NASA created a VR metaverse to prep astronauts for life on the lunar space station

Instead of “most of us” spending time in the metaverse for asset trading or virtual reality experiences with legless avatars, astronauts collaborate with NASA and SpaceX in this digital realm to prepare for living on a lunar space station that currently does not exist.

According to NASA, the initial humans to reside in deep space are expected to be the team responsible for managing the ongoing construction project named “Gateway,” which is a space station in development.

In their latest blog entry, NASA referred to Gateway as a “state-of-the-art research station, sun-powered spacecraft, and cozy abode” designed for astronauts from around the world.

In the past, astronauts have relied on physical and computer simulations to prepare for new space missions. However, with the advent of advanced virtual reality headsets and spatial computing technologies, those headed to deep space can now acquire essential skills for working and enduring in a realistic 3-D environment.

NASA created a VR metaverse to prep astronauts for life on the lunar space station

The US anticipates that the Gateway project, which involves establishing essential power and propulsion systems in the Moon’s orbit, won’t begin operation before 2025 at the earliest.

The goal of Gateway reaches much further than its simple origins in Earth’s outskirts. As stated by NASA, this project is being established as a launchpad for the Artemis program, an American endeavor aimed at constructing a manned lunar base. This serves as the subsequent phase in humanity’s journey toward placing a person on Mars.

According to NASA:

“Gateway is a vital component of the NASA-led Artemis missions to return to the Moon and chart a path for the first human missions to Mars. The small space station will be a multi-purpose outpost orbiting the Moon and providing essential support for lunar surface missions, a destination for science, and a staging point for further deep space exploration.”

Astronauts assigned to manage and work on Gateway will encounter a challenging responsibility: they’ll be the pioneering deep space crew to inhabit an orbital station, residing and carrying out duties around 386,243 km away from Earth – more than triple the distance of the International Space Station (ISS), which has been in operation since 1998 and maintains an average distance of approximately 400 km from our planet.

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2024-04-11 20:27