NASA apps take you to space with VR and selfies
NASA’s apps tend to be all-business, but it’s livening things up this time around — the administration has released two apps that go beyond dry scientific explanations. The most intriguing is likely Exoplanet Excursions, a VR app for Oculus and HTC Vive headsets. The 3D experience lets you fly through the TRAPPIST-1 system and see artists’ renditions of its numerous Earth-sized planets, complete with comparisons to planets around our home star.
And then there’s… NASA Selfies. Yes, it’s trying that hard to be trendy. The Android and iOS app has you staging self-portraits in front of well-known cosmic landmarks, such as the Orion Nebula or the stellar wind “bow shock” that gives Zeta Ophiuchi its distinct flair. It’s cute, but something tells us you’ll use it once or twice before you return to Instagram filters and Snapchat Lenses.
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