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Daniel Culpan

Take an amazing virtual tour aboard the ISS

Ever wanted a tour of the International Space Station in all its gravity-defying glory? Well now you can, courtesy of an explorable panorama from the European Space Agency .

The interactive tool offers a snapshot into how the ISS looked in June 2015, shortly after it was remodelled to free up a docking port, with the 10-tonne Leonardo storage module moved to the Tranquility node.

All the pictures were taken by ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti , who spent 199 days onboard the craft -- taking up to 15 photographs inside each module. You can roam through each part of the Space Station, moving through the hatches, and zoom in on various pieces of equipment, from the onboard exercise bike to the oven.

You can also click on the various "play" icons to watch Cristoforetti herself explain more about an item or give a demonstration, and you can read in-depth web articles too.

Currently, the Russian modules are off limits -- a complete tour of the ISS won't be available until later this year -- but in the meantime, it offers a fascinating glimpse into what everyday life is like on the craft.

This article was originally published by WIRED UK

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Take a Virtual Tour of the International Space Station (Video)

Here's your chance to see what the inside of the ISS is actually like.

Not everyone will get the chance to explore space, but this virtual tour of the International Space Station (ISS) comes pretty close.

Google Arts & Culture is a treasure trove for the history, art, and science lover. This platform has been around for a few years, but since the coronavirus outbreak started it has become a must-see for anyone who wants to enrich themselves during lockdown.

Virtual tours of museums, national parks, and popular tourist attractions have certainly been excellent ways to educate and entertain yourself at home, but there’s another collection of online tours and exhibits that space and science lovers should definitely see — including a 360-degree tour of the ISS .

This virtual tour uses Google Street View to explore the space station as if you’re really inside it. Move through the narrow tunnels, see the massive amounts of equipment, and generally experience what it’s like to be a real astronaut.

In addition, there are lots of other ways to explore space on Google Arts & Culture. One fascinating online exhibit is dedicated to the moon landing (which is coming up on its 51st anniversary this year). Take a deeper dive into the Apollo space program by exploring the hundreds of photos from the Apollo 11 mission, as well as stories on the Columbia Memorial Space Center and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

Google Arts & Culture also has an amazing fact sheet that details 10 “out-of-this-world” facts about the International Space Station (ISS), which is perfect to help kids supplement their online learning experience while most schools are closed. Plus, there is a collection of eight truly stunning photographs from space that will make you appreciate our little blue planet even more.

There are also dozens of specific online exhibits to choose from, such as an exhibit focused on women in space, an exploration of aviation history, and a collection of videos that are all about space exploration.

For more information, take the virtual tour, or see an online space exhibit, visit the Space Exploration page on Google Arts & Culture.

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From a Dream to Virtual Reality: The ISS Experience

June 23, 2020

Most of us at one point in our lives have dreamed of what it’s like to be an astronaut on a mission in space. Pictures of astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) provide a glimpse into life onboard the orbiting laboratory, but what does it really feel like to live and work in space? What is it like to maneuver through microgravity conditions every day, and how does it feel to step out on a spacewalk and look back at Earth below?

TIME, in collaboration with Felix & Paul Studios, seeks to capture this unique experience for viewers back on Earth through a virtual reality (VR) series currently being filmed onboard the ISS. The series, “ The ISS Experience ,” is being produced using specialized VR camera systems designed to operate in microgravity and will include the first-ever filming of a spacewalk in cinematic VR.

In a recent episode of NASA Johnson Space Center’s “Houston We Have a Podcast,” Felix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphael, co-founders and creative directors of Felix & Paul Studios, discuss their work on “The ISS Experience” project, which is sponsored by the ISS U.S. National Laboratory. Listen to the podcast on NASA’s website  and view “The ISS Experience” trailer below!

Video courtesy of TIME

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How to tour the International Space Station with Google Street View

By Chris Barraclough

20th July 2017

• Broadband & TV

You can now take a virtual tour of the International Space Station (ISS) thanks to Google Street View. Here’s how to see inside the ISS using Street View on your phone, tablet or computer, plus some of the best sights once you’re on-board.

To celebrate the 48th anniversary of the first manned mission to the moon, Google is offering us all a full virtual tour of the International Space Station. All you need is a smartphone, tablet or computer connected to the internet and you can virtually explore all 15 modules of the ISS, right now.

Like its Google Arts & Culture tours, the ISS Street View tour offers full annotations of the most interesting bits as you float around. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the life of the astronauts on board, while also proving slightly claustrophobic.

This is the second new Street View tour offered up this week. On Monday we were treated to a virtual rummage around some of the coolest real-life shooting locations for Game of Thrones, to commemorate the launch of the seventh season .

How can I virtually tour the ISS with Google Street View?

To start the International Space Station tour, just head to the  Google Street View ISS page , hidden away in the planets section of Street View .

You’ll start off in the Cupola Observational Module, which is designed so astronauts can check out any exterior activities, including the approach of vehicles and any robot maintenance.

To look around, you can simply swipe your finger (if your device has a touchscreen) or click and drag your mouse. Each view affords you a full 360-degree look at your surroundings, which means a lot of tech and inexplicable stuff to admire.

