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| Science & Technology |
| Games: NASA Launches Moonbase Alpha |
| 2010-07-08 |
| Several readers have sent word that today NASA launched Moonbase Alpha, an online game with single- and multi-player capability that "allows participants to step into the role of an exploration team member in a futuristic 3-D lunar settlement." The game is available now through Steam for free. Moonbase Alpha was built as a precursor to an upcoming NASA MMO called Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond, and they hope it will be "a proof of concept to show how NASA content can be combined with a cutting-edge game engine to inspire, engage and educate students about agency technologies, job opportunities and the future of space exploration." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #15 Where is Al 'techno' Gore in all of this? Masseuse Sensuelle takes up a lot of time... |
| Posted by: Ford Maude Elle 2010-07-08 22:59 |
| #14 Where is Al 'techno' Gore in all of this? The flaming sword of global warming and inventor of the internet must have some involvement.. |
| Posted by: CB 2010-07-08 22:55 |
| #13 Psst! Astronauts no longer travel, they pilgrimage. The moon, 245,888th most holiest sight. |
| Posted by: Skunky Glins**** 2010-07-08 22:26 |
| #12 of course, to help muzzie self-esteem and prevent excessive seething, Juice are not allowed to be on the moon, even if in a game - Bolden rules |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-07-08 19:33 |
| #11 Moonbase alpha? |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2010-07-08 18:46 |
| #10 At least NASA is launching *something* to do with the Moon. People of a certain age will remember the name from Space: 1999. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2010-07-08 13:02 |
| #9 Moonbase Allan? The real breakthrough will be the 3 directional axis appendage which will keep the head pointed toward Mecca during transit. Look at the bright side. A person who believes the lunar landings and the hollywood conspiracy person used to sit down all day long and not convince the other. Now they can both agree that any future landings will be artificial. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2010-07-08 12:03 |
| #8 First, they need to build a special lunar compass that points to Mecca at all times. |
| Posted by: charger 2010-07-08 10:16 |
| #7 Your first mission: Build the Lunar Mosque. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2010-07-08 10:09 |
| #6 If they wanted to see some space enthusiasm, someone could lay down a couple of million dollars for Caterpillar Corp to design a Lunar tunneling robot system. Off season, Caterpillar has a huge number of engineers that just sit on their hands, who would jump at the opportunity for a cool design program like this. The system would have to be modular, and in small enough modules to be carried up individually by a heavy lift cargo rocket and assembled in space. The eventual system would have to be nuclear powered. Eventually, a Lunar spaceship would be launched from Earth, load up the Lunar lander with robots on board, and head on a one way trip to the Moon. Every part of the ship would be recycled into the tunnel habitat, especially the pressure doors. So after a year or two, astronauts could travel to the Moon with far more supplies and equipment, and arrive at a permanent base, fully powered with the nuclear reactor. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-07-08 09:50 |
| #5 Gene Kranz: "Failure is not an option." Charles Bolden: "Game over." |
| Posted by: Matt 2010-07-08 09:00 |
| #4 IIRC PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > IFF CHINA BUILDS A LUNAR BASE FIRST BEFORE THE US [etal], WILL PART(S) OF THE MOON BELONG TO CHINA? 2013 Solar Flares, Nicholas Cage Sci-Fi movies, + OWG Comet Apophis lunar impact? notwithstanding. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2010-07-08 02:20 |
| #3 to show how NASA content can be combined with a cutting-edge game engine to Explain that one to the muzzies, Chief Bolden. |
| Posted by: ed 2010-07-08 00:28 |
| #2 One could wish, however, that Gary Gygax would have been alive to see it. Metamorphosis Alpha, cough, cough. |
| Posted by: Eric Jablow 2010-07-08 00:27 |
| #1 Eleven years behind schedule, of course. |
| Posted by: Eric Jablow 2010-07-08 00:26 |