Realistic 3D model of the International Space Station made in collaboration with Japan’s space agency now available for free use in game development 

From December 25, SpaceData is making their 3D model “ISS_KIBOU” available for free for a limited time. This model is part of a realistic 3D recreation of the International Space Station (ISS) used in the space simulator game ISS Simulator. The 3D model, which was developed in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), will be available on Epic Games’ resource platform Fab until January 8. 

For context, ISS Simulator is a space simulator game SpaceData released on Steam back in November 2024. Developed under JAXA’s supervision, this simulator recreates the 3D space inside of the ISS. The game features a detailed and realistic representation of the ISS’s actual onboard environment, with special attention paid to the realistic simulation of aspects including microgravity, air currents, and orbital mechanics.  

At the time of writing, ISS Simulator has a Very Positive status (with 84% of 57 reviews on Steam being positive). Although players have commented that the game’s controls are a little tricky, the life-like recreation of the atmosphere on board the ISS has earned much praise. 

The model SpaceData just put out for free, called “ISS_KIBOU,” is part of the 3D environment used in ISS Simulator, and it’s the model for the ISS’s Japanese Experiment Module Kibo, developed by JAXA. SpaceData’s president commented that he wants people to freely use the data for things like game development, video production and the like.  

According to SpaceData’s official homepage, the company aims to make space as familiar and as accessible to people as possible, so the production and free distribution of ISS Simulator and its 3D data may be a part of this philosophy. 

The 3D model ISS_KIBOU is available for free for a limited time on Epic Games’ resource platform Fab. The data will be available for two weeks, until January 8. SpaceData’s game, ISS Simulator, is available for free on Steam.