NASA-backed virtual reality game will let you be an astronaut like never before

You may not be cut out to be an astronaut in real life, and hop aboard NASA's manned missions to Mars in the near future, doesn’t mean you still can’t experience the Red Planet in all its mysterious glory.
 
NASA has just released a virtual reality experience on the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Steam, called Mars 2030. It puts you in the shoes of an astronaut exploring 24 km of the Martian surface.
 
The simulation has been modelled to resemble the real Martian terrain, based on captures by the Reconnaissance Orbiter’s HiRISE camera, and is available in full 8K resolution. You can freely roam the surface, collect samples, and then even analyse them under a microscope back in your habitat, just like you would in real life. Once you’re done analysing a specimen, you can even beam the data you’ve gathered back to Earth. In addition, the displays on your suit even show markers for your biometric data and life support systems, to complete the authenticity.
 
You can try out Mars 2030 for $15 (approximately Rs 950). It’s not out yet for PlayStation VR, though the developer says it will soon be available for the PS4.

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