Kerbal Space Program

[Corona688]

A game still in alpha where you build rockets out of modules, fly them, and try not to kill your Kerbal crew. Features simple gameplay, realistic physics, game mods galore despite it only being out a few weeks, and little cameras on each of the crew so you can see 2/3 of them screaming in terror at your poor piloting skills. (Jeb is hard to impress.)

Life as a Cosmonaut - YouTube

Kerbal Space Program

[Vivisectus]

Oddly compelling little game, considering there is not that much for you to do. 2 major achievements: 1: Managed to get a pod 1000 KM into outer space before it began to fall back to earth and reached a top speed of 2000m/s.

2: Made Jeb scream when boosters ignited early and a stack of liquid fuel containers exploded just behind the next stage.

[Corona688]

It is a realistic-physics game, so you can orbit. You'll need much higher velocity for that though.

[ceptimus]

I got the capsule going really fast (and high) by using a triple liquid fuel first stage with single liquid fuel second and third stages. I've not managed to orbit yet though, on account of my bad steering.

[Corona688]

You might need more than you think... 1,000km and 1000+m/s don't seem to be enough to orbit -- either that or I don't have the knack for it yet. Solids seem useless for anything but getting you off the pad and stable.

[Deadlokd]

Over 1500m/s and 249km up and I still didn't get into orbit. But it's given me a few ideas to make a massive rocket with six starting rockets.

[Corona688]

I've gotten 500km and not orbited, it's all about velocity. If you can trade any of that performance for higher speed at 40km...

[Vivisectus]

It is not just the velocity, but the direction as well. I believe you need enough lateral movement relative to the planet to be always falling just over the edge of the planet.

I managed to jettison a stage in what looked like a near-stable orbit. I then used a liquid engine to get my astronauts back to earth. I then pointed the ship straight up and used my engine to slow me down to a near hover, but the engine can not take any impact - I landed at around 20 m/s and it blew when we hit the surface. I think there are mods available for lander engines.

I cannot wait until they model a moon for me to try to reach, and get back from!

[Corona688]

Yes, it also has to be velocity in the right direction :p But if you can't get enough velocity it doesn't matter how high you are or where you're going.

It is possible to land these things, did it once by accident. I had a hilariously terrible engine timing screwup make all three stages fire simultaneously, causing a ball of hellfire probably visible from space... and when the smoke cleared, the top stage was just kind of hovering there. Bring down the engines slowly --- *plunk* 9 point landing.

Not on the launch pad though. Beside the water tower. There was a lot of drift.

Having a parachute out helps a lot for smaller things, reduces drift and reduces speed. Larger things are pretty much impossible one way or another -- even if your vertical velocity is zero, enough drift will still knock your rocket nozzles off.