Virtual reality studio films in space so you can see it with your own eyes

Space Explorers: The ISS Experience is a multi-part VR documentary from Felix & Paul Studios and TIME that lets you see what life is like aboard the International Space Station. The first two episodes transport you to the thin air inside the ISS, but the studios announced today that they have started filming episodes three and four outside the ISS, you allowing virtual discovery of the edge of space via a 3D video, 360.

The outdoor scenes are filmed by Felix & Paul’s personalized virtual reality “Outer Space Camera”, making it the first attempt at capturing 3D and 360 video using the ISS as a space camera cart. These scenes should appear in Episode 3 Unite (coming fall 2021) and Episode 4 Expand (coming winter 2021).

The series is an Oculus exclusive, offering virtual reality support in Rift, Quest, and Quest 2 through the Oculus Store. Here is a view of the ISS dome to give you an idea of ​​what it might be like to look at the pale blue dot without air.

The studio claims that its bespoke “outer camera” is built on top of a Z-Cam V1 Pro camera made up of nine 4K sensors allowing a 360-degree 3D image at 8K resolution.

It has also been “specially hardened” by the Nanoracks Company to withstand a multitude of conditions, including the vacuum of space, solar ultraviolet rays, ionizing radiation, plasma, surface charges and electric arcs, extreme temperatures, thermal cycles… the list goes on.

The space camera, which was attached to the Canadarm2 robotic arm, is designed to store approximately 15 hours of 360-degree 3D video, with custom lenses designed to withstand extreme light and heat to minimize glare when it is in direct sunlight – quite a feat when outdoor temperatures can range from -250 ° F to + 250 ° F (-155 ° C to + 121 ° C).

Felix & Paul is an Emmy Award-winning studio responsible for VR films such as MIYUBI, the Nomads series, Foreigners, and The confessional. The Montreal studio has also created several productions for existing franchises such as Jurassic World, Cirque du Soleil, Savage, and The island of dogs. High-level collaborations have seen virtual reality experiences created for NASA, SpaceX, president Barack obama and Michelle obama, LeBron James, President Bill Clinton, Wes anderson, Brie Larson, Jeff Goldblum, and Bill Murray.

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If you want to see the first episodes of Space explorers in VR, you’ll find them in the Oculus Store for $ 3 apiece, each taking around 30 minutes to watch. They are also available from select telecom companies LGU + in South Korea, KDDI in Japan, AIS in Taiwan, Orange in France and Deutsche Telekom in Germany.