Mojang has announced an awesome collaboration made in partnership with NASA to offer what it's named the Artemis Missions for Minecraft. With Minecraft Education, educators are able to use Minecraft to teach all manner of STEM lessons including math, programming, and more. Partnering with NASA to offer an up-close look at the Artemis space program and Orion spacecraft is just the latest example of how Minecraft is helping gamers learn science.
Artemis 1 was a Moon-orbiting mission in NASA's Artemis program that launched in 2022. It was the first launch as part of the United States' lunar exploration program in decades. The primary purpose of the Artemis 1 mission was to test the Orion spaceship and its Space Launch System rocket, with future lunar exploration missions to follow. Artemis 1 was fully successful, with Orion launching on November 16 and performing two Moon flybys before reentering earth's atmosphere on December 11.
Now the Artemis 1 program is coming to Minecraft, via both the Minecraft Education platform and a special map for Minecraft Bedrock. In the new Artemis Missions for Minecraft Education, learners will be able to design and launch a rocket to the moon. To do so, they can even use block coding or Python to help navigate the Orion spacecraft. The lessons are also in line with both the National Science Teachers Association and the Computer Science Teachers Association's lesson plans.
For those who just want the opportunity to see Orion and its SLS rocket in motion, the Artemis: Rocket Build DLC is now available on the Minecraft Marketplace. Players will be able to explore NASA labs and talk to rocket scientists and engineers. They'll even get to help design the moon rocket and see it blast off from a makeshift Cape Canaveral.
The ubiquity of Minecraft makes it uniquely positioned to serve as a platform not just for video game shenanigans, but also education. Creators are able to work with entities like NASA, take what they're offering and work with teachers, and create lessons that play like video games kids are already familiar with.
Educators can register for Minecraft Education and download the new Artemis Missions, teacher's notes, and activities recommendations now, while students can sign up for a special virtual workshop where they can interact with experts from NASA. Minecraft Bedrock players, alternatively, can check out the free Artemis: Rocket Build DLC in the Minecraft Marketplace.
Minecraft is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and mobile devices.