From Universe to Metaverse: A Leap Into Virtual Collaboration at NASA JPL

During the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), like most organizations, found itself trying to adjust to a new reality of remote and hybrid work. An emerging concept that seemed promising was the notion of a metaverse—a collection of technologies that could create, or recreate, our physical spaces and interactions. In response, JPL experimented with a rollout of its own metaverse, with mixed results. While some technologies filled a vital role in reconnecting the workforce, others were novelties at best and hindrances at worst. This article provides a candid review of the technical and policy elements that were explored as part of the Welcome to Our Metaverse experiment, the results that were observed, and the key takeaways and lessons learned for further exploration and technology adoption.