What’s in this article:
- National Geographic teamed up with NASA to create an experience that accurately recreates that of the rover exploring the surface of the planet
- On Instagram, users can tap on the screen to fly to Mars and move their phone to look around
So, what’s it like over there on Mars? Even while stuck on Earth, you can get a taste of being on the red planet by tapping into National Geographic’s new augmented reality (AR) experience on Instagram.
National Geographic teamed up with NASA to create an experience that accurately recreates that of the rover exploring the surface of the planet. As National Geographic explained in its article about it, they got input from “scientists and engineers who worked to design and build the rover, including Roger Weins (SUPERCAM), Christina Diaz (PIXL), and Jim Bell (Mastcam-Z).”
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The experience is described rather like a video game:
Launch the interactive, and you’ll find yourself floating through space. Tap on the screen to fly to Mars. Now you’re on the surface, in the Jezero Crater. Move your phone to look around. Point it down and you’ll notice your body is now the body of the rover and your eyes are those of the camera, called Mastcam-Z.
The user can also manipulate the rover. But even though one may virtually become Perseverance, National Geographic knows that the ‘gram is all about human selfies, so the option to picture yourself alongside the rover is there too.
Full instruction and some sample experiences are shown on @natgeo, National Geographic’s Instagram account.
What’s being marketed here is the thrill of exploration beyond the realms of Earth. It creates a positive feeling for the NASA brand to feel a part of what it is doing, and it may just spark some interest in the study of science, technology, and engineering, which are all needed to realize this vision.