You can click or tap to move around, while tapping the arrow on the left side of the screen opens up the information tab. This will tell you all about the area you’re currently exploring.

What are the highlights of the ISS Google Street View tour?

Google’s virtual tour of the International Space Station includes a lot of cool stuff to scrutinise, from all 15 modules as well as the two different docking vehicles. Here’s our pick of some of the best stuff you’ll see as you explore.

We’re enjoying having a shifty around the various areas, including the Muscle Atrophy Research Exercise System  which is used to study the effects of microgravity on human bodies. With some help from a basketball and fuzzy workout gear, apparently.

Also cool is the Russian service module, Zvezda , which includes all kinds of fascinating stuff. Enormous camera lenses sit side-by-side with fascinating computer tech and even clunky deskjet printers, all pinned to the walls.

Be sure to check out the Quest airlock too. In here you’ll see a couple of astronauts hanging out in their EMU suits (which stands for Extravehicular Mobility Unit).

The SpaceX Dragon Docking Vehicle is designed to transport astronauts as well as their cargo to destinations around the ISS. This includes sending supplies up to the station from Earth, before returning back to the planet. You can also explore the Orbital Cygnus Docking Vehicle , which again transports cargo to the ISS, before being loaded with trash and sent off to burn up in re-entry to Earth’s atmosphere. So much for a peaceful retirement.

Share your best bits of the ISS Street View tour in the comments below.

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You Can Now Tour the International Space Station From the Comfort of Your Home

You can now travel to space without decades of hard work and training..

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Chances are the coronavirus outbreak has curtailed any ambitious summer vacation plans you may have had. But as far as Google is concerned, that doesn’t need to be the case. In fact, the internet giant wants to take you to space.

Google Arts & Culture now offers a full, 360-degree virtual tour of the International Space Station, and it’s accessible to anyone with internet access. Making use of the company’s Street View technology, the tour lets you explore every single nook and cranny of the 21-year-old space station without the decades of hard work and preparation that would normally require.

A look inside the International Space Station  Google Arts & Culture

While you won’t get to experience the feel of floating through the space station, Google’s digital exhibition feels like the next best thing. You can travel down any of ISS’s long and winding tunnels and look around all of its equipment-packed rooms. You can even check out the crew quarters and see some of the astronauts’ personal items.

In addition to the tour, Google has also whipped up a fun and educational ISS-themed informational program. Aimed specifically at younger virtual space tourists, the show attempts to illustrates what life on the station is like. It covers everything from what and how the visiting astronauts eat to the effect that zero-gravity takes on their bodies while they orbit the Earth.

Google Arts & Culture

If your virtual trip to the ISS has only managed to stoke your appetite for more space content, Google has you covered. The station tour is just one of several digital exhibitions Arts & Culture has on its Space Exploration page. Other exhibitions of interest include a closer look at the moon landing , a tribute to women who have gone to space , as well as scores of high-definition video content shot from space. Of course, if your virtual traveling interests are more earthbound, there’s still plenty of content for you to check out on Arts & Culture, too. The company also has countless virtual tours of tourist attractions, national parks and museums around the world.

Bryan Hood is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. Before joining the magazine, he worked for the New York Post, Artinfo and New York magazine, where he covered everything from celebrity gossip to…

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ISS Interactive Virtual Tour

• July 8, 2021
• Uncategorized , Science

The Springfield Science Museum was recently granted the long-term loan of a large, touch-screen interactive, virtual tour of the International Space Station (ISS).  The loan was made by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under the auspices of the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS, the manager of the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory).  The virtual tour is now on display in Astronomy Hall on the second floor of the Science Museum.

The exhibit provides a fun and interactive experience for our visitors.  It consists of a large touch-screen monitor on top of a rolling platform and features a high-resolution, photographic-quality, CGI model of the ISS.  The model can be turned and viewed from any direction with a swipe, and a tap on a highlighted module brings up photos along with other detailed information.  Background music and didactic graphic panels (not shown here) complete the presentation.  It’s a great way to introduce our audiences to the excitement and challenges of space exploration!

It’s also a natural complement to the immersive ISS exhibit that we are developing nearby on the same floor.  It will help promote the upcoming reopening of our recently-renovated planetarium, our plans for a digitally connected observatory, and an Earth-systems approach to an evolving Science Museum.  It supports our goal to increase awareness of the STEM disciplines in general, and when used in conjunction with our new Science Workshop classroom (also on the second floor) will help encourage STEM identity and STEM literacy among the young people who use our spaces.  Being mobile, it can at times be displayed in other places around campus; by making full use of the multi-disciplinary nature of our museum complex, the ISS virtual tour will help promote cross-fertilization between the arts and sciences and foster the development of a variety of STEAM activities and programming.

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Alcaraz Space Project:

Meet the iss, scroll down to access the iss virtual tour, below, there are videos of full tours of the iss, this tour is made by esa / it's recommended to access from a tablet or computer to have a better experience., with luca parmitano and drew morgan, language: english., video length: 1h 5min, uploaded by: esa (european space agency), with pedro duque, language: español / castellano, video length: 18min, uploaded by: unknown (get in touch with us), iss in ultra high definition (4k), language: english  (text) / no voices, uploaded by: nasa, the iss in 360º / virtual reality (vr), language: inglés (text) / no voice, uploaded by: space news 360 / google / nasa / esa / jaxa / roscosmos / casis, recommended: playing this video with the youtube android or ios app to have a vr experience..

