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Play International Space Station Tour VR

About this game, system requirements.

• OS *: Windows 8
• Processor: Intel i5-4590 equivalent or greater
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD Radeon R9 290 or greater
• Storage: 2 GB available space
• VR Support: SteamVR

This experience is created by The House of Fables. ESA is not an author of the application. ESA holds all rights for photos and videos used.

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Video Game News, Lists & Guides

28 Best Space Games That Let You Explore the Unknown

Explore the great unknown.

#28 Starfield

#27 metroid prime remastered, #26 star wars jedi: survivor, # 25 dead space remake, #24 the callisto protocol, #23 spaceflight simulator, #22 the planet crafter, #21 star valor, #20 deep rock galactic, #19 dyson sphere program, #18 astroneer, #17 universe sandbox, #16 mass effect legendary edition, #14 star conflict.

• #13 Empyrion – Galactic Survival

#12 Star Wars: Squadrons

#11 starbound, #10 space engineers, #9 ftl: faster than light, #8 everspace 2, #7 stellaris, #6 kerbal space program, #5 endless space 2, #4 homeworld remastered collection, #3 eve online.

• #2 No Man’s Sky

#1 Elite Dangerous

Space exploration games have only really been popular within the last few years because of the fact that games have allowed for more exploration. Some of the games that have been released have given players lasting experiences and narratives that have changed their perspectives on what video games can achieve. Check out our list of the best space games that let you explore the unknown and even take some of your friends along for the ride.

Platform: PC XSX|S Release Date: September 06, 2023

Steam  |  Xbox

Are you ready to take to the stars above? If so, you’ll want to brace yourself for the epic adventure that is  Starfield . Bethesda has been working on this title for years, and you’ll witness the fruits of their labors as you travel across a sea of stars to do whatever you wish.

For example, you could follow the main campaign and make key choices affecting you, other characters, whole planets, and even the galaxy. Or you could just jump in your ship and fly it in whatever direction. You can even reach our own solar system if you travel far enough. So are you ready for your space adventure?

Platform: Switch Release Date: February 08, 2023

For intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran, there’s no such thing as an “easy mission.” In  Metroid Prime Remastered,  you’ll see the start of the “Phazon Saga” with updated graphics and mechanics. You’ll head to the mysterious planet Tallon IV.

There, the villainous Space Pirates, headed up by Ridley, are trying to do experiments with the Phazon substance. But what are their end goals? What makes Phazon so powerful? Furthermore, what makes Tallon IV so dangerous?

You’ll find out after you end up on the planet and have to search its remains to expose the truth, regain your abilities, and stop their plans.

Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S Releease Date: April 28, 2023

Steam  |  Playstation  |  Xbox

It was only a matter of time before this franchise embraced the open-world feel of numerous other games and made it their own.  Star Wars Jedi Survivor  will have you play Cal Kestis again, and you’ll once again explore the numerous worlds, moons, and stations of the galaxy far, far away. However, this time, you’ll get to go to places with a bit more depth.

Specifically, you’ll go to worlds where you can go off the beaten path and unlock new side missions. Or, you can return after learning new powers and abilities and see what new options you have available to you.

So don’t be afraid to take a beat and see what these worlds offer you.

Developer: Motive Studio Publisher: Electronic Arts Inc. Platforms: PC PS5 XSX|S Release: January 27, 2023

When it comes to space, the true terror is never knowing what will happen next and what you’ll encounter in the next stretch of it.

In the Dead Space Remake, one of the most horrifying space stories will unfold before your very eyes. You’ll play engineer Isaac Clarke, who was brought aboard a mining ship called the USG Ishimura to help fix what was wrong with it.

But the moment you arrive, you learn the truth. There’s more than one thing wrong here. There are monsters everywhere, the crew is dead, and your girlfriend is missing.

Explore the ship, fight anything that moves, and do your best to survive the experience.

Developer: Striking Distance Studios Publisher: KRAFTON Release Date : December 02, 2022 Platfrom: PC PS4 PS5 XSX|S Xbox One

Exploring the unknown is always a dangerous task. After all, it’s the unknown. You don’t know what’s behind the next corner or in the next room.  The Callisto Protocol  takes that notion and amplifies it to a terrifying level.

The “unknown” in the game revolves around a prison colony on one of Jupiter’s moons. An outbreak of unknown origin has caused monsters to be born, and they’ll kill everything they see. You play one of the prisoners trying to break out. But how can you escape a place where monsters are everywhere, and weapons are few?

Venture forth and discover the answer, or die trying.

• Release date: November 29, 2017
• Developer: Moroyna Limited
• Publisher: Moroyna Limited
• Platforms: Android, iOS, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Nintendo Switch, Macintosh operating systems

Have you ever seen a rocket launch into space and wondered how it got to that stage? Spaceflight Simulator will help answer those questions while also letting you create a spacefaring craft.

You’ll start simple as you’ll make a rocket ship and send it up into space. Or at least, that’s what you’ll try to do. The making of a craft will be easy, but making it work is another matter. Learn about the parts and components needed to make spacecraft powerful enough to go into space, and then land safely back on Earth.

Once you’ve made the best ships, go bigger and launch satellites and space stations! Then explore other planets and lead your space agency into a new age of exploration.

• Release date: July 15, 2021
• Developer: Miju Games
• Publisher: Miju Games
• Platform: Microsoft Windows

The act of terraforming is one that many scientists would love to use to colonize inhospitable worlds. The problem is that it would take a lot of time, resources and in the real world is unfeasible. But in the gaming world? It’s just a matter of time to get it done. The Planet Crafter will set you out as an astronaut who has to terraform a planet to make it livable for humans. You’ll start small by gathering resources and building up the machines you’ll need to change the planet. Make the atmosphere breathable, get the ground to be fertile, the water to a state it can be drank, and so on. Just remember, you have to survive before anyone else can arrive. So keep yourself healthy, and build a better world.

• Release date: July 14, 2018
• Developer: Rafael Burgos
• Publishers: Laious, Rafael Burgos

Star Valor puts you in a procedurally generated galaxy and lets you decide what person you want to be. You’ll have your ship at the start of the game and can point it in any direction you want to do whatever you want.

Will you join one of the factions of the galaxy and try to get fame by working with them? Will you stay an independent pilot and venture through the stars on adventures only meant for you?

Your destiny is in your hands. You’ll grow your character however you wish, improving your skills and craft by doing missions, bounties, mining, and so on.

Just remember that a galaxy is full of dangers.

• Publisher: Coffee Stain Publishing
• Developer: Ghost Ship Games
• Platform: PC, Xbox One, PS4, PS5
• Release Date: May 2020

Besides being a 4-play cooperative adventure game in space, you’ll be able to take advantage of exploring different cave and tunnel systems that are procedurally generated to be different every time you enter. As space dwarves, you will be tasked to carry on many different kinds of missions like mining for materials and stealing alien eggs with the objective of returning back alive. You can choose from four different classes, each with their own unique gameplay and weapons that you can use against the enemies that you will encounter. It spent almost two years in early access and has definitely become a fan among groups of friends.

• Publisher: Gamera Game
• Developer: Youthcat Studio
• Platform: PC
• Release Date: January 2021

The first game on our list that is still in early access, Dyson Sphere Program lets you explore the unknowns of space in a pretty unique way. Players will be in charge of collecting resources in order to create what is known as a Dyson sphere to sustain power to a supercomputer. You will spend most of your time constructing structures, collecting resources, and creating power systems all to help support the Dyson sphere. Eventually, you will be able to expand this sphere to other planets across the universe as you grow and sustain more and more power. If you’re a fan of factory simulation games like Satisfactory and Factorio, this will be right up your alley.

• Publisher: System Era Softworks
• Developer: System Era Softworks
• Platform: PC, Xbox One, PS4, Switch
• Release Date: February 2019

Astroneer really gives you a lot of freedom when it comes to a space adventure that really lets you explore the atmosphere around you. It is a sandbox adventure game that allows you to explore open-world planets and terraform them according to how you please. You can craft items to help make the former easier like rovers, generators, solar panels, and more and then can upgrade them according to the resources that you collect via terraforming. You can play with others to complete the objectives on every planet but don’t expect there to be any sort of overarching background storyline. Just try to unlock as many blueprints as you can!

• Publisher: Dan Dixon
• Developer: Dan Dixon
• Release Date: October 2012

While this game is here, it isn’t so much a game more than it is a simulation. You will quite literally be able to explore different galaxies and run effects on them to simulate things like gravity, asteroid collisions, and more. The project has been in development for a very long time and is used in many educational aspects. Still, it’s fun to take control of moons and planets as well as watch famous collisions that really couldn’t be experienced otherwise. Although this game is very fun in its own right, don’t really expect to be getting down with space exploration through the late hours of the night with your friends.

• Publisher: EA
• Developer: Bioware
• Platform: PC, Xbox One, PS4
• Release Date: May 2021

This choice happens to be one of my personal favorites on this list. You play as Commander Shepard through all three titles in this collection as they travel the universe in search of different objectives with their crew. Shepard can either be male or female and every game consists of a crew of characters that not only could you explore various planets with, you could also start romantic relationships with them. All three of these games focus on a morality system that affects how other characters react to you as well as how certain missions can end. Each of these games comes with their DLC which includes even more content for players to enjoy on top of the incredible storyline that connects them all together.

• Developer: Maxis
• Platform: PC, Mac
• Release Date: September 2008

I genuinely remember when this game came out and being so excited to come home and create strange new lifeforms with my friends after school. If my memory serves me well, you quite literally develop organisms all the way from microscopic lifeforms to complex creatures. As you create more, they begin to interact with each other and with other creatures that they meet on other planets in the universe. There are different phases that the organisms go through that end up with players trying to reach the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy. It was a lot of fun then and it is certainly still a lot of fun now.

• Publisher: Gaijin Entertainment
• Developer: Star Gem Inc
• Platform: PC, Linuc, Mac
• Release Date: July 2012

Star Conflict has players controlling one of four basic ship classes combat spaceships that each have different roles. It is an MMO that requires players to establish certain skills and perfect different tactics to destroy one another in different game modes. There is also a dedicated co-op mode that allows players to fight against NPC and bosses with up to three friends. The more you play, the more available maps and ships there will be for you to play with so take advantage of learning which squads are the best and then take to the skies with your friends in this free-to-play space adventure.

#13 Empyrion – Galactic Survival

• Publisher: Eleon Game Studios
• Developer: Eleon Game Studios
• Release Date: August 2015

Another title on our list that spent a lot of time in early access, Empyrion – Galactic Survival left early access in 2020 after being compared to other titles like No Man’s Sky. Players crash land on a planet where they are forced to survive against hostile enemies. You’ll be able to forage for resources and materials in order to build objects including bases and vehicles to better help you survive. There is also a multiplayer aspect where players can interact with one another and trade items or even engage in combat. This is a fun title to play with your friends if you’d like a relaxing experience in space.

• Developer: Motive Studios
• Platform: PC, Xbox One, Xbox One Series X/S, PS4
• Release Date: October 2020

Star Wars: Squadrons begins after the destruction of Alderaan with Darth Vader having ordered all Imperial forces to hunt down any refugees who managed to escape. It’s a first-person space combat game which means that you are behind the cockpit of a starfighter from either the Galactic Empire or the New Republic navy. You’ll find yourself deeply immersed in the gameplay and multiplayer combat that includes dogfighting in a team deathmatch mode called Dofight and a team battle called Fleet Battles. If you’re a fan of the Star Wars series and are looking for something to play with your friends, you’ve come to the right list.

• Publisher: Chucklefish
• Developer: Chucklefish
• Platform: PC, Mac, Linux
• Release Date: July 2016

Starbound is fun because it utilizes a pixelated graphic style that a lot of the other games on this list don’t take on. There is an overarching story but players are more expected to travel to different planets and collect resources in order to survive and explore across the universe. You’ll spend most of your time in a space shuttle that acts as your vehicle to get from place to place as well as an upgradable asset of yours. You’ll be able to customize it to your liking and join other NPCs or players on quests through different classes that you can choose from to complete different objectives.

• Publisher: Keen Software House
• Developer: Keen Software House
• Platform: PC, Xbox One

Space Engineers is another sandbox game on our list as well as another that saw early access for a long period of its lifetime. Players start either in a specific setting with different parameters that are chosen by the players. Once you start, you can basically expect to mine for resources and materials to create structures and other items to fill out your world. It is very similar to Minecraft in the sense that you are given free rein over creation to better accentuate the type of world you are in and the kind of resources you require. Also like Minecraft, there is a creative mode where you can take control of how many resources you have and how you would like to build without having to worry about mining or searching for them yourself.

• Publisher: Subset Games
• Developer: Subset Games
• Platform: PC, Mac, Linux, iOS
• Release Date: September 2012

The name of the game partly comes from the fact that players are in control of a spacecraft that has the ability to travel faster than light. Players have to use their created ship to battle against enemy ships and configurations. Different species of crewmembers can join your ship with each having their own unique set of skills and abilities that could benefit you in different ways. You’ll have to carefully maneuver through fights to come out on top as the victor while also managing to get to the Rebel Flagship to either lose or win against the Rebellion: an exclusively human and incredibly xenophobic rebel faction.

• Publisher: ROCKFISH Games
• Developer: ROCKFISH Games
• Release Date: June 2020

If you’re looking for a focus on energetic combat and exploration as well as looking for blueprints and graphics while you plot galactic domination, then Everspace 2 might be for you. Eversapce 2 brings RPG and shooter elements together to create a game that is rich in puzzles and loot. There is a dynamic story that will blow you away with a range of NPC and friends who will join you and create more side quests for you to complete. You’ll experience dynamic battles and immersive scenarios that will make you want to lose yourself in the discovery. Not only that, but you’ll also have access to tons of weapons for you to collect and upgrade that will definitely make the story that much more interesting.

• Publisher: Paradox Interactove
• Developer: Paradox Development
• Platform: PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Release Date: May 2016

Stellaris is a real-time strategy game that quite literally takes you through the expanse of space, creatures, and all. Each player plays as a government of a species that are beginning their journey into the exploration of space. As you progress through the game and meet other species and the personalities that they bring, the story will change and focus on things like universal domination that rely on the ethics of your choices. There are a ton of different ways to play this game and lots of different narratives and stories to explore that will definitely have you mindlessly flying through the expanse of space. There is also a major focus on resource collecting and structural upgrades too so there is plenty for you to do either by yourself or with friends.

• Publisher: Private Division
• Developer: Squad
• Platform: PC, Linux, Xbox One, Xbox One Series X/S, PS4, PS5
• Release Date: April 2015

Kerbal Space Program is a fun space exploration game where you play as Kerbals – green little aliens – who live on a spaceport where they can create things like rockets and rovers. There are three different game modes that let you either construct things at your leisure or follow a story mode that lets you earn funds and complete contracts. There is a lot of silly fun to be had in this game and you will soon find yourself playing through the intense physics engine offered. There have been a few DLC releases over the years that add more elements to the game as well as even more physics simulations for added fun.

• Publisher: Sega
• Developer: Amplitude Studios
• Release Date: May 2017

Endless Space 2 is a turn-based strategy game that takes place in the great expanses of space. You take control of one of 12 factions after all of the added DLC each with their own unique abilities and skills to explore planets and take advantage of their resources and materials. You are also given an empire that you can expand using the materials you find to eventually fight against other empires. You can build armies of ships and troops to fight for you and take advantage of the different kinds of strategies that you can come up with. You can play this in singleplayer mode or gather your friends to battle against their empires.

• Publisher: Gearbox Publishing
• Developer: Gearbox Software
• Release Date: February 2015

Experience an intense space story with an RTS strategy that lets you build an armada of troops for more than 30 single-player missions. This collection includes the first and second Homeworld Remastered games as well as the multiplayer and the original Homeworld titles. You’ll have access to more than 100 ships with new textures that will allow you to race and join other game modes that will let you engage in space battles on an epic scale. Solidify your fleet formations and secure the unit types you want to use as you explore space in a completely new way with mod support and even in-game mod tools that you can take advantage of.

