NASA International Space Museum

This is a substantial sized sim. There's a lot going on here. So there's quite a bit to talk about.

First, I'm going to rant about the downsides, some of which are unavoidable. Still, they are things to keep in mind if one is going to build one's own place of learning online.

The first is simply a matter of scale. Generally the objects are built to scale. This is usually a good thing, but the problem is that in Second Life it makes it extremely difficult to actually see things. If one zooms out far enough to see an entire rocket, one tends to go out past the typical rezzing distance. Half the rocket disappears. And that assumes there aren't three other rockets between your target rocket and the view point blocking the view. Additionally, the space itself is so large, with so much stuff it gives one the sense of a real museum. Again, usually a good thing, but when one gets the sense that one is going to be there for hours and not see half of it...

Next is the set up on their solar system. The planets I went and visited did not have easy navigation. One arrived at the planet, viewed the satellite(s) there, and then couldn't get back. The only way to escape was to jump through the center hole and return to earth, then ride the rocket again... This was, for me, rather a deal breaker. I didn't pursue much because of the inconvenience.

Also, I didn't find that much interactivity. Beyond the flight to the ISS and the little quiz kiosks, it was a pretty static place. In spite of my enjoyment of space exploration, I struggled to keep my interest after the initial "geewiz" effect of seeing all the rockets in the initial circle.

On the upsides, however, there were several interesting things. The Gemini ride to get to the ISS was rather enjoyable, aside from the side effects:
























It was rather a neat way to get up there. It gave one a little bit of an interactive sense. Watching the transition into space was enjoyable. I probably should have turned the sound up.






I mentioned my issues with exploring the planets. Never the less, here I am at Pluto. It was interesting seeing the little comments floating there, including the question about the planethood of Pluto.






Back on Earth I was gratified to find this little gem. The fact that NASA included non-NASA endeavors like Spaceship One helped to create a stronger sense of this as a space museum, not a NASA museum.










I KNEW IT WAS FAKE! They used Second Life!












So, where are the Jawas?







I think there was a good bit to be learned from this exploration. The initial awe factor of seeing the scale of the rockets was fascinating, but quickly wore off after the frustrations of being unable to really see things. The low interactivity also created a brevity of interest. More interaction and activity would make it more exciting. However, the quizes were stimulating, and the fact they gave out little rewards did capture some degree of competitiveness hampered only by the fact someone who didn't really care that much could simply guess repeatedly until they guessed right, making it a time trial instead of a knowledge test.

Still, an interesting visit.