NASA's new game, Space Race Blastoff, is available on Facebook
US space agency NASA is looking to give gamers an out-of-this world experience when it comes to increasing their knowledge about the space programme with its first multi-player trivia game on Facebook.
Space Race Blastoff tests players’ knowledge of NASA history, technology, science and pop culture via questions such as, “Who was the first American to walk in space?” and “Who launched the first liquid-fuelled rocket?”
Players who correctly answer questions earn virtual badges depicting NASA astronauts, spacecraft and celestial objects. Players also earn points they can use to obtain additional badges to complete sets and earn premium badges.
“Space Race Blastoff opens NASA’s history and research to a wide new audience of people accustomed to using social media,” said David Weaver, NASA’s associate administrator for communications. “Space experts and novices will learn new things about how exploration continues to impact our world.”
NASA made the game available through Facebook to leverage the social network’s huge audience and to enable players to compete against others. Individuals also can play solo games.
Once in the game, players choose an avatar and answer 10 multiple-choice questions. Each correct answer earns 100 points, with a 20-point bonus to the player who answers first. The winner advances to the bonus round to answer one additional question for more points.
Correctly answering the bonus question earns the player a badge.
The developers of the game are Scott Hanger, Todd Powell and Jamie Noguchi of NASA’s Internet Services Group in the Office of Communications.
