Episode
The Space Show Presents Virtual Moon With Manny Pimenta, Philippe van Nedervelde
- Published
- May 19, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 5419
- Processing state
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Summary
The Space Show Presents Virtual Moon With Manny Pimenta & Philippe van Nedervelde Quick Summary: This was a Space Show program featuring Manny Pimenta and Philip van Nedervelde presenting their Virtual Moon project, which aims to create a digital twin of the lunar surface for immersive virtual reality experiences. Manny explained that Virtual Moon began as Lunar Explorer over 20 years ago but was ahead of its time when consumer VR hardware wasn’t available. The current project uses NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter data as its foundation and includes a working Apollo 11 landing simulation that can be experienced on VR headsets like Quest 2 and 3. Philip detailed their technical approach, which involves using AI and generative adversarial networks to upscale the LRO data to higher resolution and create photorealistic lunar terrain. The team demonstrated live reactions from users experiencing the VR simulation and discussed their plans for “One Giant Leap,” a new product release featuring multiple Apollo 11 mission vignettes including Armstrong’s first steps on the moon and the lunar module’s ascent. They also revealed their concept for “Selene City,” a large-scale lunar habitat designed to accommodate 5,000 people by 2045, which would serve as both an engineering simulation and potential resort destination. The discussion covered technical challenges including real-time rendering requirements and how they plan to address issues like unlit craters and lava tubes through lighting systems and future data upgrades. Detailed :Summary The meeting focused on demonstrating Virtual Moon, a virtual reality project that creates immersive lunar experiences. Manny introduced the project’s history, explaining that it evolved from Lunar Explorer, which was created over 20 years ago…