Page 6 - Aerotech News and Review, April 30, 2021

NASA interns design interactive virtual reality prototype

People will soon be able to “fly” development, design, and production of expertise,” she said. “That’s really
a legendary aircraft Neil Armstrong portion of the project. Clarke is an in- been a focal point for our user experi-
once piloted at NASA’s Armstrong tern at NASA’s Ames Research Center ence design.”
Fight Research Center at Edwards, Ca- in Silicon Valley, Calif. The virtual reality prototype can
lif., thanks to a team of NASA interns. inspire students.
The team is designing an interac- The Greater Heights experience “We’ve talked about how we want
tive virtual reality experience that will The first play mode of the virtual to inspire the next generation of
look and feel like the hypersonic X-15 reality experience is Story Mode, NASA in ways similar to the way we
rocket plane. which details former astronaut Neil ourselves were inspired,” Caudill ex-
The project, called Greater Heights, Armstrong’s experiences testing the plained. “The goal is to make the ex-
is a part of NASA Armstrong’s 75th X-15 aircraft in 1962. Users will have perience visually striking and to make
Anniversary. It is an intern-led narra- the opportunity to experience flying a compelling narrative.
tive virtual reality flight simulation ex- the X-15 model using the virtual real- The Greater Heights project manag-
perience that is anticipated for release ity experience. The second play mode er Aamod Samuel, an Armstrong lead
this fall. is called Free Flight and it is designed electronics engineer, said he hopes the
Sara Caudill, a NASA Armstrong to have users fly different types of air- project engages people and informs
intern, is the lead designer of Greater craft such as the X-59 and the X-57. them about NASA’s work.
Heights. Caudill, who is in her third Users will download the experience Virtual reality in the Greater
year of study for a master’s degree in by a link on a NASA website and be Heights project contributes to NASA’s
design at The Ohio State University, is able to experience the virtual reality mission by inspiring others and devel-
specializing in digital animation and prototype with either a virtual reality oping technologies for testing future
interactive media studies. headset or a mouse and keyboard. aircraft. Courtesy photograph
She began designing the project “We want someone to put on the Sara Caudill, an intern at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards,
blueprint and crafting a storyline about headset and walk in the shoes of Neil Team receives funding award Calif., is the lead designer of Greater Heights flight simulation project. Caudill,
NASA’s X-15 aircraft and began the Armstrong, fly the X-15 like Neil Although, the project is still under who is in her third year of study for a master’s degree in design at The Ohio State
production of Greater Heights during Armstrong, and come out inspired to production, the Greater Heights team University, is specializing in digital animation and interactive media studies.
her first internship in the summer of pursue a career within the aeronautics received an award for its innovative
2020. and space industry,” Merritt said. project and progress. During the fall
NASA Armstrong interns Neil Ma- Caudill designed the program to of 2020, the team was awarded the development,” he said. “There are lots to start creating.
lik and Casey Merritt are also part reach as broad an audience as possible. 2020 Center Innovation Fund Award of available game engines that are free “Start making your own proj-
of the Greater Heights team. Malik, “We want this [virtual reality] expe- for their virtual reality project. to use and tons of online resources for ects! Clarke encouraged. “Modern
a Ph.D. student at the University of rience available for people of all levels “Honestly, I can’t imagine try- how to get started programming begin- VR is still in its infancy, but there
Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut, ing to do this project without the ner projects. Virtual reality (VR) is re- are thousands of resources online to
studying computer science, leads the funds that we received from the CIF ally just an extension of regular game help get started on a project,” he said.
simulation portion of the project, Award!” said Caudill. “It has been in- development, so if you’re familiar “There is nothing quite like the feel-
while Merritt, a student at De Anza strumental in getting this project off with that, the concepts behind VR will ing of watching something you create
College in Cupertino, Calif., studying the ground.” kind of come naturally. It’s much eas- come to life inside a headset.”
computer science, leads scene man- For students interested in pursuing ier to get into than people may think, To learn more about applying for
agement. In addition to the Greater virtual reality as a career, Neil Malik, but it will likely seem overwhelming a NASA internship, visit intern.nasa.
Heights team, Stephen Clarke, a who leads the simulation portion of if they just try jumping straight into gov. The fall 2021 application dead-
graduate student at Sacred Heart Uni- the project, has advice for aspiring VR with no prior development expe- line is July 9.
versity in Fairfield, Conn., majoring in students. rience.” To learn about virtual reality educa-
computer science, is volunteering time “The best thing you can do is to Clarke encourages students who tional resources available for educa-
on this project and contributes to the start messing around with basic game are interested in virtual reality tors, visit: jpl.nasa.gov/edu.

Unmanned aerial vehicle Sea Guardian operates with naval assets

The U.S. Navy demonstrated the logical and warfighting advantage. An MQ-9 SeaGuardian
successful integration of an un- Sea Guardian enhances the Navy’s unmanned maritime
manned maritime surveillance air- anti-submarine and anti-surface war- surveillance aircraft
craft system with manned capabili- fare capabilities, among many others. system prepares to
ties during the Unmanned Systems UxS IBP 21 is a U.S. Pacific Fleet launch from General
Atomics-Aeronautical
Integrated Battle Problem 21 (UxS exercise, executed by U.S. 3rd Fleet, Systems Gray Butte
IBP 21) off the coast of San Diego, designed to integrate manned and un- Flight Operations Facility,
April 21, 2021. manned capabilities into operational Palmdale, Calif., in support
The unmanned MQ-9B Sea Guard- scenarios to generate warfighting of U.S. Pacific Fleet’s
ian operated in conjunction with a Unmanned Systems
guided-missile cruiser, executing advantages. The week-long event in- Integrated Battle Problem
long-range, over-the-horizon tar- volves surface, subsurface, and aerial 21, April 21. UxS IBP 21
integrates manned and
geting. Using sonobuoys and other unmanned assets, operating with lit- unmanned capabilities into
assets, the Sea Guardian identified toral combat ships, guided-missile challenging operational
contacts and reported locations re- destroyers, guided-missile cruisers, scenarios to generate
motely to the commander on board submarines and helicopter squadrons. warfighting advantages.
the cruiser.
“The integration between un-
manned and manned capabilities Navy photograph
shown today provides an opera-
tions approach to strengthening our
manned-unmanned teaming,” said
Rear Adm. James A. Aiken, UxS IBP An MQ-9 Sea Guardian
21 tactical commander. “Putting our unmanned maritime
newest technology into our Sailors’ surveillance aircraft system
hands directly enhances our fleet.” flies over Independence-
variant littoral combat ship
Operational synchronization be- USS Coronado (LCS 4)
tween unmanned capabilities and during U.S. Pacific Fleet’s
traditional manned naval assets en- Unmanned Systems
sures the Navy maintains its techno- Integrated Battle Problem 21.

Navy photograph by POC Shannon Renfroe

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