Orbiter space flight simulator

Orbiter Space Flight Simulator Tutorial

Space Shuttle

Orbiter is a realistic spaceflight simulator and it's free.

You can play all kinds of scenarios like take off, getting into orbit, dock with the ISS, put a satellite in orbit, travel to the moon and land on it, go to Mars and beyond. You can fly Apollo missions, the Space Shuttle, near-future spaceships, float in a jetpack like in Gravity and you may even fly the USS Enterprise or a Millennium Falcon (Star Wars). There are many addons and it's also possible to create your own spaceship in a 3D editor and import it. 

The graphics may be a bit outdated but it's all about the physics and realism. Give it a try if you're into flight simulators or space travel. Orbiter brings hours of fun and you actually learn things.

Space Shuttle interactive 3D cockpit

What you need

Orbiter 2010 big file (http://orbitersimulator.com/orbiter-2010-downloads/ ) is the basic package which comes with hires textures. Extract the contents to i.e. C:\Orbiter

Download the three addons found here: http://orbiter.dansteph.com/forum/index.php?page=download

(Orbiter sound, DeltagliderIV, UCGO3), install these to your Orbiter directory. The DeltagliderIV is a near-future spaceship with neat autopilot functions. Orbiter sound adds sounds like engines and radio chatter. UCGO3 gives you astronauts, cargo and a huge interplanetary spaceship to play with.

For better graphics there is a Directx9 client (optional) https://d3d9client.codeplex.com/ . See its instructions how to install it. Basically you install this and run Orbiter_ng.exe instead of Orbiter.exe. Activate the dx9 client under modules, and under video-advanced you need to create a symbolic link once by clicking a button. There is also an enbseries for further graphic enhancement like bloom. 

There are many more addons like spaceships, scenery, textures and MFD's (multi functional displays, or flight computers). Orbiter Hangar (http://www.orbithangar.com/) is a good start. Always be sure your addon works with your Orbiter version (right now Orbiter100830 is the latest). An addon module is activated by checking it under modules within the Orbiter launchpad. Orbiter can easily be broken by installing incompatible addons. If disk space is not an issue it's best practice to have two Orbiter installations simultaneously so you can test an addon first before installing it to your main installation.

Tutorials

There are many good tutorials on Youtube, especially the series by David Courtney. His Orbiter For Absolute Beginners is the best place to start when you're completely new to Orbiter and space travel. Courtney deals with every aspect, step by step. Here is part one (visit Youtube for HD and subscribe to his channel):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-zaubu3RgU 

Also be sure to read the Orbiter documentation http://orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/download/Orbiter.pdf and the excellent Go Play In Space http://www.aovi93.dsl.pipex.com/play_in_space.htm

More documents:
https://sites.google.com/a/hanovernorwichschools.org/dennison/march-intensive/orbiter-basics

Keyboard map (iMac, PC is quite similar):
Orbiter keyboard

Good luck!

Setting up Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Express for Orbiter/OrbiterSDK

Setting up Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Express for Orbiter/OrbiterSDK

Source: video “Orbiter: Setting up the development environment” byMohd Ali
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBRLkN__YIo

Start Orbiter
Extra - Debugging - Debugging options - shutdown options: Terminate
Lower the level of graphic detail (optional)
Close Orbiter

Start Visual C++ 2010
New project
Select empty template
Project name: TestProject
Location: (yourpath)\orbiter\orbiterSDK\samples
Create directory for solution: (leave) unchecked
OK

Right click Source Files
New CPP file: main.cpp

Copy to your main.cpp and save:
#define STRICT
#define ORBITER_MODULE

#include <Orbitersdk.h>

DLLCLBK void opcPreStep(double simt, double simdt, double mjd)
{
sprintf(oapiDebugString(), "%.2f", oapiGetSimTime());
}

Right click the bold TestProject, select properties
Set the following:
- Configuration Properties
- General
Configuration type: .dll
- Debugging
Command: (yourpath)\orbiter\Orbiter.exe
Working directory: ..\..\..

- C/C++
- General
Additional Include Directories: ..\..\include
- Code generation
Runtime Library: Multi-threaded (/MT)
- Linker
- General
Output File: ..\..\..\Modules\Plugin\test.dll
Additional Library Directories: ..\..\lib
- Input
Ignore Specific Library: msvcirt.lib, msvcrt.lib

Right click the bold TestProject
Add existing
browse to (yourpath)\orbiter\orbiterSDK\lib
Select and add orbiter.lib and Orbitersdk.lib

Hit the green play button
Ignore warning, continue
Orbiter starts
In Modules check 'test'
Click Launch Orbiter, simulation time should become visible left bottom.

To be clear:
- (yourpath) refers to the path where your Orbiter directory is. For example, if you have C:\Stuff\Apps\Orbiter\Orbiter.exe then (yourpath) would be C:\Stuff\Apps.
- Paths like ..\..\ are as they are.
- VC++ also works with Orbiter_ng.exe (debugging, command) if you prefer the DX9 client.