NASA’s M2K4 Web site launched an interactive program
giving any citizen of cyberspace the chance to drive NASA’s
Mars Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, across the red planet.
“This experience gives visitors to NASA’s Web site the chance
to explore Gusev Crater and Meridiani Planum, without having to
make the 300-million-mile trek,” said Dennis Armstrong, NASA’s
Kennedy Space Center Public Web Information Manager. “We’re
hoping users will count on this feature as a great source to
find out about Mars Exploration Rover discoveries. A lot of
people already have. During the first 10 days of program
operation, we received more than 210,000 page views,” Armstrong
said.
The interactive experience is frequently updated with the
latest pictures and data from the Mars Rover missions. Drivers
of the digital martian duo can examine the same points of
interest investigated by the real rovers. M2K4 is a multimedia
experience that gives Web users the chance to explore the Mars
Exploration Rover missions up close. Interactive features
include animations of the mission, martian trivia, and the
chance to virtually drive across the surface of Mars.
“Interactive features like this are what the NASA Web Portal is
all about,” said Brian Dunbar, Internet Services Manager in
NASA’s Office of Public Affairs. “They convey the excitement of
exploration to the public and fulfill NASA’s mission to inspire
the next generation of explorers as only NASA can.” “Drive the
Mars Rovers!” is available on the Internet at:
http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/m2k4/driverover/frameset.html
For information about NASA and agency programs on the Internet,
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