If your interest in space and space exploration just peaked with the landing of Curiosity on Mars, you can now satisfy it closer to home. Google Street View will take you on a virtual walk through NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida; in particular, the mammoth Vehicle Assembly Building. It’s the second best thing to being there, because unlike any other tourist place, entry is sure to be restricted. You can flip through and virtually tour the 6,000 panoramic views offered by the collection. That’s the largest Street View collection from Google so far.

The collaboration between NASA and Google Street View is special because the Kennedy Space Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The detailed virtual tour touches upon some famous landmarks within the Space Center. Especially impressive, was the close quarter shots of the Space Shuttle Atlantis.

Lisa Malone, director of KSC Public Affairs said:

“We are pleased to partner with Google on the new Street View project, which offers the public a behind-the-scenes look at the Kennedy Space Center’s unique facilities that launched humans to the moon and Space Shuttles to low Earth orbit. Viewers also will get a peek inside areas where flight hardware was processed, including elements of the International Space Station, and planetary and scientific payloads.”

You can directly go to the NASA Street View Collection or visit the Kennedy Space Center via Google Maps and then switch on Street View. Come back and tell us if the journey was worth it.

Source: NASA