INTERACTION DESIGN FOR SPACE: DESIGNING A PRESSURIZED LUNAR ROVER SIMULATION

In recent years, Virtual Reality (VR) has gained significant importance in the fields of education, research, and training due to its ability to simulate real-world environments and provide users with immersive, interactive experiences. VR enables learners and professionals to engage with complex systems in a safe and controlled setting, replicating realistic sensations without the physical risks or financial burdens associated with actual equipment or environments. This advantage becomes especially valuable in domains that involve high-cost, limited-access technologies—one of which is space exploration and lunar rover development. The challenges and expenses associated with constructing, testing, and deploying lunar vehicles make it difficult for students, engineers, and researchers to directly interact with these systems. Here, VR serves as a powerful alternative, offering a cost-effective, risk-free, and immersive platform to explore the design, operation, and behavior of lunar rovers. The goal of this thesis is to develop a Unity-based simulation of an pressurized lunar rover, which allows users to experience realistic driving dynamics, understand rover interaction with different terrains (such as lunar and Earth gravity), and control various components of the vehicle virtually. This project provides a unique opportunity for users to become familiar with rover mechanics and mission scenarios in an engaging and educational environment.