• Publisher: Simon &Shuster Interactive
• Developer: CCP Games
• Release Date: May 2003

Eve Online has been around for almost two decades and has been just as popular the entire time. The game takes place 21,000 years in the future and has players creating ships and battle units to battle one another and collect resources in a massive MMORPG. There have been situations in the past where complete wars have broken out in the game that have involved many players and forum arguments. It is in the same vein as games like World of Warcraft where there are fandoms of players that have been with the game since its inception and would be more than happy to welcome to players to the meta. There are four playable races that you can choose from that each have their own lineages and narratives that further expand on the gameplay.

#2 No Man’s Sky

• Publisher: Hello Game
• Developer: Hello Games
• Platform: PS4, PC, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
• Release Date: August 2016

No Man’s Sky is one of my favorites on this list. When it first came out, there wasn’t a whole lot that players were able to do although it offered a large expanse of universal exploration with different alien races coupled with their own languages. Now, there are tons of things for players to do including creating structures and collecting NPCs that offer different elements to your space stations. You can even purchase and upgrade ships and even travel to find large cruisers for even larger crews and resources. There isn’t an overarching story but there are a bunch of small missions and events that you can take advantage of that will let you better communicate with the aliens that you will encounter and build better ships and multitools as you progress.

• Publisher: Frontier Developments
• Developer: Frontier Developments
• Release Date: May 2015

Elite Dangerous is another that allows you to take control of a ship in an open-galaxy where you are asked to trade, mine, and search for resources. There are other missions as well including assassinations and bounty hunting that you can play by yourself or with your friends in multiplayer and competitive arcade modes. There are three major factions that players can choose from each with their own missions and rewards for you to earn. There are rankings that players can earn as well that will grant you combat experience and shop discount prices for shop items. If you happen to have VR, you can take advantage of a first-person shooter mode alongside the first-person exploration mode.

About Nat Collazo

Nat Collazo is a writer with a little over a decade of experience in the gaming industry after having started as a sign flipper for Play N’ Trade stores while dressed as Mario. Now they spend all of their time writing, forgetting to drink their coffee, and playing Pokemon Masters.

The 20 best space games on PC

Be pilots, pirates and space truckers

Video games are great at transporting us to different worlds, but none capture that feeling quite so perfectly as intergalactic space games - and 2023 looks set to be one of the biggest years for space games yet, with the launch of Starfield , Homeworld 3 and more all on the horizon. But what games have gone before them and staked their claim already on the dusty planet surface known as 'Best Space Games'? We reveal all below, with our carefully curated list of all the best space games you can play on PC right now. Whether you're a budding space cruiser captain, a wannabe space conqueror or an intrepid space-faring explorer, there's a space game for you.

Best space games

We've kept our definition of "space game" fairly traditional here. There are still plenty of hybrid games in our best space games list, from RPGs and space-themed strategy games , but almost all of them are about being in space, whether that's hurtling across the universe in a ship of some kind, or wafting around in zero gravity. Games about settling down on the surface of a new planet such as Surviving Mars and Astroneer, or those set in space-like locations such as Alien: Isolation aren't present in this list, as you never actually get to go to space while you're playing them.

Plus, while there are still plenty of classics here, we've mainly focused on games we'd recommend you play today, rather than a 'greatest space games of all time' affair. Disagree? Tell us about your favourite space game in the comments below, and maybe you'll convince others to give it a try.

• Everspace 2
• Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
• Hardspace: Shipbreaker
• Star Wars: TIE Fighter
• Rebel Galaxy Outlaw
• Star Traders: Frontiers
• Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2
• Sins Of A Solar Empire
• X3: Albion Prelude
• Homeworld Remastered
• Distant Worlds Universe
• Outer Wilds
• FTL: Faster Than Light
• No Man's Sky
• Elite Dangerous
• Kerbal Space Program
• Freespace 2

20. Everspace 2

Everspace 2 is a classic arcade space shooter that feels like it's flown in through a wormhole from the early 00s. While the first game was more of a roguelike, Everspace 2 ditches that structure for a more traditional action RPG that sees you gradually upgrading your ship with bigger and better parts and weapons grabbed from ships you've just obliterated with some well-executed laser beams.

Battles are spectacular and frantic, but beneath the space fighting veneer, these ships are essentially behaving like your favourite RPG classes. Each has their own special and passive abilities, and if it weren't for the flying around in space aspect, you could almost swear you're actually playing something like Diablo. Just, you know, without the endless grind cycle. It's enormously entertaining, and its hand-crafted locations are some of the glossiest and most spectacular pockets of galaxy this side of No Man's Sky.

19. Mass Effect Legendary Edition

The Mass Effects are Captain Kirk simulators. You're not Sulu, blowing Klingons out of space, or Chekov, piloting a ship; you're the boss. And being the boss largely means telling people what to do - and snogging.

Commander Shepard's second mission remains their best - it's a planet-hopping Argonautica and suicide mission with some of BioWare's best-realised characters - but now the entire trilogy has been remastered as part of the Legendary Edition, there's really no reason not to play the whole lot from start to finish. After all, no Mass Effect is an island. The middle game might be the best, but the first lays all the groundwork. And don't listen to the naysayers, the final game drops the ball a bit during the closing act, but otherwise it's a cracking end to the trilogy.

18. Descent

Having been lumped in with run-and-gun first-person shooters since the time of its release (CGW magazine called it "Doom on Benzedrine in a vacuum"), Descent's numerous innovations have often been serially overlooked. True, it didn't have many rock star developers working on it, there were no demons from hell rampaging through it's claustrophobic corridors and there was not one smear of blood to enrage or delight its audience. What it did have was speed, maze-like 3D levels and a range of movement in all directions that was at beautiful odds with the limited space in which to manoeuvre.

Disorientation was a constant companion - for some players so, too, was motion sickness - but in rescuing trapped colonists otherwise doomed to die and escaping each quaking level before it was engulfed in a nuclear fireball the game paid out in full. After more than 20 years, does Descent remain an essential game in the same way as Doom? Given that it would morph into Freespace and remain to some degree in Red Faction's DNA, yes, yes it is. More importantly, it's still enjoyable, more so in many ways than the game that inspired it.

17. Hardspace: Shipbreaker

Hardspace: Shipbreaker is one of those working sims that utterly transports you into the mind and soul of one of its titular shipbreakers the moment you fire your very first laser cutter. You're a nameless employee of the Lynx Corporation with an enormous debt to pay, and you'll gradually chip away at this impossible sum of cash by stripping derelict spaceships for parts and materials. Not from the comfort of a nice space hanger, though. Oh no. You've got to do this in zero gravity, and carefully punt each individual component into their respective recycling bins, or face the wrath of your corporate overlords. It's a tough gig, but oh so fulfiling.

Played correctly, Hardspace: Shipbreaker is wonderfully mundane. And we mean that in the best possible sense. Yes, there's the occasional explosion when you accidentally slam a laser through volatile fuel pumps, and yes, you'll need to manage your fuel and oxygen levels as you go about your work. But there is a zen-like loop of cutting, grabbing and punting that lets you revel in your own sense of growing expertise, and stripping a ship clean in record time like some giant, indentured space vulture is intensely satisfying.

16. Star Wars: TIE Fighter

Contrary to popular belief, the X-Wing series wasn't a direct assault on Wing Commander. It was an attempt to transpose the systems and success of Totally Games' first series onto what would be its second. Indeed, you don't need to play much of either to see that there's more of Wing Commander in Battlehawks 1942 and Their Finest Hour than there is of X-Wing or TIE Fighter in Wing Commander. Just as Star Wars' space battles are inspired by WWII combat footage, the X-Wing series are informed almost entirely by Totally's WWII fight games. That they all featured a mission builder, combat recorder and historical missions only serves to underline that fact.

In any case, had X-Wing been intended as Star Wars' answer to WingCo, X-Wing 2 would surely have followed it. Instead Totally and Lucasarts opted to flip the story to the Dark Side, in so doing allowing players the opportunity to fight for the Empire for the first time while avoiding the mistake of painting everyone in it as wholly and irredeemably evil. Even though we knew we were on the wrong side, the game had us believing our hearts were in the right place, even if our guns were pointing at the good guys.

Plus, if you want to see what TIE Fighter might look like with modern day graphics, be sure to check out the recently released TIE Fighter: Total Conversion mod for X-Wing Alliance, too, which pretty much recreates TIE Fighter from the ground-up, and adds in VR support.

15. Rebel Galaxy Outlaw

Rebel Galaxy Outlaw is that rare space sim that manages to capture the thrill and wonder of exploring a star system without wildly over-promising on what to expect. It may only be set in a single region of space with 40-odd star systems to peruse, but within those limited confines is a game packed with dogfights, bounty hunts, underhand deals and fraught delivery runs. Action is the name of the game here, and Double Damage Games makes you get you're able to get your hands dirty at every possible opportunity.

Thanks to Outlaw's clever targeting system and auto-pursuit system, dogfights are brilliant fun. You can turn off auto-pursuit if you prefer to go old-school with your space fights, but leaving it on makes every skirmish feel like a nail-biting battle of wits rather than chance pot-shots into the void. Rebel Galaxy Outlaw also manages that rare feat of giving us a character we actually care about, and a story that gives them a place and purpose in this vast region of the unknown. A lot of it covers familiar ground, but it makes a refreshing change from your No Man's Sky and Elite Dangerous types. Lovingly crafted and always stunningly pretty to look at, Rebel Galaxy Outlaw always has us coming back for more.

14. Star Traders: Frontiers

Space captains are better served than ever for 2D Elite-ish games, but Star Traders: Frontiers is by far the best out there. Create your captain, pick a ship, and fill it with a crew of pilots, navigators, swordsmen, and whatever niche experts suit your needs. Getting on your feet can be hard, but once you've got a little money and the favour of some political figures, the galaxy is yours to adventure in.

Your ship and crew define you more than in any space RPG, as you can refit and reorganise them as you see fit. Almost everything you do in Frontiers can affect the economy, status, and political relations of local characters, planets, and factions, whether you want to dig into its multi-threaded story jobs or not. And you'll inevitably end up doing more than you planned for when opportunity knocks. Your unarmed spy ship might make a great smuggler. Your ship-disabling pirates might create perfect opportunities to start taking on bounty hunter jobs. Or you might just stumble across some exotic goods, and find yourself waylaid in a chain of unexpected events on your way to find a black market to sell them at. Plus, you can hire a sniper who wears pink thigh high boots in space. What's not to love?

13. Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2

If you're happy to trade off realism for sheer spectacle when it comes to space battles, then Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2 (the definitive Warhammer 40,000 navy 'em up) is going to be your happy place. Despite all the cinematic 3D camera work, its battles play out on a resolutely 2D playing field. It's essentially a sea battle game with bombastic, giga-scale space stylings, and it pushes a lot of the same buttons as Total War games in terms of play feel - you build up fleets on a campaign layer, then position them on a tactical map and shove them into the enemy to start knocking lumps out of each other.

Conflict in BFGA2 feels huge: hundreds of individual turrets batter away at each other, while fighters zip around like clouds of dust, and massive ships explode gloriously with a groaning sound like a whale reading its credit card bill. You can play as 12 of the major 40k factions in BFGA2's skirmish mode, while four get their own campaigns. The strategic game sometimes feels a little light, but not so much that it feels stripped down, and there's an impressive level of storytelling and lore involved, when it didn't necessarily have to be. The big draw, however you choose to play, and whatever you choose to play as, is that you're guaranteed one hell of a light show.

12. Sins Of A Solar Empire

Ironclad Games' RTS pinches the scale of a 4X game and pits massive armadas against each other in orbital laser light shows. All the diplomatic, trade and research systems borrowed from 4Xs prop up the constant war, funding and upgrading increasingly diverse fleets. At first you'll just be throwing light attack ships at planets you want to gobble up, but eventually you'll be surrounding worlds and enemy fleets with capital ships the size of small moons and a whole host of support vessels, carriers, tiny fighters and bombers.

Sins' smartest trick is the use of restrictive lanes to connect worlds. It forces fleets to travel down predetermined paths, appearing in specific places. Even in space, then, there's terrain, with the lanes' entrances and exits acting as choke points around which weapons platforms can be constructed and fleets positioned. The Rebellion standalone adds the additional wrinkle of new playable rebel factions and their accompanying victory conditions, but also powerful Titan-class ships and overhauled vanilla factions. Oh, and it's quite a bit prettier!

11. X3: Albion Prelude

Although it started out as a rather humourless and unhurried take on Elite, the X series has carved out an impressive niche for itself over the course of 15 years or so, becoming the go-to game for space captains who'd rather explore a capitalist frontier than venture beyond anything physical.

Egosoft would no doubt argue that there's been more to its games than first-person Industry Giant in space, pointing to the series' motto and the prominence of fighting ahead of thinking. The truth is that that it took a few attempts for the German developer to properly nail combat. The X3 games seemed to nail it though; each release offering a more evolved OS-styled control setup that managed to avoid falling into the FPS mouse trap while complimenting the complexities of the trading simulation underpinning the game. Some might protest that the Albion Prelude expansion went a step too far, with too much slow-burning intricacy and not enough explanation, but by setting the X universe at war with itself ahead of the slate-cleaning Rebirth, it offered players the best opportunity in the long-running series to make good profit at the expense of others.

10. EVE Online

For all its infamous high stakes drama and ruthless corporate betrayals, there's room for a lot more in EVE than most people think. The enormously complex player economy is ultimately about loads of random players all doing their own thing, after all.

More so than perhaps any other game, EVE is about interacting with others, but that too can be done as you see fit. The jostling alliances of hundreds-strong players make the headlines, but exist alongside countless small groups of friends, pairs, even the occasional solo player making their space life by trade, manufacture, murder, or just quietly shooting endless disposable NPC ships for an hour or two after work to unwind. It's a demanding game for sure, but getting to know even a small corner of it feels satisfying. Seeing familiar names and knowing what they're up to, who they're friends with, and what things you can achieve together is one of the promises that few MMOs deliver on.

It takes some patience and a lot of initiative, and the ability to sigh and shrug some things off. But if you're not enjoying what you're doing in EVE, you can just do something else. Get talking to someone, for heaven's sake. There are opportunities everywhere if you're willing to make the effort.

9. Homeworld Remastered

The original Homeworld is one of the all-time great space RTS games, but trying to get it running on a modern PC is a bit of a nightmare - if only because it hasn't been available to buy for the better part of a decade. Thankfully, Gearbox's 2015 remaster brought it bang up to date. Bundling remastered editions of both Homeworld and Homeworld 2 and a special Steam multiplayer mode, this is the definitive way to play one of the best space games of all time.

A lot of Homeworld's accomplishments may seem like old-hat now. Moving multiple units in 3D space? Yawn. A choice between total annihilation and desperate survival? Been there, done that. And yet, the thrill of Homeworld's epic space battles remains just as strong as it did back in the olden days of 1999. Add in modern dynamic lighting, hi-res textures and a remastered score, and it really is quite the homecoming.

8. Distant Worlds Universe

Distant Worlds Universe collects Code Force and Matrix Games' complex space 4X game and its DLC in one package, and it was our strategy game of the year back in 2014. The accolade is still well deserved. It's a sprawling behemoth of a game set in a universe that gets along with or without you. Trade companies do business all across the universe, empires rise and fall, sectors transform from tourist traps into warzones.

Rather than presenting empire building as a series of paths, it's a pure sandbox absent all but player-defined goals. If that sounds daunting, it is! But that that's OK because Distant Worlds also boasts an unparalleled automation system that breaks the game up into manageable chunks. If war isn't your cup of Earl Grey, you can leave all martial matters up to the extremely competent AI. The same goes for every system. If you really want to ease into things, or if you just fancy exploring space, you can give up control of everything apart from a single ship. Effectively you take a break from being Emperor to become a simple spaceship captain. From that perspective you can just watch the universe evolve around you. When that gets old, you can start switching off the automation of other systems one by one until you find your limit.

