Image from bubble.ro

Web surfers may soon be able to explore the canyons of Mars and experience a virtual flight over the surface of the moon thanks to a deal announced Monday between Google and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center, according to Reuters.

The Space Act Agreement is the first in a series that would make much of the space agency's massive catalog of space research available to anyone with internet access. A significant part of the work involves making apps spread across the web more accessible to the public.

One project lets viewers explore Mars and the Earth's moon, a la Google Earth, and will eventually offer real-time weather visualization and forecasting, 3-D maps and real-time tracking of the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle from any internet-connected computer.

Google and NASA first partnered last year to build a new campus at NASA's research center in Silicon Valley. The deal called for Google to develop up to 1 million square feet (93,000 square meters) of real estate within the Moffett Field research park.