By 
August 23rd, 2020
Credit: CCTV-Plus/Inside Outer Space screengrab
When China’s Tianwen-1 Mars probe settles down on the Red Planet next year, Chinese scientists will use a virtual reality system to monitor its movement on the planet.
The system can simulate the operation of the rover on Mars, including unfolding its aerials and solar array wings, climbing and changing directions.
Credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
“It mainly simulates the postures of the Mars rover, including its displacement, angles, information of upload and download, the rate of its signal, and temperature. We can upgrade our model according to the data we gain via remote sensing,” said Zhao Lingfeng, deputy director of the Information Center of China Academy of Space Technology in a recent China Central Television (CCTV-Plus) interview.
Credit: CCTV-Plus/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Layout of parts
The virtual reality system was also used to assemble the Tianwen-1 probe.
Chinese space engineers utilized the system to see the spacecraft’s interior design and layout of parts and to simulate the assembling process beforehand to reduce the risks during the actual assembly process.
“It can simulate various scenarios, including whether it is convenient for the workers to assemble or whether they can reach wherever they want,” Zhao said in the CCTV-plus interview. “There is a sensor inside the glasses they wear, and the sensor can locate the position of the users. For example, when he squats, he will automatically see the components in the lower parts,” said Zhao
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
VR and Mars
Similar simulative systems have also been applied to other major space missions, including China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System and the upcoming Chang’e-5 lunar probe, expected to be launched later this year.
The use of VR and Mars is widespread. For example, when NASA scientists want to follow the path of the Curiosity rover on Mars, they can don a mixed-reality headset and virtually explore the Martian landscape.
For more information on the U.S. approach, go to:
https://youtu.be/0DvF5J6Evx4?list=PLTiv_XWHnOZqsp7on1ErHOTweF5eHzOTt
Posted in Space News