7. Outer Wilds

The solar system of Outer Wilds may only take a few minutes to cross in your rickety old space ship, but the mysteries of its six planets and accompanying moons, comets and satellites will keep you guessing for hours and hours. Our game of the year in 2019 , Outer Wilds is a clever space detective game with a Groundhog Day twist. The sun goes supernova every 22 minutes, but thanks to a strange encounter with an ancient alien artefact, your wide-eyed explorer manages to escape being turned into space dust by getting stuck in an infinite time loop. The only way to break it is to solve the mystery of the space-faring Nomai, whose architecture, technology and discoveries shape each and every planet you'll eventually touch down on.

The planets themselves are marvels of design and engineering. From Brittle Hollow, which has a black hole tearing it apart from the inside, to The Hourglass Twins, which are linked by an epic column of sand that gradually drowns one and reveals the secrets of the other with every passing second, the world that Mobius Digital have created here really captures your imagination. It's exactly the kind of mad science fiction you've always dreamed about in games, and each one feels like a distinct ecosystem with its own rules and systems. You're free to explore them at your own pace, too. Driven by hints and secrets you gather by translating ancient Nomai scrolls and texts they've left behind (but never giant 'go here next' icons), Outer Wilds' greatest achievement is simply letting you follow whatever trail of Nomai-shaped breadcrumbs you please as you work to solve this galaxy-wide mystery. Brilliantly written and beautifully crafted, Outer Wilds is a truly stellar stuff.

6. Stellaris

After years of simulating the politics, economics and wars of history, Paradox decided to head off into the stars with their grand strategy/4X hybrid, Stellaris. Crusader Kings II and Europa Universalis IV had been pumping out weird stories and slices of historical drama for a few years, and more than anything else that's what Stellaris brought to 4X's sector of space.

You can spend hours creating your brand new alien species, right down to their government type and how good they are at making babies, but new technology and special events can transform them into something completely different. Since launch, Stellaris has gone from strength to strength, with Paradox adding a steady stream of new expansions, species and story packs. Its latest expansion, Nemesis, came out in April 2021, too, making it a great time to jump in if you haven't already.

5. FTL: Faster Than Light

Subset Games' roguelike-like darling deconstructs spaceship sims and presents managing a vessel as a series of disasters and crises. Each of FTL's procedural adventure casts you adrift in space with a single goal: outrun the Federation and bring their secret plans to your Rebel allies. In between you are scouts, pirates, people needing help and horrible space parasites. You can't turn back, though, because the Federation is always nipping at your heels.

In real-time fights against other ships, you'll see your crew slain, your ship boarded by droids, hulls ripped open, explosives teleported in and allies psionically controlled. But you'll be able to do all of that to your enemies as well. Along the way, you'll also find or rescue new crew members, get access to the fanciest of future tech, and hopefully get tough enough to take on the final Federation boss.

Even seemingly blessed runs can end in catastrophe, but each failure becomes another brilliant sci-fi story. The journey of the Ham Sandwich, for instance, ended particularly tragically. After a run in with a pirate, the ship looked to be done for, with a fires and breaches in multiple rooms and just about every system offline. The engine fire was the worst of the problems and if it wasn't taken care of, the whole ship would be doomed. Our engineer tirelessly fought the fire, even as the oxygen was sucked out of the room through a tear in the hull. With his final breath he managed to put out the fire, the doors could be unsealed, and the rest of the crew repaired the hole. Unfortunately, an encounter with a solar flare one jump later finished the Ham Sandwich off.

4. No Man's Sky

It's been a bumpy old ride for No Man's Sky since it launched in 2016, but after a steady stream of free updates, patches and a lot of jiggery-pokery behind the scenes, Hello Games' epic, procedurally-generated space exploration game has finally become everything we hoped and dreamed it would be. No Man's Sky has gone from strength to strength in recent years, adding a proper multiplayer experience, full VR support, aquatic biomes, and even more beasts, flora, fauna and customisation options. Heck, you can even fly around in sentient, living, breathing space ships now, and if that doesn't shout 'best space game' material, we don't know what does.

It is, without doubt, one of the greatest comeback stories of the last decade. At its heart, No Man's Sky is still a crafting-based survival 'em up that sees you journeying toward the centre of the universe and gradually upgrading your ship so you can jump farther and farther distances, but it's also about flying to and from stunning looking planets and staring slack-jawed at all the mad creatures you'll find therein. You no longer have to make the journey alone, either, as up to 32 players can now join a single server, and you'll see other players appear onscreen when they're nearby. Its VR support is also first rate, making it one of the best VR games you can play on PC right now, and it's also one of the best games to play in ultrawide mode, too.

3. Elite Dangerous

What makes Elite Dangerous so compelling isn't so much about the game as the experience. It's the tinkering with and the taking out of a performance car for a Sunday drive, not to rack up more miles, nor to break any speed limits, but to just feel the growl of the engine and the wind comb through what's left of your hair. To remember those carefree days arched over a BBC Micro or blinking angrily into a Lenslok and to forget for a short while that you have to make 357 people redundant in the morning. Elite is a hermetically-sealed escape capsule and it's the best there is. Hell, you could fire the game up and just sit there on a launch pad and the sounds are enough to carry you away, so strong is your ship's presence and so absorbing are the station surroundings.

Taking off, tearing through the station entrance a little too fast and just missing a Python, angling for the next jump, scooping fuel from a blazing sun, spinning the camera around your ship to catch its best profile, starting a fight just for the hell of it, seeing smoke rise from the command console, hearing the screen crack and precious oxygen escaping into space and landing back at base with seconds to spare - these are the moments that make Elite essential. Trading, missions, mining - not so much. But it's all right, we're not going anywhere.

2. Kerbal Space Program

It could be argued that Kerbal Space Program doesn't belong on this list, because it's a game about trying but (mostly) failing to get into space. Sometimes it's a game about smashing into the ground. Botched attempts and hopeless failures litter the path to success, but it's those disastrous experiments that often prove to be the most fun.

That might not be the Kerbal Space Program everybody recognises, though. We're sure it feels great to successfully get the Kerbals on and off the Mun without breaking a sweat, but we're just happy to see them drifting around in space. We don't even see our many misadventures as failures anymore because that implies that we haven't done what we set out to do, which is to draw a blank on everything we know about physics and just muck around with some cool rockets.

1. Freespace 2

Was it Freespace 2 that almost killed the space combat genre? Some like to think it was the game's commercial failure that did the damage; that there was no interest in space combat games any more and that if anyone persisted in making one, their sales would suffer the same fate. If it ever was a wreck, we now know that Freespace 2 wasn't left empty for very long, and that the message in the static was soon changed to offer a place of refuge, a rallying point for gamers uninterested in a New World Order of terrorist take-downs.

It's not simply that Freespace 2 is a highly accomplished sequel to what was arguably the finest game in its genre, but that it has become the source of so much creativity over the years. For space genre fans, Diaspora, The Babylon Project, Blue Planet and Wing Commander Saga have been some of the brightest releases in what has, until the last couple of years, been a veritable dark age.

The thing is, standard issue Freespace 2 remains largely unchallenged. Considering it was barely a year in development and many of Volition's ideas for ground attacks and super weapons went unrealised, it offers a number of improvements on the original game. Prior to Freespace 2, capital ships were largely treated as static backgrounds, but now they were part of the foreground, one that fizzed and crackled with explosive energy like never before. Of course Freespace wasn't perfect. But what the Freespace games did better than anything else was put the player in the midst of a series of epic battles, fighting against the odds versus a relentless and unknowable foe. The spectacular weapons, the frenetic and desperate movement that remains a perfect marriage of UI and controller and graphics that were so in advance of everything all those years ago that, even un-modded today, the game can maintain the fantasy. Even in this new space age, one of procedurally-generated universes and forceless feedback joysticks, Freespace 2 stands as a titan of the genre. The Galactica among Battlestars. The game that has lead the genre home.

Off the list

Alas, as with every update, there are inevitably some games we end up saying goodbye to. In this version of the list, we swapped Slipways and Galactic Civilizations II for Hardspace: Shipbreaker and Everspace 2. Everything else has stayed in the same position. It doesn't mean we love those games any less, or that they won't be featured here again in the future, but right now they just fall short of that top 20 cut-off.

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Explore Mars: A Mars Rover Game

How to play.

Always wanted to cruise around on the surface of another planet? Well, you’re in luck! In Explore Mars, you will be driving a rover on Mars and collecting information about Martian rocks.

First, you will choose a rock to investigate. Then, you’ll send a sequence of commands telling the rover how to get to that rock. Don’t forget to include the command to analyze the rock! This information will then be sent back to scientists on Earth.

You will earn points every time you successfully analyze a new Martian rock. If you want a high score, plan carefully. Some rocks are worth many more points than others!

The Voice of the Game

Charlene Pfeifer, NASA/JPL Systems Engineer

The encouraging voice guiding you in this game is from Charlene Pfeifer, an engineer who works on the real Mars 2020 mission. Learn more about Charlene and her work in this profile !

About the Perseverance Rover

This artist's concept depicts NASA's Perseverance rover on the surface of Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Perseverance is a rover that NASA landed on Mars in February 2021. The rover will cruise around investigating rocks in a region called Jezero Crater. A very long time ago, Jezero Crater contained a lake that was filled with liquid water — and possibly even living organisms.

An image of the western rim of Jezero Crater captured by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The Perseverance rover will land in Jezero Crater. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU

By studying the rocks in this crater today, scientists can learn what the environment on Mars was like billions of years ago. Certain kinds of rock in the crater could even hold evidence of past microbial life on Mars!

About Mars Helicopter

When you’re playing the game, you might notice a little helicopter joining you on your journey. The real Perseverance rover will have a helicopter friend, too! NASA’s solar-powered Mars Helicopter will be the first aircraft to fly on another planet.

The Mars helicopter is an experiment for NASA’s scientists and engineers. It will be a test to see if small aircraft can be used to do science on future Mars missions.

This artist's concept shows the Mars Helicopter, which will travel with NASA's Perseverance rover. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Related Resources for Educators

Mission to Mars Student Challenge

Make a Moon or Mars Rover Game

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The best space games on PC

All the best space games you can play right now on PC.

• Singleplayer
• Multiplayer
• Cool space games

The best space games on PC squeeze all the stars and planets into little worlds for us to visit, explore, or save. Everyone can enjoy a little space from time to time: Anime fans might like how Honkai: Star Rail drops you onto individual planets for comedic stories and slick combat, and strategy-minded players might find that they lose track of time as they build an empire in Stellaris. And for groups of players, you can hop into games like Lethal Company for its blend of comedy and horror as you scavenge haunted moons. Space games have been around for as long as PCs have been around, so there's a ton of games to choose from. The ones below are playable on most modern systems and aren't a pain to track down. You can find many of them on Steam, and often at a discounted price. Not every game treats space the same way. Some of them are made to be explored with a group of friends, while others are best played alone. We've broken every space game into categories to help you decide which one to dive into.

The best space games

PC Gamer's got your back Our experienced team dedicates many hours to every review, to really get to the heart of what matters most to you. Find out more about how we evaluate games and hardware.

The best singleplayer space games

Release date: 2023 | Developer: Bethesda Softworks | Steam

Starfield opens, like many Bethesda RPGs, in a small location that eventually gives way to a massive open world. But this time, its a whole galaxy. Mountains of loot await you in this sci-fi world full of hundreds of unique quests and characters. Grab a companion and go exploring planets for resources and spots to construct a base in, or build your own space ship. Starfield might not be our favorite Bethesda game, but as far as space RPGs go, it's one of the most expansive ones out there.

Read more: Starfield review

Outer Wilds

Release date: 2019 | Developer: Mobius Digital | Steam

A first-person open world game about exploring a small solar system full of weird planets and odd cosmic phenomena. The catch? You're trapped in a time loop, giving you just 20 minutes to explore at a time. Outer Wilds is reminiscent of games such as Her Story and Obra Dinn in the way you piece a puzzle together by discovering and connecting small, often seemingly unrelated details.

Read more: Outer Wilds review

Honkai: Star Rail

Release date: 2023 | Developer: HoYoverse | Epic

The turn-based sci-fi RPG from the developers behind Genshin Impact has no business being so good. As a male or female Trailblazer, you join a crew of explorers who travel to different planets to save them from being doomed by the universe's gods. It doesn't have a fully open world like Genshin, but each planet has cities and locations to explore and an expansive storyline that can be both surprisingly comedic and heroic—like any good space opera.

Read more: Honkai: Star Rail review

The Outer Worlds

Release date: 2019 | Developer: Obsidian Entertainment | Steam

Not to be confused with Outer Wilds, which is also a space adventure and also on this list, Obsidian's interplanetary RPG is a comedic action RPG that hearkens back to the studio's days working on Fallout. You and your companions will hop around a solar system full of literally colorful environments and figuratively colorful characters. Corporations are the big bads of the retro space future where you'll shoot up aliens, choose dialogue, and generally make a mess of every planet you show up on if it suits your fancy. 

Read more: Outer Worlds review

Hardspace: Shipbreaker

Release date: 2022 | Developer: Blackbird Interactive | Steam

Hardspace: Shipbreaker is a game set in the future where cutting apart ships pays the bills, but not much else. This first-person destruction simulator has you learning the craft, taking jobs, and refining your skills so that eventually you can pay off your crippling pile of debt. It's creative and monotonous in a way that blue collar jobs often can be. And it uses that to underline the vital role of undervalued and overworked labor in a world run by billion dollar people and billion dollar corporations.

Read more: Hardspace: Shipbreaker review

Observation

Release date: 2019 | Developer: No Code | Steam The space station Observation has broken away from its Earth orbit and is drifting somewhere near Saturn. Its systems are malfunctioning, a fire has broken out, and the on-board artificial intelligence, SAM, is acting strangely. Things are not looking good for Dr. Emma Fisher, the reluctant hero of this sci-fi thriller from the studio behind Stories Untold. But what's interesting about Observation is that you don't play as Fisher. Instead, you play as the AI. Read more: Observation review

Release date: 2017 | Developer: Fullbright | Steam The crew has mysteriously abandoned the Tacoma lunar transfer station, and you’ve been sent to investigate and recover its precious AI, Odin. This atmospheric sci-fi mystery from the makers of Gone Home is wonderfully written, with a cast of rich, nuanced characters telling a compelling story through interactive AR recordings. Exploring the hyper-detailed station is a delight thanks to the game’s extraordinary attention to detail, and the more you learn about Tacoma, the deeper the mystery gets. Read more: Tacoma review

Alien: Isolation

Release date: 2014 | Developer Creative Assembly | Steam Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen, is hunted through a dilapidated space station by a xenomorph in this incredible survival horror. Taking its cues from Ridley Scott's original 1979 film, it's a masterpiece of slow-burning tension. And the station itself, Sevastopol, is a great example of lo-fi sci-fi, with chunky retro-futuristic tech and eerie flickering lights. One of the most faithful movie adaptations ever, and a great horror game in its own right. Read more: What Alien: Isolation gets right that Alien: Covenant gets wrong

Dead Space (2023)

Release date: 2023 | Developer: Motive | Steam

Isaac Clarke is an extremely unlucky guy. He's sent to repair a ship, the USG Ishimura, but very quickly finds out that it's stuffed with horrifying alien monsters. Dead Space blends the industrialized horror of Alien and tasks you (in third-person) with chopping up every monster that stumbles toward you. The 2023 remake cleans the game's visuals up, gives Clarke a makeover, and embraces what made the original so atmospheric and suspenseful. 

Read more: Dead Space review 

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Release date: 2021 | Developer: BioWare | Steam If you’ve ever fantasised about being Captain Picard, in command of your own starship, exploring the galaxy, meeting weird aliens, being confronted with cosmic dilemmas, then the Mass Effect series (especially 2) is that in game form. It’s part Star Wars space opera, part brilliant Star Trek episode, and one of the best sci-fi series on PC. It doesn’t have the freedom of open-ended games like Elite: Dangerous and is largely a linear experience, but it takes you on an unforgettable journey around the galaxy, visiting bizarre planets and getting involved in the lives of the aliens who live on them. We love the whole series, which have been modernized in the Legendary Edition, but we all agree that Mass Effect 2 is our favourite. Unfortunately, the original PC version of Mass Effect 2 isn't great, so you're best option is to pick up the Legendary Edition.

