Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Credit: NASA

With the upcoming premiere of the global event series “MARS” in November, the National Geographic Channel challenges consumers to see if they have what it takes to join the next wave of interplanetary explorers.

“MARS” hits the streets of the Big Apple – New York City — with a first-of-its-kind immersive activation.

Experience Mars

From October 26-29 in NYC, the network will host a free, public “Experience Mars” activation located at the corner of Canal and Varick Street in Lower Manhattan, bringing the high-stakes mission of reaching Mars to life for consumers.

Credit: Barbara David

Inside “Experience MARS,” visitors will enter the year 2033, and “recruits” will be challenged to follow in the Martian pioneers’ footsteps as National Geographic seeks to identify the crew for the next spacecraft blasting off to settle the planet.

Astronaut aptitude

Onsite visitors can:

• Take part in the first-ever commercial use of a cable robot virtual reality simulator, and experience the thrilling experience of traveling to and landing on Mars
• Experience an authentic Fusion VR Martian surface walk in 38 percent gravity via the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill, where the world’s first and only treadmill using NASA based anti-gravity technology meets the most detailed and accurate Mars VR experience developed with real orbital and rover mission data
• Race to complete seemingly simple tasks against the jarring resistance of working and building a human outpost on the Martian surface
• Scope out scale models of authentic NASA Curiosity, Sojourner, Spirit & Opportunity Mars rovers
• Discover their own astronaut aptitude via mission control rocket landing and surface rover mission digital experiences
• Upon successful completion of all the recruiting tests, the new crew of the next manned mission to Mars will receive a special edition National Geographic “Mars” Magazine with fold-out wall map and a custom Cardboard VR Viewer to continue their digital experience from home.
  

  Scene from Mars – the six-part TV mini-series.
  Credit: National Geographic