National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s

Virtual Reality Lab, Commercial Crew Program and SpaceX

HANS JERICHO B. CARANTO ME148F-2/E01
2018152218 JUNE 11, 2021
ME-3 DR. EDWARD B.O. ANG

Introduction
An immersive training facility that provides real-time graphics and motion simulators
called the Virtual Reality Laboratory (VRL) to provide the kinesthetic sensation of the mass and
inertia characteristics of any large object being handled with a tendon-driven robotic device [1].
Many simulations have been run to prepare for the worst-case scenarios. It is a simulation that is
utilized on the surfaces of many planets to see how it feels to ride around. Simulations and
training are carried out at the Systems Engineering Simulator Facility for astronauts, engineers,
and scientists. Simulation is used to see how it will feel to ride over the surfaces of other planets.
Jezro Crater, which geologists believe was once a lakebed and which they intend to examine
further in the future. In this NASA Commercial Crew Program VR 360 Tour [2].

NASA Communications Specialist Joshua Santora takes you on a tour of SpaceX

Headquarters in Hawthorne, California. This research benefits people on Earth and lays the
groundwork for future Moon and Mars exploration, beginning with the agency's Artemis
mission, which will place the first woman and next man on the lunar surface in 2024. The design
and production of the SpaceX Crew Dragon are depicted in this comprehensive Virtual Reality
experience. As part of the Commercial Crew Program, SpaceX has created innovative
contributions. The Crew-1 mission represents a significant step forward for NASA's Commercial
Crew Program. NASA will be able to continue essential research and technological
investigations on board the station thanks to functioning, long-term commercial crew rotation
missions.
They can use their creative and innovative minds on this expedition as they come up with
new ways to solve the task. They were able to develop two distinct heat shields, both of which
are relatively new. They were also able to fly unmanned flights in a safe manner. The only thing
left to do is launch people into space.
Commercial Crew Program with NASA’s tour guide, Joshua Santora
He started by talking about the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, which is
one of the world's flattest, straightest, and highest-level runways. The goal of the initiative is to
invest directly with US-based commercial firms in order to provide safe and reliable
transportation to and from the space station. The early stages of the program were focused on
identifying which firms were out there and which were far enough along in their development to
be flight-ready in a reasonable length of time with the program's assistance. Alliant Techsystems,

Hans Jericho B. Caranto

Blue Origin, Boeing – CST100 Starliner, Excalibur Almaz Inc., Paragon Space Development
Corp., SpaceX – Crew Dragon, SNC – Dream Chaser, and United Launch Alliance are among
the eight US businesses that have joined NASA's Commercial Program. NASA chose Boeing
and Space X in September 2014 for the final development and certification contract to launch
people. Michelle Green is the policy planning and strategic communication lead for the
Commercial Crew Program.

HANS JERICHO B. CARANTO

Figure 1. These are the Companies participated in Commercial Crew of the NASA

NASA’s Systems Engineering Simulator Rover

Loren Grush discovered how astronauts are prepared for their missions. NASA readily
demonstrates how astronauts learn to accomplish their jobs before travelling to space in the
Systems Engineering Simulator facility. Many simulations have been run to prepare for the
worst-case scenarios. It is a simulation that is utilized on the surfaces of many planets to see how
it feels to ride around. She and Amy Efting of Systems Engineering Simulator Studies Lead
explained several of the rover's features, including the hand controller that controls driving. The
Monster Rover features a total of 12 wheels, divided into six pairs of two. It can rotate 360
degrees, allowing the rover to go in any direction, including forward, backward, sideways, and in
a circle.

Hans Jericho B. Caranto

 HANS JERICHO B. CARANTO

Figure 2. Loren Grush on the right, tests the systems Engineering Simulator of the Monster
Rover

Spacewalks at Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory

Because being underwater is the closest thing to experiencing zero gravity. A pool with a
giant structure of an actual replica of the International Space Station is used in the laboratory for
training. To go to the pool, astronauts must suit up and assist in the testing. Loren Grush also
visited NASA's Visual Reality Lab at the Johnson Space Center, where astronauts are taught how
to perform spacewalks. She did a lot of virtual reality space training with a jetpack called
SAFER, doing things like changing batteries and being in the worst-case scenario to see how she
would recover.

