Through Astronaut Eyes, Virtual Reality Propels Gateway Forward

2 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

NASA Astronaut Raja Chari wearing a VR headset and holding VR controllers in both hands, immersed in training at the Virtual Reality Training Lab at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

NASA Astronaut Raja Chari explores Gateway in virtual reality at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

Astronauts living aboard the Gateway lunar space station will be the first humans to make their home in deep space. To fine-tune the design of the next-generation science lab, solar-powered spaceship, and home-away-from home for international teams of astronauts, NASA calls on the likes of Raja Chari and Nicole Mann, experienced astronauts who know a thing or two about living and working on a space station.

Commanders of the SpaceX Crew-3 and Crew-5 missions to the International Space Station, respectively, Chari and Mann recently brought their long-duration mission experience to bear when they strapped into virtual reality (VR) headsets to tour Gateway, humanity’s first space station to orbit the Moon.

NASA Astronaut Nicole Mann wearing a VR headset, with an image of the virtual reality simulation she is experiencing displayed next to her. The simulation shows the interior of Gateway.

NASA Astronaut Nicole Mann exploring Gateway’s HALO module.

During VR testing, astronauts engage in a variety of tasks that they expect to encounter in their day-to-day life on Gateway during real Artemis missions, including performing science experiments, retrieving supplies, and preparing warm meals. By combining VR models with real-world astronaut experience, NASA designers can make tweaks to Gateway’s interior design for a safer and comfier space station.

NASA Astronaut Raja Chari wearing a VR headset and holding VR controllers in both hands, with an image of the virtual reality simulation he is experiencing displayed next to him. The simulation shows the interior of Gateway, as Chari navigates through the virtual environment during a testing session at NASA's Johnson Space Center's Virtual Reality Training Lab.

Gateway is poised to revolutionize deep space exploration at the Moon and beyond as a testbed for next-generation technology and new science to better understand the impact of space on humans. This space station is a critical component of the Artemis campaign to return humans to the lunar surface for scientific discovery and pave the way for the first human missions to Mars.