Explore the ISS in Google Earth and Street View

You can navigate through the iss  with a 360-degree view from google earth web app , the google earth app for smartphones, and the google maps app for smartphones., ©2020-21 alcaraziss project - studio21alcaraz.

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Join the 400,000 visitors who have already been fascinated by space explorers: the infinite.

Step into the extraordinary world of Space Explorers: The Infinite inspired by NASA missions and join the esteemed few who have experienced space firsthand. Through the transformative lens of immersive VR, you'll be transported 250 miles above Earth into the International Space Station. This voyage offers more than just mere observation; it immerses you in the essence of space exploration without ever leaving the ground.

From exclusive encounters with astronauts to serene moments of Earth-gazing, every sensation deepens your connection to the universe and your place within it. It's more than just a simple expedition, it's an emotional odyssey that leaves a lasting impression. IT STAYS WITH YOU

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"It's unbelievable. I was speechless. You feel like you are just perched atop the Space Station. You can see Earth right there, even inside the Space Station, you're hearing conversations that the astronauts are having. It's like a front row seat to something you never thought you would be able to do."

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'The Infinite' VR space station tour to premiere spacewalk in Houston

Tickets now on sale for Dec. 20 liftoff.

Houston, home of the training facilities and mission control for NASA's operations on the International Space Station (ISS), is set to host the U.S. premiere of a virtual and augmented reality adventure to the orbiting outpost.

"The Infinite," which is set to launch on Dec. 20 just outside downtown Houston, promises an opportunity for hundreds of people at a time to experience what it is like to live and work in Earth orbit. The installation is based on the Emmy Award-winning " Space Explorers: The ISS Experience ," the largest ever media project to be filmed in space, produced by Felix & Paul Studios together with TIME Studios.

"'The Infinite' is a 12,500-square-foot [1,160-square-meter] exhibition and inside of that you have a 6,000-square-foot [650-square-meter] free roaming virtual reality experience — and that is a life-size recreation of the International Space Station," said Félix Lajeunesse, co-founder and creative director of Felix & Paul Studios, in an interview with collectSPACE.com.

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Up to 150 people at a time, each wearing virtual reality headsets , can walk around the virtual ISS and go inside and outside the space station in "The Infinite."

"As they discover that environment, they will see floating hotspots that they can activate with their avatar, and that will reveal a cinematic virtual reality scene that has been filmed on the real ISS from the exact vantage point where you are in the virtual ISS. That footage comes from 'Space Explorers: The ISS Experience," said Lajeunesse.

Filmed over the course two and a half years using a customized camera rig capable of capturing 3D, 360-degree virtual reality scenes in high definition, "The ISS Experience" is an unparalleled, episodic series that not only introduces its audience to life in space, but gives viewers the sense they have joined the space station's crew.

"The Infinite" then builds off that multi-part immersive production.

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"When you watch 'Space Explorers: The ISS Experience,' it's as if you were watching a film. It's a narrative experience and you follow, in chronological order, life aboard the space station over a period of two years, going from Expeditions 58/59 to 60/61, up to [SpaceX] Crew-1," said Lajeunesse. "When you go inside of 'The Infinite,' you discover individual scenes or individual shots that have been captured in a geo-specific way inside of the ISS. So some of the material that you will find in there also made its way into 'Space Explorers: The ISS Experience' and some material is completely exclusive to 'The Infinite.'

Visitors to "The Infinite" are invited to explore the ISS as they choose, so different views and different footage may be seen on different 60-minute walkthroughs. Everyone who goes through in Houston, though, will get to see never-before-seen VR footage shot outside of the space station.

"We took the virtual reality camera outside of the ISS to film for five days, including one day where we filmed with two crew members," Lajeunesse told collectSPACE. "So we filmed the full spacewalk from the moment of egress to the moment of ingress and that footage is going to be shown exclusively as part of 'The Infinite' when it gets to Houston."

Filmed during the first spacewalk to not include either an American or Russian crewmate as part of the team, the VR camera flew alongside two astronauts from the European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in September. The cam was mounted to the end of the Canadarm2 robotic arm, which was "flown" from ISS Mission Control in Houston through a series of carefully-planned moves and sweeping shots.

"You see the robot arm that is holding you, you see the platform you're 'standing' on when you look down, so you have a sense of scale. You know that because it's captured in accurate 3D stereo so you can feel that scale. But then, if you look further below, you see planet Earth, and therefore the fact that you have a foreground that gives you a real sense of scale, makes you really experience the scale and the distance of the Earth from from where you are. That is both extraordinarily powerful, beautiful and a little overwhelming," said Lajeunesse.

" The Infinite " marks the culmination of Felix and Paul's plans to film on board the space station. That said, it also offers a preview of what is coming next. The studio is now working with NASA to capture the February 2022 launch of Artemis I , the first mission to send a crew-rated spacecraft back to the moon.

