Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play Video Games in Space?

Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play Video Games in Space?

March 24, 2009

Video games came up when President Obama made a long-distance phone call to the International Space Station this morning.

As reported by ABC News, Obama, some members of Congress and a group of Washington, D.C. school kids spent 28 minutes videoconferencing with the crew of the shuttle Discovery.

The Prez was friendly and conversational with the astronauts. When it came time for some questions from the students, the first one was, "Can you play video games in space?"

Obama dutifully relayed the question to the crew. Perhaps surprisingly, the answer that came back was yes, you can play video games in space.

In fact, one of the astronauts (we're not clear as to which one) replied:

We can, in fact. And in fact a few years ago when I was up here for six months I had a video game that I used to play in my spare time. Unfortunately, we don't have much spare time.

 

So we can, we have a lot of laptop computers. But for the most part we stay real busy doing real work.

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Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

-16 ton weight drops on head- well that was a dumb question

Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

They are, as it says in the article, kids.  They are curious and ask whatever pops into their heads.  Give'm a break, man. I'm sure you weren't Sir Isaac Newton at the age of 13, either.

--- XboxLive Tag: JuiceLayerJihad

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

 I just can't help but picture the russian dude from "armageddon" playing WoW.

 

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

I can only imagine the lag.

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

 http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/1977/campers.png

 

(not sure how to post a pic, but this will do)

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

Post a smiley, right click it and go to image properties, change the Url and hit OK.

----------------------------------------------------

Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

Also, if you open the url in another window and have that window over this window (so that you can see both this comment field and the image), you can simply drag the picture into the comment field and it will work just the same. Just drag and drop, but make sure that you can see the image and comment area at the same time, no scrolling.

=)

-If an apple a day keeps the doctor away....what happens when a doctor eats an apple?-

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

THIS! is how you kill Onyxia!  Now we can go home!

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play

Can't help but laugh.

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play

Wasn't this news in the 1980s when the Russian cosmonauts took Game Boys with them so they could play Tetris?

---
The Mammon Industry

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play

Well, the Gameboy was released in Japan in mid-1989, so I doubt you're thinking of that particular handheld. Perhaps it was Nintendo's Game & Watch system (which was bundled with Tetris) or the Russian G&W knock-off Elektronika (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elektronika#Electronic_toys). 

Only reason I'm digging this much into this was my own first thought to your post, which was "huh, I thought Game Boy came out in the early 90's."

The more you know!

--- XboxLive Tag: JuiceLayerJihad

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play

And knowing is half the battle.

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play

G.I. JOEEEEEE

| XBOX LIVE GamerTag: Harry Miste | Steam ID: Harry Miste | PSN ID: HarryMiste |

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play

lol, of course they can play videogames in space. Stuff doesn't just stop working when you get up there. But I imagine that when you get into space, playing videogames suddenly doesn't seem as interesting anymore.

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Believe in something! Even if it's wrong, believe in it! -Glenn Beck

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

Let me guess: Dead Space?

 

Andrew Eisen

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

lol, that was a good one. Yeah, playing dead space and watching Alien and Event Horizon.

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Believe in something! Even if it's wrong, believe in it! -Glenn Beck

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

That's like the time i was walking home alone at night with Silent Hill Homecoming...just flat out asking for some smack-down from the gods of irony and coincidence.

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

I'm actually making another trip to Centralia, Pennsylvania, the place the movie is based off of.  I went once alone, and it creeped the hell out of me, but walking was unsafe if I went too far so I decided not to explore the whole place.

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

Those are excellent ways never to sleep again.

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play

How's the ping up there?

I'm an attention whore. So visit my DevaintArt and feed my ego. Feed the whore. http://keaton2008.deviantart.com/

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play

Let's hope nobody brought a gun with them.  Lord knows what might happen if they play GTA IV too long.

"HEY! LISTEN!"

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play

Would the PS3 six axis, or the Wiimote work in zero G though? Seriously though; if I could get to fly the space shuttle around in space, why would I need a video game

PSN: bracomadar

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play

You actually make a good point about the six axis and Wiimote. Can the motion sensors work without gravity?

