NASA Leverages VR for Lunar Mission Training

NASA is using virtual reality (VR) to prepare for future lunar missions under its Artemis program. The Artemis III Geology Team participated in a VR mini-simulation at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in 2024, focusing on moonwalks, communication, and teamwork between science and flight control teams. 

The virtual lunar environment was built using real data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, replicating regions like the Nobile Rim near the moon’s south pole.  While field tests remain essential for hands-on experience, VR offers faster, cost-effective training to address time and resource constraints. The simulation helped teams learn to collaborate effectively, with the flight operations team and the science team refining their processes. Future VR applications could even incorporate mixed reality to enhance realism by allowing crew members to interact with both virtual and real objects during training.