Planned Release Date: Sep 30, 2026

About This Demo

Imagine the long lost child of KSP and Lunar Lander. With the same amount of chaos, high intensity-high reward, but in a seemingly casual Sunday afternoon relaxed aesthetics. Start with almost nothing. Build the capability to see farther, reach farther, and unlock the next layer of space. Establish observatories, deploy telescopes, and grow your infrastructure to reveal new targets and opportunities and then aim upwards and put your flying skills to the test.

9.8 is a 2D space-agency simulator where a fully physics-driven universe (N-body orbits, atmospheres, heat management, hydrodynamics) makes every small step earned. Build your program from first hops to interplanetary operations through a uniquely designed local star-system cluster.

In 9.8 you will:

• Design and fly rockets under simulation-grade constraints: mass, fuel, TWR, heat, staging, aerodynamics.

• N-body orbital mechanics: gravity from multiple bodies shapes transfers, captures, and chaos. Everything is physics means that yes, theoretically it is possible to deorbit the moon.

• Atmospheric flight + re-entry: launch windows and trajectories matter.

• Water/hydrodynamics: splashdowns and surface operations behave like a real medium.

• Run your space program: plan missions, manage resources, and unlock new technologies.

• Explore the Solara system by building infrastructure and discovering all of the secrets that the cosmos hides.

This free demo covers the planet Qel'Nara and its moon Kite, a starter catalogue of parts, the opening missions, science mode and replay mode. The full star system, the rest of the parts, colonies and resource extraction are in the full game.

FLY ROCKETS, NOT SCRIPTS

Every maneuver is flown. Throttle control, trajectory shaping, staging decisions, and precise piloting determine whether you reach orbit or become debris.

BUILD AND DESIGN YOUR VEHICLES

Construct vehicles to match the mission. Iterate on design, test under real constraints, and refine until your craft can survive the environment you’re sending it into.

EXPLORE ACROSS SPACE, ATMOSPHERE, SURFACE, AND OCEANS

Different environments demand different solutions: vacuum operations, atmospheric flight, surface landings, and ocean interaction with hydrodynamics that behaves like a real medium.

EVERYTHING IS PHYSICS (NO RAILS)

N-body gravity, atmospheres, heat, buoyancy, and momentum all interact. The universe doesn’t “help” you and if you push the system hard enough, extreme outcomes are possible.

BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE THAT EXPANDS YOUR REACH

Establish stations, colonies, and surface installations to support longer missions, extend operations, and turn distant targets into achievable objectives.

MASTER UNIQUE RESOURCES AND LOGISTICS

Resources and logistics constraints turn exploration into a real program. Build supply chains, comms satellites, manage tradeoffs, and solve the engineering problems that come with expanding outward.