The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has joined with Google Inc. in producing new higher-resolution lunar imagery and maps.
The new content, available on the Google moon Web site (
www.google.com/moon/>) includes images from the Apollo missions, overlaid on updated, higher-resolution lunar maps. The site also provides detailed charts of different regions of the moon suitable for use by anyone simulating a lunar mission.
"NASA's objective is for Google Moon to become a more accurate and useful lunar mapping platform that will be a foundation for future web-based moon applications, much like the many applications that have been built on top of Google Maps," said Chris Kemp, director of strategic business development at NASA's Ames Research Center. "This will make it easier for scientists everywhere to make lunar data more available and accessible."
The announcement closely follows the release of new NASA content for Google Earth, including photographs taken by NASA astronauts and imagery from NASA's Earth observing satellites.
The NASA-Google alliance was formed under a Space Act Agreement signed in December.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
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