Read more: The Mass Effect games ranked from worst to best

Release date: 2013 | Developer: Chucklefish Games | Steam Terraria-esque survival with a science fiction twist. Hop between randomly generated planets on a starship, hunt alien creatures for food, build colonies and underground bases, and try not to die in the process. A brilliant sci-fi sandbox with a charming art style. Playable races include robots, beings made of solar energy, ape-like creatures, and colourful wingless birds. Read more: Starbound review

Release date: 2017 | Developer: Rockfish Games | Steam When you die in roguelike Everspace, you’re dead. But money earned carries over and can be spent on upgrades, which means you’ll be more powerful for your next run through the cosmic gauntlet. And these perks keep adding up, allowing you to travel deeper into space, and more boldly, with every successive attempt. It’s a compelling loop, and when you die you're never frustrated: just excited to start again, wondering how far you'll make it this time. Read more: Death is the road to glory in Everspace

Elite Dangerous

Release date: 2014 | Developer Frontier Developments | Steam An entire galaxy is your playground in this space sim. Starting with a basic ship and a handful of credits, you shape your own destiny. Do you become a fearsome pirate? A master trader? An explorer? The beauty of Elite is being able to play in a way that suits you. From thrilling dogfights to gentle exploration, there’s something for everyone. And its ships are all an absolute dream to fly, whether it's a nimble fighter or a heavy duty cargo hauler. Read more: Visiting NASA's latest discovery in Elite Dangerous

Heat Signature

Release date: 2017 | Developer Suspicious Developments | Steam In this top-down sci-fi action game you board spaceships and use an array of weapons and gadgets to take out the crew. The genius lies in how much creativity you're given to play your own way, inspired by the best immersive sims. And how you react to the chaos that erupts when your presence on the ship becomes known makes Heat Signature a powerful anecdote generator. Things might not always go to plan, but that's just part of the fun. Read more: 8 sadistic ways to take out guards in Heat Signature

Release date: 2016 | Developer: Ocelot Society | Steam Stranded alone somewhere near Jupiter on an old luxury starship, your only hope of returning home is an AI that has serious emotional problems. You interact with Kaizen using your keyboard, and sometimes it'll be willing to help you. But then it'll change its mind and decide the best thing to do is close the airlock and trap you outside the ship until you run out of air. A clever adventure with the understated mood of a '70s sci-fi film. Read more: Event[0] review

Star Wars: TIE Fighter

Release date: 1994 | Developer: Totally Games | GOG A rare opportunity to be the bad guy in George Lucas’s beloved space opera. With a variety of Empire-themed missions—dogfights, escorts, attacking capital ships—and a story to follow, it’s one of the best Star Wars games LucasArts ever published. Of course, you can replace this entry with Star Wars: X-Wing if you’d prefer to play as the boring old Rebel Alliance. Read more: The best Star Wars games on PC

FTL: Faster Than Light

Release date: 2012 | Developer: Subset Games | Steam FTL mixes turn-based and real-time strategy together to capture the experience of captaining a Star Trek-style spacecraft. It’s a strong roguelike, too, with a backdrop of a familiar yet fun sci-fi universe that comes with its own semi-humorous lore and a neat set of narrative beats that make the journey to its finale endlessly exciting. Being able to name your ship and crew makes it all the more heartbreaking when they die together in enemy space. Read more: The writing in FTL

Release date: 2016 | Developer: Misfits Attic | Steam Despite being viewed entirely through a retro-futuristic computer interface, Duskers is one of the scariest, most tense sci-fi horror games on PC. In it you pilot a fleet of drones searching derelict spaceships for fuel, upgrades, and clues about why the galaxy is so mysteriously devoid of life. The ships you board are crawling with strange creatures, which makes looking for clues in those narrow, dark corridors an especially nerve-wracking experience. Read more: Duskers review

Release date: 1995 | Developer: LucasArts | GOG A mission to divert an asteroid heading for Earth goes awry, sending a group of astronauts to a distant, seemingly abandoned world. Some of the puzzles are maddeningly obscure, even for a LucasArts point-and-click adventure, but the colourful, bizarre planet feels genuinely alien. Great voice acting too, with X-Files star Robert Patrick playing the lead character. Read more: Reinstall: The Dig

Wing Commander: Privateer

Release date: 1993 | Developer: Origin Systems | GOG Fans of the series will argue endlessly about which Wing Commander is the best, but we love Privateer’s darker feel. It’s a rich sandbox in which you can be a mercenary, a pirate, a merchant, or a mix of all three. You jump between systems looking for bounties to hunt and ships to rob, and the first-person dogfights are a thrill. There’s a linear story, but the real joy lies in doing your own thing and carving your own path through the stars.

Take On Mars

Release date: 2013 | Developer: Bohemia Interactive | Steam If you like your space games a little more grounded, try Arma developer Bohemia’s Take On Mars. It’s a space exploration and colonisation simulator largely based on real astro-science. You can build a Curiosity-style rover and explore the surface of the red planet or construct your own Martian colony. A game for folk who want the sci without too much of the fi. Read more: Building a mighty space base in Take On Mars

Objects in Space

Release date: 2019 | Developer: Flat Earth Games | Steam

This unique twist on the space sim shares the trading and exploration elements of games such as Elite Dangerous, but feels more like commanding a submarine. You don't see space itself; just a series of utilitarian rooms full of screens and machinery. There's a lot to manage, and you play several roles at once: pilot, engineer, comms officer. But despite the limited view of your surroundings, you still feel like you're hurtling through space in a starship.

Read more Objects in Space is a very different kind of space sim

The best strategy space games

Battlefleet gothic: armada 2.

Release date: 2019 | Developer: Tindalos Interactive | Steam

A real-time tactics game about giant spaceships clashing in the Warhammer 40,0000 universe. Battles take place on a 2D plane populated by capture points and asteroid fields, and the ships handle like giant, deadly cruise liners. You can unleash fighter and bomber squadrons, launch torpedo barrages and laser attacks, and board other ships. The space battles are involving and spectacular and the campaign is satisfying—especially for 40K fans.

Read more: Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2 review 

Endless Space 2

Release date: 2017 | Developer: Amplitude Studios | Steam

A stylish game of galactic conquest. Not the broadest or deepest 4X strategy game on PC, but an atmospheric afternoon-killer that blends strategic decision making with a beautiful presentation. Set in a vivid sci-fi universe, the game lets you explore mysterious star systems, discover the secrets of ancient races, build colonies on distant planets, and encounter aliens to meet and conquer.

Read more: Endless Space 2 review

Release date: 2016 | Developer: Paradox | Steam Developed by Paradox, of Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis fame, this sci-fi epic puts the ‘grand’ in grand strategy. Explore the universe, form alliances with alien factions, and engage in the odd large-scale space battle. The multitude of systems makes Stellaris a powerful story generator, and you never know what strange beings you’ll meet among the stars. Read more: Stellaris: Utopia review

Sins of a Solar Empire

Release date: 2008 | Developer: Ironclad Games | Steam Mixing real-time strategy with 4X elements, Sins is a game of galactic conquest. Choose a faction, gather resources and become a mighty space-lord. Commanding its real-time wars is thrilling, but combat isn’t always the answer: you can use diplomacy to conquer systems too. A refreshingly slow-paced RTS with some truly massive space battles to stare slack-jawed at.

Homeworld Remastered Collection

Release date: 2015 | Developer: Relic/Gearbox Software | Steam One of the best singleplayer RTS campaigns ever made, and beautifully remastered by Gearbox. The sight of thousands of your ships streaking across the game’s vividly colourful space-scapes is hugely dramatic. And battles are tense and tactical, with many types of ship to command, including colossal battleships. The Remastered Collection looks great on modern PCs and comes complete with the original Homeworld and its sequel. Read more Homeworld Remastered Collection review

Surviving Mars

Read more Objects in Space is a very different kind of space sim 

The best multiplayer space games

Lethal company.

Release date: 2023 | Developer: Zeekerss | Steam

Lethal Company has a simple premise: You and a group of orange-jumpsuited friends take on jobs to scavenge derelict space stations filled with unfathomable horrors. This first-person survival horror game is as terrifying as it is ripe for comedy as everyone stumbles around looking for treasure. Proximity voice chat and planets riddled with hazards make for one of the most chaotic multiplayer playgrounds available. The vacuum of space is the least of your worries when you've got three other greedy astronauts waddling beside you. Read more: Lethal Company is a viral hit in no small part thanks to all the intense shouting

Space Engineers

Release date: 2013 | Developer: Keen Software House | Steam

Harvest asteroids for building materials then craft them into floating bases, flyable spaceships, and more besides. You can hover around the map with a jetpack or build a gravity generator to walk safely on the surface of bigger asteroids. One of the best co-op build-’em-ups on PC. Read more: An erratic journey to the Moon in Space Engineers

Release date: 2003 | Developer: CCP Games | Steam Live another life—in space! There’s nothing else like EVE Online on PC, a massively multiplayer RPG where everything is controlled by players. It’s a living galaxy in which thousands of capsuleers fight, trade, mine, and explore together. Break away from the relative safety of your police-patrolled starting system and you’ll find a ruthless, cosmic Wild West, where piracy, espionage and scamming are rife. Whether you’re fighting in a massive space war, where thousands of real-world dollars hang in the balance, or just exploring New Eden on your own, EVE is an unforgettable experience. Read more: EVE Online's most notorious scam took 16 months of commitment

Release date: 2017 | Developer: Bungie | Steam Bungie's addictive FPS/MMO hybrid features some of the prettiest alien landscapes on PC. From the forested ruins of Earth and the frigid barrens of Europa, to the cosmic beauty of The Dreaming City, every location is a pleasure to loot-and-shoot in. Although Bungie has removed a few planets to the recycle bin, the game continues to layer more lore and story with each new expansion, as well as smart reworks to its signature classes and gear. Read more: Destiny 2: The Witch Queen review

No Man's Sky

Release date: 2016 | Developer: Hello Games | Steam This is one of the most dazzlingly colourful sci-fi universes on PC, and being able to seamlessly transition from space to the surface of a planet is an impressive technical feat. The addition of features like base-building, missions, and actual multiplayer in its continuous stream of updates give you a lot more to actually do when you touch down on these worlds, and the procedural generation algorithm has been tweaked to make for weirder, prettier planet surfaces. Read more: The best No Man's Sky mods

The best simulation space games

Kerbal space program.

Release date: 2015 | Developer: Squad | Steam Wrestle with gravity and the laws of physics as you build your own spacecraft and attempt to explore the cosmos. A robust, compelling sandbox of possibilities that’s as funny as it is clever. Escaping Kerbin’s atmosphere and landing on the Mun (without exploding) for the first time with a ship you’ve built yourself is about as satisfying as PC gaming gets. Read more: Kerbal Space Program: Making History review

Universe Sandbox

Release date: 2014 | Developer Giant Army | Steam This space simulator lets you become an all-powerful cosmic deity, manipulating replicas of real galaxies and solar systems and witnessing the (often catastrophic) results of your meddling. Increase the mass of Jupiter and you’ll see the rest of our solar system being sucked into it, or delete the Sun and watch Earth and the other planets drift away confused. Read more Universe Sandbox review

Just really cool space games

Spaceengine.

Release date: 2010 | Developer Vladimir Romanyuk | Steam Do you like feeling small and insignificant? Then play SpaceEngine, which features, incredibly, the entire universe. Or at least the bit we know about. Focus on Earth, then pull back at top speed, and you suddenly become aware of how you’re on a tiny speck of dust hurtling through an endless void. The tech is remarkable, allowing you to travel effortlessly between galaxies and land on planets. But besides exploring, there isn’t much else to it.

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Tyler has covered games, games culture, and hardware for over a decade before joining PC Gamer as Associate Editor. He's done in-depth reporting on communities and games as well as criticism for sites like Polygon, Wired, and Waypoint. He's interested in the weird and the fascinating when it comes to games, spending time probing for stories and talking to the people involved. Tyler loves sinking into games like Final Fantasy 14, Overwatch, and Dark Souls to see what makes them tick and pluck out the parts worth talking about. His goal is to talk about games the way they are: broken, beautiful, and bizarre.

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The Space Tour blasts off!

Get ready to go galactic with the Space Tour, the latest limited-time event in the Mario Kart Tour game! See if you can unlock all the in-game rewards.

Mario Kart Tour is for everyone, newcomers and karting veterans alike. We hope you have a stellar time racing and collecting Grand Stars!

Tour overview

Event and login bonus duration: From Nov. 16 at 10 p.m. PT until Nov. 30 at 9:59 p.m. PT

Space Pipe 1: Mario (Satellaview) in the spotlight

Available from Nov. 16 at 10 p.m. PT until Nov. 30 at 9:59 p.m. PT

Mario blasts off with a far-out suit pulled from Nintendo history! You can also find additional drivers, karts, and gliders shuffled in.

Driver: Mario (Satellaview)

Kart: Lunar Cruiser

Glider: Meteor Balloons

The favored courses for this driver will include the second course of every cup for the duration of the Space Tour. See if you can set new point records!

Space Pipe 2: A trio of Rosalina in the spotlight

Available from Nov. 23 at 10 p.m. PT until Nov. 30 at 9:59 p.m. PT

The galactic princess takes center stage in this pipe! You can also find additional drivers, karts, and gliders shuffled in.

Driver: Fire Rosalina, Rosalina (Halloween), Rosalina (Aurora)

Kart: Comet Tail, Rose Taxi, Kamek's Zoom Broom

Glider: Luma Parafoil, Planet Glider, Rose Parasol

The favored courses for these will include the third course of every cup for the duration of the Space Tour. See if you can launch yourself into new point records!

Blue Gliders Pipe

Available from Nov. 20 at 10 p.m. PT until Nov. 25 at 10 p.m. PT

Cruise in style with a selection of blue-hued High-End gliders, including Galaxy Glider, Polka-Dot Manta Glider, Blizzard Balloons, and more. You can also find additional drivers, karts, and gliders shuffled in, too.

The included Tour gifts for all players this time are:

Drivers : Baby Daisy

Kart: Red Kiddie Kart

Glider: Paper Glider

If you have a Mario Kart Tour Gold Pass subscription and earn enough Grand Stars, you can also receive the following as Tour gifts:

Drivers : Rosalina, Baby Rosalina

Kart: Gold Pipe Frame, Blue Royale

Glider: Droplet Glider

About Mario Kart Tour

In the free-to-start Mario Kart Tour game, players can put the pedal to the metal in courses inspired by real-world locations as well as Mario Kart series favorites. Put powerful items to use as you tear up the track and go for a high score in endless racing fun. Collect and upgrade a variety of drivers, karts, and gliders to find the combo that will lead you to victory!

City courses, special in-game event courses inspired by real-world locations, will be available during specific time periods and take place every two weeks.

For more information about the _Mario Kart Tou_r game, visit the official site: https://mariokarttour.com/en-US

Free to start; optional in-game purchases available. Persistent internet, compatible smartphone, and Nintendo Account required. Data charges may apply. Mario Kart Tour Gold Pass subscription sold separately. Terms apply. See game for details.

Universe simulator

SpaceEngine is a realistic virtual Universe you can explore on your computer. You can travel from star to star, from galaxy to galaxy, landing on any planet, moon, or asteroid with the ability to explore its alien landscape. You can alter the speed of time and observe any celestial phenomena you please. All transitions are completely seamless, and this virtual universe has a size of billions of light-years across and contains trillions upon trillions of planetary systems. The procedural generation is based on real scientific knowledge, so SpaceEngine depicts the universe the way it is thought to be by modern science. Real celestial objects are also present if you want to visit them, including the planets and moons of our Solar system, thousands of nearby stars with newly discovered exoplanets, and thousands of galaxies that are currently known.

