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Author Topic:   NASA's interactive 50th anniversary website
Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 08-01-2008 01:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
NASA release
Take an Interactive Journey Through NASA's First Fifty Years of Exploration

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the space act that created NASA. To commemorate NASA's beginning, the agency has released an immersive multimedia experience that takes visitors on an interactive tour of its first five decades of exploration.

Combining current and historic video with state-of-the-art computer animation, the virtual exhibit takes a World's Fair approach to NASA history, featuring pavilions that host each decade of the agency's challenges and achievements. Visitors will get unique insight into NASA's activities over the years, including a wide range of exploration and research initiatives, and a glimpse into the future.

"We're very excited to have people come and take a look at NASA's history," said Brian Dunbar, NASA's Internet services manager at Headquarters in Washington. "We've been able to take a wide range of material and weave it into a virtual tour that allows people to explore at their own pace."

The exhibit's host is an animated robot named Automa, who will guide visitors through their journey. Also assisting everyone throughout their tour are important historic and cultural figures of the past 50 years of aerospace history, including astronauts, presidents, astronomers, and other popular icons associated with NASA's history. For example, in the 1970s pavilion, visitors will see a presentation of NASA's Voyager and Viking missions hosted by an avatar of the late astronomer Carl Sagan, complete with excerpts from his popular television series "Cosmos."

"We're making our first real foray into animation," said David Mould, associate administrator for public affairs, Headquarters, Washington. "It represents a new communications medium for us and we have been fortunate to get the support of a lot of people that has enabled us to include some recognizable historic figures as part of this interactive commemoration."

Visitors to the site can also experience:

  • Interior 3D views of John Glenn's Friendship 7 Mercury spacecraft
  • The original April 1959 press conference introducing the Mercury astronauts
  • A tour of the International Space Station
  • Video presentations about NASA's aeronautics programs
  • An interview with former CBS news journalist Walter Cronkite
On July 29, 1958, the 34th President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, signed into law the "National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958" (Public Law 85-568). Less than one month later, President Eisenhower administered the oath of office to NASA's first Administrator, T. Keith Glennan, and the agency's Deputy Administrator, Hugh L. Dryden, who had been serving as the director of NASA's predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, or NACA.

Cliff Lentz
Member

Posts: 655
From: Philadelphia, PA USA
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 08-02-2008 03:36 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Cliff Lentz   Click Here to Email Cliff Lentz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Just GREAT!

Certainly works well for kids who didn't live through all this. Not too bad for us old guys who did as well! The computer animated versions of John Kennedy and the Mercury Seven along with other figures greatly add to the story. Although they appear wooden at times, It's easy to see past their limitations to get the intentions. The Mercury 7 press conference had a lot more lighter moments than In remembered.

The music alone is a nice reminder of each decade. I particularly liked the news updates that led to the various songs. I found that as I was doing other things today, I left one decade or another on screen as background music.

I guess my favorite part was when Automa launches to the International Space Station for a 180 degree tour. Fellow CSers should love this!

Cliff

All times are CT (US)

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