"We're looking at capturing the dress rehearsal and all of the preparations of the spacecraft. We're going to do that in cinematic virtual reality," Lajeunesse said. "We want to create a livestream 360-degree event for the launch, as well, that is going to be exciting and allow people to be there in person virtually."

Tickets for "The Infinite" at Sawyer Yards in Houston start at $29. The installation, which also includes a work by Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda, runs through Feb. 20, 2022. Houston is the second stop for the PHI Studio touring experience, which just wrapped its world premiere in Montreal in Canada.

If you're looking for more virtual reality ways to explore space, you can check out our guides to the best VR space games and best VR space experiences . 

Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2021 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Robert Pearlman is a space historian, journalist and the founder and editor of collectSPACE.com , an online publication and community devoted to space history with a particular focus on how and where space exploration intersects with pop culture. Pearlman is also a contributing writer for Space.com and co-author of "Space Stations: The Art, Science, and Reality of Working in Space” published by Smithsonian Books in 2018. He previously developed online content for the National Space Society and Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, helped establish the space tourism company Space Adventures and currently serves on the History Committee of the American Astronautical Society, the advisory committee for The Mars Generation and leadership board of For All Moonkind. In 2009, he was inducted into the U.S. Space Camp Hall of Fame in Huntsville, Alabama. In 2021, he was honored by the American Astronautical Society with the Ordway Award for Sustained Excellence in Spaceflight History.

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International Space Station

The International Space Station’s role as a scientific laboratory and test bed for deep-space technology is crucial to humanity’s ability to improve life on Earth while pursuing opportunities in space.

Laboratory, Proving Ground, Home

The International Space Station (ISS) is a permanently crewed on-orbit laboratory that enables scientific research supporting innovation on Earth and future deep space exploration. From design to launch, 15 countries collaborated to assemble the world's only permanently crewed orbital facility, which can support up to seven astronauts and 300 to 400 experiments per crew increment, across an array of disciplines. The ISS is the cornerstone of human activity in low Earth orbit, a cooperative global effort to expand our knowledge and improve life on Earth while testing technology that will build a LEO economy and extend our reach to the moon, Mars and beyond.

Boeing officially turned over the U.S. on-orbit segment of the ISS to NASA in 2010 and continues to provide key engineering support services and continual capability enhancements, as well as processing for laboratory experiment racks. Due to its modular systems and the limited degradation of the space environment, technical assessments have shown the station could safely operate beyond 2030 if NASA and its international partners choose to do so.

Feature Stories

Commercial opportunities in low earth orbit.

ISS is hitting its stride as an incubator and business model in the commercial space ecosystem. Among the entities benefiting from ISS access is the Boeing-founded Genes in Space, a STEM contest that challenges students to design DNA analysis experiments for the ISS National Lab (managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, or CASIS). Winners’ experiments are launched to ISS to be performed by astronauts, with published results.

Genes in Space 2019 winners Finsam Samson and Yujie Wang designed an experiment to analyze the impact of microgravity on gene expression. Their work may enable medical interventions for astronauts while in space, and therapies for people with stress-related health conditions on Earth.

Boeing also partners with the ISS U.S. National Lab on the MassChallenge startup accelerator’s “Technology in Space” competition. Winning companies receive funding and the opportunity to have their research conducted on the station so they can advance them to market. Qlibrium of Boston had its patch-sized, wearable drug-delivery pump launched to ISS in 2020. The technology holds promise for improved medicine delivery on Earth and on voyages through deep space.

Expanding science and technology development in low Earth orbit means expanding access. Boeing collaborated with Nanoracks on the payload services provider’s Bishop Airlock on ISS. It will open the station to more commercial users and research.

Benefits for Deep Space Exploration

The United States’ goal of sustained human exploration of deep space relies on advanced technologies such as surface habitats.

Boeing’s deep-space surface habitat concept builds on the company’s experience from designing, building and operating the ISS for more than 20 years, including recent advances such as superefficient lithium-ion batteries and roll-out solar arrays. Boeing is working on a habitation module and an airlock module that doubles as additional living/work space.

The ISS also gives researchers a unique environment to investigate the physiological and psychological effects of long-duration spaceflight, and to test deep-space technologies, in preparation for crewed missions to the Moon and Mars.

Boeing Surface Habitat Demonstrator - Exterior

Boeing Surface Habitat Demonstrator – Habitation Module

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Sustainability Is Built In

The International Space Station has inspired sustainability efforts here on Earth. From the station's smaller, more efficient solar arrays to its global humanitarian applications, see how discoveries on orbit help us innovate for a better tomorrow

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The nations of the international space station.

NASA selected Boeing as prime contractor for the International Space Station on Aug. 17, 1993, and the original cost-plus-award-fee contract began on Jan. 13, 1995. Boeing is responsible for maintaining the station at peak performance levels so the full value of the unique research laboratory is available to NASA, its international partners, other U.S. government agencies and private companies.

