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How the European Space Agency Is Preparing Astronauts

Through immersive simulations, astronauts can perfect every maneuver they’ll perform during spacewalks – ensuring Europe’s astronauts are better.

Customer

Category

Industry

Automotive

Headset

Varjo XR-4

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Software

Varjo Base

Pro

Services

Varjo Alpha

Custom

About customer

Rivian is an electric vehicle company founded in the United States in 2009 that manufactures EVs such as pickups, SUVs and delivery vans. Rivian constantly aims to push the industry and technology further, and environmental considerations are extremely important to them.

As part of their commitment to the environment, Rivian has adopted a goal of net zero emissions by 2040. This also means they want to achieve a more sustainable raw material supply and consumption and want to minimize waste at all stages of the process.

About solution

Understanding the pivotal role that continuous learning plays in maintaining a competitive edge, TechNova partnered with UpSkill Sphere to provide a personalized, adaptive learning platform for its employees. The company utilized UpSkill's AI-powered platform to create unique learning paths for each employee, integrating the tool into their existing HR systems for a seamless learning experience.

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Axis Flight Simulation

Headquartered in Lebring, Austria, AXIS Flight Simulation builds the world’s most advanced flight training solutions. The company offers a broad range of products designed to support pilots throughout their training, from flat panels to full flight simulators. To stay ahead of the digital innovation curve and help training centers achieve greater efficiency, they recently introduced their Virtual Cockpit Procedure and Walkaround Trainer utilizing advanced virtual reality simulation technology.

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Transforming Procedural Training Beyond Checklists

Procedural training in flight training programs refers to the practice of standard procedures that pilots must follow to operate an aircraft safely and correctly. These procedures include checklists and defined actions performed during various phases of flight, such as pre-flight checks, engine startup, en-route operations, and shutdown.

There are several approaches to procedural training —from traditional methods like posters, static images, and cockpit mock-ups to sophisticated Full Flight Simulators. However, with two-dimensional images, pilots lack a realistic sense of spatial orientation and cannot fully grasp the actual positions of controls within the cockpit. Certain functions, such as checking hydraulic pressure or verifying specific system values, cannot be practiced using static images alone, as these resources don’t provide interactive or dynamic feedback.

Full Flight Simulators offer more realism, but their high costs and logistical constraints limit student access and prevent repeated practice.

To address these challenges, AXIS initiated the development of an immersive VR training solution. By collaboration with Propair Flight, and actively involving pilots and flight schools throughout the process, the team was able to create a comprehensive trainer specifically designed to meet the needs of students and training centers.

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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.

A Virtual Gateway for Real-World Readiness

The pioneering Virtual Cockpit Procedure and Walkaround Trainer (VPT) provides immersive learning tailored specifically for business jet pilots, initially simulating the Bombardier Challenger 350 but customizable for other aircraft models upon request. When trainees put on the Varjo headset, they're transported into a highly authentic virtual cockpit where they can conduct thorough pre-flight walkarounds and closely inspect every detail to ensure aircraft readiness.

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spacewalk training on varjo xr-4 varjo series

With the Cockpit Procedure feature, they can practice essential cockpit procedures – from familiarizing themselves with complex systems and performing ground operations to confidently responding during emergencies. Trainees can choose between guided sessions with an intuitive virtual instructor or test their abilities independently, relying only on official real-world checklists and manuals.

The solution utilizes hand-tracking technology so that pilots don’t have to rely on any additional devices beyond their hands. Integrating eye-tracking is also an essential feature of the solution, as there are numerous points at which the pilot must perform visual inspections. Training providers can monitor precisely where the pilot is looking, ensuring that visual examination tasks have been correctly executed.

Varjo aligned perfectly with our objectives. - Zsolt Koltai - Project Manager for Innovation Management, AXIS Flight Simulation

AI Brings Interactive Guidance to the Cockpit

The solution comes with an implemented AI instructor feature, which can be activated at any time during a session using a simple hand gesture. The AI functions much like a human instructor—always available to support pilots or trainees whenever they have questions or need guidance. Once activated, you can simply ask your questions aloud about the aircraft’s systems or procedures, and the AI instructor will respond directly and audibly.

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underwater Neutral Buoyancy training. Image: ESA

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Mastering the International Space Station’s Robotic Arm in VR

The VPT is a highly efficient tool to complement currently available training methods, particularly classroom-based training, because it provides pilots with the opportunity to practice anytime, even from home.

Conducting procedural training through immersive virtual reality is significantly more effective compared to the classical approach with posters and pictures. The VR solution clearly indicates where pilots need to look and provides a realistic environment that greatly enhances procedural understanding. “It effectively guides pilots toward building spatial awareness and familiarization with cockpit procedures. It moves us significantly closer to genuine hands-on experience and improved safety,” says Zsolt Koltai, Project Manager for Innovation Management at AXIS Flight Training Systems.

Moreover, the VPT can deliver cost efficiencies by reducing the total hours needed for achieving full training competence. With the integrated AI instructor available around-the-clock, students can conveniently ask questions and seek guidance without always depending on human instructors, further optimizing training costs.

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Quality Without Compromise with Varjo

When deciding on the components for the simulator, AXIS knew they needed a flexible platform capable of opening numerous possibilities, rather than limiting themselves to lower-end devices. They discovered that Varjo provided a framework that enabled many of these possibilities. “With its advanced capabilities, including hand tracking, mixed reality, eye tracking, high-resolution passthrough and exceptional overall visual quality, Varjo aligned perfectly with our objectives,” says Koltai.

“At AXIS, quality is always our priority,” Koltai notes, emphasizing that high fidelity plays a crucial role in pilot training, especially to accurately represent dense, detailed information. Pilots must clearly see what’s displayed on flight instruments to ensure effective learning.

Furthermore, AXIS is looking beyond pure virtual reality toward mixed reality training environments, reinforcing the need for a hardware versatile enough to support their long-term objectives. “These were the main reasons we decided to go with Varjo,” Koltai states.

Building Tomorrow’s Pilot Training Today

The Virtual Procedure Trainer marks just the first step of a pioneering journey for AXIS. Looking ahead, one of the most accessible pathways for future development is the addition of more aircraft types to their simulation offerings. Thanks to their long-standing partnerships with leading training centers, AXIS continues to gather valuable insights into customer needs, opening up countless possibilities for innovation.

Beyond that, AXIS remains committed to exploring and bridging emerging technologies, such as advanced virtualization and artificial intelligence. They aim to harness the full potential of Varjo’s virtual and mixed-reality capabilities to deliver next-generation training experiences that blend the virtual and physical seamlessly.

“We’re continually looking for further synergies and ways to fully utilize all the capabilities offered by Varjo within mixed-reality and virtual-reality environments, combining these with our extensive experience in flight simulation,” says Marcell Suranyi, Product Manager at AXIS Flight Simulation.

We’re continually looking for further synergies and ways to fully utilize all the capabilities offered by Varjo within mixed-reality and virtual-reality environments. - Zsolt Koltai - Project Manager for Innovation Management, AXIS Flight Simulation

Results

Increased Engagement

60%

Employee engagement in learning initiatives rose by 60% within the first six months of implementing UpSkill.

Improved Skill Acquisition

45%

The number of employees who reported feeling confident in their skill sets increased by 45% after one year of using the platform.

Increased Engagement

30%

TechNova observed a 35% improvement in project

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