Kerbal Space Program

The player operates a space program operated by Kerbals, a species of small green humanoids, who have constructed a spaceport on their home planet, Kerbin. From the space center players can build various vehicles such as rockets, aircraft, spaceplanes, and rovers from a provided set of components. Constructed craft can be launched from the space center's launch pad or runway to accomplish various tasks while avoiding partial or catastrophic failure (such as lack of fuel or structural failure). Players control flight with little assistance other than a Stability Assist System (SAS) to keep their vehicle oriented.

Provided it maintains sufficient thrust and fuel, a spacecraft can enter orbit around Kerbin, or travel to other celestial bodies. To visualize vehicle trajectories, the player is provided with a 'map' that displays the vehicle's trajectory as well as that of celestial bodies and other spacecraft, as well as their orbital parameters. Spacecraft maneuver 'nodes' can be plotted, timed, and executed, and objects can be selected and 'targeted' to facilitate flybys, rendezvous, and docking.

Director Felipe Falanghe was hired by Squad in April 2010. At the time, the company did not develop software. According to Falanghe, the name "Kerbal" came from the names he gave small tin figurines he installed in modified fireworks as a teenager. In October 2010, development on Kerbal Space Program was authorized by co-founder Adrian Goya but deferred until Falanghe had completed his projects.

Kerbal Space Program was first compiled on 17 January 2011. 3, was on 24 June 2011. 90, and was released out of beta on 27 April 2015.

The public alpha and beta releases were well received. Many publications have spoken positively of the game, praising its replay value and creative aspects, including Kotaku, Rock, Paper, Shotgun, IGN, GameSpy, Eurogamer, Polygon, and Destructoid.

In May 2015, PC Gamer awarded Kerbal Space Program 1.0 a score of 96 out of 100, their highest review score of 2015. They praised the "perfect blend of science and slapstick", as well as the sense of accomplishment felt upon reaching other planets and completing goals. IGN's Seth G. Macy has praised Kerbal Space Program's ability to create fun out of failure, saying that "By the time I finally built a rocket that achieved successful orbit, I had failed so many times that in almost any other game I would have given up completely."