Guy Builds an Actual Working Flight Computer for Kerbal Space Program

http://kotaku.com/guy-3d-prints-actual-working-flight-computer-for-kerbal-1636244174

Kerbal Space Program has a whole lot of numbers and variables behind it that influence how your spaceships work and where they go. Well, what better way to keep track of them than with this NASA-inspired flight computer?

Built by redditor KK4TEE, this little box is basically a computer that can interpret data supplied by a Kerbal Space Program mod called Telemachus. It's powered by an Arduino board, housed in a 3D-printed box, with the design based on NASA's DSKY, an interface unit used during the Apollo program.

The unit can display four types of numeric values, from top to bottom: time to apoapsis, current altitude, apoapsis, and periapsis (apoapsis and periapsis being the nearest and furthest points, relative to the ship, of a celestial object's orbit). The indicators show the status of the following five systems, from top to bottom: master alarm, SAS flight controller, RCS thrusters, landing gears, and brakes.

It's heavy stuff! It really shows how deep Kerbal Space Program is, and how much there is to the game beyond building rockets and having them blow up. There's a lot to fall in love with, and I guess building a working flight computer is just one geeky and awesome way to show that love.

Here's the full album. Check it out for several more photos and a whole lot of WIP shots:

3D Printed DSKY I made for KSP [r/KerbalSpaceProgram]