The Kerbal Player's Guide

Book excerpt: Kerbal Space Program (KSP) is a critically acclaimed, bestselling space flight simulator game. It’s making waves everywhere from mainstream media to the actual space flight industry, but it has a bit of a learning curve. In this book, five KSP nerds—including an astrophysicist—teach you everything you need to know to get a nation of tiny green people into space. KSP is incredibly realistic. When running your space program, you’ll have to consider delta-V budgets, orbital mechanics, Hohmann transfers, and more. This book is perfect for video game players, simulation game players, Minecrafters, and amateur astronomers. Design, launch, and fly interplanetary rockets Capture an asteroid and fly it into a parking orbit Travel to distant planets and plant a flag Build a moon rover, and jump off a crater ridge Rescue a crew-mate trapped in deep space