National Geographic, NASA Bring Mars Exploration into Homes with New, Immersive Augmented Reality Experience

Thomas Smith

by , Editorial Content Director, Disney Experiences

For many Disney Parks Blog readers, the thrill of an adventure to Mars at Mission: SPACE! is a “must-do” at EPCOT.  Now, you can experience the red planet like never before with an out-of-this-world Mars augmented reality activation created for the @natgeo Instagram account. 

Following last week’s Mars Perseverance rover touch down on the red planet, National Geographic has partnered with NASA to take space exploration one step further and into the households of millions. 

Through this brand-new interactive experience, users actually become the Perseverance rover for the first time. The Mars AR activation offers an immersive 360 look at the panorama from the robot’s point of view, with imagery received directly from the Perseverance rover. To increase the accuracy of the immersive experience, National Geographic collaborated with NASA as well as consulting scientists and engineers who worked to design and build the rover, including Roger Weins (SUPERCAM), Christina Diaz (PIXL), and Jim Bell (Mastcam-Z).

You can check out directions on how to access the interactive on your mobile device HERE. The Mars AR activation follows the launch of National Geographic’s March issue, which explores our fascination with the red planet, and includes an incredible immersive experience, available online at the National Geographic space hub, natgeo.com/space

To see others National Geographic AR Instagram filters, search for Spinosaurus, Climb Everest, and the World in 2070 on Instagram.