Virtual Reality Brings Space Exploration to Life at Annual Scientific Meeting: Why Do It Feels So Real?

Picture yourself standing on an asteroid far from Earth and being amazed by how big space is. This amazing event was possible at the 2024 Astronomical Society of Australia's Annual Scientific Meeting, which took place in June.

A New Era of Hi-Tech Explorer

At this year's meeting, attendees were treated to a VR experience that made space travel come to life. Using the spatial platform, they could view a digital copy of the asteroid Ryugu and the Hayabusa2 spacecraft.

The copy had a virtual setting that let people walk on the asteroid's surface. The Future of Meetings helped with this new way of running the conference, which was meant to make science meetings more sustainable and open to more people.

Many people who went, even people who weren't sure about VR technology before, were blown away by how natural and interesting the virtual world was. By starting up Spatial, they moved their avatars through a digital exhibition hall and into a portal to Ryugu. There, the 2018 journey of Hayabusa2 came to life in vivid detail.

OmniScope, a new company started by scientist Sasha Kaurov, used real images from the Hayabusa2 mission to make the Ryugu model. Even though it wasn't an exact copy, the model showed the area around the spacecraft's landing zone- the dark plain where JAXA safely collected samples in 2019. A professor at JAXA named Elizabeth Tasker stressed that the models of Hayabusa2 and its lander and rovers were true to size, which made the experience more realistic.

It was interesting to walk on Ryugu's surface in virtual reality. This isn't just a game; it's a way to get people interested in science.

Using data and real-world findings, VR lets people visit places they might never be able to reach physically. This makes space and planetary science more accessible than ever before.

Why does VR Feel so Real?

With stereoscopic vision, each eye sees a slightly different picture, giving the impression of 3D; virtual reality is like being in the real world. When paired with head-tracking technology, accelerometers simulate natural movement and change the view based on the direction of the user's head. These parts work together to make a believable illusion that puts users in a virtual world.

Virtual reality made people feel like they were there when they stood on Ryugu. Even though I knew a lot about the asteroid's surface and what it means for science, being able to "stand" on it online made me understand how hard it would be to land on a tiny rock floating millions of miles from Earth.

Tasker led a walk through the exhibit in Spatial, pointing out parts of the Hayabusa2 spacecraft that would be hard to explain more traditionally. The 3D model allowed people to examine smaller features, like where to store target markers and small impactors.

When the VR tour of Ryugu was over, specific individuals couldn't help but jump off the asteroid's edge and experience a moment of low gravity before returning to the digital surface. This fun and intense experience showed how VR could change how science is taught and shared, making faraway planets and complicated spaceships easier to understand and more enjoyable than ever.

Virtual reality's ability to create real and immersive settings opens up exciting new ways to explore space and get involved in science. The Annual Scientific Meeting of the Astronomical Society of Australia in 2024 showed how virtual reality can bring the universe's wonders closer to home, awe-inspiring scientists and fans alike.