Space Station Designer

Space Station Designer is a free program that allows you to design an orbiting space station, much like the International Space Station. You have to construct and manage a space station, taking into consideration the crew, the financial and the energy production and consumption.

When you see numbers in the RED, it means you are running short or low of that particular resource and will have to make changes to improve your design.

Video Tutorial #1 - Getting Started

Video Tutorial #2 - Building and Managing a Space Station

The same information in the above videos is also available below:

Getting Started

    1. Set configuration

    2. Click Play

      1. Sandbox Mode

      2. Name your station

    3. On Modules Palette click

      1. Basic

      2. Display Tutorial

      3. Take note of the Challenge

    1. Go through the tutorial on screen

      1. This will help you learn how to navigate the program

    1. When you can see the Station Stats (on top left hand side)

      1. Mouse over each item

      2. There are 13 stats

        1. The bottom two are the most Important

          1. Research Points Generated

          2. Income Generated

Module Information

    1. Click on “Add Modules”

      1. On top right hand corner of screen

    2. You’ll see 6 module types

      1. Turn them all on by clicking on each - they should turn blue

        1. There are 16 modules

          1. Trust: More framework for adding sections

          2. Solar Panels: Produce electricity

          3. Radiators: Dissipate (get rid of) head

          4. Production Modules: Earn money

          5. Crew Quarters: Where people sleep

      2. Each module at the top shows you the costs

        1. Module cost ($ icon)

        2. Maintenance cost (wrench)

        3. Mass (kg icon)

        4. Electricity generated (battery icon)

        5. Heat reduction (fan icon)

        6. Crew members needed (astronaut icon)

    1. Each module at the bottom shows you the

      1. Research points generated by that item (microscope icon)

      2. Income Generated (money bag icon)

      3. Energy Production (battery icon)

      4. How much heat it can get rid of (fan icon)

      5. Crew beds (bunk bed icon)

      6. How much money it produces (__ icon)

      7. How many modules to that item (T-connector icon)

Start building!

    1. You have six empty slots at the top of screen that you can put things into

      1. Click on the Modules you’d like to add (a checkmark will appear on the module once you’ve added it)

      2. You can add up to six modules at a time

        1. Once you’ve added a module, it will fill the circles on the top right hand corner of the screen

      3. Click on the red X (top right hand corner of the screen) to start building

    2. Take note of the Information Panel (on left hand side of screen)

      1. This will show you key information about your module

        1. The bottom two are the most important

          1. Research Points (microscope icon)

          2. Income (money bag icon)

        2. Any red numbers, you need to fix by adding, modifying, or removing modules

    1. Your GOAL

      1. Add modules that will make you money and research points!