Don’t have the millions of dollars or so to fly into space? That’s alright, thanks to NASA and Microsoft, a trip to Mars is now possible with lots of technology and a little imagination. The only downside is you have to go to Florida.
GET A TOUR OF MARS BY BUZZ ALDRIN IN VR
NASA is joining forces with Microsoft in order to take you to deep space. In an event called ‘Destination: Mars’, visitors will use Microsoft HoloLens VR to take a virtual stroll on Mars with a Buzz Aldrin as their tour guide. The exhibition will come this summer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Footage collected from the Curiosity rover has been compiled since 2012. Combined with the Hololens, an ordinary room will now become the surface of the Red Planet, open to your free exploration.
MICROSOFT AND NASA TOGETHER AT LAST
Who would have thought that NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Microsoft would have gotten along so well? Together, the two developed OnSight. Besides bringing a unique VR experience to wannabe astronauts, OnSight is an actual tool that scientists have used to virtually explore the red planet. Scientist mostly used it to recommend routes for the NASA Curiosity rover, but now, the exhibition will let everyday folk use it for their own pleasure.
BOOK YOUR TICKETS TO THE RED PLANET AKA FLORIDA
Surely, many of you would like to avoid Florida like the plague, but if you want any chance of seeing what Mars looks like, a trip to America’s derelict state is necessary. Once you get past the point that you’re stuck in Florida, use your imagination with the Microsoft HoloLens to virtually explore several sites on Mars. To even further help you along, there are virtual tour guides like Buzz Aldrin and rover driver Erisa Hines. Sure, it may not be anything like the real thing, but with an open mind, you can freely explore the “terrain” and learn about the planet’s history at the same time. Once you’re done, you can either go to Disney World or get the heck out of Florida. Those are really your two best options.