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How and when to see the ISS, without a telescope

Lots of things change in the night sky. Stars rise and set during the night; constellations come and go as the seasons pass; planets waltz along the ecliptic, visiting the zodiacal constellations on their nonstop sightseeing tour of the heavens; and shooting stars zip across the sky. Sometimes, a display of the fabled aurora paints the northern sky with searchlight beams of scarlet and swaying curtains of highlighter-pen green.

But all these things only happen occasionally. You can’t be guaranteed to see each of them every night.

However, there is one thing you can be guaranteed to see moving in the sky every night, no matter where you live on the planet: satellites.

A sky full of satellites

Years after the launch of Sputnik in 1957, there are thousands of satellites orbiting Earth. And it’s no exaggeration to say that they have become an essential part of our infrastructure. Every minute of every day, satellites are taking photos of the weather, transmitting TV and radio signals, monitoring the climate, and linking people around the world. They steer our cars, guide our planes and ships, and, perhaps most important, allow us to watch cute cat videos while lazing on a beach.

In recent years, the number of satellites orbiting Earth has — if you’ll pardon the pun — skyrocketed, particularly as SpaceX has pursued its mission to fill low Earth orbit with its Starlink Wi-Fi satellites , launching some 50 at a time atop its reusable Falcon rockets. While there’s no doubt these are useful to people in remote locations, allowing them to connect to the internet for the first time in some cases, both amateur and professional astronomers are deeply concerned about their impact on the night sky and astronomical research.

But there is one satellite that, perhaps hypocritically, watchers of the night sky enjoy. Some even go out of their way to see it: the International Space Station (ISS) .

How to see the ISS

So, how do you see the ISS for the first time, tonight?

• First, check NASA’s web site (there are also apps) to see if it’s visible — you may have to wait a few days until it is. If the ISS will put in an appearance tonight, use your most reliable weather app to check the forecast — again, you might have to wait a few days!
• Next, choose your observing site carefully. The more you can see of the sky, the better. During high passes, the ISS clears most trees and buildings, but a low pass might be hidden by features on your horizon, so figure out in advance where you should go to ensure you see it.
• Be at your observing site a good 10 or even 15 minutes before the ISS pass is due to begin. Then, look for a “star” rising in the west at the predicted time. If you see one that’s flashing, it’s a plane. If it’s shining with a steady light, it’s the ISS. It won’t look particularly bright at first, but it will grow brighter as it gains height. Then, just follow the ISS across the sky, enjoying the sight of it cruising through the constellations, passing background stars and planets along the way.
• If you have a pair of binoculars handy, definitely swing them toward the ISS. They will enhance its color and brightness a lot. But even if you don’t have any, just enjoy watching it with your naked eye. It’s still a thrilling sight.
• Eventually the ISS will fade as it moves out of direct sunlight and into Earth’s shadow, effectively going into eclipse. Sometimes it fades slowly, as if on a dimmer switch, while other times it almost appears to be snuffed out like a candle. But eventually it will be gone, surrendering the night sky to the stars once more.
• And that’s how you see the ISS. As the saying goes, it’s not rocket science. It’s just a matter of looking at the right time from the right place.
• One last thing. As you’re watching the ISS go over, give it a wave. You never know, the crew might be looking down at you just as you’re looking up at them!

The ISS essentially looks like a starlike point of light that moves across the sky from west to east. However, it is not visible from every location every night. Sometimes it can be seen in the wee small hours before sunrise, sometimes as the evening sky is darkening after sunset. Unlike an airplane, the ISS doesn’t blink or flash, instead shining with a steady light.

How impressive the ISS looks during any particular pass depends on where it is in its orbit and where you are when you’re looking up at it. Sometimes its track carries it very high in the sky, even overhead, while other times it’s a lot lower, scraping the trees. The higher its altitude, the brighter the ISS will appear. At its brightest, the ISS can nearly rival Venus at its best, and is a genuinely stunning sight as it arcs across the sky, looking like a lantern that someone has thrown up into it.

I took a picture of the International Space Station this morning, from my back yard. by u/120decibel in space

Editor’s note: This article was first published in 2023 and has been updated.

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Houston life, ‘space explorers: the infinite’ returns to houston for out of this world experience.

Lauren Kelly , Houston Life Correspondent

HOUSTON – ‘Space Explorers: The Infinite’ experience has returned to Space City!

The award-winning, space-themed concept that lets guests roam freely inside a virtual life-size replica of the International Space Station.

With plenty of new components, this experience will bring guests closer to the feeling of being in outer space than ever before.

This time around, guests can watch five minutes of footage from NASA’s Artemis I launch on November 16, 2022.

On the front end of the experience – which is about an hour long in totality – when guests enter Space Explorers: THE INFINITE, they are now met with an expanded “launch” element that includes the addition of LED lighting and a “haze” effect that simulates the firing up of a rocket ship.

Also, after patrons remove their VR headsets they will pass through the room that contains Japanese visual artist Ryoji Ikeda’s thought-provoking art piece, The Universe Within the Universe.

For tickets and more information, click HERE .

Watch as Lauren Kelly chats with Eric Albert, Co-CEO of Infinity Experiences, all about this incredible immersive installation open to the public now at Silver Street Studios at Sawyer Yards.

