Building real simulators for education?

[KCB]

Chaps, although this is primarily aimed at the UK, the subject is a common issue with common interests. I am wondering what it would take to provide a greater use of space, specifically simulation, in education in support of STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math).
In this new thread I would like to focus on the technical side, building ideas of just what it might mean to be able to bring higher fidelity simulation that will be able to stimulate, provide immersion and inspire children to develop interest in, and follow STEM subjects, with a view to one day campaign and fund raise for such a project within the UK and who knows, internationally one day. If we don’t have a real space program to inspire the next generations, then why not have a virtual one.
I am hoping some of you guys might want to participate, seen as this is an area you are in many ways passionate about.
Thanks and i look forward to hearing from you.

 

[Xyon]

Please don't post in black. I use the black skin (Dark Nights), I can't read a word of that except the last line. :/

 

[Bloodworth]

If you are simply talking about a simulator program, there is already orbiter. If you are talking about an actual "sit in" or "sim pit" simulator, anybody who has one or has ever made or bought one can tell you that they are bloody expensive. I'm talking about a level of expense that would keep anybody but the most diehard enthusiast from ever attempting to obtain one. Simply building one can cost between 40-100 thousand dollars U.S.

A couple of years ago I did some market research looking into starting a flight sim arcade. What I ound out from the companies that manufacture the cockpit sims is that they start at about 900 thousand dollars and go up ballistically from there.

These are just for aircraft cockpit sims, an actual spacecraft sim pit would have a base price likely starting at about 2 to 3 times that amount. This is why you don't see flight sim arcades out there, and that is a money making venture. The cost, sadly, is simply too prohibitive for such a thing to ever be found in any educational institution save flight training centers

 

[Shadow Addict]

Please don't post in black. I use the black skin (Dark Nights), I can't read a word of that except the last line. :/

... but you just posted in black.

 

[Quick_Nick]

If you are simply talking about a simulator program, there is already orbiter. If you are talking about an actual "sit in" or "sim pit" simulator, anybody who has one or has ever made or bought one can tell you that they are bloody expensive. I'm talking about a level of expense that would keep anybody but the most diehard enthusiast from ever attempting to obtain one. Simply building one can cost between 40-100 thousand dollars U.S.

A couple of years ago I did some market research looking into starting a flight sim arcade. What I ound out from the companies that manufacture the cockpit sims is that they start at about 900 thousand dollars and go up ballistically from there.

These are just for aircraft cockpit sims, an actual spacecraft sim pit would have a base price likely starting at about 2 to 3 times that amount. This is why you don't see flight sim arcades out there, and that is a money making venture. The cost, sadly, is simply too prohibitive for such a thing to ever be found in any educational institution save flight training centers

Orbiter simpits have never been too expensive to make. I doubt you'd spend more than $5000 to make the most awesome Orbiter simpit ever. If you only want basic stuff, a few hundred dollars. (still not terribly cheap, but certainly reasonable price)
And KCB's idea sounds something like the Virtual Space Agencies that have been formed with Orbiter for years.

---------- Post added at 04:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:46 PM ----------

... but you just posted in black.

No, seems he posted in default text. (looks right for me, and I'm using a dark skin)

 

[Shadow Addict]

No, seems he posted in default text. (looks right for me, and I'm using a dark skin)

Oh I didn't realize the default color changed with the skins. Nevermind, then.

 

[KCB]

The cost is naturally the first thing that springs to mind. Not just the initial hardware software, but then there is housing, running and maintaining such a program. But then again think what it is we are trying to achieve, and how important that is not nationally, as we are talking about the future work force, but globally, as we are talking about the generation that will have to invent its way out of a water filled coal pit! STEM is rapidly becoming a national priority here in the UK and also in the US as we start to realize our students are not making the grade, and India and China are ruling the rust right now. The UK has recently created new government offices and agencies to combat the problem.
How much is it worth? Well it’s an interesting question and the goal posts might start moving soon.
High fidelity training simulators run at millions, but we are not trying to produce something to such high standards like training airline pilots and all the legality that comes with such programs. It’s about getting to a level that the kids get hooked, that gets the heart rate up, to provide the immersion and emotional content to better inspire children to develop interest in this, akin to, or better than, Grand theft Auto 3. Something conducive to a child’s world today! And if we are visionaries and take it seriously, we would do better than that. A few questions might be:
What degree or kind of simulation?
How much money are we talking, how much is such an endeavour worth?
Mobile vs fixed facilities?
Integration with schools programs, curriculums?
Administrate costs, responsibilities, Government funding, corporate support?

 

[tblaxland]

We have a simpit forum HERE. You can get some good ideas there on the materials/components/designs/etc that others have used. That should help you get a better idea of cost.

BTW, I'm moving your thread there now, being the better place for it

 

[jinglesassy]

an extremely steep crash obviously

---------- Post added at 11:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:45 AM ----------

^^ wtf it posted in the wrong forum delete please

 

[KCB]

an extremely steep crash obviously

what?

---------- Post added at 05:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:43 PM ----------

The following Youtube click is from a simple TV game show called ‘Space Cadets’ where they actually convinced members of the public that they were going into space. Spent weeks setting them up, but interesting in this case was the space craft simulator they built to make these people think they where been flown into space. The video clip shows how it was built.
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4wgJ3A2HnY&feature=related"]YouTube- space cadets ep06 1 of 6[/nomedia]

 

[jinglesassy]

what?

I posted it in the plane crash forum but it popped up here :shrug: