AppsFromResearch
Spacecraft AR icon

Spacecraft AR

NASA
Evidence Tier:DOCUMENTED

Published in academic literature

For:General Public & EnthusiastsKids & Youth
Free
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App Summary

Spacecraft AR is an educational tool for students, educators, and space enthusiasts that uses augmented reality to project interactive 3D models of NASA spacecraft into the user's environment. The associated research describes the app's technology, which leverages a mobile device's camera and an AR marker to render and track these models within a user's physical surroundings. By allowing users to interact with these robotic explorers, the authors note the app provides an immersive way to expand knowledge and understanding of space exploration.

App Screenshots

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Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

Developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Spacecraft AR leverages mobile augmented reality to project interactive 3D models of spacecraft into the user's environment. The system initiates AR visualization upon detecting a flat surface. Its interface facilitates selection from a catalog of robotic explorers, including the Mars Curiosity rover and Voyager probes. The models can be scaled from tabletop to true-to-life proportions. Each model is accompanied by detailed mission information, and an integrated camera function enables image capture.

Evidence & Research Context

  • The system's design and technical implementation are described in associated research from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
  • It was developed as an immersive educational tool to enhance public engagement with complex NASA engineering and scientific missions.
  • The technology leverages augmented reality to superimpose dimensionally accurate 3D spacecraft models onto the user's physical surroundings via a mobile device's camera.
  • All content is based on authentic mission data and engineering specifications for spacecraft, including the Mars rovers, Juno, and Cassini.

Intended Use & Scope

This application is designed as an educational tool for educators, students, and the general public to facilitate engagement with space exploration. Its primary utility is for conceptual visualization and instructional support in formal and informal learning environments. The system does not provide real-time mission data and is not intended for professional engineering or navigational use.

Studies & Publications

1 publication

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Development/Design Paper

Spacecraft 3D Augmented Reality Mobile App

Hussey et al. (2013) · NASA Technical Reports Server

Describes the research-driven development of this app
The Spacecraft 3D application allows users to learn about and interact with iconic NASA missions in a new and immersive way using common mobile devices. Using Augmented Reality (AR) techniques to project 3D renditions of the mission spacecraft into real-world surroundings, users can interact with and learn about Curiosity, GRAIL, Cassini, and Voyager. Additional updates on future missions, animations, and information will be ongoing. Using a printed AR Target and camera on a mobile device, users can get up close with these robotic explorers, see how some move, and learn about these engineering feats, which are used to expand knowledge and understanding about space. The software receives input from the mobile device's camera to recognize the presence of an AR marker in the camera's field of view. It then displays a 3D rendition of the selected spacecraft in the user's physical surroundings, on the mobile device's screen, while it tracks the device's movement in relation to the physical position of the spacecraft's 3D image on the AR marker.
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In the Media

Download the New"Spacecraft AR" App

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory developed Spacecraft AR to bring distant space missions closer to users, using augmented reality technology to place virtual 3-D models of NASA's robotic space explorers into any environment with a flat surface. The app allows users to explore and snap pictures with 3-D rovers, space probes and other spacecraft models. The mobile application targets educators and students from grades K-4 through higher education levels.

NasaRead article

New 'AR' Mobile App Features 3-D NASA Spacecraft

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory developed Spacecraft AR in collaboration with Google to bring virtual 3-D models of NASA's robotic space explorers into any environment with a flat surface, using Google's ARCore augmented reality technology. "The Spacecraft AR app is an exciting new way to get up close and personal with NASA's robotic missions," said Kevin Hussey, manager of JPL's visualization team. The app launches with NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, Juno, Cassini, Voyager, and a 70-meter Deep Space Network dish, with more spacecraft planned for future updates.

NasaRead article

Spacecraft AR

Free

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