We were drawn to this challenge to shine the light of awareness by designing a scientifically accurate game where the user will face those challenges use their problem-solving skills to decipher the solution to this problem. We believe that what sets our solution apart is its accesability.No matter who are, if you want to learn about space communication, then you will, and you will also have fun in the process.

Two weeks before the hackathon we started putting together a plan of how we are going to approach any challenge here. Although the process was pedantic at times and not always abided, it helped us put a straight roadmap.

Initailly, We wanted to make a full fledged game that was fully functional through code, but seeing that this solution required so much time we opted for a code-free solution using visual effects program.

Every stage of the hackathon was accompanied by a certain protocol (Refer to the project plan linked above), and the execution of the idea was no exception. Having made our challenge analysis and the required research, we started thinking of ways to approach the game. We first started by story boarding (what was the story behind this game). Then we ventured into game mechanisms (what the user is able to do in the game). Now that we know the limitations and capabilities, we started designing the game environment and UI around these Parameters. After that came concept design and following it was polishing. Now that we owned a full picture, we started making a demo of the game using one of the leading editing softwares: Adobe Premiere Pro. We then went and made some alterations that we didn’t like in the UX until we were happy with final results.

In Case of previous solutions, Our idea didn’t really have direct precedents; However, a game called Networking by NASA discussing a similar topic was found and was dissected to gain any extra insight( you can view our analysis of that game here). Moving on to research, First, We have thoroughly investigated the challenge. then, once we arrived at its conclusions, We started filling our gaps of Knowledge with Nasa Data- looking out for the most prominent problems in the field of space communication, describing them, mentioning existing solutions for them and suggestions for implementation in-game.

Demo:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11l8J8rAhgUobhJySkcnf0reS6H-24RDP/view?usp=sharing

Data refrences:

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/rover/communications/#:~:text=Most%20often%2C%20Mars%202020%20uses,through%20NASA's%20orbiters%20around%20Mars.&text=It%20generally%20takes%20about%205,Earth%2C%20depending%20on%20planet%20positions.

https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/robomars/pdf/6114.pdf

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/research/technology-onepagers/secure_space_communication.html

https://public.ccsds.org/Pubs/130x0g3.pdf

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19900064121

https://mars.nasa.gov/all-about-mars/night-sky/solar-conjunction/

https://www.mars-one.com/technology/communications-system/

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/communications/outreach/funfacts/txt_relay_satellite.html

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/sat.871

https://mars.nasa.gov/mro/mission/timeline/mtcommunicationsrelay/

https://www.mars-one.com/faq/mission-to-mars/what-will-the-astronauts-do-on-mars

https://www.mars-one.com/faq/technology/how-does-the-mars-base-communicate-with-earth#:~:text=All%20communication%20between%20Mars%20and,call%20would%20not%20be%20practical.

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