NASA's Space Game Dream: From Moonbase Alpha to the Fall of Starlite

NASA once attempted to promote space exploration through gaming, collaborating with game studios in 2009 to develop the lunar base simulator, Moonbase Alpha. The game unexpectedly gained popularity due to its unique DECtalk speech synthesis system, with players creating various songs, becoming a viral phenomenon. However, the subsequent ambitious space MMO, Starlite: Astronaut Academy, ultimately failed due to funding issues and internal conflicts, leaving behind a story filled with regret.