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Nine things to know: All about Valhalla Golf Club

Need to Know

No. 11, Holler: It’s a middle- to long-iron shot into a shallow green that features a slight false front, with a large bunker in front and a smaller one behind. The green angles right to left, but shots going too far left will bound down the steep hillside. (Source: PGA of America)

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Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, was built specifically to host major championships, and it has stood the test of time. Now recently polished and upgraded, the course is ready to host this year’s PGA Championship.

1. WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Its name alone invokes epic tales, and it has been the site of some. Valhalla refers to the mythological Norse hall of slain warriors who rest under the watchful eye of the warrior god Odin. A bit fanciful, perhaps. But the original ownership hired Jack Nicklaus in the 1980s to design a major-championship venue, and the venue has produced memorable theatrics during three PGA Championships (1996 – Mark Brooks; 2000 - Tiger Woods; 2014 – Rory McIlroy), two Senior PGA Championships (2004 – Hale Irwin; 2011 – Tom Watson) and the 2008 Ryder Cup (USA). Perhaps another humbled god of yore can rise again this time.

The first PGA saw Kentucky’s own Kenny Perry fall in a sudden-death playoff to Mark Brooks. Perry made a mess of the first extra hole after making the questionable decision to be interviewed in the CBS broadcast booth instead of keeping warm on the range. Perry also lost a sudden-death playoff at the 2009 Masters after making bogey on the final two holes of regulation. He never did get his major championship, but he got redemption in his home state when, at the age of 48, he was a member of the U.S. Team that won the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla. That team, captained by Paul Azinger, set a template that the U.S. side has been trying to replicate since.

Valhalla’s next PGA, held just four years after Brooks’ victory, was Woods’ third consecutive major win. He became the first man since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win three majors in the same year and went on to win the following year’s Masters to complete the Tiger Slam. Woods had to hole a downhill, sliding 7-footer for birdie to force a playoff with plucky underdog Bob May, then dispatched of him in a three-hole playoff. The scene of Woods chasing down his birdie putt and pointing at the hole on the first extra hole is perhaps the most famous moment at Valhalla.

Photo Finish: This epic finishing hole bends gracefully to the right, with a large bunker to the left of the landing zone and a beautiful water feature on the right. Most players can get home in two, but will have to contend with a big bunker in front and a smaller pot bunker left. The vast, horseshoe-shaped green has distinct putting areas left, center, and right, so simply getting on the surface is no guarantee of a good score. (Source: PGA of America)

Straight Up: The tee shot must find the uphill, left-angling fairway, which means avoiding the two large bunkers, one on each side of the landing area. Then the approach must find the green, which is completely surrounded by trouble—two bunkers to the left and tightly mown turf everywhere else. (Source: PGA of America)

Homestretch: Brush Run Creek lines the right side of this slight dogleg-right, as well. But the real difficulty is the formidable green complex, which features two bunkers in front and a severe drop-off to a closely manicured chipping area to the right. The natural amphitheater is a prime spot for spectator viewing. (Source: PGA of America)

Julep: Unfortunately, that’s not mint julep in Brush Run Creek, which runs down the entire right side of the hole. The landing area is framed by deep bluegrass rough to the left and a large bunker to the right. The creek and a small bunker edge the right side of the large green, with a bigger bunker on the left. (Source: PGA of America)

On The Rocks: The longest par 3 on the course, and also one of the best views of the surrounding countryside. The serene setting gets more serious around the two-tiered green, which is sandwiched between two bunkers in front and two behind. Playing from either of the two rear bunkers can be especially painful as the green slopes from back to front. (Source: PGA of America)

The Limestone Hole: Don’t let the distance deceive you: Yes, it’s the shortest two-shot hole on the course, but those two shots have to be good. A cluster of six bunkers sits just to the left of the fairway landing zone, while the green is a true island, surrounded by water and built up nearly 20 feet on large limestone boulders. (Source: PGA of America)

Holler: It’s a middle- to long-iron shot into a shallow green that features a slight false front, with a large bunker in front and a smaller one behind. The green angles right to left, but shots going too far left will bound down the steep hillside. (Source: PGA of America)

Sting Like A Bee: This hole has an island fairway which is especially difficult because it doglegs to the right and then leaves an approach shot of 170-190 yards to an elevated green. One of the deepest bunkers on the course sits to the right of the angled putting surface, while the bluegrass rough to the left is gnarly and painful. (Source: PGA of America)

Big Red: Named after Secretariat, the big, long-distance thoroughbred, this hole is a double-dogleg with a fairway bunker on the right side of the driving zone and deep rough and trees to the left. The undulating, two-tiered green is nearly perpendicular to the fairway and protected by a large, deep bunker in front. (Source: PGA of America)

Twin Spires: The tee shot at this uphill par 4 is challenged by three fairway bunkers along the right side and two more left. The uphill approach makes judging the yardage difficult, exaggerated by the presence of one of the largest and deepest bunkers on the course just right of the green.The green itself is one of the most undulating on the entire golf course. (Source: PGA of America)

