Forty years ago on July 20, 1969, the world watched as the crew of Apollo 11 took the first steps on the surface of the moon. To celebrate this historic occasion, NASA and Google announced the launch of the Moon in Google Earth, an interactive, 3D atlas of the moon, viewable with Google Earth 5.0.

Millennium Island is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 20 crew member on 1 July 2009 on the International Space Station. Millennium Island -- known as Caroline Island prior to 2000 -- is located at the southern end of the Line Islands in the South Pacific Ocean.

Big Thompson Mesa in the Capitol Reef National Park, Utah is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 20 crew member on 14 June 2009 on the International Space Station. This detailed photograph depicts a portion of Big Thompson Mesa located near the southern end of Capitol Reef National Park.

"A multi-touch and multi-user version of the classical Risk game. As a platform Nasa World Wind (WWJ) and the Java implementation of Risk "Domination" by yura.net were used. A authentication method (that was also integrated in the game) can be found in the last video. Thanks to Klaus Drerup & Wadim Hamm."

Editor's note: Buzz Aldrin showed this slide during his presentation at the National Air and Space Museum Sunday evening. It is supposed to be online at buzzaldrin.com (I cannot find it there). Thanks to David Legangneux in France for sending me this screen grab (from an event I could not get tickets for 23 miles from my home!)

Astrobotic Technology Inc. today released details of a lunar robot that can survive the blistering heat at the Moon's equator, which is the robot's destination in May 2011 when it will visit the Apollo 11 site.