Categories : Weekly Blog
Kerbal Space Program is an exciting, funny and complex game about conquering space, and its potential for offering great teaching and learning moments is appreciated by players far and wide. But did you know that a dedicated educational version exists? KerbalEdu, developed by yours truly, is a classroom-ready remix of the original that comes packed with even more awesome pedagogical power!
Read on for a quick look at the impressive features that make KerbalEdu the best possible fit for schools:
Force & Energy
For any kind of craft to move anywhere, force is required. KerbalEdu comes with a tool called force arrows that show the forces affecting your spacecraft. It’s as simple as adding the “force arrows” part to any spacecraft. Complete with scientifically accurate measurements in kiloNewtons, the arrows can be utilized as an analytical tool and to calculate necessary changes. Want to know exactly how much a new part’s mass reduces the thrust of your spacecraft? With force arrows you can.
Another unique feature is energy spheres. When attached to a vessel, this part shows a window with two spheres that visualize the relation of potential and kinetic energy on the vessel. A great way to demonstrate how different types of energy are related!
Design Helper & Resource Flow Analysis
KerbalEdu is a complex game about a complex topic, so any extra help is welcome. The design helper provides additional data on your rocket as you construct it. Need to know the mass? Thrust? Or perhaps the delta-v? The design helper has you covered. What’s more, there’s an easy option to hide information you don’t need when you create a mission, ensuring that students only see the data they need to see.
To get down to brass tacks, you can enable resource flow analysis. This handy tool shows which parts produce resources and which consume them. For beginners, it can be a lifesaver to see which part exactly is hogging all that Oxidizer. For more advanced players, it still remains a great design tool when building your spacecraft.
Flight Recorder & Function Tool
That’s right: KerbalEdu comes with its own built-in system that records various physical data about each flight. This data is shown in-game as graphs and can even be exported in a spreadsheet .csv format! The feature is useful for analyzing flights, comparing spacecraft performance and for completing assignments. Want to explain what happened during a flight when a part burned up and broke off? The events are a lot easier to describe with the flight recorder data.
The function tool is a graphical interface for creating mathematical functions. These functions are evaluated real-time during a flight, and their results are recorded in the flight recorder. It can be used to demonstrate various physical laws and equations. The tool is great for interdisciplinary work that combines physics and mathematics.
Mission Library & Mission Editor
Last, but certainly not least, is the powerful mission editor and library. The library comes with pre-made lessons that encourage open-ended problem solving around special constructions. These missions can be downloaded or launched directly from the game's website. Examples include challenges that require students to improve upon an existing aircraft designs, or construct staged modules for specific missions types.
The editor essentially allows anyone to design varied and intricate missions for the game. Want students to assemble a historical spacecraft and fly it to the Moon? Want students to learn how a satellite is launched into orbit? All of this is possible with the mission editor, and easily shared with others with the help of the online mission library.
Where to Start
KerbalEdu is available on the TeacherGaming Store and includes all the above features and much more. Are you an educator or part of an educational institution? Then you are eligible for our educator discount - high five!