Just call me Captain Space Dork – Starfield's nods to NASA have let me properly nerd out about space

(Image credit: Bethesda)

During a spot of planetary exploration in Starfield, I saw something that completely stopped me in my tracks. After stumbling upon an area made up of a few structures, I found myself inside a small building, staring at the interior decor. On the wall was a simplistic poster, but what it illustrated was instantly recognizable to me. That has to be a NASA space shuttle, I thought to myself. My excitement only grew all the more when I saw what was written below it: "Since 1977". Thanks to my lifelong fascination with space flight, I knew that was a significant year for the Space Shuttle program, but I just had to confirm it for myself.

Before I knew it, I was poring over my beloved copy of The NASA Archives, and reading up on the shuttle online. Sure enough, my memory hadn't failed me. 1977 was the year the first orbiter space shuttle, 'Enterprise' – which was named after the ship in Star Trek – made a test flight in our skies. Suddenly I was soaking up every bit of information I could about the shuttle. Even if it turned out that the poster wasn't referencing that at all, it still reignited my passion for the topic and led me to get swept up in research. And this hasn't been a one off occurrence, either.

Starfield may not quite live up to the space flight fantasy I myself was envisioning, but I love how many little discoveries have made me absolutely nerd out. From decorative pieces that make my space-loving heart lift off, to activities that nod to NASA, my time adventuring through Bethesda's cosmos has truly let me become Captain Space Dork.

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I was only a few hours into the game when I came across a model of the Apollo sitting on a coffee table in The Lodge that serves as the home base for The Constellation. I hadn't even become a member yet, and introductions were in order, but I couldn't move away from the model. Nor could I suppress the huge grin that spread across my face at the sight of it. It felt very fitting to see a homage to the Apollo spacecraft decorating an organization committed to space exploration, and I couldn't wait to see what other references I might find. After I made my way inside the main hall to meet Sarah and the other members, I noticed something else with a recognizable shape in the background. Racing over, I realized it was a model of the Vostok spacecraft, which is another cool nod to our history of early space flight and the great space race of the 20th century.

Of course, when you actually become a member of the Constellation, there's ample opportunity to explore a wealth of planets, but I was most intrigued to venture into our own solar system. Thankfully, the main story missions naturally take you there early on, and the first chance I got, I landed on the moon just because I could. But it wasn't until much later that I returned to mark off a very special activity in my quest log: 'Visit the Apollo landmark on Luna'.

Naturally, as a fan of the history of space-flight and exploration, I was keen to find any landmarks or easter eggs, and the first one that came to mind was the famous Apollo landing site on the moon. I'd seen that other players had already made the discovery, but I had to see it for myself. Shirking the main campaign for a bit longer, I sped to the Lodge to find a book I'd heard would guide me to my desired destination. Sure enough, Sir Livingston's Second Journal mentions "the remnants of one of the old Apollo missions", and without wanting to waste anymore time, I immediately fast traveled back to the Moon to the location in question.

When I landed, I had to take a moment. There before me was the Lunar Landing module, next to a flag. As I made my way closer, the music began to swell, and I felt unexpectedly choked up by it all. Over the years, I've read so many books and watched countless documentaries about Apollo 11 and the Apollo program in general. Ever since I was small, I've looked up at the moon and marveled at the thought that people have walked on its surface. Now, I was doing that, albeit in a video game, and looking right at the remnants of a famous space flight that had fascinated me for as long as I can remember.

I don't enjoy the actual act of flying my own ship in Starfield all that much, mostly because of the way it handles. But even if I'd fast traveled my way there, coming face to face with the site still felt extra special. The snow globe you can find perched on top of the module to commemorate the occasion has also become my most prized item in the entire game. I never need an excuse to nerd out over NASA, but Starfield has certainly given me the opportunity to do just that on several occasions. I can't wait to discover more as I satisfy my passion for space flight.

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Heather Wald is the Evergreen Editor, Games at GamesRadar+. Her writing career began on a student-led magazine at Bath Spa University, where she earned a BA (Hons) in English literature. Heather landed her first role writing about tech and games for Stuff Magazine shortly after graduating with an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University. Now with almost seven years of experience working with GamesRadar+ on the features team, Heather helps to develop, maintain, and expand the evergreen features that exist on the site for games, as well as spearhead the Indie Spotlight series. You'll also see her contribute op-eds, interview-led features, and more. In her spare time, you'll likely find Heather tucking into RPGs and indie games, reading romance novels, and drinking lots of tea.