THE APP

The Cupola is an immersive mobile prototype that lets users explore the International Space Station’s observation dome through full 360° gyro navigation. Float in microgravity, observe Earth through the Cupola’s seven windows, and interact with drifting tools and panels to uncover their stories. With a single tap, transition to the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) prototype — where astronauts train underwater for spacewalks. Designed not as a simulation but as an educational experience, Cupola brings the wonder of space exploration into the hands of billions of mobile users worldwide.

THE ISS

Suspended between day and night, the International Space Station drifts as humanity’s shared lighthouse in the void, a living cathedral of science built by the collective reach of our curiosity. High above the blue curve of Earth, astronauts work in quiet unity, turning experiments into hope and distant horizons into lessons for life below. It is not merely a station in space; it is proof that when we rise together, we illuminate the darkness.

THE CUPOLA

The Cupola is humanity’s window to the world, a fragile dome of glass where astronauts float in silence and gaze down at the living sphere that gave them life. Through its seven windows, continents drift, storms spiral, and the thin blue line of atmosphere shimmers like breath against the dark. It stands as both a sanctuary and a reminder that even from orbit our home remains achingly close and endlessly worth protecting.

THE NBL

The Neutral Buoyancy Lab is a giant underwater world where astronauts practice living and working in space. Inside its calm, deep pool, they float beside real station models, learning how to move slowly and carefully as they will in orbit. It is the place where humans first feel what it means to be weightless before they ever leave Earth.

OUR NBL

Our NBL provides the educational simulations of scientific experiments on the NBL/ISS for our app users to be weightless before they ever leave Earth.

LENGHT

WIDTH

DEPTH

VOLUME

WATER COMPOSITION

WATER TEMPERATURE

202 feet (61.5 meters)

102 feet (31.1 meters)

40 feet (12.2 meters)

6.2 million gallons

Chlorinated fresh water

84°-86° F (28.9°-30° C)

NBL FACILITY CAPABILITIES

• Multiple integrated control rooms

• Clean climate controlled environment

• Extensive video, audio and instrumentation
  capabilities

• Multiple crane systems for equipment handling

• SCUBA and surface supplied dive systems

• On-site engineering and technical services

• Co-located logistics and manufacturing facility

• ISO level 8 clean room

• Classroom, meeting, and high-bay work areas

• Time-critical, mission success ready workforce

• World class safety culture

DIVER SUPPORT

With an experienced and certified professional diving staff, the NBL offers operations support, reconfiguration,
camera operations and safety diving functions. The NBL utilizes SCUBA and surface supplied dive systems, with
nitrox and air and has an on-site hyperbaric chamber. There is an ISO Level 8 Clean Room supporting maintenance and repair capabilities.

CUPOLA TECHNICAL SHEET

DOWNLOAD

RESEARCHES

RESSOURCES

Space Research & Training References

• NASA Image and Video Library – Cupola & Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL)
  https://images.nasa.gov
  Official NASA database featuring photos and videos from the International Space Station’s Cupola module and the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL).

• NASA Johnson Space Center Flickr – Cupola & Neutral Buoyancy Lab
  https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/albums
  High-resolution image archives from NASA’s Johnson Space Center, showcasing astronaut training activities and NBL underwater extravehicular activity (EVA) simulations.

• Station Research and Technology – International Space Station Research Portal
  https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research
  NASA’s official portal detailing ongoing ISS scientific experiments, research facilities, and technological advancements.

• Neutral Buoyancy Lab Overview – NASA Johnson Space Center
  https://www.nasa.gov/neutral-buoyancy-lab
  Comprehensive overview of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, used to simulate microgravity and prepare astronauts for extravehicular missions.

• Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Systems – NASA Technical Encyclopedia
  https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/game_changing_development/evs
  Detailed technical entry describing NASA’s EVA systems, design challenges, and technological innovations supporting human space exploration.

Project-Based Learning (PjBL) References

• Project-Based Learning (PjBL) Learning Model in Science Learning: Literature Review
  International Journal of Education and Research, 2021
  https://www.ijern.com/journal/2021/February-2021/14.pdf
  Literature review on the implementation and effectiveness of the PjBL model in science education, with focus on student engagement and conceptual understanding.

• Learning Outcomes of Project-Based and Inquiry-Based Learning Activities
  International Journal of Instruction, 2020
  https://www.e-iji.net/dosyalar/iji_2020_2_22.pdf
  Comparative study analyzing student learning outcomes under project-based and inquiry-based pedagogical models.

3D Technical Drafting Reference

• GrabCAD – ISS Cupola Interior 3D Model
  https://grabcad.com/library/iss-cupola-interior-1
  Accurate and detailed 3D model of the International Space Station Cupola interior, suitable for use in educational simulations, virtual prototyping, and technical visualization.