The 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission inspired a lot of our regular features this week. July 16 (Tuesday) marked the anniversary of the mission’s launch from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center (there’s a cool photo of the launch on the NASA website). July 20 (this upcoming Saturday), meanwhile, will be the anniversary of the actual moon landing.
If all that excites you, or if you’ve ever wanted to go to space, you’ll like this week’s space-themed AR app. Apollo’s Moon Shot AR is an augmented reality (AR) app that lets you simulate the experience of being in space. It’s free for iOS. Per Lonely Planet, “users can watch the rocket launch, explore the living quarters of the Command Module, and attempt a landing (avoiding craters, of course, and keeping a close eye on the fuel levels), then bounce around on the moon with Buzz and Neil and snap a selfie in a space suit, all in crystal-clear high definition. There are photo galleries detailing the history of the space program, and quizzes that test your knowledge—and unlock additional content too.”
The free app was built by the Smithsonian Channel, which released the app with a six-part series on the moon landing in June. The series—called Apollo’s Moon Shot like the app—is streaming now on Amazon, Vudu, FandangoNOW, iTunes, and the Google Play store. In the series, “archival interviews, rarely seen footage, and artifacts from the vaults of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum” come together to tell the story of Apollo 11 in a new way. If you try the app or watch the series, share your thoughts below!
More space/Apollo 11 content from this week
- 2 Great Apollo 11 Books to Help You Celebrate the Mission’s 50th Anniversary
- Video: CBS News Piece on Apollo 11
- This U.S. Monument Is the Best Place to Celebrate Apollo 11’s 50th Anniversary This Week
