Virtual reality space expedition blasts off in Old Montreal

A new immersive installation in Old Montreal is taking visitors to space via virtual reality.

In a blend of art and technology, the experience uses footage captured by astronauts on board the International Space Station.

That includes Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques, who became the director of photography on his mission.

"It's very powerful for me to see this," says Saint-Jacques, adding he saw the exhibition with his family.

"I've also seen it with fellow engineers from the space program, people who have dedicated their entire career to building spacecraft but have never been there. And now suddenly they can," he said.

Felix & Paul Studios, a technology company in Montreal, supported the astronauts from Earth.

"We sent virtual reality cameras to the International Space Station, and over the course of two and a half years, over six NASA expeditions, we filmed with eight international astronauts," said studio co-founder Felix Lajeunesse.

"We documented their lives, their work, their operations; their science in space and their perspective to share this bond in space and look at planet earth from above," he said, adding a camera was even placed on the Canadarm to get exterior shots of the ISS.

PHI Studio also collaborated on the project. Executive producer Julie Trembly says they wanted to provide "an overview of what it's like to lift-off--an emotional experience of really going to space."

'Space Explorers: THE INFINITE' is now open at 2 de la Commune Street West, next to the Montreal Science Centre.