Google is  making the most of the 40 year anniversary of Apollo 11 on 16th July.  Data from the space missions together with information from NASA is introduced by astronauts who went into space.

This information about space is presented as an extension of Google Earth, so effectively Google lets you look around all corners of the world.   The Moon section is selected within Google Earth.

Anniversaries are always an opportunity for renewed interest about a subject, and it is no surprise that Google has launched this feature to coincide with the space anniversary.

This helps Google take its brand into the stratosphere and:

demonstrates Google as a major player in partnership with NASA and the folk-hero astronauts

subliminally gives the message that Google is master of Space as well as Earth.

The direct benefits are that Google will capitalise on and contribute to search phrases  and news stories about the space anniversary.

This information about space looks much more like an identified product than the other services available from Google.

I wonder what is next…