1. I've found a cool new game on Steam, which I think would be good for anyone with kids interested in science or space.
2. Basically, you run a space program, starting in 1957. You compete among the US, Russia, Europe, China, or Japan, and you can choose to play any of them, with different advantages and vehicles.
3. Your budget depends on how successful you are in reaching milestones - and beating everyone else. Here I'm building my astronaut training center, laying the foundation for my first manned flight.
4. I was first to succeed with a test rocket, first to launch an artificial satellite, and first to send an animal into space. I'm letting others focus on satellites while I focus on getting a man into space.
5. In the meantime you can do different optional missions - if you have the time and money - to gain scientific research as well as public support for your budget. I'm building this rocket send up some monkeys to test how they're affected by radiation in space.
6. It's not nearly as complex as Kerbal Space Program, but you do have choices to make. Should I focus on developing cheaper rockets, ones that are fast to build, or ones that are more reliable?
7. You can't do everything. While I was focused on my near-earth milestones, China beat me to sending a probe to orbit the Moon. But I got some benefits from coming in 2nd.
8. You have to research your missions before you even know what goes into them, and can begin planning them.
9. You also have relationships with the rival space agencies, which you must manage, and can eventually do joint missions with them.
10. I'm constructing the Mercury capsule for my first manned flight. It costs a bundle. Only then can I start building the rocket - and the larger launch pad I'll need to send it up.
11. I'll have to research that larger launch pad soon, or else it will hold me up - and someone else will launch while I'm stuck twiddling my thumbs.
12. At the end, it all comes down to launch day. Based on your preparations, and previous missions, each rocket and payload has given chance of success, or failure.
13. Nervous moment.
14. This was an optional mission I took on, with a smaller rocket, to do some science experiments with an earth satellite. Liftoff went smoothly.
15. With most missions, after launch you have to perform a mini-game to achieve certain tasks for the mission to succeed. The more complex the mission, the more rounds of tasks you need to perform - each with a chance of failure that you must plan to overcome.
16. Eventually, as the name of the game suggests, you have to build up all the technologies and mission experiences you need to get to Mars. It looks like a long journey - which I will not be tweeting, btw.

Anyway, it's pretty fun and I thought I'd share it.

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20 Nov
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