LibreCosmos OS / independent expeditions

For independent
space explorers.

Join the community of free space researchers in the world of LibreCosmos. You operate automated ships from Earth, connected to their instruments and services through LibreCosmos OS.

A free hobby space simulation in the spirit of free software: small expeditions, shared repair designs, and observations that help the next researcher.

Terminal / TUI Graphical / GUI

Made for a keyboard and a larger screen: on a phone, bookmark this page and play on a computer.

Free hobby project · Version 0.4.1

☕ Buy me a coffee — support development ↗

LibreCosmos terminal with a braille map of Kestrel in Earth orbit, live telemetry and a mission-control command prompt. — An ansible link to Kestrel.TUI and GUI screenshots

Independent expeditions. Earth & Moon.

Shared tools. LibreCosmos OS.

Research records. Files, wiki & mail.

Working in LibreCosmos OS

Familiar commands,
aboard a spacecraft.

Linux-style tools connect you to the ship’s instruments, research files and running services.

01 / SERVICES

Start a scanner service.

In low lunar orbit, start the surface scanner like a Linux service, then begin mapping. The instrument needs power throughout the scan.

systemctl start scanner
scan

02 / FILE TRANSFERS

Send your findings with scp.

Analyze a sample collected by a probe, then copy the lab report and raw spectra to Tsiolkovsky station over the ansible link.

scp lab-sample-moon.* tsiolkovsky:

03 / MONITORING

Check what your ship is doing.

Use top to watch running services, jobs and power consumption. Switch to sysinfo for the ship’s battery, fuel, cargo and installed modules.

top
sysinfo

Your working environment

Terminal or graphical console.

Compare the interfaces

>_ TUI / Terminal

For experienced Linux users.

A keyboard-first environment for people who live in the terminal: a braille orbital map, direct commands, jobs, services, files and dedicated RCS controls for docking.

The mission guide is there too. Familiar Linux habits have a place in this spacecraft’s working environment.

Open the terminal

◎ GUI / Graphical

Graphical mission control.

A wireframe map, live ship status, tool panels, an inbox and a flight planner. Use the panels, type commands, or move between both as you work.

Actions are recorded in the console. The orbital mechanics, missions and spacecraft systems are the same in both interfaces.

Open the graphical console

Both interfaces share the same operators and campaigns in this browser. Switch with ui gui or ui tui whenever you like.

Support the real project

Help keep LibreCosmos going.

Outside the simulation, LibreCosmos is a free hobby game. Useful feedback, careful reports and sharing the project all help. If you would like to support further development, you can buy the developer a coffee.

☕ Buy me a coffee ↗

Entirely optional. The game stays free.

First connection

Getting started.

Both interfaces have the same mission guide. Your first assignment explains the commands and the orbital maneuvers as you use them.

mc> useradd operator

mc> connect kestrel

kestrel> target tsiolkovsky

# Continue with the mission guide.

Create your operator.Use useradd <name>, then name your first ship. Enter keeps Kestrel.
Connect to your spacecraft.Type connect kestrel to open its ansible link and receive your briefing.
Follow the mission guide.Click a suggested command or press F4 to fill the terminal; Enter runs it.
Ask when you need a hand.hint repeats the next step. man start explains the basics. Tab completes commands.