No, you don't have to hack the rover...NASA has combined all of its data for your pioneering perusal! (Image courtesy ouest-france.fr.) |
According to Engadget, NASA has released a new program that allows users to view panoramic images captured by the Martian rover Curiosity. The simulator allows you to explore the areas of Mars that the rover has traversed and documented, as well as examining parts of the rover itself. The Experience Curiosity simulator includes various camera angles, manual controls, and an immersive guide as to the Martian topography and rover elements. The entire program is free and works on any internet-enabled operating system. That's right, you can go for a virtual joyride around Mars, right now!
Rock the red rocks with the virtual Curiosity rover! (Image courtesy scientificcomputing.com.) |
Unfortunately, it's still too early to use Mars Trek to stake out mining or homestead claims. That crater does look like it'd make for a nice skate park, though. (Image courtesy fossbytes.com.) |
“This tool has opened my eyes as to how we should first approach roaming on another world, and now the public can join in on the fun,” said Jim Green, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division in Washington, explained in a NASA press release. “Our robotic scientific explorers are paving the way, making great progress on the journey to Mars. Together, humans and robots will pioneer Mars and the solar system."
For now, armchair pioneering is still pioneering! In the words of Kipling, "Go you there!"
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"'Something lost behind the Ranges. Lost and waiting for you. Go!'" -Rudyard Kipling, "The Explorer" (1898) (Image courtesy NASA.gov.) |
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