Company will launch satellite with VR cameras into orbit next year

The American company SpaceVR will have its Overview 1 put into orbit in June next year as part of SpaceX’s CRS-12 transport mission. The satellite is equipped with 4k sensors to create a panoramic image of space that users on Earth can experience.

SpaceX’s Dragon capsule will first deliver Overview 1 to the International Space Station on its June 2017 resupply mission. The satellite is then placed in its low orbit via the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer of the ISS. SpaceVR wants to make the panoramic space images available for as many VR glasses as possible, including Google Cardboard variants, the Oculus Rift and StarVR, which has a horizontal field of view of 210 degrees.

SpaceVR received a capital injection of $1.25 million in April and will use the money to accelerate the development of the Overview 1 onboard software, provide content delivery and distribution channels, and build a network of ground stations.

Last year, SpaceVR failed to meet its Kickstarter goal of half a million dollars, raising just over $40,000. Another attempt later in the year to raise 100,000 was successful. Initially the idea was to bring a 12-camera system for 3D recording into space, which was reduced to a four-lens setup with 2D imaging, but SpaceVR eventually opted for the satellite with two 4k sensors and fisheye lenses. to rest. On Earth, SpaceVR will stitch the images together for the VR display.