Mars Experiment: Astronauts use virtual reality to relax

After a month-long stay at a simulated Mars space station, six NASA astronauts returned to civilization. They relaxed in the Virtual Reality.

In the HI-SEAS project (Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation), the US space agency Nasa, together with the University of Hawaii, is investigating how people can cope with a limited space over a long period of time.

Nasa astronauts simulate life on Mars under extreme conditions for up to twelve months. The simulated space station stands at a height of 2,500 meters, just before the summit of a volcano. Communication with the outside world is only possible with a delay of 20 minutes.

The subjects wear special equipment that records their behavior and mood as they move through the approximately 110 square meter small station.

Scientists can determine who is struggling with whom or who is out of the way. The aim of these repeated experiments is to find out which personalities complement each other in such a way that they can assemble the perfect team for a Mars mission.

Escape to the Virtual Reality

110 square meters for six people over several months, which should be more than enough for even highly educated social people. Since the space is fixed, there is only one place of refuge for the astronauts in the experiment, where they can be for themselves for a few moments: The Virtual Reality.

If the tight space of the space station and the permanent proximity to the colleagues become too much, the team members on the monitor or with VR glasses virtualize themselves to tropical beaches or places known to them.

For this purpose, Nasa developed, among other things, “ANSIBLE” (A Network of Social Interactions for Bilateral Life Enhancement), a virtual world ecosystem that implements evidence based strategies to promote social connectedness and psychological well-being, while being extendable and able to accommodate technical and environmental limitations of long duration flight.

In addition, training and teaching should take place in the virtual environments.

Nasa investigates whether and in which form the software can also be used commercially, for example for VR trainings or as a social platform.