NASA Launches Space Trivia Game Into Facebook Frontier

Space Race Blastoff, NASA's first online game for the social media age. CREDIT: NASA View full size image

NASA unveiled its first online space trivia game today (Jan. 30), a Facebook app that allows multiple players to compete for cosmic bragging rights.

The free game, called "Space Race Blastoff," is a mix of Space Camp and "Jeopardy!" that pits players against one another in a quiz on NASA and space exploration history. Players with enough correct answers can earn award badges emblazoned with NASA astronauts, spaceships or astronomical objects, NASA game designers said.

"'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 at the agency's Washington headquarters, in a statement. "Space experts and novices will learn new things about how exploration continues to impact our world."

The new game was developed by members of NASA's Internet Services Group in the agency's communications office. It is the agency's latest foray into digital and social media. The space agency already routinely uses Twitter to announce space news and discoveries, and recently launched a space-themed Internet radio show.  

In addition to facing off against other competitors in a battle of space wits, players can use the points they earn to complete sets of award badges or earn some premium awards, according to a game description. And if playing with others isn't your style, there's a solo option too, NASA officials said.

To play, competitors choose an avatar from a range of options that include scientist, astronaut (with multiple spacesuit options), alien and robot.

You can find the game here: http://apps.facebook.com/spacerace