Extended Reality at ESA opens new pathways for space exploration

Walking on the Moon, operating a spacecraft, or floating aboard the International Space Station – from the comfort of your home planet. All you need is a headset, and the world in front of you transforms into just about anything.

Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term for immersive technologies that blend digital and physical experiences:

• Virtual Reality (VR) fully immerses users in a completely virtual environment.
• Augmented Reality (AR) overlays digital elements onto the real world.
• Mixed Reality (MR) integrates digital and physical environments, enabling interaction between both.

“XR technologies have been commercially available for several years and already support a range of space applications,” says Andrés Martín Barrio, ESA’s lead of the Extended Reality Competence Centre. “However, broader adoption is expected as they become more accessible and user-friendly, lowering current barriers to everyday use.”

Bringing XR at ESA together

Extended Reality Competence Centre

“ESA has recently launched a dedicated Extended Reality Competence Centre (XR-CC) to serve as a focal point for XR, facilitating knowledge transfer, fostering cross-collaboration, and streamlining development across ESA Member States,” says Nicoletta Wagner, ESA Head of the Future Engineering Division.

ESA XR Plugin

The XR-CC has released the ESA XR Plugin, a flexible tool built with Unreal Engine and OpenXR that simplifies the development of XR applications for space and allows companies and independent developers to build their own components while retaining full commercialisation rights.

This software development kit (SDK) is also available to high school and university students, providing an accessible entry point into developing XR applications for the space domain.

ESA XR Universe

The ESA XR Universe, currently in development, is an initiative that enables multiple users to share and interact within virtual spaces, allowing for more collaborative and immersive experiences.

A pilot version will soon be deployed internally at ESA to support collaborative design reviews, science outcome assessment, and Earth Observation decision-making, before the ESA XR Universe opens up to the general public.

ESA XR Conference

Every two years, the ESA XR Conference brings together professionals and experts working with XR and related technologies in the space sector. Watch a recap video of the 2026 edition.

Experience ESA

A range of XR learning experiences allows users to summon ESA’s planetary defence mission Hera in their own living room, explore space in a virtual museum, experience a spacecraft launch and microgravity, or take on the challenge of protecting Earth from cosmic hazards.

Practice makes perfect

Travelling to space is a venture that needs to be precisely planned and thoroughly rehearsed. But how do we practice leaving Earth while staying on it?

ESA’s XR Lab, part of the agency’s European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Germany, harnesses the potential of XR technologies to create immersive trainings for astronauts. Using a range of different applications, astronauts can familiarise themselves with the layout of the International Space Station, learn how to operate the station’s robotic arm, and practice spacewalks.

But training on ground is just the first step: “The Mixed Reality Facility is a new project from ESA’s XR Lab that adapts Extended Reality technologies for use on the International Space Station,” adds Lionel Ferra, lead of the XR Lab. “XR devices can enable astronauts to perform procedures hands-free, stay motivated during daily exercise, and connect with their families in shared virtual spaces.”

Learn more

For more updates, visit XR at ESA.

Contact xr@esa.int to join the ESA XR Partners community where stakeholders come together as a forum to collaborate, discuss the ESA XR Plugin, and centralise access to news, events, and shared resources.