Float Like A Butterfly: It’s only a short- to middle-iron in, but the green complex is as dangerous as a Muhammad Ali combination. The front is protected by a deep bunker and a severe, closely manicured collection area. There is another bunker left, and another low-mow collection area beyond the green. The large, angled green affords numerous testing hole locations. (Source: PGA of America)

Genuine Risk: The split fairway sets up a classic risk vs. reward dilemma. Driving to the left shortens the hole by more than 50 yards, but the landing area is only 26 yards wide, surrounded by bluegrass rough, and guarded by water right; the approach from this island fairway is 210-230 yards, all over water. Driving to the right is longer but safer. With water along the front and left side of the green, it’s a brave player who attacks from any angle. (Source: PGA of America)

Long Shot: The name “Long Shot” refers not to distance but one’s chance of making a par on this difficult hole. It demands an accurate tee shot, and for some players will be something less than a driver as the aim is to get as close to Floyd’s Fork as one dares. Even after a good drive, players will still be looking at over 200 yards to a challenging green complex: A deep bunker guards the left side, a closely mown collection area lurks on the right. (Source: PGA of America)

The Sun Shines Bright: The fairway on this dogleg-right is bracketed by a large fairway bunker on the right side and three bunkers on the left. The large, triangular green is also guarded on both sides, by a large bunker right and a closely mown collection area left. The back-right hole location is one of the most challenging on the course. (Source: PGA of America)

Mine That Bird: The aggressive line on this short-ish par 4 is down the left side, carrying the large bunker at the inside of the dogleg-left’s elbow. When the tee is moved forward most players can drive the green, but this brings Floyd’s Fork into play to the left side of the green and the putting surface features significant movement and contours. Golfers who choose to lay back and approach with a wedge will need precise distance control to get near the hole wherever it’s positioned. (Source: PGA of America)

Honest Abe: Named after Kentucky’s only president (Lincoln was born in Larue County, about 70 miles south of Valhalla; his family moved to Illinois when he was 7), this challenging par 3 demands an “honest” attempt. Floyd’s Fork sweeps around to the right of the green, which also is guarded by a large bunker to the right and smaller bunkers to the left and behind. But the real danger is misreading the wind, which can push a shot to the right side, which slopes down toward the hazards. (Source: PGA of America)

The Post: The challenge on this dogleg-left is not only off the tee, but also on the approach. The large front-right bunker is both visually intimidating and a real threat when the hole is cut front-left or back-right. The left bunker will catch errant shots aimed at the back of the green. (Source: PGA of America)

Winning Colors: Another slight dogleg left, this long par 4 is lined with beautiful Kentucky hardwoods. Tee shots need to stay clear of a finger of Floyd’s Fork, a waterway that runs along the left side of the fairway and green, and continues to meander through the front nine. Also protecting the angled green are three bunkers, two front-left and one back-right. (Source: PGA of America)

McIlroy will mark something of a milestone when he returns to Valhalla this week. This was the site of his fourth – and most recent major – victory. That tournament was held in August, so we are a few months short of an exact decade, but there will no doubt be reflections on the fact that McIlroy won four majors from 2011-14 but has not won one since. He finished off his 2014 PGA Championship in the dark after storms delayed the final round. It was his second major win of the year, coming on the heels of his victory a month earlier in The Open.

2. BIG BALLPARK

This is a golf club, not a country club, and everything about it is big in scale. It’s a golf facility built for the modern game and built for hosting big events. The 485-acre property sits 20 miles east of downtown Louisville, easily accessible by highway and with plenty of local parking to accommodate the large crowds.

With 60 feet of elevation change across the entire site, Valhalla is easily walkable. There’s also plenty of room alongside the holes to provide spectators with excellent viewing and to tuck the necessary cart paths behind mounds or in the trees. The two tees of the double-sided practice area sit 350 yards apart so there’s no need to worry about netting on the practice area, either. The takeaway? There’s no shortage of space at Valhalla.

3. HAZARD-OUS MATERIAL

The corridors at Valhalla are framed by the spartan use of bunkers and the creeks that wind through the property. There are 62 bunkers on the course, and they’re almost evenly deployed between the fairways and the greens.

The fairway bunkers tend to line the sides of the landing zones, which are approximately 25 yards wide. They’re not necessarily there to define ideal lines of play or to present players with risky, but rewarding, carries. They simply constrict the landing areas and penalize those who stray from the fairway.

The greenside bunkers also help define aerial lines of play; these are perched up putting surfaces that are not designed for ground-game approaches. In this sense, the course is distinctly modern in its encouragement of aerial power.

Additional strategy is provided by two meandering streams: Floyd’s Fork on the front nine and Brush Run Creek on the back nine. Together, they influence play on seven holes should players come up short with their approaches or wander too far afield with their tee shots.

4. LONG GAME

Valhalla has been lengthened by 151 yards for this year’s PGA Championship, a 2% increase over its yardage in 2014. It will now top out at 7,609 yards and have a par of 71. Over that same decade, the average drive on the PGA TOUR has increased by 2.8%. That means the effective playing distance is marginally less than it was a decade ago, especially when considering the added length that iron shots travel. Valhalla’s added length is part of ongoing renovation by the Nicklaus design team. Recent changes were concentrated on four holes: the par-4 first and 12th holes, the par-3 14th and par-5 closing hole.

