[meteorite-list] NASA Gives Public New Internet Tool To Explore The Solar System

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2011 14:47:01 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201109022147.p82Ll19K000239_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

Sept. 02, 2011

Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726
dwayne.c.brown at nasa.gov

Stephanie L. Smith
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-5464
slsmith at jpl.nasa.gov


RELEASE: 11-288

NASA GIVES PUBLIC NEW INTERNET TOOL TO EXPLORE THE SOLAR SYSTEM

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA is giving the public the power to journey
through the solar system using a new interactive Web-based tool.

The "Eyes on the Solar System" interface combines video game
technology and NASA data to create an environment for users to ride
along with agency spacecraft and explore the cosmos. Screen graphics
and information such as planet locations and spacecraft maneuvers use
actual space mission data.

"This is the first time the public has been able to see the entire
solar system and our missions moving together in real-time," said Jim
Green, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division at the agency's
Headquarters in Washington. "It demonstrates NASA's continued
commitment to share our science with everyone."

The virtual environment uses the Unity game engine to display models
of planets, moons, asteroids, comets and spacecraft as they move
through our solar system. With keyboard and mouse controls, users
cruise through space to explore anything that catches their interest.
A free browser plug-in, available at the site, is required to run the
Web application.

"You are now free to move about the solar system," said Blaine
Baggett, executive manager in the Office of Communication and
Education at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena,
Calif. "See what NASA's spacecraft see -- and where they are right
now -- all without leaving your computer."

Users may experienced missions in real-time, and "Eyes on the Solar
System" also allows them to travel through time. The tool is
populated with NASA data dating back to 1950 and projected to 2050.

The playback rate can be sped up or slowed down. When NASA's Juno
spacecraft launched on Aug. 5, 2011, users could look ahead to see
the mission's five-year journey to Jupiter in a matter of seconds.

Point of view can be switched from faraway to close-up to right "on
board" spacecraft. Location, motion and appearance are based on
predicted and reconstructed mission data. Dozens of controls on a
series of pop-up menus allow users to fully customize what they see,
and video and audio tutorials explain how to use the tool's many
options. Users may choose from 2-D or 3-D modes, with the latter
simply requiring a pair of red-cyan glasses to see.

"By basing our visualization primarily on mission data, this tool will
help both NASA and the public better understand complex space science
missions," said Kevin Hussey, manager of Visualization Technology
Applications and Development at JPL, whose team developed "Eyes on
the Solar System."

"Eyes on the Solar System" is in beta release. It has been
demonstrated at science conferences, in classrooms and at the 2011
South by Southwest Interactive Conference in Austin, Texas.

Designers are updating "Eyes on the Solar System" to include NASA
science missions launching during the coming months, including GRAIL
to the moon and the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover.

"Eyes on the Solar System" and an introduction video are available at:

http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/eyes

Updates on new features are available through the tool's Twitter
account:

http://twitter.com/NASA_Eyes
        
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Received on Fri 02 Sep 2011 05:47:01 PM PDT