NASA 3-D App Gives Public Ability to Experience Robotic Space Travel

Dwayne Brown

Headquarters, Washington  

202-358-1726

dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov

 

DC Agle/Guy Webster

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

818-393-9011/354-6278

agle@jpl.nasa.gov / guy.webster@jpl.nasa.gov

WASHINGTON -- A NASA-created application that brings some of the agency's robotic spacecraft to life in 3-D now is available for free on the iPhone and iPad.

Called Spacecraft 3D, the app uses animation to show how spacecraft can maneuver and manipulate their outside components. Presently, the new app features two NASA missions, the Curiosity rover that will touch down on Mars Aug. 6 at 1:31 a.m. EDT, and the twin GRAIL spacecraft Ebb and Flow currently orbiting the moon.

"With Spacecraft 3D and a mobile device, you can put high definition, three-dimensional models literally into the hands of kids of all ages," said Stephen Kulczycki, deputy director for communications and education at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif.

Spacecraft 3D is among the first of what are known as augmented-reality apps for Apple devices. Augmented-reality provides users a view of a real-world environment where elements are improved by additional input. Spacecraft 3D uses the iPhone or iPad camera to overlay information on the device's main screen. The app instructs users to print an augmented reality target on a standard sheet of paper. When the device's camera is pointed at the target, the spacecraft chosen by the user materializes on screen.

"Let's say you want to get an idea what our Curiosity Mars rover is all about," said Kevin Hussey, manager of visualization technology at JPL. "Like Hollywood directors sizing up their next shot, you move your camera-equipped iPad or iPhone in and out, up and down and the spacecraft perspective moves with you. It is a great way to study the 3-D nature of NASA spacecraft."

Spacecraft 3D also has a feature where you can take your own augmented-reality picture of the rover or GRAIL spacecraft. You can even make a self-portrait with a spacecraft, putting yourself or someone else in the picture.

"In the near future, we will incorporate the Cassini spacecraft, which is orbiting Saturn, the Dawn spacecraft, which is deep in the heart of the asteroid belt, and the Voyagers, which are right now at the very edge of our solar system," said Hussey. "Looking down the road, we've got a veritable solar system full of spacecraft to work with."

Spacecraft 3D currently is only available for Apple formats, but should be available on other formats in the near future.

The detailed computer models of the spacecraft used in Spacecraft 3D originally were generated for NASA's "Eyes on the Solar System" web application. Eyes on the Solar System" is a 3-D environment full of NASA mission data that allows anyone to explore the cosmos from their computer.

For more information on how to download the Spacecraft 3D app, visit http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spacecraft-3d/id541089908?mt=8.

For more information about Eyes on the Solar System and NASA robotic missions, visit http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/eyes/.

For information on the GRAIL mission, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail.

For information on Curiosity, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl.

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New NASA Game Lets Players Build and Launch a Virtual Rocket

Joshua Buck

Headquarters, Washington                          

202-358-1100

jbuck@nasa.gov

 

George Diller

Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

321-867-2468

george.h.diller@nasa.gov

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- With NASA's Rocket Science 101, a new game designed for computers and iPad users, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to launch a spacecraft.

NASA's Launch Services Program (LSP), based at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, provides access to space for the studies of Earth and exploration of our solar system and the universe. Now, LSP is turning over the virtual selection, construction and launch of a mission to players who will decide the best rocket to assemble to launch a spacecraft. Rocket scientists in LSP do the same thing for real rockets and missions every day.

Players select their favorite NASA mission and choose from three skill levels for building a rocket to send the spacecraft into orbit. The Rocket Science 101 challenge provides players an opportunity to learn about NASA missions and the various components of the launch vehicles, including how rockets are configured and how they work together to successfully launch a spacecraft.

LSP managers, engineers and other specialists match spacecraft with the right rocket to carry out real-life missions, a process often done years ahead of a launch. As liftoff nears, teams oversee the launch vehicle's engineering and manufacturing, including its integration with the spacecraft. LSP conducts the countdowns for NASA's scientific missions and provides additional quality assurance along with other controls to ensure a successful mission.

The application was developed by the Kennedy Information Technology Mobile Team in conjunction with LSP. Rocket Science 101 is available for iPad users via iTunes at http://bit.ly/Mn1xLr.

Rocket Science 101 is available online at http://go.nasa.gov/Mn28Nt.

To learn more about LSP, rockets and NASA missions visit http://go.nasa.gov/yg4U1J.

