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There are multiple simulator-games around (orbiter, lunar flight), but how accurate they are? Is there "more scientific" (not a game) simulator?

Q: What is the most accurate and commercially available Space Flight Simulator? In the Space Flight Simulator:

  • User can Control/manipulate Spacecraft and It`s flight trajectory
  • Flight trajectory (orbital or any) is realistic
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    $\begingroup$ Possible duplicate: space.stackexchange.com/q/646/58 $\endgroup$
    – called2voyage ♦
    Jan 9, 2017 at 20:14
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    $\begingroup$ @SF. I agree with you in principle, except KSP still got upvoted well there. However, I doubt there is much to be gained by the OP asking such a similar question. Lower fidelity simulations are also easier to find, and thus risk making the question potentially too trivial or too broad. Furthermore, a repository is already available. $\endgroup$
    – called2voyage ♦
    Jan 9, 2017 at 20:40
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    $\begingroup$ Is there "more scientific" (not a game) simulator? Yes, there is, but they're not public domain. They are instead ITAR-restricted, or the equivalent thereof in other countries. The technologies needed to accurately predict the orbit of a satellite are exactly what are needed to make an armed missile fly accurately. $\endgroup$
    – David Hammen
    Jan 10, 2017 at 1:34
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    $\begingroup$ @Innovine I agree with you I think. It sounds to me like the OP is looking for something that is accurate, but in which you actually do the flying rather than something which programs/plans, then executes a spacecraft's maneuvers. Basically something with a game-like interface but uses a "physics engine" that obeys the laws of physics.Unless it has a time dilator feature, it sounds like a pretty boring game - do a flyby, wait a year and a half, do another flyby, wait five years... You'd need another game built into this one to spend your idle time waiting for the next major body. $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Jan 10, 2017 at 8:16
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    $\begingroup$ I do not think this question is a duplicate, since op is not (as I understand it) asking for orbital mechanics simulators, but a FLIGHT simulator, ie, piloting. $\endgroup$
    – Innovine
    Jan 10, 2017 at 8:33

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Space Shuttle Mission is an excellent simulation of what the crew do inside the shuttle, ie, flipping switches. But it is not a realistic orbital flight simulator and has little to no orbital mechanics simulation, it is all on rails with pre-designed flights, whichis realistic).

Orbiter is a good general purpose simulator, if you stick to realistic vessels. Not as much cockpit realism as ssm2007 but better flight (you can choose your own orbits and perform unscripted rendevous and docking manouvers for instance)

There are much more accurate orbital mechanics simulators and calculators available than the above, but these generally don't include any kind of flying or piloting aspect.

I have been playing a little with ZOOM (a trajectory and flight simulator) but haven't done enough with it yet to say if its good or not..

Finally, kerbal space program isn't very accurate but its quite good at simulating an engineering mindset and space program development approach.

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