It feels like the other way around too me -- in order to reach out and inspire a new generation, NASA willingly collaborated with Rovio to show people that (an abstraction of) space can be all sorts of fun. Its relevant physics puzzles in much more palatable form!

'Sides, at least it's a game about space where, for once the aliens are not exterminating humans and blowing up everything.

Oh wait on the blowing stuff up part. :)