Using eXtended Reality as a design and training tool for a future lunar human habitat: the FLEX-XR case study

Abstract

Innovative technologies for human-machine interaction, such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are enabling a wide range of application opportunities, including astronaut and ground segment personnel training. In view of the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) Artemis program, whose aim is to land astronauts on the Moon by 2024, the European Space Agency (ESA) together with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) are preparing for future missions to the lunar surface. They are working together for the implementation of the LUNA analogue facility, that incorporates different capabilities, to be built in Cologne, Germany. One of them is the habitation module known as Future Lunar EXploration Habitat (FLEXHab), which is being developed at ESA's European Astronaut Centre (EAC). It will provide the possibility to perform integrated surface operations simulating a human presence on the Moon. FLEXHab will allow a crew of 4 astronauts to perform several activities including training and conducting scientific experiments. Moreover, it offers the opportunity to test and evaluate novel interactive training technologies for astronauts, scientists, and other interested users, in a realistic operational scenario. It is expected that AR/VR technologies can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of training and experiment execution, in FLEXHab, by facilitating collaboration between users. In this context, the FLEXHab eXtended Reality (FLEX-XR) project is currently under development as a collaboration between the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR), DLR, and ESA. It aims to advance the state-of-the-art of interactive and collaborative training technology by developing and evaluating a new astronaut training framework using AR/VR tools. Phase 1 of the project, which is described in this paper, foresees the implementation of an interactive VR digital twin of FLEXHab, aimed to assist multiple users simultaneously in designing and configuring a scientific experiment. The developed VR application recommends instrumentation based on the specific research domain users are designing an experiment for; moreover, it assists users to configure their experiment set-up as well as verify and validate constraints and assumptions concerning their experiment design. The application is promising to be a useful tool; however, user tests are required to validate whether the developed VR application indeed results in more efficient experiment designs. The next step, phase 2 of the project, foresees to complement the FLEXHab VR digital twin with AR technology, to seamlessly merge the virtual and real environments, enhancing collaboration between users and ground segment personnel in the actual FLEXHab and eventually soon on the Moon.