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All types of celestial objects

represented

Galaxies, nebulae, stars and star clusters, planets and moons, comets and asteroids

Thousands of known

celestial objects

Known galaxies, stars, planets, asteroids, nebulae are represented using catalogs: HIPPARCOS, NGC/IC, Messier, MPC, NASA Exoplanet Archive and many others

procedural generation

for uncharted regions

Uncharted regions of space feature procedurally generated objects: galaxies, stars, star clusters, nebulae and planetary systems

Incredibly huge

and realistic Universe

Trillions of galaxies with billions of star systems in each, everything is realistically scaled

free to move

around the universe

Seamless transition from the surface of a planet to the most distant galaxies, and free game-like movement with the WASD keys

Easy navigation

many useful tools

Click on any visible object with the mouse and hit the 'G' key to fly directly to it. Search for objects by name, search by parameters within a certain radius, browse an interactive map of the surrounding space and view a map of the current planetary system

Save locations

and name objects

Save a favorite point in space and time and share it with friend. Give a name to any discovered planet, star or galaxy, and write a description for it.

Observe the Universe

Accelerate, decelerate, or reverse the flow of time to see the orbital motion of planets and moons, and watch sunsets and eclipses

Tools to learn

how the Universe works

Read detailed physical and astronomical data of any celestial body using the built-in Wiki system. Look at the orbital path lines of planets and moons, and compare their size side-by-side

3D landscapes on planets

volumetric galaxies and nebulae

Solar System bodies have real terrain models obtained by space probes; realistic hi-detail terrain on procedural planets

Photorealistic

Photorealistic lighting and atmospheric model

Space ships

with realistic orbital mechanics

Pilot star ships with realistic orbital mechanics, Alcubierre warp drives, and aerodynamics in planetary atmospheres

Multilanguage

Localization in 20 languages, with a simple system for creating new translations

Huge modding

Import space ship models, planetary surface textures and terrain, astronomical catalogs, and more

And much more

Movement made possible with free, spacecraft or aircraft mode

``Select and fly`` autopilot to automatically go directly to the object

Automatic binding of the observer to moving objects

Automatic selection of optimum flight speed

Built-in wiki system with descriptions and ability to extend

Ability to import user addons: models, textures, catalogs

3D models of galaxies and nebulae with interstellar dust clouds

Accurate planetary atmosphere models

Controllable space ships

Original music with context-dependent track switching

Localization in many languages, with the ability to add new ones

• CPU: Intel Core i3-3220T, AMD FX-4100
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, AMD Radeon RX 460; 3+ GB dedicated video memory (VRAM)
• OS: Windows 10

Recommended

• CPU: Intel Core i5-4430, AMD FX-8350
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, AMD Radeon RX 480; 5+ GB dedicated video memory (VRAM)
• OS: Windows 10/11

If you like SpaceEngine, buy the latest version on Steam , and receive free updates as we make improvements and add new features!

At the moment, we are no longer accepting donations via PayPal. If you want to support SpaceEngine beyond purchasing it for yourself, consider buying a copy for a friend or simply tell your friends and family about SpaceEngine and why you love it. No matter what you do, we deeply appreciate your support!

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NASA at Home: Virtual Tours and Apps

NASA is exploring our solar system and beyond, uncovering worlds, stars, and cosmic mysteries near and far with our powerful fleet of space and ground-based missions. 

Explore our facilities. View our laboratories. Enter our operations control centers.

We invite you to tour NASA  virtually  from the comfort of your home or convenience of your mobile device.

RS-25 Rocket Engine Testing : NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi conducted a  series of RS-25 rocket engine hot fire tests for NASA’s Space Launch System,  which is being built for missions beyond low-Earth orbit that will carry crew and cargo to the Moon and destinations beyond.

Commercial Crew Program 360-Degree Virtual Reality Tour : NASA’s Commercial Crew Program works with commercial partners to  launch astronauts to the International Space Station from U.S. soil on American-built rockets and spacecraft . These immersive videos share the story of groundbreaking innovation borne of this government-industry partnership.

International Space Station Tour : The International Space Station is a unique  scientific platform where astronauts conduct experiments across multiple disciplines of research  – including Earth and space science, biology, human physiology, physical sciences, and technology demonstrations – that cannot be performed anywhere on Earth. In 2020, the station celebrated 20 years of a continuous human presence aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Operations Centers

Explore Goddard’s Clean Room : James Webb Space Telescope’s Communications Lead Laura Betz takes us  behind the scenes inside the world’s largest clean room  at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Explore  where the Hubble Space Telescope was built and where its successor – the James Webb Space Telescope – was assembled . See the special gowning process engineers go through on a daily basis to enter this super clean environment. This tour gives you a 360-degree look from the unique filter wall to the storage of Webb’s 18 gold-plated mirrors. Check out Goddard’s Space Environment Simulator, a massive thermal vacuum chamber in which scientists and engineers cryotested the heart of the telescope, ISIM, by lowering the temperature of the structure to 42 Kelvin (-384.1 Fahrenheit or -231.1 Celsius) and below to ensure that it can withstand the frigid temperatures Webb will face 1 million miles out in space.

Robotic Operations Center (ROC) : This 360-degree  view  of Goddard’s Robotic Operations Center (ROC) shows off its  unique hexapod robot, which helps engineers simulate the way a satellite moves in space.  Drag the photo to explore the rest of the state-of-the-art facility. The ROC acts as an incubator for satellite servicing technologies that will allow for the repair, refueling, and upgrading of spacecraft. In this lab, robotic capabilities are tested in spacelike conditions before they are put to action in orbit.

Solar System

Planets of Other Stars

NASA’s Exoplanet Excursions : A  guided journey through the amazing TRAPPIST-1 star system,  known to be the  home of seven Earth-size exoplanets orbiting a star  that is only a little larger than Jupiter. This also includes tours of the Spitzer Space Telescope and the ability to control the telescope yourself.

Exoplanet Travel Bureau : Explore 360-degree  visualizations of the surfaces of planets of other stars  (and download free posters!). This works on desktops and mobile devices, and it is optimized for such viewers as Google Cardboard.

NASA Centers (with virtual tours)

NASA’s Ames Research Center Virtual Tour : NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, has led NASA in conducting world-class research and development in aeronautics, exploration technology, and science aligned with the center’s core capabilities.

NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center Virtual Tours : NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, is NASA’s primary center for high-risk, atmospheric flight research and test projects. For almost 75 years, research at Armstrong has led to major advancements and breakthroughs in the design and capabilities of many state-of-the-art civil and military aircraft.

NASA’s Glenn Research Center Virtual Tours : NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland designs and develops innovative technology to advance NASA’s missions in aeronautics and space exploration. 

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Virtual Tour : NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, is humanity’s leading center for exploring where humans cannot yet reach. Its spacecraft have flown to every planet and the Sun in a quest to understand our place in the universe, and to search for the possibility of life beyond Earth. 

NASA’s Johnson Space Center Virtual Tour : NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston is home to mission control and astronaut training. It also leads International Space Station operations and expeditions, development of the Orion spacecraft, NASA’s Gateway outpost program, and numerous other advanced human exploration projects.

NASA’s Langley Research Center Virtual Tours : NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, works to make revolutionary improvements to aviation, expand understanding of Earth’s atmosphere and develop technology for space exploration. It was also where NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson worked. 

Featured Apps

NASA selfie app :  Put your photo in a virtual spacesuit  in front of some of NASA’s most captivating space images. Access the  NASA Selfie app for iOS  or the  NASA Selfie app for Google .

NASA app : This app offers  news and multimedia from around the agency ; other applications focus on individual NASA projects or research areas.

Aircraft and Aeronautics

Aeronautics augmented reality app : Learn about NASA’s  X-57 Maxwell, X-59 QueSST, and G-III Gulfstream aircraft  through an app that brings them onto your mobile phone.

“Next Stop: The Stratosphere” : Explore SOFIA, NASA’s flying observatory, a  Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a 106-inch telescope.  Scientists aboard SOFIA study stars, black holes, and more while flying between 38,000 and 45,000 feet.

Spacecraft augmented reality app : Learn about and  interact with a variety of spacecraft  that explore our solar system, study Earth, and observe the universe.

Browse more  NASA apps  and apps created by  NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory .

We encourage you to visit these sites for additional activities and resources:

NASA’s Artemis Program ,  NASA’s STEM Engagement , and  NASA Kids’ Club

If you are interested in having a NASA speaker give a virtual presentation to your class or organization, visit the  Speakers Bureau website  and submit a request form.

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Welcome to the International Space Station (ISS), Astronaut. In Station Spacewalk Game you'll experience the thrill of conducting NASA repair work on the International Space Station. After negotiating your way through the airlock, you, the astronaut, will be tasked with jobs critical to help power up the space station so it can continue to operate. First take your time to explore the station, but then it's time to get to work. You'll have to move quickly and carefully, with a limited quantity of oxygen you must complete your Extravehicular Activities (EVAs) and get back into the airlock before your air supply runs out.

This video game features simulations of actual EVAs conducted by NASA astronauts on missions to provide power to the space station. The graphics used in this game are based on real NASA missions and incorporate 3D graphics used by the Agency.

Mission Objectives

• Explore the ISS. Before you get started with your EVAs, feel free to explore the ISS. Enjoy your self-guided tour.
• Install the S6 Truss. You are tasked with installing the fourth starboard Integrated Truss Segment (S6). Trusses are essential to the continuation of the International Space Station because they form the backbone of the station.
• Unfurl the S6 Solar Arrays. The space station's main source of energy comes from three of the four large photovoltaic arrays currently on the station, sometimes referred to as the Solar Array Wings (SAW). Can you assemble the fourth set of solar arrays to the station?
• Ride the Robotic Arm. There's a tear in the solar array! Can you ride the robotic arm then use the clamps to fix the tear?
• Retrieve Your Tools. You have used a lot of tools to do your repair work. Now many of them are scattered in space. How many of them can you retrieve before heading back to the airlock?
• Conduct SPHERES experiments. SPHERES are tiny satellites being tested by NASA on the ISS. Someday they'll help astronauts study space and possibly even assist with in-orbit construction projects. But first they must learn to fly in formation. Can you help the SPHERES navigate their way through the hoops in NASA's experiment?
• Restore Space-to-Ground Communications. The ISS has lost voice and data contact with mission control. Take a space walk to bring communications back on line by powering an auxiliary antenna.

Play the Game!

You can play the game in the browser, or download it for the Windows and Mac platforms.

To play the game in your browser, follow the link below or click on the button at the top of the page. If you're trying Station Spacewalk Game for the first time, you'll see a link to download and install the necessary plug-in for your browser. Be patient, it may take a minute or two. Once the plug-in is installed, you're ready for your trip to the International Space Station!

~ Play the Game ~

To download a stand-alone version of the software, click the appropriate download link at the right. On Windows, simply unzip the download and double click on the resulting installer to install the game. On OS X, double click the downloaded zip file to unarchive it, then double click the resulting application to play the game.

Alternatively, there is a text description of the game.

Would you like to create your own video game? Visit http://nasa3d.arc.nasa.gov to download free 3D models from NASA.

19 Cool Spaceship Building Games

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• Building and sim games set in space offer a fun and challenging experience, allowing players to explore other universes and build futuristic spaceships.
• These games cater to both experienced gamers and beginners, offering a range of options for all skill levels.
• From intricate engineering challenges to epic space battles, these games provide a variety of gameplay experiences, ensuring there's something for every type of player.

Building and sim games are much more fun and challenging when players have to build something that's out of this world. Thanks to some of the most complex and fun video games set in space gamers can not only explore other universes but build all kinds of futuristic sci-fi and fantasy spaceships.

RELATED: Video Games That Created New Languages

While these spaceship-building games tend to be more complex and complicated it doesn't mean that beginners or casual gamers shouldn't try them. Players can go on epic adventures while playing with some of the best sci-fi games in which they can not only pilot but build gorgeous and super fast spaceships to explore other planets, stars, and complete solar systems. Some of these fascinating games can even help players learn and improve their real-world knowledge regarding psychics, engineering, and of course space exploration and astronomy.

Updated August 28, 2023, by Via Erhard: Spacship-building games have captured the imaginations of gaming fans all around the globe, thanks to intense simulators, adrenaline-pumping sci-fi epics, and even grand space adventure games. Players can craft intricate engineering marvels in a sandbox universe, engage in space battles, and explore some of the gaming worlds' most beautiful and complex realms. While some of these games are famously challenging, there are plenty of beginner-friendly options that offer a fun experience to casual players and newbies as well. No matter if a player is looking for story-rich experiences or simply wants to tinker with zero-gravity physics, these games offer something to every type of person.

19 Stationeers

Stationeers is the ultimate cosmic crafting challenge that's a great choice for players who love indie strategy games and galactic adventures. This stunning early-access space-building game is set in the vast void of space. During their adventures, players get to manage their very own space stations.

Users will get to utilize their strategic, management, and engineering skills as they grapple with atmospheric, electrical, and agricultural quandaries and more. Stationeers lets players explore a challenging but complex world filled with intricate systems and where players must master the art of science-based survival. Players will have to create the perfect space base to ensure survival and that their livestock don't just float away, while also exploring exotic planets or asteroid belts to gather resources.

18 Space Engineers

Space Engineers is a fun sandbox space builder that lets players use their creativity while exploring a fascinating setting. They get to build intricate space vessels, as well as space stations, and planetary outposts for both civilian and military ventures.

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However, Space Engineers isn't just about construction, since players will have to pilot ships and scavenge planets for resources to ensure their survival while enjoying the game's volumetric-based physics engine that gives every object tangible volume, weight, and interactive properties. It's also one of the most realistic space-building games since it draws inspiration from current NASA tech, but takes a 60-year leap into the future. Players can also try a variety of game modes as well as a wide variety of customization options and can build behemoths and explore uncharted galaxies.

17 Starbase

Starbase is an early-access MMORPG with cool optimization options and epic battles. Players don't simply get to explore a fascinating galaxy but also build, trade, and engage in challenging battles during their adventures.

Players will get to craft spaceships down to the tiniest bolt or even pioneer their very own massive space station. Starbase 's universe isn't just vast; it's volatile with its voxel-vertex blend, that lets players shatter, construct, and strategize. The battles aren't mere firefights either since players will have to rely on their strategic skills if they want to overcome the challenges.

16 Astrox Imperium

Astrox Imperium is an early-access space sim with a retro vibe in which players have to min, trade, and fight against pirates. Gamers can also explore a wide selection of maps, enjoy delightful drone dynamics, as well as engage in riveting real-time combat.

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Single players can embark on an epic journey throughout endless galaxies and learn how to master various crafts, navigate economies, go on fun missions, and get to know more than seventy beautiful spaceships and drones. Astrox Imperium is also a story-heavy game, so players will get to know an intricate story that immerses them even deeper into the game's unique world.

15 The Last Starship

The Last Starship is one of the most exciting early-access options that's a perfect choice for players who love grand strategy games . While players can choose from pre-packaged builds, they can also decide to build a ship before starting their galactic adventure. They will have to get everything before their trip, including new engines, sensors, and life support.

Players will have to do everything from laying down the ship's pipework to managing all ship-wide systems, all to ensure they build a functioning spaceship that will keep their crew alive. Once done, players will also be able to explore a fun universe and complete missions while enjoying a colorful retro art style.

14 Starcom: Unknown Space

Starcom: Unknown Space is another retro-inspired action RPG space-building game that lets players step into the shoes of a fleet commander and go on an epic adventure while exploring and defending the galaxy. Players will get to build their very own starships as well as explore an epic space story filled with mysteries.

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During their adventures, players will not only have to build and manage their starships but also manage all other resources, research technology, and use their strategic skills when commanding their fleet in battles. Thanks to the detailed story players can feel fully immersed in this unique sci-fi gaming world.

13 Sunshine Heavy Industries

Sunshine Heavy Industries is a fun and colorful puzzle game with cute pixel graphics. This relaxing title transports players into a charming sci-fi world where they have to build spaceships from over a hundred different parts, solve tricky design puzzles, as well as learn unique subsystems to be able to build more complex vessels.

Players will also get to meet a wide range of quirky characters who will be their clients and have to learn how to manage their expectations while juggling budgets and ship performance. Sunshine Heavy Industries also has 50+ story levels and is a good choice for players of all levels.

