The game is a basic quiz game, testing users' knowledge of Nasa trivia in either single or multi-player.

Once you have picked an avatar you enter a quiz with ten questions.

In multi-player mode each correct answer gets you 100 points, with a 20 point bonus to the player who answers first. With each right answer your rocket goes a bit higher, while wrong answers have you staying put. Once you have at least seven answers right, you got through to a bonus round where you are asked one final question, which gives you a badge.

If you get the right answer, you get a virtual badge depicting an astronaut, spaceship, planet or other person or object. More badges can be obtained for 1 500 points.

"We're hoping Space Race Blastoff opens up Nasa's history and research to a wide new audience of people accustomed to using social media," said David Weaver, Nasa's associate administrator for communications. "We're really excited to see what the interest will be."

You can play the game here.