The MarsVR team has completed their scans of the MDRS facilities and terrain. Several Matterport 360 walkthoughs are already available, and the team will be working this summer to create the full photo-realistic VR environment for MDRS crew training, that will be put into use for next field season.
MDRS featured on Red Bull Blog
An article on the Red Bull Blog features both MDRS and MarsVR, the Mars Society’s new project to use Virtual Reality to support the exploration of Mars.
Call for help on VR project – June 19th – 25th
Hi all,
To support the creation of a VR environment for future MDRS crew training and research, we will be conducting scans and drone operations at the MDRS starting on June 19th for around a week. We’d like to get help from a past crewmember at the MDRS. Please let us know if you are interested in helping out with our project – we can work out your travel arrangements. Please forward this to anybody that might be interested in participating.
More info on our project is at: http://marsvr.io
Thanks,
James Burk
Program Manager, MarsVR
marsvr@marssociety.org
Mars Society launches Kickstarter to fund a VR platform for the MDRS
The Mars Society launched today a Kickstarter campaign to help raise $27,500 for a new open-source virtual reality platform called MarsVR, which will be used for serious research to support the goal of sending humans to the Red Planet.
The MarsVR program will be a unique multi-phase effort designed to pioneer the emerging field of CrowdExploration, which we define as the partnership between the first astronauts on Mars and VR experts and enthusiasts back on Earth. The Mars Society aims to develop a special VR platform to assist with the initial human exploration of Martian landing sites.
Phase 1 of the MarsVR program will focus on designing training simulations for the Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station in Utah, providing direct assistance in preparing MDRS crew members for their analog research and testing. Since every moment at MDRS is valuable, just like actual astronauts working in space, the Mars Society wants its crew members to make the most of their time “on Mars.” Key elements of the platform will also be open-sourced so that the general public can freely make use of it to experience human Mars exploration.
As part of MarsVR, the Mars Society intends to build a high-resolution simulation of the entire MDRS habitat, both inside and out. To complete the experience, Mars Society staff will scan a one-square mile capture of the Mars-like terrain around MDRS using the latest photo-grammetry techniques. Funds raised beyond the $27,500 campaign goal will be used to expand the VR platform beyond the initial one-square mile capture to allow for a broader Mars experience for both crew and members of the public.
For full details about our MarsVR program and how to contribute to the Kickstarter campaign, please visit: MarsVR.io.
MDRS Field Season #17 Begins
The first Capcom shift of the new field season has begun!
Watch this space starting today for daily crew reports of the MDRS Field Season!
Applications are now open for the 2018-2019 Field Season
Crew applications are now being accepted for the 2018-19 Mars Desert Research Station field season in southern Utah. Please note this is for the next field season which will start in Fall 2018. The current field season is fully scheduled.
Please read carefully all information as there have been a few changes.
2017-2018 Field Season Schedule
Crew 182 (Team Peru V) – Nov 4-19
Crew 183 (MASER – Mexico) – Nov 18-Dec 3
Crew 184 (Mars Society 1) – Dec 2-17
Crew 185 (Mars Society 2) – Dec 16-31
Crew 186 (Boilers2 Mars – Purdue University) – Dec 30-Jan 14
Crew 187 (Team LATAM 2) – Jan 13-28
Crew 188 (ISU) – Jan 27 – Feb 11
IKEA Installation (non-crew special event) – Feb 10-18
Crew 189 (Supaero) – Feb 17-Mar 11
Crew 190 (UCL to Mars) – Mar 10-25
Crew 191 (Team Asia – Japanese & Indonesian) – Mar 24-Apr 8
Crew 192 (Project PHEnOME A) – Apr 7-22
Crew 193 (Project PHEnOME B) – Apr 21-May 5
Crew 194 & 195 (Wilderness Medical Society) – May 11-26
First Annual MDRS Curated Art Show – May 26-30
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