The National Space Centre has launched a new permanent immersive space themed experience. Prepared to go on a cosmic holiday into space, visitors accidentally find themselves on a rescue mission to Mars where they have to work together to retrieve important research, survive disaster and escape back to Earth.
Tetrastar Spaceport combines immersive theatre, actors, realistic set design, projection mapping, spatial audio, real-time interactive content, motion seats and hands-on interactives with immersive storytelling.
The 300m2 experience plays out across four main zones with 10 additional themed spaces allowing four concurrent pulses of 20 person groups. 11 projectors, 47 screens, 45 speakers, 50 media servers and computers, and 15k mapped RGBW LED pixels are seamlessly blended into the intricate set work and woven together under a family-friendly, exciting space themed narrative.
Everyone feels like part of the interactive mission which is supported by pre-recorded characters in the media, real-world performers and an artificial intelligence “ADA”. In most attractions, it would be over after the big ride moment, but this is just half the experience. The visitors get to take part in an escape room-style experience where they have to retrieve valuable specimens and power up the Tetrabank with Tetracells to ensure they have enough energy to get back to Earth in the escape pod!
With a maximum throughput of 1,400 people a day the summer holiday space explorers scored this new 20 minute immersive experience 10/10, the next step is to release the enhanced one hour schools mission in the Autumn of 2022. A flight is included in the general admission to the centre and is suitable for over 5’s, although some restrictions apply.
The attraction design and creation was led by the National Space Centre in-house immersive production studio NSC Creative working collaboratively with a team of UK experts.
Meticulous Ltd supplied the development design, fabrication, installation and theming of 14 unique zones along with 12 interactive stations.
Simworx provided 20 motion seats with interactive buttons and a Control Master API that enabled NSC Creative to create a real-time interactive launch experience application with dynamic motion and branching narrative ride content.
ABC AV led the AV, lighting and show control systems design and integration of the media-rich experience.
NSC Creative provided overall project management and creative direction along with specialist immersive AV integration and all story, content and performance production.
Paul Mowbray, Project Director, NSC Creative
“By selecting the best people in their fields we were able to put together a crack team of specialists all working to the goal of suspending the visitors’ belief and transporting them to Mars and back on a wild space mission.”
Dean Weal, Production Design Director, Meticulous Ltd
“We really maximised the modest footprint (300 sqm2) of the experience with misdirection, squash and stretch, different textures and materials and lighting to give a tangible sense of navigating very different areas In the space of 20 minutes the visitors leave Leicester 2022 and journey to the the year 2080 and before they know it they are taking secret passages to spaceships and Mars bases before hurtling back to Earth in an escape pod!”
Terry Monkton, CEO, Simworx
“Having the opportunity to integrate our class-leading motion seats into a highly themed environment where the wrap-around screen disappears and you the audience just believe that they are on a spaceship flying through canyons on Mars was a real pleasure. The innovation with the real-time content and branching paths adds another standout feature to the experience.”
Aaron Bradbury, Experiential Design Director, NSC Creative
“Everyone feels like part of the mission which is supported by pre-recorded characters in the media, our brilliant real-world performers and our artificial intelligence “ADA” which visitors form a strong bond with and ultimately pays a high price for the success of the team!”
Neil Smith, UX and Real-time Art Supervisor, NSC Creative
“In most attractions it would be over after the big ride moment, but this is just half the experience. The visitors get to take part in an escape room style experience where they have to retrieve valuable specimens and power up the Tetrabank with Tetracells to ensure they have enough energy to get back to earth in the escape pod!”
Andy Bates, CEO, ABC AV
“Tetrastar is like a mini science centre packaged into one exhibition. The complexity of the show control and AV system is next level to ensure every mission goes successfully even if the participants don’t always achieve their objectives! Every action triggers a response and feeds into a scoring system that gives a unique outcome and award at the end of each mission to encourage repeat visits.“
The £2.88m project “Extended Reality for new Audiences” also included a new Reality Lab teaching space and XR infused Community Engagement Programme at the National Space Centre. It was supported by the Inspiring Science Fund – a partnership between the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Wellcome, as well as the Local Growth Fund from Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, The Garfield Weston Foundation and Fidelity UK Foundation.
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