Take a Virtual Visit to Kennedy Space Center Via Google Maps

A view of space shuttle Atlantis using Street View in Google Maps.

From experience, I can attest to what an amazing experience it is to be at Kennedy Space Center, home of where NASA launches many of its spacecraft. But if you can’t get there in person, you can now take a virtual trip – and see many views the public can’t normally see – thanks to a new partnership between KSC and Google Maps Street View. Using the interactive 360-degree views from the Street View, you can take a walk through the cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building or stand at the top of Launch Pad 39A.

See the video below for a sneak peak into the experience:

Google Maps with Street View lets you explore Kennedy’s facilities, roads and structures. You can see the history of spaceflight by viewing the Apollo/Saturn V Center, Space Shuttle Main Engine shop, Orbiter Processing Facility-3, the Launch Control Center, the Space Station Processing Facility and the center’s iconic Vehicle Assembly Building.

The new maps also allows virtual visitors to check in at KSC and watch as it transitions to the multipurpose launch complex of the future, revamping existing infrastructure and facilities to provide the flexibility to host a variety of commercial and government spacecraft, rockets and other craft.

Users may go directly to Google Maps, search for “NASA Shuttle Landing Facility,” and drag the orange “pegman” icon on the left-hand side to an area outlined in blue. From there, users can navigate around the area by moving up and down pathways and looking around in 360 degrees. The entire collection of images also is available in the Google Street View gallery:

http://www.google.com/streetview

The new partnership is part of KSC’s 50th anniversary celebration. For more information about Kennedy’s 50th anniversary, visit:

http://go.nasa.gov/y0VdRi

For more information about Kennedy, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy