Space at Your Fingertips: Russian Scientists Create a VR Planetarium for Students

Touching the Stars

A VR application developed by the Digital Humanities Lab at Siberian Federal University allows any classroom to embark on a cosmic journey. Its key feature is full autonomy: it runs on modern standalone headsets such as Oculus Quest 3 without connecting to a computer. High‑quality graphics and onboard processing give students vivid, high‑resolution views of the universe.

The project is unique because it blends deeply produced astronomy content with an intuitive technological interface. Once launched using a controller, the entire experience shifts into gesture mode. Project lead Alexey Sanin explains: “This gives students a strong sense of presence and a more comfortable learning experience. They interact with virtual objects simply by using their hands, making the process natural, intuitive, and safe for schoolchildren.”

From the Sky to the Classroom

The application goes far beyond astronomy lessons. It is already planned for deployment not only in schools but also in children’s technology parks such as Quantorium. In the future, it may be adapted for subjects like environmental science and physics.

The first pilot regions will include Krasnoyarsk Krai, Khakassia, and the Khanty‑Mansi Autonomous Okrug. If the rollout is successful, the next step will be nationwide implementation, particularly in regions advancing digital education and building “smart schools” under national programs.

“Our VR application is not the only one of its kind—there are analogues both in Russia and abroad. But its uniqueness lies in being a fully autonomous VR planetarium designed specifically for schools. It runs directly on the headset with no computer or controllers, allows students to ‘land’ on planets and their moons, and supports scientifically grounded experiments in different simulated environments. A virtual guide named Kosmik explains the Solar System and demonstrates each experiment as part of the learning process.”

Alexey Sanin

Project lead, head of the Digital Humanities Lab at Siberian Federal University

Looking ahead to 2028–2030, the project could evolve into a global product, with multilingual versions adapted for international education systems.

A Digital Odyssey

The VR planetarium joins a broader movement reshaping Russia’s educational landscape.

One notable example is the VR Chemistry Lab pilot, in which 70 schools across 35 regions tested immersive virtual experiments. Initiated by the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, the project demonstrated that the education system is ready for VR‑based learning tools.

Universities have also been integrating immersive technologies such as VR and AR. Research conducted in Russian higher‑education institutions confirmed that the country is building the foundation needed to adopt XR at scale. While this early work focused primarily on universities, it created the talent and expertise now flowing into K‑12 education.

Teachers generally rated VR’s potential highly but noted early‑stage barriers: a shortage of specialists who can work with the equipment and its limited availability. These insights highlight the challenges that any new educational technology—including the VR planetarium—must overcome.

An Expanding Educational Orbit

Project developer Alexey Sanin notes: “We are now in the final stage of optimization for standalone headsets. Pilot testing with students is scheduled for next month. After that, we will gather feedback from teachers and schoolchildren to refine user scenarios and ensure the interface is comfortable and accessible.”

Future iterations are expected to become more intelligent. Analytics tools could help track individual student progress, and smart assistants embedded in the virtual environment could tailor learning paths to each learner’s needs and skill level. This would turn virtual space from a simple exploration tool into a personalized educational trajectory.