Virtual reality is rapidly becoming an integral part of how NASA conducts research and developmental testing to support many of its missions. The agency is currently building a virtual reality testbed focused on simulating extravehicular activities (EVAs) on the surface of Mars. You can be a part of this development!
The NASA MarsXR Challenge is seeking developers to create new assets and scenarios for the Mars XR Operations Support System (XOSS) environment. Participants are tasked with creating additional assets and scenarios focused on EVAs, which will be used to test procedures and plan for conditions astronauts may experience while exploring on the surface of Mars.
Challenge submissions will support the Human Physiology, Performance, Protection & Operations Laboratory (H-3PO) at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The lab is developing an XR exploration surface analog known as Assessments of Physiology and Cognition in Hybrid-reality Environments (APACHE). The goal of APACHE is to simulate planetary exploration EVA scenarios while providing an accurate approximation of physical and cognitive workload using a combination of virtual reality and hybrid reality techniques. XOSS is one of the primary XR environments that is employed within the APACHE testbed. NASA, in collaboration with Buendea, developed XOSS using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5.
“We’re asking developers to help create an immersive, engaging, and realistic experience,” said Patrick Estep, human performance engineer at NASA Johnson. “These assets and scenarios will be essential to exposing researchers and test subjects to EVA-relevant scenarios, procedures, and informatics while on the Red Planet. We also intend to use this challenge to build a community of passionate people to continue helping NASA build future assets and scenarios.”
The XOSS Engine currently includes full Martian days, realistic weather conditions and gravity, 250 miles2 (400 km2) of realistic Mars terrain, and various existing assets such as suits and rovers. Participants may submit to one or more of the five challenge categories:
- Set Up Camp
- Scientific Research
- Maintenance
- Exploration
- Blow Our Minds
The top 20 ideas will share a prize purse of $70,000 and have the opportunity to participate in a conversation with the NASA team developing and using XOSS. The submission deadline is June 30, 2022.
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HeroX is hosting the challenge on behalf of NASA. The NASA Tournament Lab, part of the Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program in the Space Technology Mission Directorate, manages the challenge. The program supports public competitions and crowdsourcing as tools to advance NASA research and development and other mission needs.
Learn more about opportunities to participate in your space program via NASA prizes and challenges at: