A coding error turned a minor game mechanic into a warp drive
In short: In the space simulation Kerbal Space Program, a specific bug allowed players to achieve impossible speeds. This video explores how a flaw in the Reaction Control System (RCS) physics enabled a journey to the planet Eve in just a few hours.
The phenomenon stems from a bug in the game's code where RCS thrusters generate disproportionately high thrust when positioned near the center of mass. While RCS is already highly efficient, this error allowed for extreme acceleration that bypassed standard physics constraints.
By exploiting this glitch, the presenter reached a velocity of 200km/sec while consuming only 30% of their fuel supply. The developer, Novasilisko, confirmed that this specific bug was slated for a fix in version 0.18.2.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Kerbal Space Program 0.18.1 - The Fastest Probe In The Galaxy
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