YouTube Space Lab

Google have partnered with NASA, ESA and JAXA to launch a new YouTube channel called Space Lab.

The channel is running a competition for 14-18 years old to come up with a science experiment, which could be streamed live on YouTube from the International Space Station.

Space Lab also includes an ever growing playlist of the most inspiring space videos from across YouTube and a real-time Google Map showing the position of the International Space Station above the Earth.

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What the Space Station Astronauts See

Current Position of the ISS

The opportunity for space tourism is probably still a little way off for most of us. Whilst we all wait for Richard Branson to make space travel a lot more affordable we will have to make do with this Google Map showing the current location of the International Space Station on Google Maps.

The map shows the current view from the ISS looking down at the Earth. So you can fire up this map and pretend that you are a space station astronaut watching the Earth spin beautifully beneath you.



If your imagination needs a little more help then you should also check out NASA Astronaut Ron Garan's photo stream on Twitpic. Garan is currently posting photos from the space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station.


Hat-tip: @MPegg and @Renalid

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Satellite Tracking with Google Maps

NASA App HD for iPad

NASA have released a new application for the iPad. The application brings to the iPad a large range of features including mission information, images, videos and Twitter feeds.

The application also features a satellite tracker that uses Google Maps to show the paths of satellites. Using the satellite tracker you can view the visible passes of satellites for any location.

If you don't have an iPad don't worry. Sight Space Station is an amazing satellite tracking website that allows anyone to track satellites on Google Maps, with the Google Earth Browser plug-in and even in Google Street View.

The Google Map view shows the path of the satellite around the Earth and the Google Earth option allows you to view the path of the satellite as if you were looking down from space.

The most stunning feature, however, is the Street View option that allows the user to view the satellite superimposed on top of Google's Street View imagery. This is really useful as it shows the elevation of the satellite as it passes overhead.

Via: Le Technoblog du LAC

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