In an effort to attract new and younger talent to its ranks, NASA has come up with a new strategy: Using video games to give people a chance to get a glimpse of outer space.

NASA believes that there are many teenagers who have the talent for a successful career but probably have never been in contact with the work that is actually done there. That is why they are joining forces with three different developers: Virtual Heroes (America’s Army), Project Whitecard and Wisdom Tools.

Using NASA’s knowledge and technical expertise the developers are working on a massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) that will allow players to engage in space exploration in a more realistic fashion. Astronaut: Mars, Moon and Beyond will allow players to visit Mars and see Spirit and Opportunity going about their business or see the Moon and look at the footsteps of astronauts (and all the gear they left there).

Title: The Horus Heresy: MechanicumAuthor: Graham McNeillPublisher: The Black LibraryRelease Date: November 25, 2008Price: $7.99Rating: One thumb up and one thumb sideways, 80/100, B-, *** out of five.Pros: It’s an entirely new presentation to The Horus Heresy series and focuses on a group other than the Space Marines. The development of characters and events is beautiful.Cons: Presentation will be hard to read for some and different enough that it might turn off people who loved the following of the Space Marines through the first parts of Heresy series.Overall: This book is an acquired taste that some people will either love or hate.

Mechanicum is a bit of a puzzle in itself. It’s a good book that, much like most of the really good sci-fi or fantasy, is entirely an acquired taste. The book is the first in the series that puts a group, other than the Space Marines, into focus…

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