How the European Space Agency Is Preparing Astronauts for Missions, One Virtual Step at a Time
Through immersive simulations, astronauts can perfect every maneuver they’ll perform during spacewalks – ensuring Europe’s astronauts are better prepared than ever for missions to the International Space Station, the Moon, and beyond.
Benefits of VR/XR in astronaut training:
- Improved safety: Risk-free practice of complex or hazardous procedures
- Cost and resource savings: Reduces the need for physical mock-ups, logistical demands, and staffing needs
- Flexible and scalable: Easily adaptable for varied training scenarios
- Increased repetition: Allows for practice until procedures become second nature
- Time efficiency: Reduces overall training duration and scheduling demands
- Enhanced immersion and engagement: More realistic, motivating training experiences
- Better spatial orientation: Improves mental mapping in microgravity environments
Innovating Next-Generation Tools for Space Readiness
Preparing astronauts for crewed space missions requires years of preparation and hundreds of hours of complex training simulations. With no margin for error, mission success depends on flawless execution.
That’s why the European Space Agency’s (ESA) European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany is continuously seeking new, innovative ways to enhance astronaut training.
Their team specializing in Extended Reality (XR), AI, Quantum technology and IoT & Robotics develops advanced visualizations, interactive training modules, and realistic simulations tailored specifically for ESA astronauts. Their primary goal is to create highly immersive and engaging training experiences to complement traditional training methods.
To ensure maximum accuracy and effectiveness, the XR Lab team collaborates closely with astronaut trainers and instructors throughout the development process. This close partnership ensures that each immersive training scenario accurately mirrors real-world conditions astronauts will encounter.
How Astronauts Train for Spacewalks – And Why It’s So Complex
When astronauts train for Extravehicular Activities (EVAs), or spacewalks, every step and maneuver is practiced thousands of times. The training is resource-intensive, costly, and time-consuming, as it relies heavily on extensive physical practice in NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory.
This large pool facility in Houston features detailed underwater mock-ups of the International Space Station (ISS). Astronauts train there in pairs, wearing specialized spacesuits balanced with weights to ensure that they neither float upward nor sink to the bottom.
These sessions are critical because EVAs can be extremely complex: they typically last six to ten hours, involve specialized tools, and require astronauts to navigate complicated paths from the airlock to their worksite.
Traditional pool training has inherent limitations. Underwater simulations differ from real space conditions due to factors like water resistance, altered visual cues, and residual sensations of gravity. Additionally, setting up these sessions requires extensive safety measures, logistics of scheduling support personnel, and significant preparation time.
One Virtual Step for an Astronaut, One Giant Leap for Training
Recognizing these limitations, ESA is developing headset-based VR/XR simulations designed specifically to complement existing training methods, such as the Neutral Buoyancy pool. Using virtual and mixed reality, astronauts can experience genuine weightlessness, practice precise movements repeatedly, and visualize complex environments more effectively than with traditional methods.
By introducing a new kind of training thanks to flexible and readily accessible virtual environments, astronauts can relieve their intense scheduling pressures during ground preparation, as their training days on Earth are often long and demanding.
“Given these complexities, having the opportunity to supplement physical training with virtual reality simulations is extremely beneficial. VR provides an additional layer of practice, allowing astronauts to refine their procedures even further,” says Andreas Treuer, Haptics & XR Engineer at the European Space Agency.
Additionally, VR/XR can simulate scenarios that are virtually impossible or impractical to recreate through traditional methods. For example, the moment astronauts first open the airlock and see Earth directly beneath them, with only empty space in between: this experience can be overwhelming during their first spacewalk, but by experiencing the scenario in virtual reality beforehand, astronauts become familiar with the emotional and sensory intensity, something that simply can’t be adequately replicated in underwater simulations.
