NASA seeks to digitize space imagery

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- NASA has announced a joint project with Internet Archive of San Francisco to scan, archive and manage the agency's collection of space imagery.

The goal is to make the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's vast collection of photographs, historic film and video available through the Internet without charge.

NASA has more than 20 major imagery collections online. The partnership, officials said, will allow those collections to become available through a single, searchable archive.

"Making NASA's important scientific and space exploration imagery available and easily accessible online to all is a service of tremendous value to America and we're pleased to partner with the experts at Internet Archive to accomplish this effort," said Robert Hopkins, NASA's chief of strategic communications.

The five-year agreement calls for the non-profit Internet Archive to digitize, host and manage still, moving and computer-generated imagery produced by NASA.

In addition, Internet Archive will create a system through which new imagery will be automatically captured, cataloged and included in the online archive, NASA said, adding the archive also might include other historically significant material, such as audio files, printed documents and computer presentations.