Kerbal Space Program Expands With Ariane 5 And Official ESA Missions

The makers of Kerbal Space Program are releasing the free extension Shared Horizons for PC on July 1, in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA). The update will let players build an Ariane 5 rocket and perform two ESA missions.

The expansion includes the BepiColombo mission to Mercury, which the ESA is currently conducting in partnership with the Japanese space agency JAXA. The goal is to get into orbit around the small planet and then land on it. Shared Horizons also includes the mission Rosetta. This is a tribute to the landing on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, near Jupiter.

Both missions use the Ariane 5 rocket. All parts of that rocket will also come to the game with the update. Players can build a perfect replica, or create their own version by combining parts with those from other missiles. The update also adds an ESA-themed Kerbal space suit, new parts, and science experiments.

According to Günther Hasinger, the Director of Science at ESA, many engineers and scientists working at the space agency are “very familiar” with the game Kerbal Space Program. The Shared Horizons expansion will release on July 1 for the PC version of Kerbal Space Program. Later, the update will also be available for consoles, but when is not yet known.