James Webb Space Telescope - Play & Learn

James Webb Space Telescope Play & Learn was created as a Learning through the looking glass challenge of the NASA International Space Apps Challenge.  The purpose is to illustrate the complexity of the spacecraft, its subsystems, the risks of the operation, and the vast knowledge it brings to humanity. 

The players will get the role of the mission controller who needs to complete tasks with the James Webb Space Telescope. They will be responsible for monitoring and controlling the instruments and the individual subsystems of the spacecraft:

• Electrical Power Subsystem 
• Attitude Control Subsystem 
• Communication Subsystem 
• Command and Data Handling (C & DH) System 
• Propulsion System & Propellant

Based on the difficulty and performance of the players, a guide will be offered to assist with the operation, allowing everyone to enjoy and learn from the experience. The control is divided into three sections: the mission, which specifies the game duties; the Console, which controls the spacecraft; and Webbopedia, which educates the player. As a reward, the player will be able to make the same types of observations as the JWST.

This can encourage children to explore STEM subjects and adults to learn about investments in the space business and exploration.

The current status is:

• The app is a minimum viable product designed to demonstrate the concept's potential
• The first version has many simplifications and does not represent the universe nor the spacecraft and its control precisely.

Planned improvements:

• Implement Mission Control more representative that better represents the JWST mission (support from NASA or reference to a publicly available MCS specification would help us).
• Create a more representative universe.
• Add station keeping in L2.
• Automatically load images published by NASA to the game environment.
• Create a series of guided missions from the launch until the latest published observation.
• Implement a guide to help the players through the missions according to their skills.
• Release the game for common platforms (Win, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS) and virtual reality.
• Add more educational resources to the Webbopedia inside the game.
• Consider adding on-board control procedures implementation to teach algorithms and coding.