Kerbal Space Program VS. Orbiter - Accouracy Challange

[SteveX]

Hey guyz,
we all know/played Kerbal Space Program. At least I think we do. What game, in terms of orbit measuring, floating point precision etc. is better by your opinion? I mean what game do you think is closer in precisement to professional simulators by the geniuses at NASA? And now - I don't really care about the realism in terms of the gameplay, I don't mean Kerbal Space Program having it's own planetary names, different gravitation pulls, different atmo. altitudes (and different drag physics, kinda weird ones without having Ferram Aerospace mod). Just the pure calculations. If you get me, smack a comment below.

, Steve_Xtreme.

 

[jedidia]

we all know/played Kerbal Space Program.

Yes/No :lol:

What game, in terms of orbit measuring, floating point precision etc. is better by your opinion?

floating point precision is not the issue. Both are 32 bits and neither of them use software calculation for floating point math (that would be way too slow for any real time application). So the floating point precision depends on the hardware you're running it on, but there's not really any differences unless you use a first generation Intel Pentium chip, which couldn't possibly run either of them.

I mean what game do you think is closer in precisement to professional simulators by the geniuses at NASA?

That's about the same as to ask which of them has the better user interface... I.E. it's not even a competition. Orbiter is a 1:1 scale simulation of the solar system, with individual code modules performing the orbit calculations of bodies whose trajectories diverge too far from the analytical 2-body solution of an eliptical orbit, and it simulates non-spherical gravity. KSP is a scaled down sandbox of a fictional system, more akin to a minigolf parcour in its concept than an actual simulation.

 

[Urwumpe]

I mean what game do you think is closer in precisement to professional simulators by the geniuses at NASA?

Orbiter is a lot closer there to professional tools like NASA GMAT, but not all the way.

Orbiter is an interactive real-time simulation of multiple spacecraft at the same time. Most professional tools are neither real-time nor capable of handling multiple spacecraft like Orbiter or KSP do. Professional tools have more accurate models of gravity, calculate with less numeric errors (you can for example decide which kind of numeric propagation system is best for your expected trajectory), can handle radiation pressure and relativity better than Orbiter, etc.

But are not interactive and usually not real-time (Though GMAT is really fast in calculating a Mars transfer)

 

[boogabooga]

Numerical accuracy is a huge deal in professional/academic applications.

I've also experimented in GMAT, but even GMAT seems more academic. When I downloaded it last year, it had not yet been approved for actual mission use.

GMAT will handle, for example, drop in fuel consumption and thrust due to helium tank depressurization. "Small" details like that.

I will say that Orbiter/IMFD/TransX has capabilities that even GMAT does not, like
an atmosphere below 100km and the ability to determine the plane of your parking orbit based on your launch site and time.


You can also get a free version of AGI Systems Tool Kit (formally Satellite Tool Kit), however, sadly, it does not come with the astrogator.

Edit:
Comparing KSP to professional trajectory software is like comparing playing HALO to fighting actual war in Syria or Ukraine.

 

[N_Molson]

What about numerical accouracy ? :hide: