When we think of space, we think of adventure, technological advancement, discovery, and overall positive things but fail to consider crimes inevitability will take place in outer space. Yarin Eski (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) and Iris van Sintemaartensdijk (Universiteit Twente) take the first step in understanding space crime by using virtual reality (VR). With VR any scenario can be created and experienced as if it was real-life by those putting on a VR-headset. Within this project, VR is used to have people experience a spaceship and a criminal act that takes place on said spaceship. If people can successfully be (virtually) transported into outer space and experience the scenario as plausible and life-like, these VR-scenarios can act as a conversation starter to talk about crimes in space and reveal how we need to think about this topic sooner rather than later.

This project is the first in a new line of research on an exciting unexplored topic within crime and criminology. Understanding how crimes can take place in outer space and how people respond to them will put us front and centre of an emerging field.