hadn't been a boondoggle

mikkupikku 11mo ago
I haven't kept up with it, but hopefully Kitten Space Agency will be able to take up the torch.