Space Apps Challenge 2017

We needed to make a VR experience that simulated being in a satellite looking at Earth. We couldn't develop an entire VR app in two days, so we decided to use existing software to create the experience. We looked around a bit, and found that we could use Google Earth VR to get VR images from space. Using the link below, we were able to create custom tours that could show Earth from space.

These tours provide an experience that, if further developed, could show very easily and nicely the orbits of satellites around the Earth. The downside is that for anyone to view it, they would need to have an HTC Vive, or some other virtual reality headset. We were experimenting with other apps and found that Universe Sandbox was also a good app to use, with some minor problems that might be fixed in upcoming versions.

This idea could be further developed and implemented, and could help people understand what the satellites they use are really seeing, or could just be a thing that VR enthusiasts could have fun with. This experience is not done and, if continued, would get much better in the future and might be made into a phone version, so everyone could use it!

Link to Google Earth VR Custom Tour Creator (from Thearah on Reddit) We used this to create tours for the satellite experience