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I wonder what real astronaut and cosmonaut think about KSP

Pawelk198604

By Pawelk198604
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Pawelk198604

Pawelk198604

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I wonder what real world space scientist think about ksp.

As for me i learned more about celestial mechanic playing KSP and earlier Orbiter, than time spend in high school.

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Sapphire

Sapphire

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There's quite a few technicians and related guys who play KSP.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/VideoGame/KerbalSpaceProgram

-The game's fandom (at least on the official forums) rejoiced on at least two occasions due to mentions from people who work in space science. The first was when Neil deGrasse Tyson tweeted that he thought the game looked fun and would probably spend "far too much time" playing it if there was a Mac version. (This resulted in the until-then low-priority OSX port becoming the absolute #1 priority for the devteam!)

-The second was, if anything, an even bigger reaction when, in response to a question on their blog, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover team stated that there were a number of people on the team who liked to play KSP during their free time. The unpaid endorsement by a group of REAL rocket scientists (or close enough to it for all practical purposes) set off tears of joy from the user base.

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Brabbit1987

Brabbit1987

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It's really good to hear, but I kinda already expected this to be the case. Anyone who works in rocket science or space related job, is likely to be there because they enjoy it. If they enjoy it, why wouldn't they like KSP?

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katateochi

katateochi

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The second was, if anything, an even bigger reaction when, in response to a question on their blog, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover team stated that there were a number of people on the team who liked to play KSP during their free time. The unpaid endorsement by a group of REAL rocket scientists (or close enough to it for all practical purposes) set off tears of joy from the user base.

^^ this.

When I heard that some folk in JPL played KSP, Curiosity's nuts landing system suddenly made sense!

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Sapphire

Sapphire

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^^ this.

When I heard that some folk in JPL played KSP, Curiosity's nuts landing system suddenly made sense!

Because nothing is cooler than using a rocket-powered crane to land a nuclear science tank on Mars!

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razark

razark

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Anyone who works in rocket science or space related job, is likely to be there because they enjoy it.

Even if you like what you're doing when you start, even a great job can become "just a job". There are a lot of people working at NASA that neither know nor care much about the space program; they just do what they get paid to do. (Note: The tourists on the trams pay money to be there. The employees have to be paid to show up.)

If they enjoy it, why wouldn't they like KSP?

Because when you're doing the same thing for your job and as your hobby, you can get a little burnt out.

Of course, there are still people that work in the aerospace industry and enjoy Kerbal. I don't know if the percentage is any higher than in the general population, though.

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Brabbit1987

Brabbit1987

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Even if you like what you're doing when you start, even a great job can become "just a job". There are a lot of people working at NASA that neither know nor care much about the space program; they just do what they get paid to do. (Note: The tourists on the trams pay money to be there. The employees have to be paid to show up.)

Because when you're doing the same thing for your job and as your hobby, you can get a little burnt out.

Of course, there are still people that work in the aerospace industry and enjoy Kerbal. I don't know if the percentage is any higher than in the general population, though.

First of all, I said is "likely." That means I am not including everyone there. Also, anyone who's job is also a hobby will tell you they enjoy their job even when things get hectic and stressful.

I have first hand experience as I have worked with computer which is also one of my hobbies. I enjoyed my job, and I enjoyed getting home and doing the same thing.

The problem is not everyone gets a job in something they absolutely love. However, those are the people I am talking about. My guess is if you are working for NASA, you are working there because you enjoy it. I mean how likely is it, someone would go to school and learn on that technical science stuff if they only saw it as a job? Also if you ever listened to any Scientist talk, have you ever heard one act like they hate their job? From every video I have seen, they always seem excited to me.

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razark

razark

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I have first hand experience as I have worked with computer which is also one of my hobbies. I enjoyed my job, and I enjoyed getting home and doing the same thing.

I worked tech support for a while. I loved the work, hated the job. I work somewhere else now, and I find that I enjoy playing with computers again.

My guess is if you are working for NASA, you are working there because you enjoy it.

Your guess may be correct in some cases, but it is wrong in many, as well. Some work there because it's the job that gives them a paycheck. Or it's something they once loved, but can barely stand now, but they can't find another job that pays well enough to make a change. Or hate the job, but are just trying to hang on another couple years to retirement. The idea of working somewhere is a lot shinier than actually working there.

I mean how likely is it, someone would go to school and learn on that technical science stuff if they only saw it as a job?

When I was in college, there were two kinds of students in the Computer Science department, with a very visible divide. Those who did it because they loved it, and those that did it because they heard it paid well.

Also if you ever listened to any Scientist talk, have you ever heard one act like they hate their job?

Yup. The ones that get moved up to manager. Growing up in this area of Houston, I've seen enough NASA folks move on to other stuff when they got bumped from "doing stuff" to herding people. I know Dad's a lot more laid back since he semi-retired.

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Brabbit1987

Brabbit1987

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I worked tech support for a while. I loved the work, hated the job. I work somewhere else now, and I find that I enjoy playing with computers again.

Your guess may be correct in some cases, but it is wrong in many, as well. Some work there because it's the job that gives them a paycheck. Or it's something they once loved, but can barely stand now, but they can't find another job that pays well enough to make a change. Or hate the job, but are just trying to hang on another couple years to retirement. The idea of working somewhere is a lot shinier than actually working there.

When I was in college, there were two kinds of students in the Computer Science department, with a very visible divide. Those who did it because they loved it, and those that did it because they heard it paid well.

Yup. The ones that get moved up to manager. Growing up in this area of Houston, I've seen enough NASA folks move on to other stuff when they got bumped from "doing stuff" to herding people. I know Dad's a lot more laid back since he semi-retired.

I see. Well all very true and good points. I suppose you are correct.

Guess I am a different breed xD. I enjoy computers and even as a job I love it, well as long as I don't have to deal with trying to explain what I am doing to someone who doesn't know >.>. It's always a pain to be asked ... what are doing? Then trying to explain it to someone who doesn't even know what a link is. -.-

But ya as long as it involves the computer and not the peoples part ... all good :3

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Sapphire

Sapphire

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But ya as long as it involves the computer and not the peoples part ... all good :3

Oh god, customer tech support...

WHY WON'T MY COMPUTER TURN ON?! YOU BROKE IT, AND/OR THE SERVER IS DOWN!

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doggie015

doggie015

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Class of Astronauts 2013: Welcome to NASA. Due to budget cuts, we will train for 6 months on KSP. First one to land on the Mun gets to go to space first.
No. It should be first one to land on Duna and Ike in one run gets to go into space first. The Mun is stupidly easy to get to and land on!
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razark

razark

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Then trying to explain it to someone who doesn't even know what a link is.

Yeah. One of my favorites was the guy running a website, who told me to stop using "highly technical terms, like 'clicking' and 'dragging'".

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Astronomer

Astronomer

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Class of Astronauts 2013: Welcome to NASA. Due to budget cuts, we will train for 6 months on KSP. First one to land on the Mun gets to go to space first.

*Whoever gets to Mun without dieing

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whatisthisidonteven

whatisthisidonteven

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I believe they think something along the lines of "Yeah, a cool game, except for all those kiddies treating us like meat backups"

Don't forget equating downloading mechjeb and hitting "execute" to spending ages perfecting the software for your rocket and carefully programming the flight path so your multi-million dollar real life rocket doesn't mess up.

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