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play

 

Yeah I would like to do this experiment.  I'm a bit of a scientist myself also.  I like to do this experiment.

Can somebody write up a experiment and come up with a hypothesis for it??

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

I woulda pissed my pants if they came back with "Yeah, we play a GTA with a mod that lets us shoot space cops". 

Nightwng2000

NW2K Software

Nightwng2000 has also updated his MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/nightwing2000 Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

Think they ever played this in space?

http://www.mobygames.com/game/atari-2600/space-shuttle-a-journey-into-sp...

If so, seems kinda redundant.

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

Nah, more likely this one:

http://www.mobygames.com/game/shuttle

That one was more of a challenge.

Nightwng2000

NW2K Software

Nightwng2000 has also updated his MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/nightwing2000 Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

If I were in space I'd try playing a star wars game myself.

----------------------------------------------------

Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

Its clear that they play DDR in space

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You ...

 LOL, I just noticed that in the picture, it looks like Obama is looking at the sky while he's talking to them.  or more like looking up out the window.

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play

I can imagine when Astronaughts are not working, they are playing on their nintendo DS and they lose their stylus pen because they forgot to put it in the DS back of it. 

Then the pen would just float away.

 

Re: Obama & Kids Call Astronauts, Want to Know: Can You Play

I bet they play Backyardigans: Mission to Mars.  That game is set aboard the Space Shuttle, and it's just about the difficulty level that folks at NASA would be able to handle.

GamePolitics ShoutBox

Posted 02/09/10 at 03:51pm
DarkSaber: I think he just goes round the internet copy+pasting the same bollocks to get attention.
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:41pm
Valdearg: @DS: I have to admit, I chuckled when I saw the 4 Feb 2010 on that post.. >.<
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:31pm
DarkSaber: Hm, Bioshock. Not that Zippy likes to beat the dead horse by ranting about it for TWO $&%£ING YEARS!
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:30pm
DarkSaber: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.173063-Bioshock-yet-another-zippy-rant
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:26pm
Valdearg: @DS: Link!! LINK!
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:20pm
DarkSaber: Although, unsurprisingly, he's just being called an idiot alot and criticised for being as illegible as always.
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:18pm
DarkSaber: Oh good lord, I just found Zippy on The Escapist.
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:14pm
Valdearg: IE: Male body/Female Mind or Female Body/Male Mind.
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:13pm
Valdearg: @Zip: TG == Transgendered/Transsexual.
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:09pm
DarkSaber: Forget it Zippy, it's an abbreviation of a big word and so would be wasted on you
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:07pm
ZippyDSMlee: Vlag:....TG?
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:02pm
Valdearg: @DS: Im sure that's what they'd do if it wasn't legal to just tell Gays/TG's to "Screw off," just because they're who they are.
Posted 02/09/10 at 02:50pm
DarkSaber: Whoever told him/her/it that is dumb. They should have done like most companies and made-up some bullshit, yet legal, reason for it not getting the job.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:18pm
Valdearg: I do agree that it shouldn't be legal. That's for sure.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:16pm
Andrew Eisen: Shouldn't be. Spirit of anti-discrimination laws would seem to include sexual orientation (and eye color). Plus there's always equal protection and such. Never know until you try.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:14pm
Valdearg: @AE: Doubtful. Again, it's perfectly legal.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:10pm
Andrew Eisen: Should have sued (unless that wasn't an option given her financial situation or something). Might have won.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:00pm
Valdearg: Story about a Male to Female TG who was expressly told she wouldn't be given a job because she was TG. Its not the main point of the story, but explicit, perfectly legal discrimination like this exists.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:53pm
Valdearg: Lol, I don't know. It may very well be legal to do so. Though that might able to fall under the "race" restriction, depending on how that point is argued.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:51pm
Valdearg: I don't think they do have any legal recourse. I'll have to dig around, but I seriously believe that if the law doesn't specifically mention Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity, they can still be discriminated against in those 29 states.
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