WelcomeLetter

From ShortHike

Is your dream to build a space station?

Now you can step in to the mid 21st century with the ShortHike simulator

The frontier for our generation lies in space. You and I can expect to see the first people leave our beloved Earth and settle on worlds unknown. Creating permanent habitats on Mars, the asteroid belt and in the Jovian system are monumental steps in our evolution. These enterprises present hard challenges both technically and to the very fabric of our society. And beyond those challenges awaits a universe of plenty.

I believe that it isn't enough for just a few dedicated mission planners to understand where the road leads. Active and interested people, like you and I, and the general public needs to have tools at their disposal for educating themselves about the future. Everyone ultimately needs to understand where we are going, what obstacles they are facing and what opportunities wait.

This is why I created the ShortHike simulator. As long as I can remember I had been deeply interested in space and read all the books and articles I could find. But books alone could not feed my imagination. I wanted to see and hear how everything would look. Work out how all the pieces interacted with each other. Experiment with different scenarios. I wanted to be there myself. I trust you had a similar experience. You must have found something lacking in all that hard data.

So in June 2002, equipped with two decades of software engineering experience and a lifetime of enthusiasm for space, I founded my own company and started working on the ShortHike simulator. Since that day I have been living and breathing space settlement. In early 2003 the first version was released. We are still on the same journey. ShortHike is the simulator I always wanted to have. It turns out my lot in life has been to make it happen.

So like thousands of others you have finally found this site. Something here rings true with you. Like so many others you feel that a long search has ended. True, the simulator has still a lot of rough edges. And many important parts aren't yet included. But everyone here have a clear mind and their heart at the right place.

That's it. You have arrived. Take care and stay in touch.

--Kai 14:34, 19 Apr 2005 (EEST) , programmer and founder, ShortHike