In an era where we spend our time in the metaverse engaging in virtual realities and trading digital assets, astronauts from NASA and SpaceX are utilizing this technology to prepare for life on a lunar space station that is still in the works.
According to NASA, the first humans to reside in deep space will be part of the team responsible for operating the upcoming space station called “Gateway.” In a recent blog post, NASA described Gateway as an advanced scientific laboratory, a solar-powered spaceship, and a second home for international astronauts.
Traditionally, astronauts have trained for new missions using physical and computer-based simulators. However, with the advent of modern virtual reality headsets and advanced spatial computing technologies, individuals planning to venture into deep space can now acquire the necessary skills to work and survive in a fully immersive 3-D environment.
Gateway, which is set to make its debut beyond Earth no earlier than 2025, will be equipped with critical power and propulsion systems orbiting the Moon. Its mission extends far beyond the confines of Earth, as it serves as a staging point for the Artemis program. This U.S.-led initiative aims to establish a manned base on the Moon, marking the next milestone in humanity’s journey to eventually send humans to Mars.
The astronauts entrusted with maintaining and operating Gateway will face the extraordinary challenge of becoming the world’s first crew to live and work in deep space. They will be located at a maximum distance of approximately 386,243 kilometers from Earth, significantly surpassing the average distance of about 400 kilometers that astronauts aboard the International Space Station, launched in 1998, currently maintain.
Related: Lunar colony prospects by 2030 appear unlikely, but that’s not the objective — MoonDAO