Kerbal Space Program

Development

Director Felipe Falanghe was hired by Squad in April 2010, when the company did not develop software. The name "Kerbal" came from names he gave small tin figurines installed in modified fireworks as a teenager. Development was authorized in October 2010 by co-founder Adrian Goya but deferred until Falanghe completed his projects. The game was first compiled on 17 January 2011.

The first public release, version 0.7.3, came on 24 June 2011 and was downloaded over 5,000 times. That version had no stability assist, no rotating Kerbin, no fuel flow mechanics, no control surfaces, and no other celestial bodies. Later versions added planets, moons, and the ability to save part collections called subassemblies. On 20 March 2013, Kerbal Space Program was one of twelve games available at the start of Steam's early access program.

Version 0.24, titled First Contract, added contracts and a reputation system to career mode; players could also play science mode without those features. The final alpha release, 0.25, extended career mode and reworked aircraft components. Version 0.90, nicknamed Beta Than Ever, overhauled the rocket editor, introduced part sorting and custom categories, and allowed parts to be offset. Career mode now featured building upgrades that initially limited rocket size and mass.

Reception

The public alpha and beta releases were well received. Many publications, including Kotaku, Rock, Paper, Shotgun, IGN, GameSpy, Eurogamer, Polygon, and Destructoid, spoke positively of the game. In May 2015, PC Gamer awarded Kerbal Space Program 1.0 a score of 96 out of 100, their highest review score of 2015, praising the blend of science and slapstick and the sense of accomplishment from reaching other planets. IGN's Seth G. Macy noted the game's ability to create fun out of failure.

Edge wrote that the game's magic lies in being both a game and a simulation, a high-level educational tool and something fun to tinker with, allowing a connection with real history and achievement. During the 19th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated the game for Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year and the D.I.C.E. Sprite Award. After its Steam early access release on 20 March 2013, it was among the platform's top 5 best-selling games and the best seller on Steam for Linux.

Squad released physical merchandise such as clothing and plush toys, and in March 2015 partnered with Eucl3D to allow players to order custom models of their craft. Following the Artemis II mission launch in April 2026, the game surpassed its all-time concurrent player count peak.

Sequel

A sequel, Kerbal Space Program 2, released in early access on 24 February 2023. It planned to add new propulsion methods, habitation modules, colonies, multiplayer, and interstellar travel, but many promised features were incomplete or absent. Its Steam page was review bombed, resulting in an Overwhelmingly Negative average rating.