Nasa's shuttle launch can be seen by Playstation Home users

NASA's final liftoff of space shuttle Discovery will be available in a unique "social viewing" environment available through Sony Computer Entertainment America's PlayStation(R)Home for PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system.

Discovery's launch on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST is the first live streaming event to be offered by Sunset Yacht, a premium personal space from LOOT, Sony DADC's interactive entertainment development team. Users will be able to chat via Bluetooth headsets with others watching the launch - all from inside the PlayStation Home social gaming environment.

"We're excited about this new way for people to experience the exhilaration of human spaceflight as part of a larger community," said David Weaver, NASA associate administrator for the Office of Communications. "In addition to the other two shuttle launches planned for April and June, NASA looks forward to sharing more of our endeavors with PlayStation users."

In addition to live streamed events, the Sunset Yacht's NASA TV channel will offer hundreds of videos offering spectacular views of the universe from past and current NASA missions. A gallery of podcasts showcasing several missions including the Mars Science Laboratory and Voyager spacecraft also will be available from the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.

"The launch of the space shuttle Discovery provides a wonderful opportunity to introduce people to the fun of social viewing," said LOOT Managing Director David Sterling. "Users can share this experience with their friends, regardless of where those friends happen to be in the world."