In addition to the Enterprise shuttle, the Intrepid Space Shuttle Pavilion provides a wide range of exhibits dealing with the space program in general as well as the shuttle missions: display panels detailing the history of Enterprise, a Soyuz TMA-6 capsule, dismounted shuttle control panels (which, sadly, don't come close to the real thing), and, for Canadian content, Chris Hadfield's guitar pick and mission patch, along with a video of the commander performing "Is Someone Singing" from the ISS in a video duet with Barenaked Ladies member Ed Robertson on Earth.
It also features a couple of VR experiences: Defying Gravity: Women in Space and and the International Space Station VR Experience. With no offense to Women in Space (or women in space) I'm a bit more fascinated by the option of a virtual reality tour of the ISS - although it is intriguing to watch headmount-wearing participants walk accurately from location to location in the Defying Gravity area.
The ISS VR program was created by Oculus for their headsets in 2017, working in co-operation with NASA. The program combines NASA 3-D models and input from astronauts to make the experience as accurate as possible, allowing users to explore the station, check on experiments, dock a capsule, and perform an EVA tour of the station's exterior.
Over half the units are out of order, so Karli and I patiently wait in line for about 25 minutes. Karli takes a seat first, and then a few minutes later I'm supplied with a sanitary mask, ushered to my module by an attendant, and equipped with the VR headmount and hand controls, after which the VR program starts.
I am instantly spellbound - the illusion of floating in low Earth orbit is compelling and believable.
Space is probably the ideal environment for VR exploration - there's no issues involving movement or walking, it just feels like you're flying.
I spend most of my allotted seven minutes zooming around the station, going out past it into a higher orbit for a panoramic view, and then doing close-up fly-bys of the structure, punctuated by looking down at Earth's distant surface. Near the end of my session I briefly go inside the ISS, bounce amateurishly along the corridors in zero-G, visit the cupola, and look at some controls, but it doesn't have the same impact for me that the spacewalk did.
Higher resolution would have been nice, it didn't have the razor sharpness that I'm used to from my 5120 x 2880 iMac Retina screen at home, but it didn't really matter - I found the experience was so immersive that it was more than a little jarring when the time ran out and unseen hands took the controllers from me. I could easily imagine spending hours rather than minutes exploring the simulation - maybe it's a good thing that I don't have any kind of VR technology at home.
Although, hmmm...a compatible Oculus Rift S headset comes in at $550 CAD on Amazon™, which is a bit expensive but not ridiculous, but it would also require a substantial upgrade to my PC video card - perhaps more of an investment than strictly practical, regardless of how much I enjoyed it.
We make out way out through the inevitable gift shop - yes, even aircraft carriers have gift shops - and Karli buys me a NASA mug and pin as part of her birthday gift to me. I've had a great birthday morning at the museum with Karli, much thanks, love - next stop, the New York branch of Forbidden Planet.
- Sid
