Second Man on the Moon Buzz Aldrin Stars in a Virtual Reality Film About Mars

Most of us may not have a chance to walk on Mars, but don't worry, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin got our backs. The second man on the moon takes everyone in a virtual reality holographic tour of the red planet in "Buzz Aldrin: Cycling Pathways to Mars."

After his retirement, Aldrin focused his work on space explorations, but he wanted to leave a legacy more than what he had already accomplished in the Apollo missions to the moon. In the film, Aldrin shares his insights on the future of Martian settlements.

"Buzz Aldrin: Cycling Pathways to Mars" is a holographic film that's a collaboration between LIFE VR, TIME and 8i. Aldrin presented as a 3D hologram gets to move on the Martian terrain. According to TIME, 8i created the full experience and can be accessed through Stream and Viveport.

"I am Buzz Aldrin, I was honored to be a member of the first crew to set foot on the moon in 1969. But I want to be remembered for more," Buzz Aldrin, the former NASA astronaut said in the video trailer. "I want my legacy to include laying groundwork for a permanent human settlement on Mars."

The stunning displays of imagery will not only entertain but educate viewers about the Martian landscape in the most realistic view using hologram technology available today.

The 10-minute film involves the holographic tour of the red planet as well as the moon as one of Aldrin's pitstops. The former astronaut wants to inspire and help NASA to focus on one grand plan that will pave the way for the human settlement on Mars.

"You can't afford to do them all," Buzz Aldrin said in an interview with BBC. "Because it's using up the budget that we've got and we're going nowhere."

The launch of Aldrin's film was strategically released, just when NASA is inching towards its Journey to Mars project. At the same time, private companies such as SpaceX and Boeing are also working on their own Martian transporters to reach Mars.

The year 2021 is crucial for Martian travel since in that year, the Earth and the red planet will be aligned, allowing interplanetary travel. In fact, experts are looking at potential traffic jam on Mars during that window, where most missions to the red planet are expected to launch.