12 Space Scavenger

Space Scavenger is a vibrant roguelike that takes its players on a fun adventure during which they'll have to fight fun battles and craft their ships. In this sci-fi shooter, players can build and command their own spaceships as well as explore planets.

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Players will have to battle enemies and learn how to customize and upgrade their ships by improving their fighting capabilities and their layout if they want to stay alive. Space Scavenger is an entertaining spaceship-building game that'll be challenging for players of all levels.

11 Spaceship Simulator

Spaceship Simulator is a fun space sim game that's a perfect choice for those who love educational simulation games and want to learn more about the Apollo Program while enjoying high-quality models and a full-scale Solar System.

It's one of the most realistic spaceship-building games that help players learn about planets, moons, distant celestial bodies, and orbit missions. Thanks to this fun new spaceship game players can not only learn about spaceship building but also about space transportation systems and space launch systems while also running and controlling the Apollo spacecraft.

10 Cosmoteer: Starship Architect & Commander

Cosmoteer: Starship Architect & Commander is one of the most exciting and addictive early-access spaceship sim games that lets its players build creative and colorful starships. Players can not only build unique starships but then join epic space battles and explore a dangerous and vibrant galaxy.

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Cosmoteer is a great choice for beginners and more experienced gamers alike since it's an easy-to-learn game and players can go on their adventures with their friends too and help each other during their journey. Gamers will also have to use their strategic and management skills since they'll be also responsible for managing their crew and commanding their fleet.

9 Spacelines From The Far Out

Spacelines from the Far Out is a great choice for those who love cozy games with charming designs and are looking for fun roguelike games . Thanks to this 60s-inspired lovely family-friendly sim game about airlines in space players of all ages can build spaceships.

Players can go on a hilarious adventure solo or with others in multiplayer mode and learn how to run a space-age alien airline. Gamers will be able to explore some of the most colorful and weird spaceships including unlockable spaceships while trying to create the perfect space ride and dealing with and managing their spaceship's systems as well as their needy but cute alien customers.

8 Nimbatus - The Space Drone Constructor

Nimbatus - The Space Drone Constructor lets its players become space commanders and build powerful space drones out of hundreds of different parts. Players can explore a colorful open world while battling against other players in this fun survival space sim game.

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Nimbatus - The Space Drone Constructor has an adventures-filled and physics-based universe in which players will have to use their drones to destruct planets and defeat their enemies if they want to stay alive. It's a great game for experienced gamers and beginners as well since Nimbatus also has a sandbox mode where players have complete freedom and can explore and build without worrying about anything else.

7 Ostranauts

Ostranauts is one of the most immersive early access spaceship-building games in which players can become one of the coolest astronauts in games . In this realistic space sim, players can build their own spaceships from the ground up and learn how to fly them under the laws of Newtonian flight.

Gamers will have to choose their own character and their unique traits that'll influence what they're capable of doing in the game. Once the spaceship is built players will also have to manage all aspects and hire their crew, put food on the table, and fight off enemies while also exploring this fun spaceship builder's open world.

6 Empyrion - Galactic Survival

Empyrion - Galactic Survival is one of the most popular and greatest survival games in which players can explore a beautiful open world. It's one of the most fun sci-fi games in which players can build stunning spaceships and explore gorgeous planets and meet all kinds of alien life forms including robots and biological creatures.

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Gamers will not only get a chance to build their own spaceships but during their adventures, they'll also have to craft, hunt, farm, and collect resources to improve their ship and even to build safe places for themselves on hostile planets. Players can go on their epic adventures alone or team up with friends and family members to build and warp between planets together.

Avorion is one of the most creative space sims in which players can fight epic battles and explore and thrilling but dangerous open world. This co-op sandbox space game lets its players use their creativity and build a powerful battle spaceship with all kinds of deadly weapons including lasers and chain guns.

However, this action space RPG offers much more than battles since players will also have to manage their own fleet, and learn how to trade while making their way through a dark universe to get to the central regions of a galaxy that was torn apart by a cataclysmic catastrophe. It's a more complex and challenging game but one that's worth the effort.

4 Terra Invicta

Terra Invicta is an early access space strategy game in which players will get a chance to design their own spaceships and show off their tactical combat skills as they try to save humanity from a hostile alien race. Players will start their dangerous and challenging adventure on Earth but will eventually have to learn how to colonize the Solar System.

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This military space sim is perfect for gamers who love great strategy games for their difficulty and complexity. Players will have to choose and control one of humanity's factions and make their vision for the future come to life. Gamers will have to battle, expand, and constantly plan and work together with intelligence agencies, scientists, politicians, and corporations while battling not only hostile entities but Earth's other factions too.

3 Kerbal Space Program

Kerbal Space Program is one of the most fun space flight sims that'll actually teach its players about real-world science. This cute and challenging space sim lets its players build spaceships and take charge of an entire space program to help the cute Kerbal alien race explore the Kerbol solar system and all its exciting planets.

Thanks to this educational open-world sci-fi game players get to build and fly spaceships and rockets that are based on realistic aerodynamic and orbital physics. However, players will also have other things to do since they'll have to hire and train their crew, create communications systems, and even develop new technologies.

2 Starship EVO

Starship EVO is perfect for gamers who love classic sci-fi games and vibrant graphics. This fascinating early access space sim game lets its players create unique starships while exploring a beautifully designed and colorful open world. Players will have to use their creativity to build powerful spaceships to explore and win their epic space battles.

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Gamers will also have to show off their strategic skills as they go on bounty missions and use their own custom weapons, hovercrafts, and starships. As players explore other planets and stars they can also harvest fuel, collect, craft, and even mine asteroids during their adventures.

1 Space Haven

Space Haven is another thrilling and gorgeous early access colony space sim game with retro pixel graphics. This complex and challenging game takes its players on an unforgettable space voyage during which they'll have to build spaceships, customize their characters, mine, and go to war while exploring the game's thrilling open world.

Players will also have to use their tactical and trading skills to be able to build their spaceships tile by tile and create livable conditions for their crew. It's one of the most creativity-boosting spaceship builders since players will be able to use their creativity when creating every piece of their functional spaceships.

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• Kerbal Space Program 2

The Lost Universe

NASA's Tabletop Role-Playing Game Adventure

Calling all adventurers!

It’s time to gather your party and your favorite tabletop role-playing game system.

A dark mystery has settled over the city of Aldastron on the rogue planet of Exlaris. Researchers dedicated to studying the cosmos have disappeared, and the Hubble Space Telescope has vanished from Earth’s timeline. Only an ambitious crew of adventurers can uncover what was lost. Are you up to the challenge?

This adventure is designed for a party of 4-7 level 7-10 characters and is easily adaptable for your preferred tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) system.

NASA’s first TTRPG adventure invites you to take on a classic villain (while also using and learning science skills!) as you overcome challenges and embark on an exciting quest to unlock more knowledge about our universe. Download your game documents below and get ready to explore Exlaris!

Want to share how your adventure unfolds? Share it with #NASATTRPG on social media.

Reporter questions about the module may be directed to Claire Andreoli and Rob Garner in the Office of Communications at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

Download The Lost Universe gameplay instructional booklet.

Map of Aldastron

Download the map of Aldastron to help you navigate through your adventure.

The Lost Universe Poster

Download and print The Lost Universe poster.

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Welcome to ViewSpace

Hero interactive.

Explore the Universe with Interactives and Videos

About ViewSpace

What is viewspace.

ViewSpace is a free, web-based collection of digital interactives and videos highlighting the latest developments in astronomy and Earth science.

ViewSpace gives you the opportunity to explore our planet, solar system, galaxy, and universe. Provided free with the support of NASA, ViewSpace is developed by a team of scientists, educators, and communication specialists who collaborate to ensure that content is accurate, up-to-date, engaging, relevant, and accessible to a wide audience.

Interactives

ViewSpace interactives allow you to explore objects and materials from different perspectives, discovering how we can combine information to better understand the universe.

Different forms of light: Explore visible and invisible wavelengths of light that help us understand features like the dusty brim of the Sombrero Galaxy roughly 30 million light-years away.

Hidden objects: Unveil invisible light to reveal hidden objects like the stars forming inside Mystic Mountain, a pillar of gas and dust 7,500 light-years from Earth.

ViewSpace videos tell the stories of the planets, stars, galaxies, and universe, giving viewers the opportunity to experience space and Earth as seen with satellites and telescopes.

Astronomy: Explore the sky with stories told through spectacular imagery from space telescopes.

Earth science: Gain new perspectives on our home planet based on data gathered by Earth-orbiting satellites.

ViewSpace is produced by the Office of Public Outreach at the Space Telescope Science Institute , in partnership with the NASA's Universe of Learning project and NASA's Earth Observing System, Hubble Space Telescope Project, and James Webb Space Telescope Project.

ViewSpace has been exhibited in museums, planetariums, and science centers across the country since 2000.

What Will You Explore?

The Latest Discoveries in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Recent Natural Events and Satellite Views of Earth

In-depth Stories of How Science and the Universe Work

Stunning Imagery and Accessible Explanations

Sample Images from ViewSpace

What objects and materials make up the universe, and how do we study the invisible as well as the visible?

Data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra X-Ray Observatory are used to create a map of dark matter (blue) in galaxy cluster MACS J0717.5+3745.

What are galaxies; how do they vary; and how do they form, interact, and change over time?

The Penguin and the Egg (Arp 142) is a pair of galaxies that are being distorted by their mutual gravitational attraction.

How do the Sun, planets, moons, comets, and asteroids interact as a system?

Saturn’s moon Titan casts a shadow as it passes between the planet and the Sun.

How do telescopes help us better understand the objects and materials that light up the sky?

With telescopes, we can see details of the Milky Way, including glowing clouds of dust and gas like the Lobster Nebula.

How fast is the universe expanding and what does this tell us about its past and future?

Over time, space expands, stretching the wavelenghts of light and causing the distant galaxies seen in the Ultra Deep Field image from the Hubble Space Telescope to look redder than the closer galaxies.

How do we detect and study planets orbiting other stars?

Changes in the brightness of starlight, measured by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, indicates the presence of a planet orbiting the star.

What happens to stars at the end of their lives, and how do stellar explosions affect the space around them?

Visible, infrared, and X-ray light from supernova remnant Cassiopeia A reveal remains of an exploded star.

How can we use interactions between light and matter to probe the deep universe?

The enormous mass of galaxy cluster Abell 370 bends the space around it, magnifying and distorting the light from more distant galaxies into arc-like streaks.

How are astronomers combining data from space and ground-based telescopes, particle detectors, and gravitational wave detectors to understand cosmic objects, processes, and events?

An artist’s illustration depicts the detection of neutrino particles and gamma rays emitted by a supermassive black hole at the center of a distant galaxy.

How and where do stars form, and how do they shape their surroundings?

Pillars of gas and dust in the Eagle Nebula are sculpted and illuminated by stellar winds and high-energy radiation of bright stars.

How can we use satellites to map, study, and monitor Earth’s land surface, oceans, and atmosphere?

An image captured by the Landsat 8 satellite in May 2018 shows active lava flows from Kilauea volcano in Hawaii.

What evidence supports our theories of how the universe formed and how it has evolved over time?

A map of the sky from the Planck Space Telescope highlights variations in the cosmic microwave background radiation—energy left over from the big bang some 13.8 billion years ago.

What tools and methods do scientists use to study Earth and space?

NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite (SMAP) helps scientists monitor droughts, predict floods, and improve farm productivity.

Is Earth unique? Are we alone?

Observations from space telescopes have revealed thousands of exoplanets of different of sizes, compositions, temperatures, and atmospheres, including seven rocky Earth-sized planets of the TRAPPIST-1 system, 40 light-years from Earth (artist’s illustration).

Where Is ViewSpace?

ViewSpace videos are on exhibit at museums, science centers, and planetariums across the country.

ViewSpace interactives are available online.

Use the map to find a ViewSpace video location near you.

Location Spotlight

Worcester, Massachusetts

Westcave Preserve

Round Mountain, Texas

Lowell Observatory

Flagstaff, Arizona

Maryland Science Center

Baltimore, Maryland

Edelman Planetarium at Rowan University

Glassboro, New Jersey

Clark Planetarium

Salt Lake City, Utah

Becoming a ViewSpace Venue

ViewSpace provides informal learning sites with engaging, accurate, relevant, and up-to-date astronomy and Earth science content. Access to ViewSpace is free, requiring only registration, a computer or Smart TV, and persistent internet access. ViewSpace content is self-updating and videos can be set to play automatically, requiring minimal staff effort to maintain.

Join hundreds of others in featuring ViewSpace as part of your exhibits.

Who Produces and Supports ViewSpace?

ViewSpace is produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, and is provided free of charge through financial support and subject matter expertise from the NASA’s Universe of Learning project, NASA’s Earth Observing System Project Science Office, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope Project, and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Project.

Funded by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, NASA’s Universe of Learning is an integrated astrophysics STEM learning and literacy project developed through a partnership between the Space Telescope Science Institute, Caltech/IPAC, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and Sonoma State University.

NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS) is a coordinated series of satellites designed to observe Earth’s land, atmosphere, oceans, and biosphere. As part of the Earth Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, the EOS Project Science Office (EOSPSO) is committed to sharing information with both researchers and the general public.

The Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope are two of NASA’s flagship missions designed to explore and advance our understanding of the universe. The missions’ communications programs are dedicated to sharing scientific advances and making the world’s astronomical information accessible to all.

Successful docking is achieved when all green numbers are below 0.2 and your RATE is below -0.2 m/s . Play again and review the DOCKING TIPS to familiarize yourself with the interface and the goals of the mission.

You have successfully docked with the International Space Station. Follow SpaceX and NASA on Twitter for updates on the Commercial Crew Program as we prepare to send astronauts to the International Space Station from American soil. Watch the following video to see the actual interface used by crew

This simulator will familiarize you with the controls of the actual interface used by NASA Astronauts to manually pilot the SpaceX Dragon 2 vehicle to the International Space Station. Successful docking is achieved when all green numbers in the center of the interface are below 0.2 . Movement in space is slow and requires patience & precision.

DOCKING TIPS

Green numbers are corrections necessary to reach the ISS. Successful docking is achieved when all numbers are below 0.2 .

ROTATION CONTROLS

First use the buttons on the right to correct your axes of rotation in Roll, Pitch and Yaw. You must be properly oriented to dock.

POSITION CONTROLS

Then use the buttons on the left to translate your position Up, Down, Left, Right, Backward or Forward torwards the ISS.

Both controls have a precision toggle at their center. The default settings are small precise movements. Do not use large movements near the ISS.

REACH YOUR TARGET

Your target is the Green Diamond that is overlayed on top of the Docking Adapter. It must be centered in the interface to dock.

HEADS UP DISPLAY

Blue numbers are the rates (speed) that you are translating or rotating. Your RATE towards the ISS is located in the bottom right.

Keep your RATE below -0.2 m/s when your range from the ISS is below 5 meters. Go too fast and you risk running into the ISS.

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Peppa Pig: Space Tour

Welcome to an exciting game with Peppa Pig, where Peppa, George, and Mr. Rabbit embark on a fascinating journey to the space museum! Get ready for an unforgettable adventure that will take you to the moon and beyond!

In this game, you step into the shoes of Peppa Pig and her friends as they travel through space in a magical carriage. Your task is to collect the floating children who are suspended in the air. You must be quick to catch all the children and earn points!

During the journey to the space museum, you'll encounter various challenges. You need to avoid obstacles and collect points to score as high as possible. Watch out for cosmic asteroids and other dangers that may stand in your way!

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This International Space Station VR experience lets you explore the ISS… and it’s as amazing as it sounds

VR allows you to reach places and achieve things that most can only dream about, including floating around the International Space Station

Think about what VR actually is. In the literal sense VR, of course, stands for ‘virtual reality’. Let’s examine that phrase for a moment, shall we? Without getting too philosophical, we can all agree on what reality is. But, it’s worth remembering that ‘virtual’ has a double meaning. While it means existing digitally, not physically, it also means ‘almost.’ ‘Nearly.’ ‘ Very close. ’ We promise this is going somewhere, and you’ve actually landed on Space.com and not Dictionary.com.

