You can now take a virtual visit to the International Space Station (ISS) thanks to Google Street View. Google has ventured outside the confines of Earth's atmosphere for the first time, turning Google Street View into Google Space View. Albeit with a little help from some astronauts.

We have all got very used to the idea that Google is mapping the whole world. And yet it's an amazing achievement that we should probably applaud. This shrugging of the shoulders at the standard Street View means Google has to occasionally map somewhere new and exciting. And its latest project certainly delivers.

Virtually Visiting the International Space Station

Google has mapped the entirety of the inside of the International Space Station. This means you can drift gently through the ISS visiting the 17 different areas open to explore. And it's all presented in glorious 360-degree panoramas to ensure you can take it all in.

To capture these incredible images Google enlisted the help of the astronauts living on board the ISS. One of these astronauts, Thomas Pesquet, details his experiences on board the International Space Station and capturing Street View imagery for Google on The Keyword.

Google usually uses its own specialist camera equipment to capture Street View imagery, but transporting it up to the ISS was impossible. So the astronauts used a simple setup which involved DSLR cameras and bungee cords to capture images that could then be stitched together.

Google's ISS adventure includes notations that pop up in order to explain what everything is and does. This is the first time Google has included notes on Street View, and it makes the whole thing much more interesting. So let's hope Google adds these to more projects in the future.

Make Sure You Peek Into Every Nook and Cranny

There's a very high probability that no one reading this will ever set foot in space, let alone step aboard the ISS. Which means Google's virtual visit to the International Space Station is as close as any of us is ever going to get. With that in mind, make sure to peek into every nook and cranny.

Have you paid a virtual visit to the International Space Station yet? If so, what did you think? Was it worth the incredible effort that went into it? Or should Google have stayed here on Earth? Which exotic location should Google map next? The comments are open below...

Image Credit: Joe Wolf via Flickr