I'd like to build globes for earth and other planets.
I found out that turning a mercator projection into "gores" allows building a globe, but it has very low precision on poles.

I'd need this kind of foldable map:
http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/Gallery/MapsAndGlobes/

I'd need a program able to take a generic merkator [mercator] projection in input to give out such a "foldable map".

This program from NASA does lots of projections, but not the one I need:
http://www.giss.nasa.gov/tools/gprojector/

This GIMP plugin creates equatore-centred gores, which is NOT what I need:
http://www.vendian.org/mncharity/dir3/planet_globes/

Other "gores" plugins:
http://www.flamingpear.com/download.html (look for FLEXIFY 2)
http://www.bruno.postle.net/neatstuff/ip-slicer/

I can't help with software, but I can tell you that you get better results with gores arranged like flower petals around the poles, and opening out towards the equator in each hemisphere. These would be derived from polar azimuthal projections. Commercial printed globes are made like this, and the join between hemispheres along the equator is covered up by a plastic strip with degree markings on it.

Phil