Kerbal Space Program developer Squad and publisher Private Division have announced a new update coming to the game for free. The Shared Horizons update launches on PC in July and is intended to commemorate the two studios' partnership with the European Space Agency.
Shared Horizons was created in order to celebrate the ESA's "outstanding contribution to space exploration", according to a press release by Private Division. It'll add two new missions based on real-life historical ESA missions. "BepiColombo" will be the first mission. It'll task players with reaching and landing on Moho, the Kerbal Space Program equivalent of Mercury, in honor of the real-life mission of the same name. The second mission, "Rosetta", revolved around landing on a Jupiter-family comet in real life. The Kerbal Space Program mission will reflect this.
What else is new in Kerbal Space Program's Shared Horizons update?
In addition to these two new missions, you'll also be getting the landmark rocket Ariane 5, a heavy-lift space vehicle operated by Arianespace. Along with the rocket, you'll also find a new European Space Agency-themed spacesuit for your Kerbals to wear, as well as new spacecraft parts and science experiments to conduct. Considering you're getting all this for free, it's not too shabby an update.
This news comes after Kerbal Space Program's official Twitter account last week called on players to simulate an upcoming NASA and SpaceX mission in the game. SpaceX and NASA will be launching astronauts to the International Space Station, so Squad and Private Division called on players to do the same and share footage with the devs. If you want to get in on this challenge, you've got until May 25th to do so. NASA will be looking at the best ones and sharing their opinions. Make it spectacular.
The Shared Horizons update for Kerbal Space Program will launch on July 1st for PC. Squad and Private Division say the update is coming to consoles later in the year. We'll keep you posted.
Are you looking forward to this free ESA-themed Kerbal Space Program update? Let us know in the comments below!