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There are multiple simulator-games around (orbiter, lunar flight), but how accurate they are? Is there "more scientific" (not a game) simulator?

Q: What is the most accurate and commercially available Space Flight Simulator? In the Space Flight Simulator:

  • User can Control/manipulate Spacecraft and It`s flight trajectory
  • Flight trajectory (orbital or any) is realistic
DumbQ
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    Possible duplicate: http://space.stackexchange.com/q/646/58 – called2voyage Jan 09 '17 at 20:14
  • @called2voyage: I'd disagree, in that you can simulate n-body mechanics accurately with zero spacecraft, or simulate suborbital spacecraft flights only; for example, while KSP is a very bad fit for the linked question, it would be a semi-decent one here; augmented with several "realism" mods - a very decent too. – SF. Jan 09 '17 at 20:33
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    @SF. I agree with you in principle, except KSP still got upvoted well there. However, I doubt there is much to be gained by the OP asking such a similar question. Lower fidelity simulations are also easier to find, and thus risk making the question potentially too trivial or too broad. Furthermore, a repository is already available. – called2voyage Jan 09 '17 at 20:40
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    Is there "more scientific" (not a game) simulator? Yes, there is, but they're not public domain. They are instead ITAR-restricted, or the equivalent thereof in other countries. The technologies needed to accurately predict the orbit of a satellite are exactly what are needed to make an armed missile fly accurately. – David Hammen Jan 10 '17 at 01:34
  • Orbital mechanics and flight simulation are very different things. The question could be improved, if only to stop discussions about orbital mechanics and orbital simulation – Innovine Jan 10 '17 at 07:28
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    @Innovine I agree with you I think. It sounds to me like the OP is looking for something that is accurate, but in which you actually do the flying rather than something which programs/plans, then executes a spacecraft's maneuvers. Basically something with a game-like interface but uses a "physics engine" that obeys the laws of physics.Unless it has a time dilator feature, it sounds like a pretty boring game - do a flyby, wait a year and a half, do another flyby, wait five years... You'd need another game built into this one to spend your idle time waiting for the next major body. – uhoh Jan 10 '17 at 08:16
  • @DumbQ I think this question could and should be improved and clarified. If it is closed, you can still edit and it may be opened again based on the edits. – uhoh Jan 10 '17 at 08:17
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    I do not think this question is a duplicate, since op is not (as I understand it) asking for orbital mechanics simulators, but a FLIGHT simulator, ie, piloting. – Innovine Jan 10 '17 at 08:33
  • @called2voyage: I believe the best outcome would be merging the two questions, expanding the scope into general "space simulation", that way answers could provide reference to what given program does best, as there's a lot of overlap (every spacecraft simulator needs some orbital mechanics simulation, some simulators concentrate on realistic reflection of existing spacecraft, while others allow a lot of creative freedom to experiment with new designs. "Purely Orbital" simulators often allow spacecraft as orbital objects too). – SF. Jan 10 '17 at 11:50
  • @SF. I disagree. As I've said, such a post would be too broad and a dupe of our repository. If the OP clarifies that a simulation of piloting a spacecraft is desired, I will reopen. – called2voyage Jan 10 '17 at 12:41
  • If it's not a dupe, it falls afoul of the same problem that we made a special one-time exception for in the linked question. Voting to leave closed accordingly. – Nathan Tuggy Jan 10 '17 at 23:31

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Space Shuttle Mission is an excellent simulation of what the crew do inside the shuttle, ie, flipping switches. But it is not a realistic orbital flight simulator and has little to no orbital mechanics simulation, it is all on rails with pre-designed flights, whichis realistic).

Orbiter is a good general purpose simulator, if you stick to realistic vessels. Not as much cockpit realism as ssm2007 but better flight (you can choose your own orbits and perform unscripted rendevous and docking manouvers for instance)

There are much more accurate orbital mechanics simulators and calculators available than the above, but these generally don't include any kind of flying or piloting aspect.

I have been playing a little with ZOOM (a trajectory and flight simulator) but haven't done enough with it yet to say if its good or not..

Finally, kerbal space program isn't very accurate but its quite good at simulating an engineering mindset and space program development approach.

Innovine
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