Apollo 11 History Archive Helps Virtual Reality Program Come to Life

摘要

Imagine yourself in the cramped cockpit of the Apollo spacecraft heading to the Moon. Look around to see Earth out the window. Reach out to the control panel. This is Apollo 11 VR, a virtual reality experience that enables users to relive the Apollo 11 mission and take some of the first steps on the Moon. The company behind the project — Immersive VR Education of Waterford, Ireland — calls it an "experience" or "a new type of documentary." The project required extensive study on the part of developers, according to Immersive VR Education CEO David Whelan. And it wouldn't have been possible without the vast amounts of information NASA posts on publicly accessible websites. Stephen Garber, one of two historians at NASA Headquarters who maintains the Agency's historical websites, coordinates with volunteers to offer information on a variety of large and small projects, but the Apollo mission pages — especially the Lunar Surface Journal — are among the most popular NASA archives online.