There's something good and bad to be said for the ability of the human mind to compartmentalize. The economy creaks and snaps as ineluctable consequence of borrowing drags it into the toilet. Enormously important (and exciting!) political events occur daily in the Revolution of 08. Even our path into space dissolves into wispy storm clouds, as decisions that should have been made still haven't. And yet in the middle of crisis I'm stuck addicted to a video game, inattentive at almost every moment devoted to building a ship - the Eaglet - to soar through the skies in a familiar, but virtual, universe.

The Eaglet is inspired by the insufficiently lauded show "Space 1999." Except for an incredible oddity blasting Moonbase Alpha out of orbit it ranks among the best of dramatic science fiction. Contributing in no small measure is its trademark all-purpose space vehicle, the famous Eagle. ("The single coolest spacecraft that has ever been invented for science fiction," according to no less an authority than Bad Astronomer Phil Plait.)

Simply kit-bashing an Eagle was not enough. For all its functionality the ship has problems. Pilots have few windows to see out. Doors won't open inside the confines of the hull. Floors are at different levels between compartments. The reaction control system jets are placed without respect for three-dimensional spaceflight. And as more workhorse than swift steed, the Eagle always carries extra mass that translates into reduced speed.

So the Eaglet, with really only one purpose - go fast - cleans that up. It's rigged with an eight-point RCS for tight and powerful turns. Power is derived from Bussard fusion sources that accelerate and exhaust heavy radioactive fuel (do not use in real space!). Sturdy struts elevate and pivot the main body so that pilots can select their launch angle. And it can make the constant thrust trip to the Moon from the Cape on only one tank!

I go on and on about the wonderful Orbiter space simulator. Here in the infancy of human spaceflight it's the closest most will likely ever get to space, even to our dear old moon. It's one thing to appreciate the large numbers of the Solar System for what they are, but it takes flying there, if only in the imagination, to impress the awesome amount of nothingness in the vast difference between all siblings of the sun. All I ask is a small ship and a familiar star to steer her by, for what stokes our dreams lights the path to realizing them.