Augmenting Space Exploration with VR/AR
Virtual and augmented reality promise to transport us to places that we can only imagine. When joined with spacecraft and robots, these technologies will extend humanity's presence to real destinations that are equally fantastic. NASA's Operations Laboratory at JPL is spearheading several ambitious projects applying virtual and augmented reality to the challenges of space exploration. Through partnerships with multiple VR and AR companies, scientists on the Curiosity Mars Rover mission are exploring the martian terrain, engineers are experimenting with new ways to control the Robonaut humanoid, and astronauts on the International Space Station are preparing to perform their work more efficiently than ever before. The leads of these projects at NASA share their progress so far, the challenges that lie ahead, and their vision for the future of VR and AR in space exploration.
Virtual and augmented reality promise to transport us to places that we can only imagine. When joined with spacecraft and robots, these technologies will extend humanity's presence to real destinations that are equally fantastic. NASA's Operations Laboratory at JPL is spearheading several ambitious projects applying virtual and augmented reality to the challenges of space exploration. Through partnerships with multiple VR and AR companies, scientists on the Curiosity Mars Rover mission are exploring the martian terrain, engineers are experimenting with new ways to control the Robonaut humanoid, and astronauts on the International Space Station are preparing to perform their work more efficiently than ever before. The leads of these projects at NASA share their progress so far, the challenges that lie ahead, and their vision for the future of VR and AR in space exploration.