First, we gathered and discussed what each team member understood regarding the challenge, and how each member expected to address the issue. We noticed in a straightforward manner that most ideas converged to the development of some sort of application which could engage the user at the same time it introduced the user to some key concepts in the field of propulsion systems, space exploration and relativistic mechanics.

After brainstorming, we decided to approach the problem by developing a game application.

Later, we tried to narrow down the audience of our application (which would include teens from 10 to 19 years of age); we established the channels through which we would reach this audience (Steam, Twitch, YouTube, and such, that is, platforms commonly used by gamers); and we tried to think on how we could relate to this audience and offer them an engaging and immersive experience, that could be also educational. Therefore, we started to list some features the game should present in order to be more appealing. These features are listed below:

• Different missions, based on real-time events, as well as challenges renewed at the end of each day and week.
• An in-game currency which would lead the player to apply concepts of resource management.
• A cumulative in-game score that would place the player in a regional and global ranking.
• A collaborative and competitive multiplayer mode.
• In-game trivia and collectible items with “fun-facts” describing the functioning of rocket engines, space exploration missions, and similar concepts.

We did not want the user to fail if he chose the nonoptimal engine for the mission. We preferred to still reward the user for completing the mission, but the points earned would be proportional to the efficiency of the engine chosen to complete the mission. By doing this, we also guarantee that the user replays the same mission, in order to get the best score, by comparing his performance during the mission with different engines.

After these main concepts were discussed, we used the Unity game engine to elaborate a proof-of-concept of our game, as hosted in our Github page. This concept was built for Web browsers, but the final product would rather be aimed for mobile platforms. We also focused on a 2D approach, due to the time limit. However, expansion to other styles (3D first person, VR gaming) were contemplated, especially to accommodate special effects that would be helpful to understand physics, such as non euclidean spaces, doppler effect, and space-time distortion, for instance, which are achievable with shaders and other computer graphics tools.

Finally, we sent our application to a few colleagues in order to receive feedback, which was later embedded in our final application.

We used the data from reference 1 to understand the various types of propulsion systems and, from that, to select a few engines to feature in our game. With respect to the engines within the game, we searched for real-life space mission that employed them, as well as information with respect to their price (million of dollars), specific impulse, thrust and engine weight. Because we also selected some engines which, at the moment, have not been proved to be feasible, usable or are purely theoretical, we needed to stipulate what probably would be their information. This was performed in a rather qualitative than quantitative manner.

   We also used references 2 and 3 to learn which technologies used nowadays on a regular basis were resultant from the efforts employed during the research and development of new technologies aimed for space exploration and propulsion systems. We mainly used these examples in order to prove that it is worth investing in space programs, (one of the goals of our project) since it can generate supporting technologies and products that can be used by the society.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cUweMjBQI7_m_FpVS8CeAb6YJnQLNvhP/view?usp=sharing

1. https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/501329main_TA02-InSpaceProp-DRAFT-Nov2010-A.pdf
2. https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/Benefits-Stemming-from-Space-Exploration-2013-TAGGED.pdf
3. https://homeandcity.nasa.gov/