Moon Landing: Google launches 'Augmented reality' feature commemorating 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, allows viewers to explore in 3D

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of 'A small step for man, a giant leap for mankind' - the first successful moon landing of the Apollo 11 (July 16) , US IT giant Google, on Wednesday, has launched an augmented reality (AR) feature which would allow the viewer to explore a 3D rendering of the cockpit that took the astronauts to the moon in July 1969, as per a Google blog post.

Explaining the inspiration provided by Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins about space, Google says that they would be celebrating the anniversary by portraying new perspectives about lesser-known figures who made the moon landing happen.

"A similar spirit of curiosity and exploration has always been core to Google, with our mission to make the universe of knowledge accessible to people around the world. So on the anniversary of the Moon landing, we’re bringing you new ways to learn about this milestone of human achievement."

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In collaboration with the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Google has launched the  AR feature which would be accessible to any AR-enabled mobile device. Describing how the feature will allow one to view the Apollo 11 cockpit in one's home, the blog post stated

"You’ll get the option to see the module in 3D, so you can zoom in and check it out from all angles. Using augmented reality, you can then bring the command module into your space—your bedroom, the kitchen or wherever you are—to get a better sense of its size."

Apart from the stories from behind the scenes characters who helped in the moon landing, Google Earth is also offering several new tours and quizzes to help viewers visually explore more about the Moon mission, NASA and the world of space exploration. Encouraging viewers to learn more about Apollo 11 and space explorations, Google says "Apollo 11 continues to have a profound impact on our planet’s history."

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What was the 1969 Apollo 11 mission?

Apollo 11 was the spaceflight landing the first two astronauts - Buzz Aldrin and Niel Armstrong on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin, both American, landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969, with Armstrong becoming the first man to step on the lunar surface, commemorating the first spacewalk saying "A small step for man, a giant leap for mankind".

He was then joined by Aldrin and both spent about two and a quarter hours together outside the spacecraft and collected 21.5 kg lunar material to bring back to Earth. The memorable spacewalk was captured with a unique photo where Buzz Aldrin posing on the Moon, allowing Neil Armstrong to photograph both of them using the visor's reflection.