HANS JERICHO B. CARANTO

Figure 3. NASA’s Simulation

Hans Jericho B. Caranto

SpaceX Dragon: Design and Manufacturing of Dragon Spacecraft
Part 2 of NASA's Commercial Crew Program VR 360 Tour features NASA
Communications Specialist Joshua Santora giving you a tour of SpaceX Headquarters in
Hawthorne, California. This immersive Virtual Reality experience demonstrates the design and
production of the SpaceX Crew Dragon. As part of the Commercial Crew Program, SpaceX has
created innovative contributions. 3D printing and additive manufacturing were also utilised at the
facility, allowing for the creation of sturdy and high-performing rocket parts as well as
enhancements over traditional production processes. SpaceX uses 3D printing for a variety of
rocket and spacecraft parts, including the most famous super Draco engines.
Each crew dragon will be outfitted with eight super Dracos, which will serve as an
emergency abort mechanism. These eight super Draco can generate 120,000 pounds of axial
thrust in less than a second, enough to propel the crew dragon almost a hundred meters in under
two seconds and more than half a kilometer in less than five seconds. The tricky thing is that the
outside of the spacecraft will be above 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit to withstand the huge heat of
flying through the Earth's atmosphere. Pica-X is a thermal protection technology developed by
SpaceX to safeguard its personnel. It is a high-tech carbon substance that covers the spacecraft's
bottom.
It is made to dissipate heat away from the spaceship as it passes through the Earth's
atmosphere with minimal damage. Both SpaceX and Boeing have their launch complexes at the
Kennedy Space Center. At Launch Complex 39A, SpaceX's Falcon 9 is powered by nine Merlin
1-D engines that produce over 1.7 million pounds of thrust (LC-39A). Falcon Boosters may land
and be reused using the carbon fiber landing leg. To steer the rocket as it enters the Earth's
atmosphere, Hypersonic Grid Fins are used. Reusing the rockets significantly reduces the cost of
access to space, but recovering a booster is only a secondary objective and the primary objective
is to ensure that the spacecraft reaches its space destination. Between the Dragon spacecraft and
the Falcon launcher is the trunk. The solar panels that are utilized to power the spacecraft while
in orbit are located in the trunk. It has also stabilized the car in the event of an emergency
abortion. The dragon's creation exemplifies a purposeful focus on iterative design and learning
from prior experiences.

HANS JERICHO B. CARANTO

Hans Jericho B. Caranto

Figure 4. SpaceX Headquarters of Crew Dragon
Boeing’s crew capsule: CST-100 Starliner
In part 3 of NASA's Commercial Crew Program VR 360 Tour, NASA STEM
Engagement Specialist Rachel Power gives you a deeper look at the Boeing CST-100 Starliner.
This immersive virtual reality tour takes you inside the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing
Facility at the Kennedy Space Center, where the Starliner is being manufactured. The
Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility, or C3PF, is getting ready to launch humans to
help with the Commercial Crew Program. The Commercial Crew Program, or CCP, is a NASA,
Boeing, and SpaceX collaboration aimed at successfully flying humans to the International
Space Station. CST stands for Crew Space Transportation, and 100 alludes to the carbon line,
which is 100 kilometers high.
A particular design heat shield is utilized in the installation of the Boeing lightweight to
spread the heat by passing through a phase change from solid to liquid, creating a buffer from a
high temperature of up to 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit. From a top speed of approximately 17,000
miles per hour, the spacecraft has slowed significantly. A series of parachutes will release,
slowing the descent to a safe altitude. A series of parachutes will deploy, slowing the descent to
about the same speed as the climb in a falling elevator. The final part of landing is filling
massive airbags, which will further cushion the landing. The capsule is meant to land on land and
can be used up to ten times. It is the first and only orbital capsule capable in the United States.

HANS JERICHO B. CARANTO

Figure 5. High Bay – Capsule

When Orion arrives at Kennedy after initial construction at NASA's Michoud Assembly
Facility in New Orleans, it is installed in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building
(O&C). The O&C contains a large area known as a high bay that serves as a high-tech factory
for assembling and preparing spacecraft for upcoming deep space missions. The high bay

Hans Jericho B. Caranto

contains specialized tooling stations, test fixtures, chambers, and clean rooms for the building
and testing of the spaceship. Starting in 2007, the high bay underwent a two-year makeover to
prepare for the Orion spacecraft assembly facility.
Space Florida and NASA donated funding for a thorough overhaul that covered
everything from replacing the facility's entire support infrastructure to installing new overhead
cranes to help with production and assembly.

