So I was made aware of this game over the weekend and realized it was my duty to tell all of you... Except, I was too busy sending rockets into space in my free time so I had to wait until today!
The game is exactly what it sounds like. Build rockets, probes, landers, space stations and launch them into to space (you can also build high-altitude "spaceplanes" with horizontal launches). Once in space you can orbit Kerbal, land on the Mun (moon) explore new worlds, build spacestations through complex docking maneuvers and multiple launches....
The game is still in development, but it has gotten past most of the early development growing pains and is polished enough for mass consumption.
My recommendation is to try it for a few hours without modding, but adding MechJeb (search the spaceport) after a few hours adds some autopilot / navigational computer / data views (tonnage, thrust to weight ratio) components that are helpful. Especially if you watch what it does and then try to mimic it (thats how I figured out how to do gravity turns).
KSP About wrote:
About Kerbal Space Program
Kerbal Space Program is a multi-genre game where the players create their own space program.
In KSP, you must build a space-worthy craft, capable of flying its crew out into space, without killing them. At your disposal is a collection of parts, which must be assembled to create a functional ship. Each part has its own function and will affect the way a ship flies (or doesn't). So strap yourself in, and get ready to try some Rocket Science!
Main Features:
•The Vehicle Assembly Building and the Space Plane Hangar allows players to build spacecraft out of any imaginable combination of parts.
•Fully-fledged, Physics-based Flight Simulation ensures everything will fly (and crash) as it should.
•Take your Kerbal crew out of the ship and do Extra Vehicular Activities
•Fly out to Moons and other Planets
•Procedural Terrain delivers detailed terrain at a vast scale. The Kerbal Planet is 600km in radius!
•Mod-enabled, allows players to create new content and modify the game.
•Ship systems. Keep an eye out for engine temperatures and fuel levels, and try not to explode.
•Build ships with multiple stages, and jettison parts away as they burn out.
•Full control over the staging sequence allows for complex ships and advanced functionality.
Planned Features:
•Take on Missions to attract interest in your Space Program. Or use the Mission Planner to create your own missions.
•Manage your Space Program. Hire astronauts, train them, research and improve parts.
•Build Space Stations, and surface bases on other worlds.
•And a whole lot more!
KSP is still under development, so many things are not yet as they should be. We are working hard to be constantly improving the game however, and it will be regularly updated with bug fixes and new content, so make sure to check back for new versions. We are also always listening to feedback from the players, and we welcome ideas and suggestions.
Currently the game is being built as an open sandbox. There are no objectives yet. You're free to build anything you can think of, and fly it wherever you want, even into orbit.
The first versions are free to download and play, and will remain so forever. During development, the game is available for purchase at a discounted price, which we will gradually increase up to its final retail price as the game nears completion. So by ordering early, you get the game for a lot less, and you'll get all future updates for free.
Have Fun!
-- The KSP Team
Avaliable on Steam or the KSP website.
(Steam says: Windows/Mac/Linux compatible)
Links:
https://kerbalspaceprogram.com/WikiMods