A Visit to the International Space Station in Second Life

The International Space Station created in Second Life, now open to visitors, with many surprises and a didactic trail.Thanks to Second Life potential it is now possible to let people know still better this astonishing project, never attempted in modern industrial age, and experience it through a striking simulation

by DouglasImma McMahon

The international space station is a huge scientific testing ground orbiting about 400 km from Earth's surface.

The project started in 1998 with the partnership of United States, Canada, Europe, Russia and Japan. It has the aim to realize a great multidisciplinary research center where crews alternation is scheduled for many years to ensure a permanent human presence.

The ISS is carrying out a wide range of scientific tests, made unique by special microgravity conditions.

Multifarious scientific and technological subjects may take advantage of these unique conditions, opening new and unpredictable opportunities on the wave of new chances of investigation.

From an ethic point of view the ISS represents a challenge to limited local interests in order to achieve new ways of cooperation on a worldwide scale in investigation related to multiple knowledge fields.

The Iss probably represents the most ambitious achievement ever fulfilled in the last millenniums of human history.

Considering mankind's legends heritage, we can assume that maybe in the past civilizations technologically and spiritually more advanced than ours have flourished and faded ; moreover it is not excluded at all that one day we can somewhere find remains of ancient space research stations.

The main lobby with the boarded didactic trail

On second life, Slurl Asmodeus (145, 82, 3884), a station sample open to visitors has been settled up. Through a teleport system it is possible to experience a simulation of what it could be made inside the space installation. The settlement stands in an environment made up of a moving starry sky, suggesting the sensation of orbital motion of the station. It is possible to stroll on the open tubular structure representing the connecting deck between great solar headers providing energy and the main body of the station. You can also walk inside the station, crossing many service rooms, and visit the lounge with big panoramic windows from where you can watch the space and catch a glimpse of the Earth. It is moreover possible to get on the dome used by the crew for astronomical observation. A short didactic trail provides basic information about this astonishing project and some pictures records life and tests that crews perform on the real station.

Finally, a look at a possible future: the ISS may be one day the scene of a meeting with alien intelligences. Nearby the station, passengers of an alien spacecraft (you can enter as well) seem to stare at the terrestrial installation. A fact that may occur, prelude to a contact with other civilizations, that could however been already happened behind our back.

Maybe with the ISS project a more mature mankind is appearing, intended to go beyond local competitions combining resources for a superior common goal: the achievement of new scientific knowledge peaks.

More advanced intelligences may find in this a reason for greater trust in the human species...

The panoramic lounge where it is possible to look at the surrounding starry space	The accessible alien spacecraft, a fascinating supposition related to a possible rule of the ISS in a contact with intelligences from other worlds