Kerbal Space Program is Back in Fashion Thanks to Artemis II Launch

11 hours ago 3

Published Apr 4, 2026, 6:16 PM EDT

Jaime Tugayev is the News Editor for DualShockers with over a decade of experience, and a much longer love for fantasy, shooters and strategy games.

Some say you should aim for the moon so that you land among the stars if you miss. In the case of Artemis II, the idea is to miss the moon but just barely, going around our dear old satellite before heading back home.

The Artemis II mission is the most ambitious crewed lunar mission since the glory days of the Space Race. While it is of paramount importance to NASA and the long-term goal of establishing a permanent human presence on the moon, Artemis II is also bringing people to another very important place: Kerbal Space Program.

Kerbal is Back, Baby

The hardworking people of Kerbin have been at the forefront of virtual space exploration since the game's 2015 release. Kerbals have spent the last decade testing out designs of questionable viability, with accident rates that are so grim they would ruin the Easter mood. None of that matters when things do work out, however.

The joy of a successful mission is being enjoyed by thousands of new users, however, and they have the Artemis II launch to thank for that.

As Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen set off from the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the evening of April 1st, the number of budding space constructors in KSP followed a similarly meteoric trajectory.

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At the time of writing, Artemis II's Orion spacecraft has passed the halfway point between the Earth and the moon. Meanwhile, Kerbal Space Program numbers on Steam have hit their zenith since 2020, and this time, there is nothing forcing people to stay inside and build rockets that explode right off the pad.

The joy of a successful mission is being enjoyed by thousands of new users, however, and they have the Artemis II launch to thank for that.

Kerbal Space Program currently boasts just over 10 thousand players on Valve's platform alone, but it is also available on Epic, PlayStation, and Xbox. The numbers are still rising, and whether KSP will hit the all-time peak set all the way back in 2015 is anyone's guess.

Whatever the future holds, it's good to see KSP welcoming a new generation of spacefarers, especially given the tragic fate of the project following the abortive launch and eventual collapse of Kerbal Space Program 2. After being panned by critics during its release, KSP 2 would end up in eternal early access following the functional shutdown of the studio responsible for it.

The tight-knit community around the first Kerbal Space Program, augmented by one of the most creative groups of modders out there, has kept the KSP legacy alive long enough for Artemis II to reignite the flame.

If you are craving a crossover episode, check out this recreation of the Artemis Program in KSP. And remember, if it doesn't work, try adding more boosters. Repeat as needed.