Kerbal Space Program - Space simulation for your inner engineer

I am a computer programmer working on an Air Traffic Control Simulator. I have always liked simulators from managerial, purely economical or just straight-on flying simulators. We can say that I am doing research for work while I am playing them :D

I stumbled upon a simulator that really destroyed my world ( and my free time ). A space simulator. Easy to start, difficult to master. And when I say difficult to master, I mean it. The start is easy but it soon gets hard as you advance.
You might say: " It's a game, it's not exactly rocket science!" Well... 

The rocket science!

Kerbal Space Program is an extremely funny game that lets you design your ship and fly it..uhm.. attempt at least to fly it to space. You have the option of a career in which you get in the shoes of a space mission manager, in control of budgets, policies, missions and design. Simple on the outside, this game sucks your time in like a beast. After the first few missions in which you gain precious science by accomplishing simple missions the steep learning curve will kick into place. Once you leave the atmosphere you will have to learn a lot of terminology and soon you will realize that this is not a game, but a test to you as an engineer.

I can do physics!

The game is based on serious calculations and approximations of physics laws and takes everything into consideration. The physics model is so advanced that doing a Hoffman Transfer Maneuver or a Gravity Assist Turn makes you understand the huge limitations of our space travel tech. You can visit 7 planets and their moons, each of them having unique characteristics. Some are similar to our own solar system's planets some are not. Oh and you can even visit random asteroids and reroute them. Designing a spacecraft or an aircraft ( both are possible ) is as easy as your goals are. The build process is based on parts and nodes, with some nodes coming first and the others attaching on existing hierarchy. You can build symmetrically or not, aerodynamically or not and so on. Weight, dimensions and others specs are limiting your design phase, and you will soon answer out of your own practice why NASA does the things is does. It's not a matter of "just add more engines" to go faster, usually it's on the contrary, but don't expect your ship to control like Battlestar Gallactica because it will not. Instead it will feel like the Space Shuttle, slow and flimsy.

Design phase

Flight Phase

This is where most of the fun will take place. Although the physics also allows for flying airplanes, most of the fun comes from launching spacecraft in space.
The game comes with an option to recover the spacecraft at launchpad or revert to build phase if you somehow manage to destroy it in a huge mega-enormous fiery mayhem ( oh and it surely will ). But if you somehow get it to fly and you can control it long enough to get in space that's where the real fun begins. It's fun and challenging but every time you will get your results back to Mission Control and research new technology will make you feel good. I for once often went to sleep and woke up with an EUREKA! moment :D

You will realize the sheer size of the planets as you do orbital dockings. You can land on any of the solar system's planets. The things you can do are only limited by your imagination. This game will impress you a lot.

You can also have your astronauts do EVA's ( Extravehicular activities)

What? Any landing you can walk after is a good landing!

AAA-HAAAA

Your astronauts are all named Kerman ( probably there's a single family or a weird method of astronaut selection :D ) They look happy to be here, testing your spacecraft for the first time, while they are in space. You can even colonize the planets. What more could you want from a simulator.

The community rocks and the game lives through its addons

Exactly like minecraft the community adds more quality to the original. Parts used in the original Apollo mission or near future engines like M-drive or FTL Drives are everywhere. Addons are easy to install and configure.
Whooops

As a conclusion

This simulator really has the power to bring out the scientist or engineer out of you and keep you glued to your designs for hours on end. I really enjoyed it and still enjoy it sometimes so I can vouch for it, if you can get past the steep learning curve. As far as I know it's really cheap ( as low as 6$ on Kinguin ).

I hope to see more flight engineers out of you soon :D

Sources: Text is @originalwork.
Photos are fanmade stills from the game. Kudos to all of you fans :P
Video is the official trailer.