Ava Brooks 
Mar 07, 2024
NASA has launched an innovative tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) that seamlessly blends education with sci-fi and fantasy elements. Titled "The Lost Universe," this captivating adventure poses a compelling question: What if the Hubble Space Telescope vanished? While the premise appears straightforward, the game's rich narrative delves into complex layers, set against the backdrop of a planet named Exlaris.
Exlaris, once thrown into disarray by a wayward black hole, has now embraced academia. However, trouble arises when a scholar named Eirik Hazn crafts a spell to connect with Earth and study the renowned Hubble Space Telescope's findings on black holes.
But before Hazn's research can progress, a dragon steals both the spell and the telescope, and researchers start disappearing. Enter the players: Earth-bound NASA employees who find themselves transported to Exlaris via a portal, tasked with unravelling the mystery and saving the day.
The official 44-page gameplay book, available for free on NASA's website, guides players through an immersive 3-4-hour adventure. While designed for 4-7 players, adapting the narrative to other TTRPG systems may require some creative tweaking.
Despite its fantastical elements, "The Lost Universe" remains firmly rooted in educational pursuits, highlighting the significance of the Hubble Space Telescope in humanity's understanding of the cosmos. Throughout the rulebook, scientific concepts such as gravitational lensing are explained, enriching players' knowledge while they embark on their quest.
Diving deeper into the lore reveals subtle nods to Hubble and NASA, with characters like Hazn bearing initials reminiscent of the telescope's namesake, Edwin Hubble. Even the Exlari people's energy source, based on dark matter, underscores the game's fusion of science and fantasy.
Crafted in collaboration with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, "The Lost Universe" boasts a diverse team of contributors, including members from the Hubble team and Earth Science Outreach. Leading the charge are Christina Mitchell, a video producer, and Michelle Belleville, a web design lead, whose collective efforts have brought this unique gaming experience to life.
