The closest thing you’ll find is Orbiter2016, which is actually quite stunning, but has a very steep learning curve if you’re new to it. Kerbal will ease you into the concepts.
Kerbal Space Program 2 is now in early access in Steam. Orbiter2016 is free online. There’s also another game Juno:New Origins which is similar to Kerbal but more geared toward the engineering side vs the exploration side.
Any update on development for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020?
Hi! We are currently busy upgrading our physics engine to allow more flexibility for another add on which will, basically, allow users to attach and release any SimObject to their aircraft, even on the inside of it, in case of cargo aircraft with ramps. This will make it possible to load cargo pods and crates and release them in flight, complete with multi stage parachute systems, under full and proper physics. It will also enable user to attach internal or external cargo, kayaks on float planes, fuel pods, wing walkers 
and even weapons, free-falling or powered (which MS doesn’t allow, but we will see how this pans out).
Also, and this is very exciting for us - this add on will be able to attach USER aircraft to an AI aircraft. Someone was mentioning they hoped an X-15 would be developed. Imagine sitting in your X-15, attached under an AI-controlled B-52, which has a user-created AI flight path. Then, B-52 takes you to 40,000 ft. where you release and ignite your X-15. Or - having a Space shuttle Orbiter attached on top of NASA 747, taken for a test flight.
So yes, things are in motion. I can’t promise a hard release date, but we are aiming for this summer.
I think we have enough bugs on earth at the moment and we should focus on those 
I strongly agree.
Space physics and flight physics are two very distinct things. Above 100km things start to get more complicated, gravity pulls, ionospheric effects.. this is nothing related to current flight.
In fact, suborbital flights (something planned for the near future) is more based on space mechanics than on aircraft flight dynamics.
In short, this is a complete different problem (very well covered by other products) and I don’t think msfs and Asobo should pursue, at least where there is a lot of room for current weather and atmospheric system, atc system, correct flight dynamics (dutch roll, adverse yaw..)
So helicopters picking up cargo might be possible?
@hobanagerik That is correct.
@Pur3w1ngs @Glubbfreund I strongly agree with both of you! Asobo and MS should indeed focus on FLIGHT portion of the Flight Simulator, however, that shouldn’t limit other developers (like myself) to pursue and develop add-ons capable of pushing the limits of MSFS platform. That is, after all, the intent of SimConnect, isn’t it?
We have already developed a very capable Astrodynamic module that fully covers spaceflight. We developed it for P3D, and now we are carrying it over to MSFS.
If I could down-vote this idea I would. lol.
It’s so bad…
Exactly – as a 3rd Party Developer, it should be up to you what you choose you develop, and it sounds like you are doing so without the need for Asobo to be distracted in perusing a similar path.
So you get my full support — but not so sure about a vote for Asobo to get involved - not that there is much chance of that - they have enough to fix already - I’ll spare the long list.
Good Luck, cant wait for this. I enjoyed captain sims shuttle and always waited for more. Thanks Scott.
Yes, I agree that this is something for a 3rd party dev.
I can’t check your work now as I am short on time, but I assume you developed full physics for space flight, orbital mechanics and so.
In my opinion, this means something like using msfs only for visuals, but really your plugin should be a complete sim per se. That is what I think that kerbal space program is nice as it avoids developing all the mechanical and orbital physics but I understand is not useful for a real reentry for example.
Nice and very complex work if you are on it. I wish you the best of luck
Thanks @Pur3w1ngs , yes, we developed full physics engine and are using MSFS for visuals only. Kerbal is pretty good with physics, but what I am not crazy about is the cartoonish style of it, the fact that the Earth is not represented (I know there are mods for it) and also, the cockpits are rather spartan and not really geared towards in-cockpit simulation.
One thing to note here (which may open a whole new can of worms) is that during the course of the development, we enabled our module to attach SimObjects to user aircraft, and even vice-versa (user aircraft attached to AI aircraft). These SimObjects can be set to be under the influence of the custom physics as well, and have their own propulsion (rocket engines) or other physics properties (parachutes, etc.). This, eventually, will enable our module to be used to load out default MSFS aircraft with weapons (guided/unguided missiles, bombs, etc.) and, in effect, enable MSFS to become a combat simulation platform. Now - since MS/Asobo does not allow any kinds of weapons representation in the sim, we will limit the functionality to civilian cargo containers, perhaps fuel pods, and, most importantly, the ability for the USER aircraft to be carried by an AI aircraft. This will enable scenarios like X-15/B-52 and Space Shuttle/NASA B747.
It does not seem to be 100% clear, but My understanding is (as a RL Pilot and NOT a Lawyer)
MSFS 2020 is rated E, and therefore the base, premium or deluxe version software, as sold, cannot contain weapons (static or operational)
Product sold on the MS-Marketplace must also follow this E-rating, and thus cannot contain weapons (static or operational)
But ADDONS, Payware or Freeware, sold outside the MS marketplace and developed by independent developers, can ? (contain weapons (static or operational)) – and there are already such addons being sold.
(unless the SDK or some other licensing prohibits it ?)
Then one gets into the whole Plane manufacture’s licensing issue, and how plane manufacturers will allow, to attempt to restrict how their planes to be depicted.
Some it seem, will not even allow the depictions of “Failures”, let alone damage, or air disaster crashes.
Complex stuff – maybe that’s why the Lawyers get paid the big Bucks, and much more than the development software engineers !!
@N6722C Yes, we were concerned if we would be allowed to sell our addon on the Marketplace (obviously, we would like to reach millions of users). So, our Marketplace product would not contain any weapon objects. However, we could offer an object “weapons pack” as a separate DLC which would be available on our site or other Sim Shops, which would then contain weapon objects that fully utilize the capabilities of our engine.
Very much like this aspect - and the technology involved, especially if it allows other plane developers to use this to enhance their planes with detachable and controllable objects (not necessarily weapons !! I personally have little interest there, but respect that others may want that)
The only thing I would be “Dead Against” (forgive the pun), is if this technology allowed other MP aircraft to affect my plane (ie Shoot it down), if I did not opt-in to that option.
Hi @N6722C Yes, we already implemented the functionality where a user can attach objects to ANY aircraft. And it is simple - all user needs to do is add a few extra module-specific entries in CFG file. If they don’t have the original geometry of the object, they will have to figure out where the attach points are (as in X,Y,Z coordinates), but we are thinking about adding some kind of an aid for that.
We also have a very sophisticated scripting scheme in place. User will be able to define certain behaviors of the object, based on conditions. For example, let’s say you had a cargo crate being dropped from a cargo plane in flight. You’ll be able to define, for example, at what altitude to deploy a chute… things like that.
Cant wait – but I guess I will have to –
Something to really look forward to in MSFS !
This is what bugs me about it. I want a game that allows me to do realistic spaceflight, but I don’t want silly cartoon gremlins. If I could have anything I wanted, what I would really love is an Apollo mission simulator - from the takeoff with the Saturn V through to the landing on the moon and the return to earth, with accurate capsule controls. There used to be a game called A-OK Wings of Mercury which simulated the original Mercury space missions, and I loved it.
