Squad and Private Division have launched the second expansion for the PC version of their popular physics-based space sim, Kerbal Space Program.
The Breaking Ground expansion adds mechanical parts that allow you to create robotic walker vehicles, new options for surface exploration, and lots of new science trees and gadgets. You can check out the cinematic launch trailer above. The expansion costs $14.99.
Here’s a rundown of the new content:
Kerbal Space Program: Breaking Ground Expansion is the second expansion for the PC version of the critically acclaimed space flight simulator, Kerbal Space Program. This feature-rich expansion is focused on increasing the objective possibilities once celestial bodies have been reached by adding more interesting scientific endeavors and expanding the toolset.
After landing on a celestial body, a variety of data collecting equipment can now be deployed to conduct scientific experiments. While gathering that data, newly added surface features have been scattered across the solar system, which players will need to go out in search of to either scan or bring back to Kerbin for further examination.
Additionally, robotic parts are being added! A hinge, piston, rotor, and rotational servo in various sizes will be accessible to massively alter the possibilities of players’ crafts. These all operate under realistic physics with real forces and torque, electricity consumption, and even motor mass.
◾Deployed Science: Scientific experiments have always gone hand-in-hand with space exploration and are now becoming an even greater focus in KSP. Players will be able to utilize a storage container in their craft that can hold various pieces of science equipment. Upon reaching their destination, players will need to deploy the equipment, which includes a central station, booster antenna, solar panel, weather station, active seismometer, RTG, goo observation, and ion detector. These pieces of equipment must be left out for a period of time to fully collect all of the scientific data and relay it back to Kerbin. The active seismometer in particular asks players to deliberately crash things into a celestial body to gather seismic data!
◾Surface Features: A major addition with Breaking Ground is found on the celestial bodies scattered throughout the solar system. Meteors, craters, rock outcroppings, cryovolcanoes and more now populate the landscape. While smaller surface features can be transported back to KSC by Kerbals themselves, larger ones provide a greater challenge and will require Kerbals to venture out in rovers or send unmanned rovers. By attaching the new robotic rover arm to their rovers, players can scan the larger surface features to collect important scientific data.
◾Robotic Parts: Long-requested robotics parts will now be available for use in KSP! A hinge, piston, rotor, and rotational servo in various sizes will allow players to tackle new challenge as well as enhance the creativity of their crafts. To coincide with these new parts, the addition of a robotics controller system will let players coordinate the behavior of all the different parts on their craft.
◾A New Suit: Of course, the ever-important Kerbal fashion can never be forgotten. With Breaking Ground players will receive a new suit that is futuristic in aesthetic and tied to the science-focus of this expansion.
Take on new challenges with a breadth of added tools and parts in KSP’s second expansion, Breaking Ground. Weather stations, solar panels, and more allow players to collect science over time, while they venture out to research mysterious surface features such as cryovolcanoes with new robotic parts.
Kerbal Space Program is available on Windows PC, Mac, Linux (all via Steam and GOG), PS4, and Xbox One for $39.99. The Steam version is currently 75% off, while the GOG version is 50% off.
