Google Street View goes into orbit

Take a look through the window in the Cupola Observational Module, and you might see some streets. You really need to squint, though.In a break from pavement and earthbound landmarks, Google Street View's newest addition gives an up-close tour of the International Space Station. The look at the Cupola is just one of 13 modules visitors can explore in the immersive gallery.The 360-degree views even gives a feel of floating through the zero-gravity environment -- a crowded station of wire-filled walls, packed storage modules and hanging space suits.Astronauts helped create the panoramic images, which was a challenge for Street View."In space there were no tripods, so we ended up using a really simple set-up: a pair of bungee cords strapped in the module in a criss-cross fashion, so that the crossing point defined the centre of where the camera needed to be," project manager Alice Liu told the BBC."The astronauts had to take the pictures at the defined angles and float around the camera to complete the set of images," which could amount to as many as 24 shots for a single panorama.Construction on the ISS began in 1998, with the final major piece delivered in May 2011. The station is used for research and can used for supplying potential future trips to the Moon and Mars.

Take a look through the window in the Cupola Observational Module, and you might see some streets. You really need to squint, though.

In a break from pavement and earthbound landmarks, Google Street View's newest addition gives an up-close tour of the . The look at the Cupola is just one of 13 modules visitors can explore in the immersive gallery.

The 360-degree views even gives a feel of floating through the zero-gravity environment -- a crowded station of wire-filled walls, packed storage modules and hanging space suits.

Astronauts helped create the panoramic images, which was a challenge for Street View.

"In space there were no tripods, so we ended up using a really simple set-up: a pair of bungee cords strapped in the module in a criss-cross fashion, so that the crossing point defined the centre of where the camera needed to be," project manager Alice Liu told the .

"The astronauts had to take the pictures at the defined angles and float around the camera to complete the set of images," which could amount to as many as 24 shots for a single panorama.

Construction on the began in 1998, with the final major piece delivered in May 2011. The station is used for research and can used for supplying potential future trips to the Moon and Mars.

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