The first hole will now play approximately 50 yards longer, while 20 yards have been added to No. 12. The 14th hole can now be played as a 250-yard par-3.

5. THREE KEY HOLES

These are three holes to keep an eye on this week:

No. 4: The 372-yard par 4 normally plays as a lay-up off the tee to a tightly-bunkered fairway and then a wedge to a well-guarded green. But the PGA’s Chief Championship Officer, Kerry Haigh, has indicated that the tees will “probably” be moved up at some point, in which case many players will tempt what amounts to a 305-yard carry to the green. Making the hole drivable brings Floyd’s Fork into play left of the putting surface.

No. 6: This 495-yard par 4 will likely be the toughest hole all week. Players have to back off on a driver because the fairway ends at 295 yards, bisected by Floyd’s Fork. It’s a 340-yard carry past trees and creek to reach the other side. Modesty off the tee leaves most players with 200 yards remaining to a perched green that falls off steeply on the left. Miss the fairway off the tee and par becomes very elusive.

No. 13: This 351-yard par 4 is Valhalla’s most photographed hole, and for good reason. It plays from an elevated tee to a densely-bunkered fairway. The approach is hit to a fortress of an island green that has absolutely no support around it. You either hit the 5,662-square-foot green or you are in the water. The risk-reward ratio is extremely high, so everyone rational lays up off the tee and then tries to hit the green with a wedge. The hole has recently been excavated anew to expose its supportive limestone and adjoining waterfall. It's quite the spectacle.

6. THAT 18TH

Fitting for a course in Kentucky, the 18th hole is nicknamed “Photo Finish,” and it has provided plenty of those. Two of the three PGAs held at Valhalla have been decided in a playoff, while the other was a one-shot victory.

For this year’s PGA, the par 5 has been lengthened by 28 yards to 570. It's still within reach of most of the field, but players will need to hit the fairway to get home in two.

The oversized green is 6,534 square feet. It wraps around a mammoth “lion’s mouth” bunker that is in front of the green and divides it into three sections. The green serves as center stage, surrounded by hills that create a huge amphitheater for spectators.

Perry bogeyed the hole in 1996, then watched Brooks make a 4-footer for birdie to force a playoff. Brooks birdied it again to win on the first extra hole.

Four years later, Woods had to hole a 7-foot birdie on No. 18 to force a three-hole playoff with May. And in 2014, the PGA had one of its most memorable finishes as McIlroy asserted himself on the 18th tee, finishing in the dark to avoid having to return the next day to complete his one-stroke win.

7. NEW GRASS

Louisville occupies what turfgrass folks call the “transition zone.” That is the mid-central region of the United States, which is in between a more Northern climate that favors bentgrass and a Southern climate suited for Bermudagrass. The mid-season heat and humidity that Valhalla endures is not ideal for cool-season grasses, and that meant that the club’s original bentgrass fairways and tees were prone to wilting and required extra care.

In 2021, the club switched 30 acres of fairway and teeing grounds to Zeon Zoysia, a fine-bladed turfgrass that thrives in the local conditions and requires less water, chemicals and labor. That leads to annual savings of $250,000 in maintenance.

From a competition standpoint, the Zoysia will play firmer, faster and effectively speed up the ground game, placing more of a premium on accurate ballstriking. That shrinks the playing surface because the ball will roll more after landing. In other words, it’s a more sustainable playing surface that also requires more precise play. It’s a win-win.

8. NEW GREENS

Valhalla’s greens, which were rebuilt in 2011, are on the small side for championship golf. They average approximately 5,000 square feet, which makes them the third-smallest thus far in the PGA TOUR season. Only those at Pebble Beach (3,500 square feet) and Harbour Town (3,700) have been smaller. This also is just the third time in 2024 that the TOUR pros will face bentgrass putting surfaces, following those at Augusta National and TPC Craig Ranch recently for THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson.

Valhalla’s greens are visible from the approach area, even if not every pin placement can be seen. The course generally presents itself very well visually, a design trait of Nicklaus. With putting surfaces mowed to 1/10th of an inch, they will likely support speeds of 12-12.5 on the Stimpmeter. The breaks tend to be subtle, not swooping, and particular attention must be paid to putts inside 5-6 feet given the presence of modest contours at the cup.

9. SUPER STUFF

Valhalla’s superintendent, John Bollard, is a 25-year veteran of the turfgrass industry. He has spent the past five years at Valhalla, where he oversaw the installation of the Zeon Zoysia fairways and tees. He’s also been prepping for his first professional major through close observation of the set-ups at Southern Hills for the 2022 PGA and last year at Oak Hill. It helps having a brand-new shop and storage area, plus the support of three assistants, a total of 40 employees, and – for championship week – another 125 volunteers.

He'll have Valhalla ready for another memorable finish.

Valhalla Golf Club 2024 PGA Championship

Card of the course:

Bradley S. Klein is a veteran golf writer and author of 10 books on course design. A former PGA TOUR caddie, he was architecture editor of Golfweek for over two decades and is now a freelance journalist and course design consultant. Follow Bradley S. Klein on Twitter .