Go Through A Spacewalk: NASA Releases 360-Degree Virtual Training Video

Video services company, 'Harmonic' and NASA have recently unveiled a 360-degree, virtual reality video on the Agency's Youtube channel to show the different perspectives of astronauts in space-walk training. The interactive video provides an immersive virtual reality experience and that too in Ultra High Definition.

According to Engadget's report, The space agency has used Harmonic's virtual reality tech to show three different perspectives of the astronauts training carried on at the 'Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory' in Houston. The Lab is actually a humongous pool that has a life size replica of the International Space Station(ISS), inside which Astronauts perform tasks for their future missions on the actual space station.

"The combination of UHD video and Virtual Reality technologies would work to support viewer engagement. Bringing together UHD and VR technology with the NASA astronaut training footage, we are offering a truly spectacular experience that not only elevates immersiveness but takes viewer engagement to a completely new level", Bart Spriester, senior vice president of Harmonic said in an official statement. "As video consumers are looking for new and exciting entertainment outlets, Harmonic and its technology partners have been innovating with a mission to free viewers from the boundaries dominating traditional television and to really enjoy a 360-degree, 2160p60 video experience". 

VR is one of the most innovative technologies 'Harmonic' is going to highlight during IBC 2016 in the company's stand, Sept 9-13 in Amsterdam. Using VR headsets, demo participants at IBC 2016 will get a close and 360-degree look at NASA astronauts. Harmonic is also going to give away VR headsets through daily-drawings at the show, states a report from spacereport.com.

The company added that the 360-degree video as well as NASA TV's UHD channel were created using Harmonic's PURE Compression Engine that powers UHD video delivery platform. If you need an optimum experience, you should have a VR headset that is easily available in the market at a cheap rate. However, you can still watch the whole thing but make sure to set the Video quality HD and drag the screen to look around for max enjoyment.