Must-have for Space Fans: "Space Explorers Ultimate Edition" for Quest 3
The impressive VR space series "Space Explorers" is getting a new episode and mixed reality content. We tried out the free new VR app.
A space scene from the VR documentary "Space Explorers".
(Image: Felix & Paul Studios)
“Space Explorers” is an extraordinary VR project. It was created in collaboration with NASA over a period of more than ten years. The centerpiece of the documentary is the four-part episode “The ISS Experience,” which, with a runtime of over 140 minutes, is the largest and most elaborate VR film production to date recorded in space.
Over several years, ISS astronauts documented life on board the space station with stereoscopic 360-degree cameras. This resulted in a unique and intimate insight into the crew's daily lives and life in space. “The ISS Experience” was awarded the renowned US television prize Emmy in 2021.
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The “Space Explorers: Ultimate Edition,” released this week for Meta Quest 3 and 3S, combines all previous episodes of the VR space series in one app for the first time, including a new episode called “Mission to the Moon,” which documents the ongoing Artemis program. VR users experience here how astronauts are preparing for the first moon landing since 1972: in rough landscapes and underwater, they practice living and working under the conditions of the lunar environment. The moon landing as part of the Artemis III mission is expected at the earliest in 2027.
250 Miles Above Earth: Spacewalk in Virtual Reality
In terms of quality, the 360-degree material is on par with earlier productions. Despite a nominal 8K resolution, the images often lack sharpness. They primarily leave an impression through their space motifs.
If you have little time to watch “Space Explorers,” we recommend watching the special episode released in 2022 under the title “Spacewalkers.” It shows spectacular exterior shots of the ISS and the Earth that are guaranteed to give you goosebumps. The material was shot with a camera that was specially built to withstand the extreme conditions of outer space, including vacuum, ionizing radiation, and extreme temperature fluctuations. Thanks to a robotic arm, the camera could be moved up to 15 meters away from the ISS. This gives you the feeling of floating freely above the Earth in VR.
Between this and the numerous other episodes of “Space Explorers,” VR users navigate by jumping from one animated 3D environment to another with hand gestures and selecting the corresponding episodes within them. A navigation that sometimes leads to a loss of overview. The fact that the studio also dispenses with optional controller control is regrettable. It would have made the operation more precise and reliable.
Weak App, Great 360-Degree Videos
In addition to the 3D environments and immersive videos, the “Ultimate Edition” offers a mixed reality gimmick: Each time you finish watching a video, a corresponding 3D model is unlocked, which you can bring into your living room, view up close, and virtually hold in your hand. Some objects can even be assembled, including a detailed 3D model of the ISS.
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Although the “Ultimate Edition” is released exclusively for Meta Quest 3, the app only partially utilizes the performance of the newer headsets. The resolution is so low that clear aliasing is visible on almost all 3D models. Third-party tools showed in our test that significantly more would be possible. In any case, the decision to withhold the “Ultimate Edition” from Quest 2 users was likely not made for technical reasons.
It is extremely regrettable that, unlike in the original app, the episodes can no longer be downloaded but only streamed. During our test, despite a fast internet connection, there were dropouts and reloading pauses every few minutes, which significantly detracted from the experience. A problem that will hopefully be resolved soon.
Despite these shortcomings, “Space Explorers” remains a must-have for space fans and VR enthusiasts. The documentary is a moving tribute to the human spirit of exploration and allows space travel to be experienced in new ways through virtual reality.
“Space Explorers Ultimate Edition” is available for free in the Horizon Store.
(wpl)
