Source: Xinhua

02-05-2009 10:47

BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Google is cooperating with NASA to give Internet users three-dimensional views of Mars, media reports said Thursday.

Google and NASA announced on Tuesday that they would release a new Mars mode in Google Earth to increase public understanding of the Red Planet and related scientific research. Google Mars 3D also provides researchers with a means of sharing data.

Actually, Internet users can fly through gaping canyons and soaring mountains on Mars' surface and get views from Mars rovers. They can view satellite images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, learn about NASA's exploration of the planet, view archived photos, add their own 3-D content, and share their creations and discoveries with other users.

The Mars mode evolved out of a collaboration agreement signed by NASA and Google in November 2006. Google agreed to make NASA's data public under the Space Act Agreement. NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., contributed to the project. Carnegie Mellon University, SETI, and other groups also contributed data to this project.

Editor:Yang Jie