SBIR Phase I: Curriculum Driven Gamification of Space Exploration

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project connects society through communal exploration of the universe. This product will be commercially useful to enhance scientific and technological understanding of astronomy in the K-12 classroom, the college astronomy laboratory, and in the hands of internet gamers around the globe, adding value to the partnerships between academia, industry, and the public. Due to the internationalism of both this project and the greater astronomy community, this project will develop a diverse and globally active camaraderie among players that fosters collaboration and socialization across geographic and economic borders in pursuit of space education. The proposed project addresses the need for relatable astronomy education by gamifying space exploration through robotic telescope use. The project aims to advance scientific knowledge of astronomy through the use of gamified, curated astronomy curricula that bring authentic remote observing practices into the classroom and any personal platform with internet access. The project will take users through a series of quests to explore the regions of the night sky, and the objects within, defined from the eighty-eight constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union. Explorer badges will be awarded on a "gravity point" system of successful observing missions, encouraging the practice of real astronomical observing, data handling and image processing practices, and comprehensive content research. The methods to successful implementation will include research of game design, establishing partners to support distribution of the learning materials into classrooms, and web/mobile application development.