Doom Just Went Where No Game Has Gone Before: Into Orbit! (Breaking News)
Hold onto your helmets, gamers and space enthusiasts! The legendary first-person shooter Doom, a title that practically *defined* a genre back in 1993, has achieved a new milestone: it’s been played… in space! This isn’t just a quirky tech demo; it’s a significant test of onboard computing for future spacecraft, and a testament to the enduring power of a truly iconic game. This is a breaking news story that’s capturing attention across the tech world and beyond, and we’re bringing you the details.
From Powerbanks to Planets: Doom’s Unstoppable Portability
For years, the Doom community has been relentlessly pushing the boundaries of where the game can run. We’ve seen it squeezed onto powerbanks, embedded within Apple’s TouchBar, and even running *inside* a PDF file. But this latest feat, orchestrated by Icelandic programmer Ólafur Waage, takes the cake. Waage, a self-described “keyboard professional” known for his playful tech experiments, chose the European Space Agency’s (ESA) OPS-SAT satellite as his next canvas.
OPS-SAT: A Flying Laboratory for Space Computing
OPS-SAT isn’t your typical satellite. It’s designed as a “flying laboratory,” equipped with a computer roughly ten times more powerful than traditional space systems. The ESA built it specifically to test new calculation methodologies and facilitate advanced software experiments – things like playing chess or even processing stock trades from orbit. This makes it the perfect, albeit unconventional, platform for a game like Doom. The satellite’s powerful processor, a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9, allowed for the experiment, but presented unique challenges.
Adapting Doom for the Final Frontier
Waage utilized the open-source Chocolate Doom 2.3 engine, chosen for its compatibility with the satellite’s Ubuntu LTS 18.04 operating system. The relatively simple C code and minimal dependencies made the port surprisingly manageable. However, running Doom in space wasn’t without its hurdles. OPS-SAT lacked dedicated graphics hardware, meaning all rendering had to be done via software – a significant performance hit. And, of course, there was no screen!
To overcome these limitations, Waage ran the game using pre-recorded demo files. This allowed the levels to play automatically with predictable inputs, crucial for analyzing any anomalies caused by the space environment. Perhaps the most ingenious touch? The satellite’s camera was used to capture real images of Earth, replacing the game’s traditional Martian landscapes with stunning, live footage of our planet. Talk about immersive!
A Scientific Experiment Disguised as Fun
The first successful launch of Doom on OPS-SAT occurred just after Christmas in 2019. While the frame rate was understandably limited, the experiment proved invaluable. It served as an innovative test bed for on-orbit software and demonstrated the versatility of modern onboard systems. More importantly, it showed that even entertainment projects can provide valuable data on the functioning and reliability of space systems under real-world conditions. This is a prime example of how seemingly frivolous pursuits can drive genuine technological advancement.
The Legacy Continues: Looking to the Future of Space Gaming
Although OPS-SAT was decommissioned in 2024, the spirit of innovation lives on. ESA’s new OPS-SAT VOLT satellite series promises even more cutting-edge experiments, including explorations into quantum communications. And Waage isn’t stopping here. He’s already expressed his intention to adapt Doom to these future platforms, ensuring that this pioneering spirit – a fascinating intersection of engineering and internet culture – continues to thrive. The success of this project isn’t just about playing a classic game in space; it’s about unlocking new possibilities for software testing and pushing the boundaries of what’s achievable in orbit. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most unexpected experiments yield the most significant results, and that even in the vastness of space, there’s always room for a little bit of Doom.