Microsoft, NASA put universe back on the Web

If you think the new Google Earth update that shows even more about Mars' surface is cool, Microsoft thinks what's it's about to offer is even cooler.

The company, together with NASA, announced on Tuesday plans to make planetary images and data available via the Internet. The two organizations will jointly develop the technology and infrastructure necessary to make NASA content--including high-resolution scientific images and data from Mars and the moon--explorable on Microsoft's online virtual telescope for exploring the universe, called WorldWide Telescope.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

The WorldWide Telescope is a Web 2.0 visualization environment that functions as a virtual telescope, bringing together imagery from ground- and space-based telescopes for a seamless, rich media-guided exploration of the universe. Through WorldWide Telescope and Microsoft technology, people will be able to pan and zoom in on these images and the most interesting locations on Mars and the moon without distorted views at the poles.

For this new project, NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., will process and host more than 100 terabytes of data (that's about enough to fill 20,000 DVDs). WorldWide Telescope will incorporate the data later in 2009 and feature imagery from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), which was launched in August 2005.

The MRO has been examining Mars with a high-resolution camera and five other instruments since 2006. So far the orbiter has sent home more data than all other Mars missions combined.

Other than the MRO, images a camera aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, the LRO, will also be incorporated when publicly released this fall. The LRO is scheduled to launch this May and will spend at least a year in a low, polar orbit approximately 30 miles above the lunar surface collecting detailed information about the lunar environment.

Microsoft and NASA have worked together before, including on the project that enabled NASA to develop 3D interactive Microsoft Photosynth collections of the space shuttle launch pad and other facilities at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

[LAR Games]

Pretty cool.

-Luis

[Dave Jones--2008]

If you watch NASA TV, you'll see hundreds of Apple computers used by NASA employees, yet they team up with Microsoft to "enable people
around the world to explore new images of the moon and Mars in a
rich, interactive environment through the WorldWide Telescope", but it's Windows only!
I don't get it.

[wjsteele]

Perhaps you should re-examine your statement... it is not "Windows only!" I just went to the site (http://www.worldwidetelescope.org/webclient/) from my Mac (running Leopard) and it worked just fine.

[thomas.clancy]

The desktop software that is downloadable is windows only. But the webclient seems to work on a mac.

[NewsReader_]

Nice...

[VeronicaMcG]

The World Wide Telescope will provide a new way to view the images, but the same images (taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter) have been and always will be available the Internet at this site: http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ These are amazing high resolution images. Enjoy!

[ewelch]

This is flaed to say the least. I'm not installing Silverlight on my computer. It's simply another tool for Microsoft to push their inferior technology that competes with Flash. I object to my tax dollars being used to promote Microsoft proprietary technology designed to push people to Microsoft-only solutions.

[captain_numerica]

Just in case you weren't aware...

Silverlight is free and runs on Windows, Mac and Linux. The development SDK is also free and you can download most of the source code on codeplex.com. You can develop Silverlight applications using the (free) Express editions of Visual Studio, Eclipse on Windows/Mac/Linux or notepad if you want. The technology is standardized and open. (See published CLR specs, Mono, Moonlight.)

Hardly designed to push people to Microsoft-only solutions.

[sblgraphics]

Excellent stuff! thanks.

Regards,
clipping path
http://www.sblgraphics.com/clipping-path_service.aspx

[iiwmaster]

[Title: Google Ocean + Google Latitude = Real-time Fishing LBS Contents]

Have you heard about Real-time Fishing LBS Contents? We have proposed this Service Model to Google over 3 years ago. Real-time Fishing LBS Contents is Location Based Service for IPTV, WiMAX, Mobile. This Service Model was created in 2002 by I&IWorld. I&IWorld's located in South Korea. As you know, there're many people enjoy fishing in the world(about 5 hundred million). I&IWorld's Real-time Fishing LBS Contents is like these.

*Main Functions*
1.The underwater topography and 3D views with fishing spots
2.Real-time fishing points tracing by GPS and angling direction guide
3.Service the real-time fishing condition about fishing place(weather, water temp, depth etc)
4.Angler Social network(such as Second Life)

Everyone knows that Google motto is, 'Don't be evil.' Is it all right? Visit http://www.koreacontent.org/co/i/iiworld/index.html. If you need more information, please send your email address.

[manexplor99]

wooooooooowwww...........great notice. thank's alot for this note.
and congratulatiosn to Cnet news ever actualized!!!!!!