Space Engine - a real-time 3D space simulator

**bushpilot** · June 12th, 2012, 08:19

I don't know if this has been discussed here before, but just thought to give a heads up if another "space freak" like me would be interested:

http://en.spaceengine.org/

"SpaceEngine - is a free space simulation software that lets you explore the universe in three dimensions, starting from planet Earth to the most distant galaxies. Areas of the known universe are represented using actual astronomical data, while regions uncharted by human astronomy are generated procedurally. Millions of galaxies, trillions of stars, countless planets!"

You can download additional high res packs for planets.

<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4J5L0lEvzs8" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe>

Some screens (not mine, gathered around interwebs)

**Lionheart** · June 12th, 2012, 11:41

I MUST GET THIS!!!

My Goodness man!!! That is pretty darn cool!

**ThinkingManNeil** · June 12th, 2012, 13:07

VERY impressive!

**SSI01** · June 12th, 2012, 15:39

I am curious about flight dynamics. How deep a knowledge of physics is required in order to use the sim without frustration?

**bushpilot** · June 12th, 2012, 20:25

Nada, since it's not really a flight sim or space travel sim. It simulates the universe (in real time), which you can explore freely, but there's no "real flying" included, but there's an optional rudimentary inertia simulation while moving.

**SSI01** · June 13th, 2012, 05:52

Sort of like a computer-based tour of the premises, then?

**bushpilot** · June 13th, 2012, 08:41

Well it's like google earth, except the whole universe is included. It has some neat features, I'm just getting used to it. You can even get the "warp drive" star effect while traveling with ludicrous speed. The drawback is that it can suck your VRAM dry in seconds, if you don't have good graphics card. Especially with highres mesh/texture packs.

**bushpilot** · June 13th, 2012, 09:15

Just made a trip through our solar system, some beautiful sights to behold, like sunrays glimmering through the rings of Saturn. Then I positioned my self near Moon, set the time scale to 30000x real time, and watched as Earth rotated around Sun and Moon rotated around Earth. I think this is actually more fun than flight simming