SpaceVR & SpaceX to send VR camera into space to give you 'astronaut experience' on earth

Virtual reality experience is about to get more real. SpaceVR, a California-based startup is planning to send a virtual reality camera into space to bring "some immersive space video" for earth dwellers.

The firm plans to share the space footage with the general public and distribute it through different channels and make it available through VR headsets including HTC Vibe and Oculus Rift.

Basically, the company has created a large thermos-sized device that houses eight cameras, which will capture two to three hours of 360-degree footage per month over the course of nine months. After nine months, the device will fall back to Earth and burn up during re-entry.

According to Mashable report, the footage will be recovered while the device is in orbit via X and S band microwave radio transmissions.

The startup is also partnering with SpaceX to get the device into low Earth orbit by riding on one of SpaceX's launches in August.

SpaceVR's CEO, Ryan Holmes told Mashable, “I saw what happened to the astronauts after that experience. I saw them as being much better people, much more connected to other people seeing our place in the universe. I realised that once that happens to everyone, we'll fundamentally live in a different world as a species because we'll all think differently. My goal is to catalyse that by sending this VR camera into space so people can really see what it's like.”

SpaceVR is backed by Kickstarter; it raised $1.25 million last year.