The developer, Martin Schweiger, felt that space flight simulators at the time were lacking in realistic physics based flight models and decided to write a simulator that made learning physics concepts enjoyable. Orbiter is a freeware space flight simulator program developed to allow users to operate simulated spacecraft using a detailed and realistic flight model. Braeunig’s Rocket and Space Technology website ( ) is designed for space travel aficionados who desire to learn more than the basics but want to avoid complex concepts and theories. To get the most out of Orbiter, it helps to have some knowledge of orbital mechanics. There is a special add-on forum at the Orbiter site to help programmers get started on the right foot.Īn excellent teaching tool, Orbiter is used by many science, math, and technology classes to help illustrate diverse subjects from space flight to trigonometry. It provides code libraries, sample code, utilities and documentation needed to produce original designs.
However, developers can create add-ons like new spacecraft using the Orbiter Software Development Kit. The most recent version was released in August of 2010. At the time, he wanted a simulator that accurately reflected physics-oriented flight modeling. Orbiter was created in 2000 by developer Martin Schweiger. Shows the Nasa Space Shuttle in orbit over the Earth in the latest version of the Orbiter space flight simulator for Windows.