djusted. With virtual reality, astronaut trainees can experience the feel of space without the danger of the actual thing. Large vacuum domes, or closed areas without oxygen, were popular for understanding the feel of non-gravitational space. Although this practice is effective, the use of virtual reality has proven to be more beneficial while training for space. Jim Newman has accumulated 779 hours of space travel and 28 hours of space walking throughout his missions onboard the U.S. space shuttle. Newman associated with virtual reality by wearing a helmet, sensor gloves, and shoulder harnesses that measured and responded to his every move. “The odd, local gravitational effects of rotating in space, [Newman says], make it all but impossible to practice these maneuvers except by using virtual reality” (Cox 40). The virtual training precisely imitated the great fear of becoming disconnected from the tether while walking in space. In order to effectively train for space, the astronaut must be given the same environment that space provides. Virtual reality is a benefit to space training because any environment can be readily created and explored by the user. NASA in return is making VR more affordable and opening the equipment to large numbers of people. Most everyone would like to have a more accurate weather forecast, especially when dangerous weather is involved. Virtual reality allows scientists to get an inside look at dangerous weather and obtain a better understanding of the ingredients necessary to generate a storm. With this knowledge, scientists can educate forecasters allowing them to make better predictions on the occurrence of threatening storms. These accurate predictions will allow people to better prepare for threatening weather and remain safe from unexpected catastrophes.According to an article found in the Dec. 1997 issue of the magazine Earth, a video theater, used to display the virtual reality...
