Update Sept. 3, 4:10pm ET: Artemis I launch has been postponed again.
What you need to know
- Meta's Horizon Worlds app will host a VR livestream of NASA's Artemis I launch.
- Anyone with an Oculus Quest or Oculus Quest 2 headset can view the event.
- The launch is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 3, though could be rescheduled due to weather.
Anyone with an Oculus Quest headset will be able to watch the upcoming launch of NASA's Artemis I rocket completely in virtual reality through the Horizon Worlds app.
The Artemis I is NASA's first step to sending astronaut crews back to the moon since 1972, and eventually make its way to Mars. The Artemis I consists of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft with no crew, and will orbit the moon for six weeks before returning. The launch is seen as a test for future, more regular missions sending crews to the moon.
Those with an Oculus Quest or Oculus Quest 2 will be able to view the launch in its entirety in Meta's Horizon Worlds app. The livestream is being produced by Felix & Paul Studios, which has filmed a spacewalk on the International Space Station in VR with Space Explorers, and will feature "exclusive pre-show content."
Meta had announced the VR event earlier this week when the rocket's launch was scheduled for Aug. 29, but NASA delayed the launch due to a temperature problem with one of the booster's engines.
According to NBC News, the launch has been rescheduled for Saturday, Sept. 3 with a two-hour window starting at 2:17 p.m. ET. The launch will be taking place at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, but could be rescheduled again to Monday, Sept. 5 if weather is an issue.
The VR livestream can be found in the Venues hub within Horizon Worlds under Artemis Ascending, and Meta Quest users can also subscribe to the event. Horizon Worlds has been no stranger to catering to events with exclusive VR content over the past year including the NBA's 75th anniversary, Jordan Peele's film NOPE, and Post Malone's VR concert film.
Update
NASA has postponed the Sept. 3 launch of the Artemis I rocket after the "teams encountered a liquid hydrogen leak while loading the propellant into the rocket’s core stage." No date for the rescheduled launch has been announced yet.
The Meta Quest 2 offers increased power, resolution, and flexibility over the original virtual headset. It is a complete, all-in-one headset that does not need to be tethered to a PC or smartphone in order to work.
