Appropriate game for today

anyone remember this one?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GT40_Lunar_Lander.jpg

GT40_Lunar_Lander.jpg
 
ah yes - so it is! I remember playing a version that looked similar to your link on a VAXStation - except it was black and white (yeah, really - not green screen) - DEC sent out the demo VAXStation with new VT220 white screen options
 
I got one to orbit the moon a few times and one to orbit the earth 6 times then slam into the moon. Very cool.
 
ive got 3 that have been in a stable earth orbit for the last few hours now
 
Am I the only one who thinks orbital mechanics is just stunningly beautiful? I've gotten a couple into a few rotations between the earth and moon, and one or two into a good earth orbit, but haven't hit a lunar orbit yet. I need to remember how to do the math.
 
It seems that all my stable earth orbits go against the orbit of the moon and use it to stabilize the orbit. Is this true to life? I've not had one stable orbit that goes the same direction as the moon. I had one somewhat stable extralunar orbit that lasted about 5 minutes.
 
The problem with getting a stable lunar orbit with that game is that you can't brake or change trajectory. Apollo wouldn't have worked so well if they only had one burn to work with. :D
But I can hit the moon pretty consistently... does that count? :D
 
I've not had one stable orbit that goes the same direction as the moon
Click to expand...
My only successful earth orbit was in the same direction as the moon. I wasn't able to get anything to orbit the moon for more than a few revolutions, I always either crashed into the moon, or the Earth would pull it out of lunar orbit and I'd crash there.
-harry
 
the best ive ever done is 3 revolutions around the moon. the way that game works it is pretty much impossible. it doesnt really represent true reality in that for one thing the moon is way too close to the earth and second moves way to fast, wrt the true scale.
 
I think I've got two satellites in a stable earth orbit, they've been that way for about two and half hours.
 
steingar said:
I'm just amazed that a bunch of guys were able to do this in the 60's with slide rules.
Click to expand...

it takes some calculus to derive the governing equations but once you get that, the actual math is not much more complicated than multiplication and division.
 
I've got a good one going now. Been going for several minutes. It gets a little 'iffy' from the 5-o'clock to 3-o'clock position, but it smooths out again after that.
 
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