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Government Apps and Mobile Sites

Visit USA.gov's Mobile Apps Gallery to access official government information and services from the palm of your hand. You can use the gallery to:

•           Browse mobile sites that are accessible from any device.

•           Search for apps and mobile sites on particular subjects, including travel, news, medical, and much more.

•           Download device-specific apps for Android, Blackberry, iPhone, and iPad users.

See the gallery at http://apps.usa.gov/.

NASA Releases Sector 33 Air Traffic Control Educational Game App

Beth Dickey
Headquarters, Washington

WASHINGTON -- NASA has released a new educational game with an air traffic control theme for Apple iPhone and iPad devices. The Sector 33 application is designed to challenge students in middle school and above to use basic math and problem-solving skills.

The application may be downloaded free of charge at http://www.nasa.gov/sector33.

An Android version of the app is in development and will be made available in the Android Marketplace in the coming months.

In the game the player acts as an air traffic controller guiding airplanes through a sector of airspace spanning Nevada and California. The player can adjust the planes' path and speed to safely reach certain spots in the sky in the fastest time possible while keeping the planes a specific distance from each other.

"Our hope is that Sector 33 will give students a sense of the importance of math in managing our nation's air traffic and, at the same time, interest them in pursuing a career in aeronautics," said Jaiwon Shin, NASA's associate administrator for aeronautics research in Washington.

The math-focused game also aligns with the NASA Office of Education's mission to engage students in activities related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

"Today's students respond positively to experiential learning," said Leland Melvin, NASA's associate administrator for education. "Using an interactive game to spark their interest, while at the same time teaching them fundamental math concepts, is a win-win scenario. It is a perfect way to help cultivate the next generation of engineers and technologists."

Sector 33 is based on Smart Skies Line Up With Math, an educational software title developed under the direction of NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and distributed in cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration and National Air Traffic Controllers Association. Smart Skies has been used in middle school classrooms across the United States since 2005.

For more information about aeronautics research at NASA, visit http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov.

For more information about NASA's education programs, visit http://www.nasa.gov/education.

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NASA's Online Radio Station Rocks Smartphones

Bob Jacobs
Headquarters, Washington

Jessica Culler

Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. -- NASA's Third Rock Radio just got mobile. Updates to the NASA App for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and Android now include a feature to listen to the agency's new online alternative rock radio station.

"Now you can listen to great music in the same app that still provides all of NASA's amazing content wherever you are," said Jerry Colen, NASA App project manager at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif.

Third Rock - America's Space Station launched with a new rock/indie/alternative format on Dec. 12, 2011. The station is being developed and operated at no cost to the government through a Space Act Agreement.

The NASA Apps showcase a wealth of NASA content, including images, videos on-demand, live streaming video from NASA Television, mission information, feature stories and breaking news. Users also can find sighting opportunities for the International Space Station and track the positions of spacecraft orbiting Earth. App users easily can share NASA content on Facebook, Twitter or via e-mail.

For more information and to links download the apps, visit http://www.nasa.gov/nasaapp.

For more information on and to listen to Third Rock, visit http://www.nasa.gov/thirdrock.

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NASA Debuts its New Video Program on NASA TV and the Web

John Yembrick
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. – NASA launched a new high definition (HD) video program called "Destination Innovation" on Friday, Jan. 6 2012, that will air on NASA Television today at 1 p.m. PST. The program will also be featured on the agency's website, YouTube, Facebook and NASA’s apps for iPhone, iPad and Android.

The 10-minute program is filmed and produced by the video team at NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, which is located in California’s Silicon Valley. Ames plays a critical role in virtually all NASA aeronautical and space exploration endeavors, conducting the research and developing the technologies that enable NASA missions.

"A lot of amazing work for the agency is being done at NASA Ames," said Ed Schilling, the show's producer. "Destination Innovation will showcase not only Ames, but the agency. We’re looking forward to sharing our stories with a larger audience."

The pilot episode features NASA’s Kepler mission. Ames is the lead center for Kepler’s search for Earth-size planets in the "habitable zone," the region in a planetary system where liquid water can exist on the surface of an orbiting planet. More programs will be added in the coming months.

To view Destination Innovation, visit http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=127882361.

For more information about NASA Ames, visit http://www.nasa.gov/ames.

For complete NASA TV downlink and scheduling information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/ntv.

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A Military Ode to Steve Jobs

If you're into military technology, you'll definitely like these police technology articles!

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11, 2011 – My friend and I were walking through the parking garage yesterday en route to the mall when she saw me fiddling with my iPhone.

