Life & fun · alternatives · 2026
24 alternatives to CAD model of the saturn V rocket on the 55th anniversary of Apollo 8
Today is the 55th anniversary of Apollo 8. I figured it would be fun to make a CAD model with a space for a model rocket engine and also as an augmented reality model. The tutorial is for Fusion360 but the steps can be adapted to most CAD programs. I would love to know what you all think!
This is a CAD model of the Saturn V rocket created to commemorate the 55th anniversary of Apollo 8. Designed in Fusion 360 with adaptable steps for other CAD programs, the model includes a space for a model rocket… Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Prices are shown for the 2 we have checked on their own sites, 2 of them free or with a free tier. CAD model of the saturn V rocket on the 55th anniversary of Apollo 8 launched in 2022; newer entries below may have overtaken it.
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Atlas of Spacefree▲770Hello HN! Sharing a recent side project of mine, the Atlas of Space, that I built out to explore the Solar System. As a long-time space nerd, I realized recently that I didn't have a good intuition on the scale, speed, and relative orientation of the celestial bodies around us. So over the break I built out a kind of spatial Wikipedia to click around and learn about planets, moons, asteroids, and other bodies orbiting the Sun. The physics is all simulated in the browser using simple Newtonian mechanics. There's a lot left to do from here, including modeling objects in non-Keplerian orbits…
2025 · atlasof.space · its alternatives →
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A thrust-vectoring model rocket flight computer. Comes with all you need to keep your rocket pointing up. - AdamMarciniak/CygnusX1
2020 · github.com · its alternatives →
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I (17y/o) have been developing a rocket launch simulation that allows the user to explore what it's like launching a rocket from earth and putting it into orbit. This idea originally started as an educational simulation but as i've gone more down the rabbit hole the more i've wanted to make it realistic. The problem is that I've never had a formal orbital mechanics class or anything like that so I don't know what I'm missing, what I currently have implemented is: Variable gravity Variable Atmospheric drag (US Standard Atmosphere 1976) Multi-stage rockets Closed-loop guidance /…
Jan 2026 · donutthejedi.com · its alternatives →
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I got pretty good at (and very addicted to) the lunar lander game from a few days ago... so I decided to make an autopilot for the lander based on what I felt like was the best strategy! Now I can have perfect landings every time without lifting a finger :D Writing the autopilot code was a lot more fun than I expected! It felt a bit like programming a robot. Source code: https://github.com/szhu/lunar-lander-autopilot Original lander HN post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35032506
2023 · szhu.github.io · its alternatives →
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Features include: - Several preset periodic orbits: the classic Figure-8, plus newly discovered 3D solutions from Li and Liao's recent database of 10,000+ orbits (https://arxiv.org/html/2508.08568v1) - Full 3D camera controls (rotate/pan/zoom) with body-following mode - Force and velocity vector visualization - Timeline scrubbing to explore the full orbital period The 3D presets are particularly interesting. Try "O₂(1.2)" or "Piano O₆(0.6)" from the Load Presets menu to see configurations where bodies weave in and out of the orbital plane. Most browser…
Nov 2025 · trisolarchaos.com · its alternatives →
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Inspiring the next generation of spaceflight, interactively
2021 · its alternatives →
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(This was previously submitted as https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2246856) The Ravenna Ultra-Low-Altitude Vehicle is a backyard rocketship treehouse nestled in the Seattle neighborhood of Ravenna. Click the link to see a demo video (http://rocket.jonh.net). The hexagonal treehouse is about 6.5 feet (2 meters) across at its widest point. The frame is welded mild steel with riveted aluminum siding. It contains nearly 800 LEDs forming dozens of numeric displays spread across 14 control panels, each with an acrylic face laser-cut and etched with labels such as…
2023 · rocket.jonh.net · its alternatives →
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AstraPixelsfree tier, from $5/mo▲267A pixel-art solar system at its real current positions.
Aug 2026 · astrapixels.com · its alternatives →
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Google Translate for engineers working with motion
2017 · google.github.io · its alternatives →
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This is a little hobby project that I hope you enjoy. You can see where the International Space Station is now, with live HD video from NASA, on a realistic 3D globe. The positions of the sun and moon are also accurate, though distances aren't to scale. The clouds are also near-realtime; I span that out into a separate project at https://clouds.matteason.co.uk, where the cloud images I create from EUMETSAT data are freely available. I've got more features almost ready to go, like the ability to turn off all UI, toggleable clouds and turning off the day/night cycle I'd love for…
2024 · iss.matteason.co.uk · its alternatives →
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PixelSpace▲68A tediously accurate scale model of the solar system
2014 · joshworth.com · its alternatives →
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2022 · rocket-drone.lol · its alternatives →
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Data visualisation and ray tracing in Python based on OptiX 9.1 framework. - plotoptix/examples/3_projects/moon at master · rnd-team-dev/plotoptix
2019 · github.com · its alternatives →
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I use this library I made for Vectors and Quaternions in many personal projects. I've open-sourced it, in case anyone else would get use out of it. I use this on various projects, including quadcopter firmware, a graphics engine, a cosmology simulation, and several molecular dynamics applications. No_std compatible.
2025 · github.com · its alternatives →
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Did this a few years ago. Seems apropos. Sources and more here: https://github.com/EngineersNeedArt/Mooncraft2000
Apr 2026 · mooncraft2000.com · its alternatives →
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Written by someone who has watched "Apollo 13" more times than he'd like to admit.
2020 · johnjonesfour.com · its alternatives →
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CGI Moon Kit▲73A 3D map of the moon for CG artists and creators
2019 · svs.gsfc.nasa.gov · its alternatives →
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AR Rockets▲108Launch rockets that are cheaper than SpaceX's 🚀
2018 · play.google.com · its alternatives →
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Project Da Vinci▲107Send your video into space on a time capsule in a satellite
2017 · its alternatives →
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Hey HN! I made Orbit, an iOS app that allows you to see the satellites, planets, and constellations above you in AR, on a 2D map, and on a 3D globe. The app includes more than 15,000 objects tracked by CelesTrack, together with their pass predictions, descriptions, and detailed orbital data. A searchable catalog of all objects is also available, as well as a built-in chatbot designed to answer any space-related questions you might have. This is my first published iOS app, so any feedback is greatly appreciated! App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6772174570
Jul 2026 · nagylukas.github.io · its alternatives →
- 24WT
Hey all! Long time lurker, first time poster. I found this rocket landing trajectory optimization paper cool, but it took me a while to wrap my head around it and implement it. I wrote up an expanded version of the paper including details that would have helped me understand it the first time through, with the idea being that it might make the content more approachable for others with similar interests. The source code is also linked in the document. I'm open to feedback, I'm always trying to get better across the board.
2025 · scpowers.github.io · its alternatives →
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Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →