NASA Releases New Interactive Space Communications Game

 

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. — NASA
has released an interactive, educational video game called NetworKing that
depicts how the Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) network operates.

Developed by the Information Technology Office at NASA’s Ames
Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., NetworKing gives players an insider’s
perspective into how astronauts, mission controllers and scientists communicate
during space missions.

“For any young person who ever dreamed of one day
contributing to space missions, NetworKing lets players develop a kingdom of
multiple space communication networks working together to support space
missions,” said Barbara Adde, policy and strategic communications director for
SCaN at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

To successfully construct fast
and efficient communication networks, players must first establish command
stations around the world and accept clients conducting space missions, such as
satellites and space telescopes. Resources are earned throughout the game as
players continue to acquire more clients. Players can strategically use
accumulated resources to enhance and increase their networks’ capabilities.

Players with the most integrated communications networks will have the
ability to acquire more complex clients, such as the International Space
Station, Hubble Space Telescope and the Kepler mission.

“As a simple and
fun introduction to the complex world of space communications, NetworKing gives
players the opportunity to enjoy a challenging game while absorbing the basic
concepts of space communication,” said Daniel Laughlin, games researcher at
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. “It’s an engaging way to
increase interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics areas of
study and open minds to potential careers in those fields.”

NetworKing
is available to the public for play on the NASA 3D Resources website. Players
can access the game using an Internet browser. It can be downloaded and run on
both a PC and Macintosh operating system. To play the NetworKing game, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/3d_resources/scan.html

In conjunction with NetworKing, the 3D Resources website also links
visitors to the Station Spacewalk Interactive Game and the SCaN Interactive Demo
that demonstrate the interaction between SCaN’s ground-and-space facilities and
NASA spacecraft.

Declared by the United Nations General Assembly, World
Space Week is an annual international celebration of science and technology
commemorating the launch Sputnik 1, the first human-made Earth satellite, and
the signing of the Outer Space Treaty. The theme for World Space Week 2011 is
“50 Years of Human Spaceflight.”

For more information about SCaN, visit:

https://www.spacecomm.nasa.gov/spacecomm/default.cfm

For more information about NASA’s education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education

For more information about World Space Week, visit:

http://www.worldspaceweek.org/