Any real space studying guys play this?

[way2smrt]

yes many nasa employees play KSP

I bet they're the elite people who make huge space stations and planetary bases... This is probably a cakewalk for them.

[elkar]

CSA also of course.

[tek_604]

I'm currently working at the Max-Planck Institute for Solar System Research, in Germany

[nats]

I study space all the time and I play KSP!

[CtrlAltEL1TE]

I work on airliners (Avionics Technician) for Virgin Atlantic

Possibly spaceplanes in the future, you never know.

[happynoobing]

I remember JPL ppl said they couldn't get to Duna with only stock parts in an interview somewhere

[SkyRender]

I bet they're the elite people who make huge space stations and planetary bases... This is probably a cakewalk for them.

While they have less of a learning curve with the mechanics, you had better believe that the controls are still a challenging factor for even the most seasoned astrophysicist. I couldn't name any real-world spacecraft off the top of my head which use WASDQE to control pitch, yaw, and roll.

Also, there's plenty of us who make those absurdly huge crafts and bases who do not have any sort of job in the field of astrophysics. Myself, for example; I'm a supply and logistics guy, not a rocket scientist.

[InfinityArch]

I remember JPL ppl said they couldn't get to Duna with only stock parts in an interview somewhere

That's not as strange as it sounds, given that it's extremely difficult to eyeball the phase angles between planets in vanilla ksp.

[SDIR]

Also, most space craft are completely automated (in terms of maneuvering) so what NASA is doing is basically turning on a very large Mechjeb and letting the computers fly the crafts. I so far have no heard of any modern space craft with a stick and throttle.

[TouhouTorpedo]

Also, most space craft are completely automated (in terms of maneuvering) so what NASA is doing is basically turning on a very large Mechjeb and letting the computers fly the crafts. I so far have no heard of any modern space craft with a stick and throttle.

Quite sure Saturn V actually did have a manual override to stick control capability. Also sure the Shuttle had a stick for atmospheric controls, and near enough certain all manned spacecraft have sticks for reaction control thrusters, as well as the automated system (some craft actually had a separate RCS fuel supply for both, Mercury for example). As far as the main engines go, I'm not so sure about that. Its unlikely they have a throttle, but an on/off switch is quite possible.

I'm sure the article you're thinking of didn't say they needed to play with mods, just that they preferred to do so. Which I don't blame them for at all, considering how much more you can do with something like KAS installed for instance.

[Fabri91]

Aerospace engineering student here!

[Autochton]

I have a minor in astrophysics. Never did any orbital mechanics, though - it was all about large-scale cosmology, universal equations, dark matter, those sorts of shenanigans.

[allmappedout]

Did a degree in Mathematics, with some modules in Astrophysics Still, have learned more playing KSP than from doing my course. Although saying that, playing it does bring back hazy memories of discussing periodic motion and so on and so forth....hazy mostly because of booze

[Daisy Blossom]

I'm an actual aerospace engineer at Lockheed Martin. Discovered this game about two months ago and it has consumed almost all of my free time since. It's been a blast dusting off the orbital mechanics/ propulsion/ spacecraft dynamics textbooks and building crazy excel spreadsheets that apply the equations/ theory contained therein to make awesome KSP rockets! I never thought my degree would aid my gaming habits but I love it! Thanks Squad! You'll keep getting my money

[3_bit]

IF enough NASA employees play, there may be an N-body expansion pack with realistic physics because those guys at JPL with their supercomputers CAN process stuff like that.