The idea of doing in an alternate ‘almost’ reality what you cannot in the real world is very appealing. That’s why people seek out the best VR headsets , like the PlayStation VR or Oculus Quest 2 . We’re not talking about things like soaring through the sky as a bird or going on an adventure on an alien planet with futuristic weapons (although VR does allow you to do these things). Rather, we’re thinking about things that you theoretically could do in the real world, but for various reasons may never get the chance to. Mountain climbing, visiting a rainforest, racing at extreme speeds, going into space – things like that. 

Virtual reality presents an opportunity to experience a wide range of otherwise unobtainable experiences quickly, easily, safely, and often for free. It’s not the real thing, of course, but it’s much closer than you could otherwise get.

Space in VR

One thing that the vast majority of people will never get the chance to do, but that a significant percentage of those same people would love to do, is become an astronaut and visit space. Without the years of mental and physical training necessary (or just… being a billionaire ), the next best thing we have is virtual reality. For example, Mission: ISS offers a tantalizing taste of astronaut life, and it’s free. You can get it from the Oculus store for the Oculus Quest 2 system.

Made with help from NASA, Mission: ISS gives you a little corner of the International Space Station to explore. You’re able to navigate tight spaces in zero gravity, look outside to see the Earth hanging below, and gently bat floating items out of your way – the full astronaut experience!

There’s an educational component to the experience, most explicitly in terms of the optional pop-ups to be found. If something is highlighted in yellow when you point at it – a spacesuit, say, or a control console – you can hold the trigger to reveal text and a photo or sometimes a video. Here, a NASA astronaut will talk briefly about their experiences. It’s not all dry technical stuff, either. Have you ever wondered how an astronaut washes their hair in zero gravity? Well, if you haven’t before, you certainly are now. That’s one mystery that Mission: ISS can clear up for you.

Nonetheless, you’re free to completely ignore these if you wish, and concentrate on playing astronaut yourself. As we mentioned, this is a zero-gravity experience. You can use the left stick to push yourself forwards and backwards to make things a little easier, but you can (and will) also need to grab onto handholds to push and pull yourself along in every direction. It can take a little while to master moving around in this way. But then, of course it can, this isn’t something most people are accustomed to.

Mission: ISS - The missions

You can even go on a simulated spacewalk. Typing this, we can still remember gingerly using our propulsion unit in conjunction with the hand-led navigation we’d practiced using while inside. With the Earth looming large below us, we carefully made our way to the area we were asked to check and back, noticing a release of tension once we’d reached the airlock. It’s alarmingly easy to drift off course or to go too far, and the tether attached to an astronaut’s spacesuit isn’t indestructible…

There’s another, safer, but equally tricky mission. From the safety of the inside of the ISS, you’ll be able to operate the Canadarm 2 which is a giant robotic arm. It’s not nearly as simple as you might expect. Operating the arm involves using two sticks while observing it on two separate monitors. It’s slow, demanding, and really makes you feel like you’re doing proper astronaut work.

Simulating some of the work done on the ISS is very cool, but there’s a simple joy to be had just making your way around. The interior is packed full of detail. While it’s a shame that you can’t open up the labeled boxes of astronaut food, you’ll love taking in the fine detail added to screens, and rewarding yourself with a tricky zero-g journey through the entirety of the available area.

VR video experiences 

There are plenty of other apps and games that emulate space travel or take place in space (like these best PSVR space games ), as well as a huge variety of other bucket list experiences. Many cost money, albeit not that much. However, if you’re on a tight budget now that you’ve got your VR headset, another option is VR video. Again, some of these need to be paid for, but there are a huge number of free ones on YouTube (such as this spacewalk , this skydive experience , or the David Blaine balloon stunt ) and within certain apps and VR storefronts.

When it comes to 360 degree VR videos, downloading is always the best option, as streaming them tends to provide a fairly low resolution. Thanks to free streaming VR videos we have (virtually) skydived, ridden a motorbike at terrifying speed, accompanied a solo explorer to the South Pole, flown above world-famous cities, traveled deep below the surface of the ocean, and much more – all this without ever having to leave your house (well, once you’ve learnt how to set up your room for VR ). While VR videos aren’t strictly speaking interactive, they do allow you to look all around you while enjoying the extra immersion that VR offers by default. 

VR can’t give you the money, knowledge, physique, or equipment that you may be missing for your dream experience. However, it can instantly bypass all those requirements to bring you very, very close. Why wouldn’t you take advantage of that? Things will, after all, be virtually the same. 

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

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Luke has been a professional part-time freelancer since 2017, specializing in videogames but also covering entertainment, science, and technology. He is a regular contributor to PLAY and PC Gamer magazine, and has written for online outlets including Eurogamer, Space.com, and The Guardian website. He has also dabbled in published fiction, having previously written horror stories for a text chat app, and contributing to a short story anthology supporting Alzheimer's Research UK. 

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PGA Championship 2024: Tiger Woods speaks on the PGA Tour's leadership drama

L OUISVILLE — The professional game’s civil war continues to suck a considerable amount of oxygen in the golf space, and the majors have proved no respite from the conflict. That includes this week, as Jimmy Dunne—one of the architects behind the PGA Tour’s surprise and controversial agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund— resigned from his position with the tour’s policy board, citing a lack of “meaningful progress” on a deal and believing his role had become “superfluous.” But one man in the heart of the schism’s fire had no appetite for fanning those flames any further.

That would be Tiger Woods. Despite his limited playing schedule the 15-time major winner continues to be golf’s predominant figure inside the ropes and out. Last year Woods was given a permanent role on the policy board, the result of a petition from tour players seeking new governance and transparency measures following the June 6 agreement. His position has only been strengthened in the ensuing year, as Woods was named vice chairman of the newly created, for-profit PGA Tour Enterprises and is one of the few individuals chosen to the transaction team that will be negotiating with PIF.

However, Woods is notorious for playing things close to the vest, and that was no different in his meeting with the media on Tuesday ahead of the PGA Championship. Woods did not agree with Dunne’s statement about the lack of progress, yet did not offer any details or clarification on the matter.

“I think we're working on negotiations with PIF. It's ongoing. It's fluid. It changes day-to-day,” Woods said. “Has there been progress? Yes. But it's an ongoing negotiation, so a lot of work ahead for all of us with this process, and so we're making steps and it may not be giant steps, but we're making steps.”

Woods was then asked what specific things are holding up a potential deal and offered no comment. When a follow-up inquired if he had a personal desire to partner with Saudi Arabia, Woods replied, “I'm personally involved in the process.”

Woods did say he was surprised by Dunne’s decision and timing, and was complimentary of Dunne’s work, calling it “incredible” and “great.” But as for Dunne’s insinuation that the players now held too much control, Woods hit back.

“The PGA Tour is for the players and by the players,” Woods said. “So, we have an influence and there's roles for the player directors and there's roles for the independents. We're trying to make the PGA Tour the best it can be day-in and day-out. That's one of the reasons why we have arguments and we have disagreements, but we want to do what's best for everyone in golf and the tour. Without those kind of conflicts I don't think there's going to be that much … the progress is not going to be there. So it's been good.”

Dunne’s resignation comes less than a week after Rory McIlroy acknowledged his bid to rejoin the policy board was blocked by a subset of board members, although McIlroy was later named to the tour’s transaction team. Towards the end of his press conference, Woods was asked if the constant drama was hurting golf’s relationship with fans.

“I think the fans are probably as tired as we are of the talk of not being about the game of golf and about not being about the players,” Woods said. “It's about what LIV is doing, what we're doing, players coming back, players leaving, the fans just want to see us play together. How do we get there is to be determined.”

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All of the Best Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Moments at the Paris ‘Eras Tour’ Show

Several moments during Taylor Swift ’s fourth Eras Tour show in Paris proved that her and boyfriend Travis Kelce ’s love story is still going strong.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end was spotted in the crowd alongside Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper at the Paris La Défense Arena on Sunday, May 12, as Swift celebrated her 87th concert of the tour — which is his NFL jersey number.

Between his enthusiastic dance moves and sweetly recording Swift’s performances on his phone — with the flash, no less — Kelce continued to be her No. 1 cheerleader.

Swift, meanwhile, gave several sweet shoutouts to her beau during the concert. In fan footage shared via social media, Swift was seen blowing Kelce a kiss while singing her The Tortured Poets Department track “So High School.” (The tune is widely speculated to be inspired by their romance , which began during summer 2023.)

Keep scrolling to see more adorable moments between Swift and Kelce at the Paris Eras Tour :

Related: Every Apparent Travis Kelce Nod Taylor Swift Made on 'Eras Tour' in 2024

You belong with … kelce.

Kelce was spotted pointing at himself and swaying to the music while Swift belted out the lyrics to her 2008 song “You Belong With Me.”

“So, why can’t you see? / You belong with me,” she sang. “Standing by and waiting at your backdoor / All this time how could you not know, baby?”

Catching Kisses

While singing “So High School,” Swift blew a kiss to Kelce. At the end of the performance, she seemingly looked up to his spot in the crowd.

As she sang “Blank Space,” Swift also puckered her lips to seemingly give him a kiss after singing, “’Cause you know I love the players / And you love the game.”

Related: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Relationship Timeline

Ultimate stage boyfriend.

Kelce filmed Swift’s costume change during “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” with his flash on.

Chiefs Color Coordination

Swift proved she’s a mastermind once again by sporting Chiefs colors during her 87th show and with Kelce in attendance. She rocked a Roberto Cavalli two-piece with a bright yellow crop top during her 1989 set and a red Alberta Ferretti gown for the Evermore portion of the concert.

Related: Every Time Travis Kelce Supported Taylor Swift at Her 'Eras Tour' Concerts

Surprise song shoutout.

Swift shocked the crowd when she sang a mash-up of “Treacherous” and “The Alchemy,” which is rumored to be about Kelce. During the performance, Kelce lifted his hands to form a heart above his head.

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Karma is the Guy on the Chiefs … Again

Swift altered the lyrics to her Midnights track “Karma” as a nod to Kelce. Instead of singing, “Karma is the guy on the screen coming straight home to me,” she said, “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me.” (Swift initially made the switch-up during her Buenos Aires concert in November 2023.)

In fan footage shared via X , Kelce was seen standing beside the stage as he watched his girlfriend. After the mention, Kelce lifted his hands up and danced along to the music.

Backstage Meetups

Kelce was captured heading underneath the stage to meet Swift as her performance came to a close.

In this article

Taylor Swift

Travis Kelce

More stories.

Set your lineups for PGA Championship Fantasy game

Golfbet News

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A major championship week means more opportunities in the betting and DFS space – and this week that also extends to fantasy golf.

PGA Championship Fantasy calls for users to make a five-man roster for this week’s action at Valhalla Golf Club, with individual performances scored hole-by-hole based on a modified Stableford format:

• Albatross: +10 points earned
• Double bogey or worse: -3

Fantasy players will create five-man rosters based on the following player categories:

• Past PGA champion
• American player
• International player

Member from the Corebridge Financial Team of 20 PGA professionals

The fifth category will be a wild card, where users can choose any player in the field. They’ll also have the flexibility to switch out their wild card selection after the conclusion of each round this week in Kentucky. The catch? New wild card selections must start the subsequent round outside the top 10 and ties in the tournament standings.

Key Stats for the PGA Championship using McIlroy's 2014 win at Valhalla

Rosters will lock as opening-round play begins on Thursday, but users that have already submitted rosters can make adjustments by adding players that have not yet teed off at Valhalla.

Players can create a private group to compete against friends and family or simply test their roster management skills against the masses. Prizes are available to U.S. residents ages 21 and over, and the tiebreaker question will be total number of birdies made for the entire event – so get out the calculator and make your picks ahead of the opening round!

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Sisqo Is Confused by Fan Bringing Up His Name During Drake and Kendrick Lamar Beef, Replies With Meme

Someone said Drizzy is like Sisqo but with "better marketing."

Sisqo  doesn't know why people are mentioning him in  Drake  and  Kendrick Lamar 's feud, which has picked up over the last few days. 

On Friday, the singer hopped on social media to see people saying Drake was like him but with better marketing. Sisqo had no clue why the comparisons were being brought up and shared a clip from the Real Housewives of Atlanta where Nene Leakes asks why she's getting involved in drama. 

"Now why am I in it, now see how I get thrown into stuff. I aint even did nothing," Leakes says in the clip.

pic.twitter.com/jNox9WpVWx https://t.co/fMVP7zqm2c — SisQó (@OfficialSisQo) May 5, 2024

The beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar has hit a fever pitch thanks to the latter releasing another diss track titled  "Not Like Us" on Saturday. Kendrick attacked Drake's relationship with women, his OVO crew, and his affinity for Atlanta and working with artists from the city.

In one of his verses, K. Dot  says Drake slept with one of Lil Wayne's exes  while he was serving a one-year sentence on Riker's Island. "Fucked on Wayne's girl while he was in jail, that's conniving / Then get his face tatted like a bitch, apologizing," Lamar raps. 

Weezy confirmed this happened in his memoir  Gone 'Til November . According to Wayne, Drake visited him and admitted what he did but he was still hurt by it even if the hook-up happened before he dated the woman. 

"As a man, honestly, that shit hurt...and not because it was Drake. It could've been any man, and it would've hurt the same," he said in his memoir. "She said it happened way before we got together, but she just never told me."

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A Plan to Remake the Middle East

While talks for a cease-fire between israel and hamas continue, another set of negotiations is happening behind the scenes..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From New York Times, I’m Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

Today, if and when Israel and Hamas reach a deal for a ceasefire fire, the United States will immediately turn to a different set of negotiations over a grand diplomatic bargain that it believes could rebuild Gaza and remake the Middle East. My colleague Michael Crowley has been reporting on that plan and explains why those involved in it believe they have so little time left to get it done.

It’s Wednesday, May 8.

Michael, I want to start with what feels like a pretty dizzying set of developments in this conflict over the past few days. Just walk us through them?

Well, over the weekend, there was an intense round of negotiations in an effort, backed by the United States, to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza war.

The latest ceasefire proposal would reportedly see as many as 33 Israeli hostages released in exchange for potentially hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

US officials were very eager to get this deal.

Pressure for a ceasefire has been building ahead of a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah.

Because Israel has been threatening a military offensive in the Southern Palestinian city of Rafah, where a huge number of people are crowded.

Fleeing the violence to the North. And now they’re packed into Rafah. Exposed and vulnerable, they need to be protected.

And the US says it would be a humanitarian catastrophe on top of the emergency that’s already underway.

Breaking news this hour — very important breaking news. An official Hamas source has told The BBC that it does accept a proposal for a ceasefire deal in Gaza.

And for a few hours on Monday, it looked like there might have been a major breakthrough when Hamas put out a statement saying that it had accepted a negotiating proposal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the ceasefire proposal does not meet his country’s requirements. But Netanyahu says he will send a delegation of mediators to continue those talks. Now, the terms —

But those hopes were dashed pretty quickly when the Israelis took a look at what Hamas was saying and said that it was not a proposal that they had agreed to. It had been modified.

And overnight —

Israeli troops stormed into Rafah. Video showing tanks crashing over a sign at the entrance of the city.

— the Israelis launched a partial invasion of Rafah.

It says Hamas used the area to launch a deadly attack on Israeli troops over the weekend.

And they have now secured a border crossing at the Southern end of Gaza and are conducting targeted strikes. This is not yet the full scale invasion that President Biden has adamantly warned Israel against undertaking, but it is an escalation by Israel.

So while all that drama might suggest that these talks are in big trouble, these talks are very much still alive and ongoing and there is still a possibility of a ceasefire deal.

And the reason that’s so important is not just to stop the fighting in Gaza and relieve the suffering there, but a ceasefire also opens the door to a grand diplomatic bargain, one that involves Israel and its Arab neighbors and the Palestinians, and would have very far-reaching implications.

And what is that grand bargain. Describe what you’re talking about?

