Lunar Rover Simulator 1.0

Great, Mac OS only. About as useful as Ares-1x

you're in luck, there is a PC version, just not on the Apple site.

http://frassanito.com/RoverSIM/

Ha! The roots of a PC/Mac flamewar on NASAwatch! ZZzzzzzzz.....

Probably as close as anyone will get for another generation, maybe two. Fras and company do great work; just wish it were real space exploration.

The habitat modules are not configured efficiently to provide more habitat space for the astronauts. Instead, in this simulation, each habitat module has four docking ports and serves as both a habitat module and a core providing very little space for the astronauts within each habitat module.

A more spacious configuration would use habitat modules with a single docking port connected to a core module with four docking ports. The core modules could then be assembled linearly with the more spacious single dock habitat modules connected along the sides of the linear docking ports.

Three Altair launches per year would therefore provide a lunar habitat with a core habitat module with four docking ports plus two (spacious) habitat modules with a single docking port providing the astronauts with a large bedroom sized living area within each single port habitat module while the core modules could serve as a walkway interconnecting the more spacious habitat modules.

Such a configuration could also be continuously expanded linearly and could also be more easily regolith shielded with surrounding regolith fences.

Marcel F. Williams

Yea, same mistake they made on ISS back in the 80s with the common module, and so they invented nodes in order to give the modules adequate habitable volume. Too bad they don't have a man systems group to define and design the optimal vehicle lay-outs. Its probably what went wrong with Orion and why its so big that it cant carry anything.

On station, common modules were done away with within about 9 months when the efficiencies were modeled. Constellation is still pursuing the lame concept after years of work. Which means they are not doing the appropriate design studies.

Marcel & Moonman,

Thanks for your interest and your input. This demo is a work in progress and is primarily focused on the driving aspects of the LER and is in the very early stages of development. Ultimately, the SIM is geared towards education and outreach. In future versions the user will be able to design every aspect of each base stating with an initial layout of 1 rover, 1 Habitat and 1 Athlete. Then, given an annual budget and a series of options as to which element lands and where, the user will develop his/her own Lunar Bases. Users will be able to take control of each element of the SIM in order to build bases. Thanks to your input, I will incorporate different kinds of Modular elements; habitat modules (multiple variations), Nodes, laboratory modules, inflatable structures, and more.
By posting this version in it's rough form (possibly beta, maybe it doesn't rise to the level of v.1.0), we are really looking to see if there is any interest in this kind of application. And... I'm glad to say that there is a lot of interest. We've had over 10K downloads in 3 days. Unfortunately, very little feedback however.
I think the possibilities for this SIM are endless. But my main purpose in developing it is to reach out to kids (young and old) all over, and give them the same love and fascination for space that I have and to share my idea of what it may be like to live on the moon.

Thanks for your input.

I thought it was neat I have yet to fly a LM but I got up to a steady clip in the LR. The docking is a little dodgy but beyond that its entertaining.

Try:
http://eaglelander3d.com/
best LM sim I've found.