SOLar orbiter: a virtual experience
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VR2Sun is a fully immersive, virtual reality application that embarks you on the Solar Orbiter mission to explore the inner heliosphere.
VR2Sun shows you the milestones of the mission during its 10-year journey around the Sun. You will get the closest ever to the spacecraft and look at all its ten instruments carried on board to decipher the mysteries of our star. Why a mission in virtual reality? The scale of the solar system is difficult to grasp, let alone the difficulties of a space probe to journey closer to the Sun. Furthermore, while many scientists use data from a space mission, not everyone necessarily know where the instruments are! In this project, the aim is to let the public explore where Solar Orbiter is on its different steps of its journey in the solar system, as well as how all the instruments on board will provide crucial data for science. This is the latest project from the team and has been developed by VR2Planets with support from the French Space Agency (Centre National des Etudes Spatiales) and the European Space Agency. The proof-of-concept presented to the public at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, to celebrate the launch of the mission in February 2020. Since then, VR2Sun has been showcased at science festivals (e.g. BlueDot), as well as open days (UCL/MSSL, Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, European Space Agency annual open days at ESAC (Spain) and ESTEC (The Netherlands)). The project is available in English and in French |
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My initial experience with the VR2Sun software was profoundly impressive. The tool serves as an excellent resource for visualizing spacecraft operations and predicting mission trajectories over time. It effectively demonstrates the spacecraft’s capabilities and the scope of its mission, offering a tangible and interactive way to explore complex space missions and as a tool to explaining to the public what we at MSSL do.
Colleague at UCL/MSSL for the 'UCL Festival of Engineering' which was held 15-20 July 2024.
It was a great success at the conference. Students loved it, there were queues all the time when it was demonstrated. They were really impressed and interested in it, so I am very happy as that was our goal: to inspire students and show them how many different interesting things can be done in physics!
Colleague at KU Leuven for the 38th International Conference of physics student which was held 4-11 August 2024.
Where to find it?
VR2Sun is a virtual reality application made for VR headsets. The released version is available via the VR2Planets team.
More information can be found in the company's page.
More information can be found in the company's page.
Fundings
VR2Sun is funded by the French Space Agency (Centre Nationale des Etudes Spatiales) and the European Space Agency
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