Live-Action Experience Coming to Kennedy Space Center

Future generations of space explorers will be engaged and inspired like never before as Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex introduces a new, interactive, live-action game experience – Cosmic Quest – in February 2016. Cosmic Quest promises to immerse young guests, known as “trainees,” in a variety of STEM-based (science, technology, engineering, and math) space adventures while educating them about NASA’s current and future space exploration endeavors.

“At Cosmic Quest, kids can explore a world of STEM and space-related careers through fun and educational interactive adventures that are based on real NASA endeavors,” said Therrin Protze, chief operating officer, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. “We are proud to offer this new live-action game experience to engage young people’s imaginations and get them excited about their role in future of space exploration.”

Cosmic Quest will offer a host of immersive adventures incorporated into some existing attractions:

1) In NASA’s Next Rocket Launch Adventure, located at the Apollo/Saturn V Center, “trainees” assemble their launch team from a pool of NASA’s best, including environmental engineers, biologists, computers scientists and other experts, each of whom will be instrumental in overcoming challenges leading up to the launch. As the rocket lifts off the pad, the trainee – safe in mission control – is immersed in the sensations of launch, including powerful vibrations and steam.

2) At Mars Colony Adventures, located at Journey To Mars: Explorers Wanted, trainees may participate in two exciting missions: building a research exploration base or building a permanent colony, both of which must be able to protect astronauts and colonists from poisonous dust and radiation on the Red Planet and keep them physically and mentally fit. During the adventures, trainees learn about the complications of living on the surface of Mars and the components needed to sustain human life. Trainees see their colony or base displayed as a 3D holograph while using a high-definition touch screen to assemble all the necessary parts.

3) Asteroid Capture Adventure, located within the IMAX Theater, calls for trainees to command a robotic spacecraft and overcome challenges in deep space to capture and redirect an asteroid. This deep-space adventure takes place in front of a massive half-dome screen, which completely immerses trainees in “outer space” as they redirect the asteroid into the orbit of Earth’s moon.

4) Finally, the International Space Station Adventure, located within Space Shuttle Atlantis, challenges Cosmic Quest trainees to gather items and information to complete various experiments on the International Space Station (ISS): Humans in Space, Plant Systems in Space, Materials in Space and Closed Loop Systems.

Trainees perform life-science experiments and discover what astronauts are doing on the ISS right now. Using large, interactive touch screens, they solve challenges such as countering the negative effects of microgravity on the human body and creating an efficient greenhouse to grow vegetables using aeroponics. While performing the experiments, trainees find out how space research not only will prepare humans for life on Mars, but also how it improves medicine, farming and technology on Earth.

Robonaut, a replica of NASA’s real R2 robot currently working aboard the ISS, serves as a virtual narrator and guide as Cosmic Quest trainees use their “astronaut badges” as activation devices to interact with digital progression points and touch screens located throughout each of the exhibit areas.

Launching at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in February 2016, Cosmic Quest will be offered for $24.95, in addition to the price of daily admission. All adventures are included in the price; the completion of one adventure is not dependent on other adventures.

IMAGES: © 2015 DNC Parks & Resorts at KSC, Inc. All rights reserved.