Mastering the International Space Station’s Robotic Arm in VR
Immersive technology also provides significant advantages in robotics training. In ESA’s mixed reality robotics trainer solution called JIVE, astronauts can practice operating and maneuvering the ISS’s 18-meter robotic arm virtually – a scenario that would be nearly impossible to physically replicate on Earth due to enormous infrastructure requirements, safety risks, and logistical complexity. With the virtual replica accessible by putting on a headset, trainees can realistically and safely learn arm operations with the correct scale and perspective.
“Our primary goal with VR training is to offer astronauts a practical tool where they can safely practice procedures, make mistakes without consequence, and repeat exercises as often as needed before they carry out these tasks in the real environment,” says Florian Saling, XR Software Engineer at the European Space Agency.
The results of this training approach are already evident. ESA’s XR Lab has estimated that approximately half of the robotics training previously done through traditional methods can now be effectively replaced by XR simulation. This has resulted in an overall reduction of training time for robotic operations by ~50%, without negatively impacting performance and maintaining the same high standards of astronaut proficiency. ESA has also shared this training software with NASA.
“Our ultimate goal is to expand VR usage into every area where it can effectively support astronaut activities.”
Florian Saling - XR Software Engineer, European Space Agency
Walking on the Moon and Fixing the ISS – Before Leaving Earth
In addition to robotics training, ESA uses several other key software applications to deliver immersive astronaut training experiences. One of these is LUNA XR, a large-scale simulator and VR exploration tool that recreates lunar landscapes in high detail.
Through LUNA XR, trainees can interact with various elements and even experience lunar gravity firsthand by tossing blocks and observing how objects behave in reduced-gravity environments.
Another essential tool is the EVA Spacewalk Training Tool, which provides a highly detailed VR visualization of the different components astronauts handle when performing spacewalks. The simulations enable trainees to familiarize themselves with different aspects of the ISS environment, both external and internal. They can explore the station’s exterior to understand precisely where they’ll perform tasks during spacewalks.
Inside the station, trainees can study detailed layouts of internal systems, including technical racks, airlocks, and the locations of emergency equipment like fire extinguishers. The training software even allows astronauts to practice complex maintenance procedures, such as replacing oxygen sensors or deionization units – tasks they must eventually perform aboard the station.
Repetition, Realism, and Results – Why Astronauts Love VR/XR Training
ESA’s XR Lab customizes the immersive training scenarios according to each space traveler’s individual training objectives. Astronauts who have trained using ESA’s VR/XR solutions tend to provide enthusiastic feedback, highlighting how these immersive experiences nicely complement traditional training methods.
VR/XR training gives them the opportunity to practice the iconic, thrilling aspects of space exploration – like performing spacewalks or controlling robotic arms – tasks that naturally excite and motivate them. “The astronauts love using these VR applications. It’s more engaging and something entirely different from the other types of training they typically experience,” Treuer notes.
According to ESA’s XR team, astronauts appreciate being able to repeat procedures multiple times, allowing them to memorize every move until it’s second nature. “This level of precise repetition isn’t always possible with other training methods,” says Treuer.
Expanding the Role of VR/XR in Space Missions
ESA is also applying virtual and mixed reality beyond traditional astronaut training. They’ve utilized the technology in initial-stage product design to test space equipment interfaces and identify ergonomic or practical issues early in development. They’ve also used immersive technology in architectural applications:
VR helped project managers visualize and refine the layout of ESA’s new lunar analogue facility, leading to improvements before its construction.
Looking ahead, ESA’s XR Lab is exploring many new operational uses of VR/XR. They are now focused on integrating mixed reality capabilities into their lunar simulations to make Moon landscapes in astronaut training even more immersive. ESA also aims to expand VR/XR applications into operational contexts, including tools to support ground controllers who supervise and communicate with the ISS.
There’s also potential for VR to support astronaut well-being on long-duration space missions: headset-based immersive experiences could offer escapism from their confined environment, providing a source of relaxation, entertainment, or even therapeutic use.
“Our ultimate goal is to expand VR usage into every area where it can effectively support astronaut activities,” Saling states.
As immersive technologies continue to mature, ESA’s bold push into VR and XR could redefine not just how astronauts train, but how humanity prepares for the next frontiers.