“Let’s have a moment of silence for Steve Jobs,” she said, referring to the Apple co-founder and CEO. I wholeheartedly agreed.

Jobs lost his battle with pancreatic cancer Oct. 5, and the world lost a technological genius and visionary who revolutionized the way we use computers and phones, listen to music and, with the introduction of the iPad, browse the Web. The resultant App Store and its vast array of often-addictive games even changed the way we spend (or to some, kill) our time.

Whether a diehard Apple fan or not, it’s undeniable that Jobs changed the face of technology forever. Year after year, he unveiled one cutting-edge product after another – the iMac, iPod, iPhone and the iPad – making technology as accessible and useful for a military spouse juggling schedules and kids during a deployment as for a high-powered executive balancing budgets and businesses.

Recognizing the astounding potential for a military application, officials continue to explore the use of smartphones and tablet devices in the field for everything from translation to mapping to filing reports. And, as a side note, I read a CNN blog post the other day that says Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, uses an iPad each day to access the latest information.

We can also credit Jobs and other visionaries like him for their impact on our military families. In the past decade, our troops have deployed frequently to locations thousands of miles from home. In the past, they would rely on spotty phone service and “snail mail” to maintain connections at home. But now-staple devices, such as the personal computer (which Jobs helped to make wildly popular), the Internet, smartphones -- and the resultant social networking they allow -- have and are bridging the physical divide.

Thanks to this technology, kids can video call their dad in Afghanistan to share a recent achievement, a proud mom can text pictures to a military loved one overseas and a soldier dad can watch the birth of his child from thousands of miles away.

As this technology continues to evolve, I look forward to a future where gaping chasms of distance will become mere cracks in the sidewalk for our military families.

So, for the second time this week, I’d like to take a moment to remember Jobs’ contributions, not just on the technological side, but also on the human side.

Perhaps President Barack Obama summed it up best in his Oct. 5 statement on the passing of Steve Jobs. “The world has lost a visionary,” he said. “And there may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented.”

I am SAILOR

If military science interests you, you’ll probably love police technology.

By Nicole Collins, Public Affairs Specialist, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command

SAN DIEGO – When is the last time you tucked away your iHome, iPad or HDTV instruction manual in the nearest junk drawer at home? Is Google your first source when troubleshooting a problem when your home technology goes array?

Today, information technology (IT) sailors in the fleet are enjoying a recently deployed technology, SAILOR 2.1, which allows sailors to simply download technical manuals to troubleshoot on board ship software and hardware operating systems. Version 2.1 officially launched and was available to the fleet and some Marine expeditionary sites Sept. 15.

Once plagued with cumbersome technical manuals that cost the Department of Navy, and ultimately the Department of Defense, a pretty penny, SAILOR (SPAWAR Acquisition Integrated Logistics Online Repository), is leading the charge in assisting with fleet readiness, training and ensuring that all systems are operational prior to deploying.

Developed by the Navy’s Information Systems Dominance Command, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), and originally designed for sailors between the ages of 18 and 30, SAILOR provides a comprehensive interface that includes video streaming capabilities, and offers features such as “tech tube,” similar to You Tube, that allows sailors to download “how to” troubleshooting videos.

Sound complicated? Not really. SAILOR allows the fleet to complete training, trouble shoot ship operating systems and provides technical support from a live help desk, something that was not possible before.

Additionally, sailors underway can exchange information with the SAILOR help desk through blogs and forums that rapidly decreases troubleshooting response time in getting systems fully operable while underway.

Today, sailors can ditch the cumbersome technical manuals and sign online to SAILOR 2.1 when needing assistance with trouble shooting.

Feel free to check out the website and watch the new SAILOR 2.1 video below!

Space Shuttle, Station Sighting Opportunities Available May 27, 29

Rachel Hoover

Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. -- Weather permitting, San Francisco Bay Area residents will have two good opportunities to see the International Space Station and space shuttle Endeavour during its final flight as they pass overhead at approximately 5:15 a.m. PDT on Friday, May 27 and again at 4:27 a.m. PDT on Sunday, May 29.

The shuttle crew and station with the Expedition 27 crew aboard are nearly 220 miles above Earth's surface. Together, they will look like a bright star in the pre-dawn sky as they approach from the southwest, fly almost directly overhead and travel northeast.

Space enthusiasts may also track the current position of the station and other spacecraft orbiting Earth using the NASA App for the iPhone and iPod touch, as well as the NASA App HD on the iPad. The Apps also allow users to find and share current visible sighting opportunities for the station and shuttle. iPad, iPhone 3GS and 4 users also will see a working compass at the top of the screen to help locate the visible pass approach and departure path. Both Apps are available free of charge at the App Store from Apple.

