Martin Schweiger's Orbiter Space Flight Simulator
Free Orbiter Software
Orbiter (available from www.orbitersim.com) is a freeware space flight simulator for the PC that is fun, powerful, realistic, expandable, and educational. The download page directs you to several "mirror" sites that actually host the program zip files.Based on the real science and math of orbital mechanics and atmospheric flight, it features a first-person astronaut's perspective and beautiful 3D graphics. Orbiter's developer, Dr. Martin Schweiger, has created an amazing virtual world of real and fictional spacecraft, space stations, planets, and moons. It includes a variety of spacecraft, space stations, and sample scenarios or "missions."
First impressions - 2005
Press Releases
Press Release - May 4th 2006Free Orbiter Books
"Go Play In Space" (Second Edition) by Bruce Irving.
Fun with Martin Schweiger's Orbiter Space Flight Simulator. This Introductory Tutorial manual is a colorful picture book about humans going to Mars, how they might realistically go about this, and where this might lead in the future.
Download Go Play in space here
"Mars… Just Imagine" by Bruce Irving
This PDF file is a colorful picture book about humans going to Mars, how they might realistically go about this, and where this might lead in the future.
The missions were simulated with specially developed add-ons in the freeware Orbiter space flight simulator, and most of the graphics are screen captures from Orbiter, though some are real photos from NASA. Intended for ages 10 to adult, the book includes an appendix with details for each page, including information on the add-ons used in Orbiter to create the images.Download Mars… Just Imagine by Bruce Irving (pdf file)
Missions
In orbit over the USA and AustraliaApollo 14
International Space Station
Apollo screen caps from Apollo Lunar Mission Tutorial by John Dunn www.jdkbph.com/ALMT/index.php
Other screen caps by Bruce Irvingwith standard Orbiter 2005 installation, plus high-resolution "level 9" earth textures, well worth installing (free of course, all Orbiter stuff is amazingly free) - search for orbiter mods