Nasa Teams up with Epic Games and HeroX to Launch the ‘MarsXR Challenge’

Nasa partners with Epic Games and, HeroX, the leading platform and open marketplace for crowdsourced solutions to launch the  ‘MarsXR Challenge’ crowdsourcing competition today. The Challenge is looking for contributions to a Virtual Reality (XR) testbed environment that mimics the experiences and scenarios that humans would face on Mars.

NASA is working with Buendea on the Mars XR Operations Support System, which will use Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5 to help with virtual reality research, development, and testing. The NASA MarsXR Challenge participants will get early access to this virtual reality environment.

Over 150 square kilometers of simulated land are included in NASA's current Mars XR Operations Support System, which matches data from prior Mars rover missions. The natural phenomena and weather on Mars will be visible in this virtual recreation, including orange-tinted days and blue-tinged nights.

NASA's continuing MarsXR Challenge includes this new "Mars metaverse." Interested developers can construct test scenarios on the HeroX platform from now until July 26th.

The best simulations might be used to help NASA researchers plan IRL Mars missions or train future astronauts. NASA will also give cash prizes to developers who produce outstanding simulations.

NASA has announced that the MarsXR Challenge will grant $70,000 in total. Each of the above categories will be eligible for four prizes, with NASA awarding $6,000 to the most outstanding simulation.

Contestants could enter many VR scenarios in as many categories as they wanted. Developers could receive several awards if each simulation is unique and fits NASA's standards.

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