Well, it’s incredibly ambitious. It would reshape Israel’s relationship with its Arab neighbors, principally Saudi Arabia. But it’s important to understand that this is a vision that has actually been around since well before October 7. This was a diplomatic project that President Biden had been investing in and negotiating actually in a very real and tangible way long before the Hamas attacks and the Gaza war.

And President Biden was looking to build on something that President Trump had done, which was a series of agreements that the Trump administration struck in which Israel and some of its Arab neighbors agreed to have normal diplomatic relations for the first time.

Right, they’re called the Abraham Accords.

That’s right. And, you know, Biden doesn’t like a lot of things, most things that Trump did. But he actually likes this, because the idea is that they contribute to stability and economic integration in the Middle East, the US likes Israel having friends and likes having a tight-knit alliance against Iran.

President Biden agrees with the Saudis and with the Israelis, that Iran is really the top threat to everybody here. So, how can you build on this? How can you expand it? Well, the next and biggest step would be normalizing relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

And the Saudis have made clear that they want to do this and that they’re ready to do this. They weren’t ready to do it in the Trump years. But Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, has made clear he wants to do it now.

So this kind of triangular deal began to take shape before October 7, in which the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia would enter this three way agreement in which everyone would get something that they wanted.

And just walk through what each side gets in this pre-October 7th version of these negotiations?

So for Israel, you get normalized ties with its most important Arab neighbor and really the country that sets the tone for the whole Muslim world, which is Saudi Arabia of course. It makes Israel feel safer and more secure. Again, it helps to build this alliance against Iran, which Israel considers its greatest threat, and it comes with benefits like economic ties and travel and tourism. And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been very open, at least before October 7th, that this was his highest diplomatic and foreign policy priority.

For the Saudis, the rationale is similar when it comes to Israel. They think that it will bring stability. They like having a more explicitly close ally against Iran. There are economic and cultural benefits. Saudi Arabia is opening itself up in general, encouraging more tourism.

But I think that what’s most important to the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is what he can get from the United States. And what he has been asking for are a couple of essential things. One is a security agreement whose details have always been a little bit vague, but I think essentially come down to reliable arms supplies from the United States that are not going to be cut off or paused on a whim, as he felt happened when President Biden stopped arms deliveries in 2021 because of how Saudi was conducting its war in Yemen. The Saudis were furious about that.

Saudi Arabia also wants to start a domestic nuclear power program. They are planning for a very long-term future, possibly a post-oil future. And they need help getting a nuclear program off the ground.

And they want that from the US?

And they want that from the US.

Now, those are big asks from the us. But from the perspective of President Biden, there are some really enticing things about this possible agreement. One is that it will hopefully produce more stability in the region. Again, the US likes having a tight-knit alliance against Iran.

The US also wants to have a strong relationship with Saudi Arabia. You know, despite the anger at Mohammed bin Salman over the murder of the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, the Biden administration recognizes that given the Saudis control over global oil production and their strategic importance in the Middle East, they need to have a good relationship with them. And the administration has been worried about the influence of China in the region and with the Saudis in particular.

So this is an opportunity for the US to draw the Saudis closer. Whatever our moral qualms might be about bin Salman and the Saudi government, this is an opportunity to bring the Saudis closer, which is something the Biden administration sees as a strategic benefit.

All three of these countries — big, disparate countries that normally don’t see eye-to-eye, this was a win-win-win on a military, economic, and strategic front.

That’s right. But there was one important actor in the region that did not see itself as winning, and that was the Palestinians.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

First, it’s important to understand that the Palestinians have always expected that the Arab countries in the Middle East would insist that Israel recognize a Palestinian state before those countries were willing to essentially make total peace and have normal relations with Israel.

So when the Abraham Accords happened in the Trump administration, the Palestinians felt like they’d been thrown under the bus because the Abraham Accords gave them virtually nothing. But the Palestinians did still hold out hope that Saudi Arabia would be their savior. And for years, Saudi Arabia has said that Israel must give the Palestinians a state if there’s going to be a normal relationship between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Now the Palestinians see the Saudis in discussions with the US and Israel about a normalization agreement, and there appears to be very little on offer for the Palestinians. And they are feeling like they’re going to be left out in the cold here.

Right. And in the minds of the Palestinians, having already been essentially sold out by all their other Arab neighbors, the prospect that Saudi Arabia, of all countries, the most important Muslim Arab country in the region, would sell them out, had to be extremely painful.

It was a nightmare scenario for them. And in the minds of many analysts and US officials, this was a factor, one of many, in Hamas’s decision to stage the October 7th attacks.

Hamas, like other Palestinian leaders, was seeing the prospect that the Middle East was moving on and essentially, in their view, giving up on the Palestinian cause, and that Israel would be able to have friendly, normal relations with Arab countries around the region, and that it could continue with hardline policies toward the Palestinians and a refusal, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said publicly, to accept a Palestinian state.

Right. So Michael, once Hamas carries out the October 7th attacks in an effort to destroy a status quo that it thinks is leaving them less and less relevant, more and more hopeless, including potentially this prospect that Saudi Arabia is going to normalize relations with Israel, what happens to these pre-October 7th negotiations between the US, Saudi Arabia, and Israel?

Well, I think there was a snap assumption that these talks were dead and buried. That they couldn’t possibly survive a cataclysm like this.

But then something surprising happened. It became clear that all the parties were still determined to pull-off the normalization.

And most surprisingly of all, perhaps, was the continued eagerness of Saudi Arabia, which publicly was professing outrage over the Israeli response to the Hamas attacks, but privately was still very much engaged in these conversations and trying to move them forward.

And in fact, what has happened is that the scope of this effort has grown substantially. October 7th didn’t kill these talks. It actually made them bigger, more complicated, and some people would argue, more important than ever.

We’ll be right back.

Michael, walk us through what exactly happens to these three-way negotiations after October 7th that ends up making them, as you just said, more complicated and more important than ever?

Well, it’s more important than ever because of the incredible need in Gaza. And it’s going to take a deal like this and the approval of Saudi Arabia to unlock the kind of massive reconstruction project required to essentially rebuild Gaza from the rubble. Saudi Arabia and its Arab friends are also going to be instrumental in figuring out how Gaza is governed, and they might even provide troops to help secure it. None of those things are going to happen without a deal like this.

Fascinating.

But this is all much more complicated now because the price for a deal like this has gone up.

And by price, you mean?

What Israel would have to give up. [MUSIC PLAYING]

From Saudi Arabia’s perspective, you have an Arab population that is furious at Israel. It now feels like a really hard time to do a normalization deal with the Israelis. It was never going to be easy, but this is about as bad a time to do it as there has been in a generation at least. And I think that President Biden and the people around him understand that the status quo between Israel and the Palestinians is intolerable and it is going to lead to chaos and violence indefinitely.

So now you have two of the three parties to this agreement, the Saudis and the Americans, basically asking a new price after October 7th, and saying to the Israelis, if we’re going to do this deal, it has to not only do something for the Palestinians, it has to do something really big. You have to commit to the creation of a Palestinian state. Now, I’ll be specific and say that what you hear the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, say is that the agreement has to include an irreversible time-bound path to a Palestinian state.

We don’t know exactly what that looks like, but it’s some kind of a firm commitment, the likes of which the world and certainly the Israelis have not made before.

Something that was very much not present in the pre-October 7th vision of this negotiation. So much so that, as we just talked about, the Palestinians were left feeling completely out in the cold and furious at it.

That’s right. There was no sign that people were thinking that ambitiously about the Palestinians in this deal before October 7th. And the Palestinians certainly felt like they weren’t going to get much out of it. And that has completely changed now.

So, Michael, once this big new dimension after October 7th, which is the insistence by Saudi Arabia and the US that there be a Palestinian state or a path to a Palestinian state, what is the reaction specifically from Israel, which is, of course, the third major party to this entire conversation?

Well, Israel, or at least its political leadership, hates it. You know, this is just an extremely tough sell in Israel. It would have been a tough sell before October 7th. It’s even harder now.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is completely unrepentantly open in saying that there’s not going to be a Palestinian state on his watch. He won’t accept it. He says that it’s a strategic risk to his country. He says that it would, in effect, reward Hamas.

His argument is that terrorism has forced a conversation about statehood onto the table that wasn’t there before October 7th. Sure, it’s always in the background. It’s a perennial issue in global affairs, but it was not something certainly that the US and Israel’s Arab neighbors were actively pushing. Netanyahu also has — you know, he governs with the support of very right-wing members of a political coalition that he has cobbled together. And that coalition is quite likely to fall apart if he does embrace a Palestinian state or a path to a Palestinian state.

Now, he might be able to cobble together some sort of alternative, but it creates a political crisis for him.

And finally, you know, I think in any conversation about Israel, it’s worth bearing in mind something you hear from senior US officials these days, which is that although there is often finger pointing at Netanyahu and a desire to blame Netanyahu as this obstructionist who won’t agree to deals, what they say is Netanyahu is largely reflecting his population and the political establishment of his country, not just the right-wingers in his coalition who are clearly extremist.

But actually the prevailing views of the Israeli public. And the Israeli public and their political leaders across the spectrum right now with few exceptions, are not interested in talking about a Palestinian state when there are still dozens and dozens of Israeli hostages in tunnels beneath Gaza.

So it very much looks like this giant agreement that once seemed doable before October 7th might be more important to everyone involved than ever, given that it’s a plan for rebuilding Gaza and potentially preventing future October 7th’s from happening, but because of this higher price that Israel would have to pay, which is the acceptance of a Palestinian state, it seems from everything you’re saying, that this is more and more out of reach than ever before and hard to imagine happening in the immediate future. So if the people negotiating it are being honest, Michael, are they ready to acknowledge that it doesn’t look like this is going to happen?

Well, not quite yet. As time goes by, they certainly say it’s getting harder and harder, but they’re still trying, and they still think there’s a chance. But both the Saudis and the Biden administration understand that there’s very little time left to do this.

Well, what do you mean there’s very little time left? It would seem like time might benefit this negotiation in that it might give Israel distance from October 7th to think potentially differently about a Palestinian state?

Potentially. But Saudi Arabia wants to get this deal done in the Biden administration because Mohammed bin Salman has concluded this has to be done under a Democratic president.

Because Democrats in Congress are going to be very reluctant to approve a security agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia.

It’s important to understand that if there is a security agreement, that’s something Congress is going to have to approve. And you’re just not going to get enough Democrats in Congress to support a deal with Saudi Arabia, who a lot of Democrats don’t like to begin with, because they see them as human rights abusers.

But if a Democratic president is asking them to do it, they’re much more likely to go along.

Right. So Saudi Arabia fears that if Biden loses and Trump is president, that those same Democrats would balk at this deal in a way that they wouldn’t if it were being negotiated under President Biden?

Exactly. Now, from President Biden’s perspective, politically, think about a president who’s running for re-election, who is presiding right now over chaos in the Middle East, who doesn’t seem to have good answers for the Israeli-Palestinian question, this is an opportunity for President Biden to deliver what could be at least what he would present as a diplomatic masterstroke that does multiple things at once, including creating a new pathway for Israel and the Palestinians to coexist, to break through the logjam, even as he is also improving Israel’s relations with Saudi Arabia.

So Biden and the Crown Prince hope that they can somehow persuade Bibi Netanyahu that in spite of all the reasons that he thinks this is a terrible idea, that this is a bet worth taking on Israel’s and the region’s long-term security and future?

That’s right. Now, no one has explained very clearly exactly how this is going to work, and it’s probably going to require artful diplomacy, possibly even a scenario where the Israelis would agree to something that maybe means one thing to them and means something else to other people. But Biden officials refuse to say that it’s hopeless and they refuse to essentially take Netanyahu’s preliminary no’s for an answer. And they still see some way that they can thread this incredibly narrow needle.

Michael, I’m curious about a constituency that we haven’t been talking about because they’re not at the table in these discussions that we are talking about here. And that would be Hamas. How does Hamas feel about the prospect of such a deal like this ever taking shape. Do they see it as any kind of a victory and vindication for what they did on October 7th?

So it’s hard to know exactly what Hamas’s leadership is thinking. I think they can feel two things. I think they can feel on the one hand, that they have established themselves as the champions of the Palestinian people who struck a blow against Israel and against a diplomatic process that was potentially going to leave the Palestinians out in the cold.

At the same time, Hamas has no interest in the kind of two-state solution that the US is trying to promote. They think Israel should be destroyed. They think the Palestinian state should cover the entire geography of what is now Israel, and they want to lead a state like that. And that’s not something that the US, Saudi Arabia, or anyone else is going to tolerate.

So what Hamas wants is to fight, to be the leader of the Palestinian people, and to destroy Israel. And they’re not interested in any sort of a peace process or statehood process.

It seems very clear from everything you’ve said here that neither Israel nor Hamas is ready to have the conversation about a grand bargain diplomatic program. And I wonder if that inevitably has any bearing on the ceasefire negotiations that are going on right now between the two of them that are supposed to bring this conflict to some sort of an end, even if it’s just temporary?

Because if, as you said, Michael, a ceasefire opens the door to this larger diplomatic solution, and these two players don’t necessarily want that larger diplomatic solution, doesn’t that inevitably impact their enthusiasm for even reaching a ceasefire?

Well, it certainly doesn’t help. You know, this is such a hellish problem. And of course, you first have the question of whether Israel and Hamas can make a deal on these immediate issues, including the hostages, Palestinian prisoners, and what the Israeli military is going to do, how long a ceasefire might last.

But on top of that, you have these much bigger diplomatic questions that are looming over them. And it’s not clear that either side is ready to turn and face those bigger questions.

So while for the Biden administration and for Saudi Arabia, this is a way out of this crisis, these larger diplomatic solutions, it’s not clear that it’s a conversation that the two parties that are actually at war here are prepared to start having.

Well, Michael, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

On Tuesday afternoon, under intense pressure from the US, delegations from Israel and Hamas arrived in Cairo to resume negotiations over a potential ceasefire. But in a statement, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear that even with the talks underway, his government would, quote, “continue to wage war against Hamas.”

Here’s what else you need to know today. In a dramatic day of testimony, Stormy Daniels offered explicit details about an alleged sexual encounter with Donald Trump that ultimately led to the hush money payment at the center of his trial. Daniels testified that Trump answered the door in pajamas, that he told her not to worry that he was married, and that he did not use a condom when they had sex.

That prompted lawyers for Trump to seek a mistrial based on what they called prejudicial testimony. But the judge in the case rejected that request. And,

We’ve seen a ferocious surge of anti-Semitism in America and around the world.

In a speech on Tuesday honoring victims of the Holocaust, President Biden condemned what he said was the alarming rise of anti-Semitism in the United States after the October 7th attacks on Israel. And he expressed worry that too many Americans were already forgetting the horrors of that attack.

The Jewish community, I want you to know I see your fear, your hurt, and your pain. Let me reassure you, as your president, you’re not alone. You belong. You always have and you always will.

Today’s episode was produced by Nina Feldman, Clare Toeniskoetter, and Rikki Novetsky. It was edited by Liz O. Baylen, contains original music by Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Dan Powell, and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for The Daily. I’m Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.

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Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Michael Crowley

Produced by Nina Feldman ,  Clare Toeniskoetter and Rikki Novetsky

Edited by Liz O. Baylen

Original music by Marion Lozano ,  Elisheba Ittoop and Dan Powell

Engineered by Alyssa Moxley

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube

If and when Israel and Hamas reach a deal for a cease-fire, the United States will immediately turn to a different set of negotiations over a grand diplomatic bargain that it believes could rebuild Gaza and remake the Middle East.

Michael Crowley, who covers the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The Times, explains why those involved in this plan believe they have so little time left to get it done.

On today’s episode

Michael Crowley , a reporter covering the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The New York Times.

Background reading :

Talks on a cease-fire in the Gaza war are once again at an uncertain stage .

Here’s how the push for a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia looked before Oct. 7 .

From early in the war, President Biden has said that a lasting resolution requires a “real” Palestinian state .

Here’s what Israeli officials are discussing about postwar Gaza.

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We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Michael Crowley covers the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The Times. He has reported from nearly three dozen countries and often travels with the secretary of state. More about Michael Crowley

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