OpenRocket

The holidays are an expensive time, so we’re bringing you a special treat: a full, free, fun Windows program to download every day until Christmas.

Open the 18th door on our free downloads advent calendar to reveal OpenRocket – a strangely addictive spacecraft simulator that lets you design your own rocket from nosecone to tail fins. Once you’ve finished, OpenRocket launches it into simulated space and shows you how it performs in the air.

Blast off

It might be rocket science, but building your own spacecraft is straightforward and fun. Just select and add components (internal and external), then adjust options such as size and shape. There are helpful notes to explain any particularly esoteric terms.

Once you’re confident that your creation is spaceworthy, OpenRocket will simulate its flight, giving you real-time details of its altitude, velocity and acceleration. The simulation is extremely detailed, and you can see the effect of each of your choices on its performance.

OpenRocket is brilliant fun, and completely free. Download it today and give it a try!

Download here: OpenRocket

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