HANS JERICHO B. CARANTO

Figure 6. NASA’s Commercial Crew Program

Ms. Power explains how astronauts prepare for their missions. The astronauts must
undergo two years of training in order to be ready to travel to space. I had no idea that astronaut
training would take place in a swimming pool at first, but it did. The training took place inside
the space center, where astronauts trained in various places, familiarizing themselves with the
equipment, suits, and features. The most important was a large swimming pool, because water
has the same pressure as air and can move the suit, which is difficult to do in the open air
because the suit weighs 300 pounds. I discovered that preparing to become an astronaut requires
a lot of effort since you will be exposed to a lot of things. This will also help your body deal
since our bodies are constantly becoming accustomed to the strain here on Earth. While being an
astronaut and traveling to space is an accomplishment, it may also be perilous if a minor issue is
overlooked. Two years of training is already sufficient to demonstrate that you have a thorough
understanding of space and are completely aware of what will happen to an astronaut.

Hans Jericho B. Caranto

Appendix A: An Astronaut Walks Through Space
Astronauts have distinctive personalities. They are usually investigative persons, which
means they are smart, introspective, and inquisitive. They are inquisitive, meticulous, reasonable,
analytical, and logical. Pilots and commanders of space shuttles and international space stations
are among these astronauts. They oversee the crew, the mission, the mission's success, and the
flight's safety. The Johnson Space Center has a few simulators and facilities to help astronauts
prepare for their work in space, including a neutral buoyancy simulator that replicates
weightlessness on Earth and a 200-foot-long, 40-foot-deep pool where astronauts train for
underwater spacewalks.
Astronaut training is vital, according to Career Explorer 2020. Candidate Astronauts will
receive the following basic training:
1. Basic Training - It is the first phase, which will last two years. Most of the training takes
place in the classroom, where applicants learn about vehicle and space station technologies.
Meteorology, engineering, space science, and earth sciences are among the fields studied, as
these may be useful in their space work.
2. Survival Training - it must also be conducted outside of the classroom in order to prepare for
an unanticipated return to Earth (military-water-and-land-survival). Applicants must be scuba
certified and complete a swimming test in which they must swim three lengths of a 25-meter
pool without stopping. They must also tread water continuously for 10 minutes while wearing a
flying suit.
3. Second Phase Training - after completing basic training, candidates may be selected to
become astronauts. During the second phase, the trainees are paired with experienced astronauts
and work with them to become proficient in a number of operations relevant to pre-launch,
launch, orbit, entry, and landing.
4. Advanced Mission Training - astronauts receive the crew and mission assignments during
the advanced mission training phase (which lasts ten months). They focus on mission-related
exercises, activities, and tests, as well as becoming comfortable with the power tools and other
specific gadgets they will use throughout their mission.
The astronaut works for the federal government as a civil servant. Astronauts, like any
other office worker, must attend training classes, produce reports, and attend meetings as a civil
servant.
Commercial transportation to and from the station will boost the station's utility, give
more research time, and expand the scope of discovery. Indeed, NASA Commercial Crew

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Program VR 360 Tour is an immersive Virtual Reality experience. Joshua Santora, a NASA
Communications Specialist, and Rachel Power, a NASA Communications Specialist,
imaginatively discussed the design, features, equipment, tool, facilities, system units, and control
system.

[1] Career Explorer, "What does an astronaut do?," 2020. Retrieve from:
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/engineering/robotics_simulation/virtual_reality/index.
html

[2] Foust. J., (April 2021). Starliner tests flights to late summer. Retrieve from:
https://spacenews.com/next-starliner-test-flights-slips-to-late-summer/

[3] Grush. L., (March 2020). Walking through space in NASA’s Virtual Reality Lab. Retrieve
from: https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/22/16178138/nasa-virtual-reality-lab-mars-rover-
simulator.
[4] Cawley, J. (September 2020). Boeing’s Starliner Makes Progress Ahead. Retrieve from:

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/boeing-s-starliner-makes-progress-ahead-of-flight-test-with-

astronauts

[5] Earth Orbit, SpaceX. (2021). Human Spaceflight. Retrieve from:

https://www.spacex.com/human-spaceflight/earth/index.html

[6] NASA,"OrionFacilities,"2018.[Online].Available:
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/orionfacilities_factsheet_2018.pdf
[Accessed 11 November 2020].

REFERENCES:

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Hans Jericho B. Caranto