With all eyes on space this week with the transit of Venus, as the planet passes between the Sun and Earth, I thought this would be a good week to take a giant leap of ‘app’-kind and check out NASA’s app.
With the recent news of the world’s first privately-owned spacecraft successfully launching and returning, there is a lot going on with space travel, but sometimes we forget there is so much more going on at NASA than just travel back and forth from the International Space Station (ISS) and this is where the NASA app helps educate.
This free app, available for iOS and Android, gives a lot of information to users on the activities of NASA and what the future holds for them. There is a lot of information for those, like me, and most people, who are not living and breathing space everyday, but want to learn more.
Some of the features of this app include simple items, like a photo of the day gallery which show some spectacular photos taken by NASA. For example, I can see the path taken by NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity as it continues its mission almost ten years after leaving Earth in 2003.
The app also has a News & Features section where users can learn more about Venus (for example), or how NASA plans on sending unmanned aircraft over hurricanes to monitor and learn more about them. The Tweets feature allows users to follow NASA’s official Twitter feed. And, if you wanted to visit a NASA centre, a handy map feature shows you where NASA centers are located around the United States.
The Videos and TV & Radio sections offer some pretty neat visuals. The videos are good quality and taken from NASA Television, ReelNASA and specific videos made by the agency.
I watched the most recent video briefing on the Hubble Telescope made on May 31. There is also a video detailing the renovation of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Station to allow for more private launches.
The TV & Radio feature allows users to watch a free stream of NASA TV, where users are able to watch live activity or previously-recorded material with descriptions and audio from ground control at NASA on activities happening from the ISS.
Unfortunately, it appears that none of the information presented can be saved for future viewing or reading, which is a bit frustrating.
Users can also stream and listen to NASA’s Third Rock Radio station, which, according to NASA will showcase their mission of discovery and exploration “in a custom-produced Internet music radio station that is crafted to speak the language of tech-savvy young adults.”
The universe is a pretty big place, and we are pretty small and insignificant in comparison. It is always good to learn more about the universe and our place in it. Unfortunately, the NASA app will not take you to the stars, but if you ever wanted to explore them from your mobile phone this app is definitely for you.
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Rob Kirsic writes the App of the Week column for Toronto Standard. Follow him @robertkirsic.
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