Forty-seven years ago today, Apollo 11 astronauts landed on the moon. To commemorate the occasion, the Smithsonian Institution’s Digitization Program Office has released a 3D model of the inside of “Columbia,” the Apollo 11 Command Module. You can take a guided tour of the module, complete with the names, descriptions, and real pictures of each item you look at, or explore completely on your own.
The museum also produced a cool video, documenting the process of 3D scanning the module. Because of the intricacies of the module, creating a model was bound to be difficult. Smithsonian partnered with Autodesk to make custom equipment just to scan the Command Module. The project also required the creation of new algorithms to combine data from multiple sensors, and software to interpret that data and make the 3D model of Columbia.
In addition to taking a digital tour of Columbia, you can also 3D print several models at home. There are currently five models available for download, including the exterior and full-sized control panels. There are also interior models, which can be viewed with a Samsung GearVR headset or Google Cardboard.