Members of the ArtSciLab excelled in a nationwide NASA challenge focused on replicating Martian environments for astronaut training.
The team “Comets to Mars,” comprised of ArtSciLab members Alejandro Garcia, Evan Acuna, Andrew Duarte, Michael Tran, and Chris Gauthier, secured the 13th position on the NASA MarsXR 2 Challenge, among more than 3,000 submissions.
“What unites us all is a profound and passionate enthusiasm for envisioning worlds where exploration and pioneering are central themes,” said Alejandro Garcia, Art Sci Lab member and team lead. “We firmly believe that our collective creativity and ingenuity will play a pivotal role in aiding astronauts as they prepare for the most challenging missions to Mars and beyond.”
The challenge sought to train astronauts in a time-sensitive scenario, encompassing extensive exploration of the Martian base and operating multiple vehicles on the challenging Martian terrain, among other tasks, using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5.
“Comets to Mars” – a collective of UT Dallas students from diverse majors, spanning from computer science to arts, technology, and communications – designed and produced tools, equipment and scenarios in a VR setting for the innovative Mars XR Operations Support System (XOSS) environment. Their project exposes astronauts to cutting-edge technologies, including machine learning, to enhance their ability to detect regions that potentially harbor biological traces.
The ArtSCiLab – led by Roger Malina – is a transdisciplinary research lab helping the arts, science, and technology communities by pursuing initiatives of societal urgency and cultural timeliness. The lab develops multiple applications in a studio-lab approach through our projects, which include the creation of artworks, scientific research, technology development, and educational innovation.
The team curated an exhibition at the ATC 3.102 Gallery on Oct. 16 showcasing their winning project along with 3D-printed models of the structures of their NASA MarsXR 2 Challenge project.
