Hidden Nook
"Because in Cyberspace, no one can hear you scream."
Friday, July 22, 2005
Why Google Moon Is A Great Idea
[Media Source*] (Hat Tip: Google Blog, Keyhole Community, Cross posted on Blogger News)
On July 20, 1969, man first landed on the Moon. A few decades later, we're pleased to cut you in on the action. Google Moon is an extension of Google Maps and Google Earth that, courtesy of NASA imagery (thanks, guys!), enables you to surf the Moon's surface and check out the exact spots that the Apollo astronauts made their landings.
Although Google launched this "project" as a commemorative piece celebrating the anniversary of the lunar landing in the 60's, it would be in their best interests to fully launch this application as there are many science teachers who would probably be willing to purchase this for their classroom (not to mention the many "trekies" out there in cyber space).
With the chatter of space tourism increasing around the world a product like this would not only add an extra "flavor" to Google, but help distinguish it from it's rivals Yahoo and Microsoft.
Before a person can claim that such a feat would be difficult as their is little data about the moon available, it seems that the rocket scientists from NASA may have a solution for that problem.
(Guardian Unlimited) US scientists are planning a 240,000-mile trip down memory lane - a tour of inspection of all the Apollo landing sites on the moon.
In 2008 a powerful camera aboard a new spacecraft called the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) will photograph the moon's surface in fine detail - fine enough to pick out the Apollo 17 moon buggy abandoned 33 years ago, along with lunar landing platforms and other relics.
But what other features should Google Moon contain other than old landing sites and dusty craters? One suggestion is that they could point out Maria (or mountians) suspected of having metals (such as iron and titanium, or craters potentially holding water, or even favorable sites for future colonies. Adding these (as well as a host of others) would definitely make Google Moon worthwhile, and perhaps installing it as an addition to Google Earth would make it profitable as well.
There already seems to be discussion about Google Mars in the Keyhole Community (Keyhole was renamed Google Earth by Google), as some have found a way to view the Red Planet. A lunar model might be more profitable (if not more enjoyable) than it's distant "red cousin," but one thing that is certain is that mankind is quickly heading to the stars and Google may just be the company to help bring us there by sparking the next generation of space travelers.
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By Darnell Clayton ⢠9:58 PM ⢠Email Post ⢠â¢
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