Virtual voyage to the moon

ULAN BATOR — A VR exhibition titled China's Deep Space and Lunar Exploration officially opened at the Chinese Cultural Center in Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia, on May 29.

More than 100 teachers and students from primary and secondary schools across Mongolia attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition, where they experienced the unique appeal of China's deepspace and lunar exploration technologies.

The exhibition combines artificial intelligence and extended reality (XR) technologies to present the achievements of China's deep-space lunar exploration program through immersive virtual reality experiences. Using panoramic VR displays, the exhibition offers visitors a virtual "journey to the moon".

Wearing VR headsets, the visitors explored simulated lunar landscapes and experienced walking on the moon in an immersive environment. Through interactions with a virtual non-player character named "Chinese Panda", they also learned about aerospace science in an engaging and interactive way, highlighting the integration of technology and culture.

Li Zhi, a counselor at the Chinese embassy in Mongolia and director of the Chinese Cultural Center in Ulan Bator, said at the opening ceremony that the VR exhibition vividly demonstrates the integration and mutual enrichment of technology and culture.

"With the help of advanced digital technology, visitors can virtually travel 380,000 kilometers to the moon, walk on the lunar surface, interact with the Chang'e probe and the Yutu lunar rover, and gain a firsthand understanding of China's achievements in deep-space exploration," said Li.

The exhibition will run for one month.

To further enrich the program, a photo exhibition with the same theme was launched alongside the VR exhibition, together with a special aerospace-themed Chinese language corner.

Through Chinese-language learning, interactive exchanges, and science outreach activities, Mongolian youth are expected to gain a deeper understanding of China's achievements in space exploration and technological innovation, while further promoting cultural exchanges and friendship between China and Mongolia.

XINHUA