Using the Kerbal Space Program rocketry video game to teach orbital dynamics in introductory astronomy

It is often difficult for introductory astronomy students to develop an intuitive understanding of Kepler's laws because celestial mechanics are so far removed from the typical human experience. To make orbits more tactile, I use the rocketry simulation video game Kerbal Space Program, which accurately portrays the physics behind rockets and orbits. I start by using the game to review rocket construction, then I do a live launch to demonstrate the Newton's Cannonball thought experiment and reach orbit. In orbit, I demonstrate Kepler's laws and the interplay between kinetic energy and orbit shape, speed, and period in a real-time reactive environment, asking students to predict the outcome of firing the rocket's engines at different times and orientations. For students interested in going further with rocketry, I offer an optional project to send a rocket to the moon and back, allowing students to learn about more advanced topics in orbital mechnics, rocket design, and the history of space exploration. This active approach leads to greater student engagement and participation in an otherwise abstract topic usually disconnected from everyday human life.