For more information about the NASA App, visit http://www.nasa.gov/nasaapp.

For sighting opportunities from specific cities in California, visit http://go.usa.gov/jvM.

For the latest information about the International Space Station, its crews and scientific research taking place onboard, visit http://www.nasa.gov/station.

For more about NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., visit http://www.nasa.gov/ames.

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Logitech Transforms Places You Use Your iPad or Android Tablet with Lineup of Accessories

Introduces Range of Products Including New Logitech Keyboard Case, Logitech Wireless Speaker, Logitech Tablet Keyboard, Logitech Tablet Mouse

FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today Logitech (SIX:LOGN) (NASDAQ:LOGI) unveiled a line of iPad and Android-based tablet accessories that enable you to make the most of your tablet, no matter how or where you use it.

"People love their tablets — the category is growing quickly and is here to stay," said Azmat Ali, Logitech senior director for tablet products. "We've created a great lineup of products for tablet users, and it's just the beginning. Over the coming months you can expect to see additional products for iPad® and Android™ tablets that are designed to help people create, consume and communicate."

Encompassing products for both iPad and Android-based tablets, the new lineup from Logitech features a wide range of accessories — from keyboards to speakers — that help create the perfect environment for your tablet. Whether you want to use your tablet to catch up with friends on Facebook®, post quick updates to your blog, or share your favorite music — Logitech has a product for you.

Highlights of Logitech's new lineup of tablet accessories include:

Logitech Keyboard Case
Created in collaboration with ZAGG®, the latest Logitech® Keyboard Case features the same sleek aluminum cover with military-grade, high-density padding as Logitech's previously announced version. The protective case wraps around the iPad 2 to cover the screen and sides, and the Logitech Keyboard Case uses Bluetooth® connectivity to pair the keyboard quickly and easily. The new Logitech Keyboard Case incorporates a more intuitive keyboard layout and improved keystrokes for even more comfortable typing. It also adds a recess just behind the keyboard that props up an iPad 2 in portrait or landscape mode, virtually eliminating setup and packup time.

Logitech Wireless Speaker
When you want to share your favorite music, the Logitech® Wireless Speaker is a great choice. It eliminates cables and lets you place your speaker wherever you want — up to 50 feet away from your iPad or Android tablet depending on use, settings and environmental conditions. And you'll get rich, full stereo sound — even from across the room — with your speaker's dual two-inch drivers and plenty of bass. A rechargeable battery powers your speaker for up to 10 hours depending on your use and settings—so you can take your music with you wherever you go. And setup couldn't be easier. Just pair with your tablet using Bluetooth wireless, and you are ready to listen.

Logitech Tablet Keyboard
The Logitech® Tablet Keyboard, a keyboard-and-stand combo, comes in two versions, one for Android-based tablets and a second for iPads, and is designed to travel easily, set up quickly and add a touch of convenience to all the places you use your tablet. It pairs easily with your tablet over Bluetooth wireless, so you can use it on your desk, lap or anywhere within 30 feet of your tablet, depending on use, settings and environmental conditions.

Logitech Tablet Mouse
A perfect companion to the Logitech Tablet Keyboard for Android, the Logitech® Tablet Mouse pairs with your Android-based tablet using Bluetooth, and offers smooth, accurate laser tracking, and side-to-side scrolling. The Logitech Tablet Mouse is designed specifically to work with tablets running the recently announced Android™ 3.1 (Honeycomb) platform. Information about these products and additional accessories for iPad and Android-based tablets, including speaker docks, headphones, wireless speakers, keyboards and mice, is available on the tablets accessories page of Logitech's website.

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech Keyboard Case is expected to be available in the U.S. beginning in May and in EMEA beginning in June for a suggested retail price of $99.99 (U.S.). The Logitech Wireless Speakers are expected to be available in the U.S. beginning in May and EMEA beginning in June for a suggested retail price of $99.99 (U.S.). The Logitech Tablet Keyboard for iPad is expected to be available in the U.S. beginning May and in EMEA beginning in June for a suggested retail price of $69.99 (U.S.). The Logitech Tablet Keyboard for Android is expected to be available in the U.S. beginning in May for a suggested retail price of $69.99 (U.S.). The Logitech Tablet Mouse is expected to be available in the U.S. beginning in May for a suggested retail price of $49.99 (U.S.). Visit our blog or website for more information.

Contributed by Bob Johnson's Computer Stuff