Wannabe astronauts can explore space without leaving their desks with a new software package from Microsoft.

A year after Google integrated a Sky feature into its Google Earth facility, the biggest software manufacturer in the world has decided to launch its own attempt at space exploration by proxy.

Launched on Monday, WorldWide Telescope draws on images from resources including the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory Centre and the Spitzer Space Telescope.

Reuters likened the experience of using the package to a video game, commenting on the "breathtaking clarity" of its imagery and zoom-in, zoom-out features.

"The WorldWide Telescope is a powerful tool for science and education that makes it possible for everyone to explore the universe," noted Bill Gates, company chairman.

Google signed the Space Agreement Act in December 2006 with US space agency Nasa, which facilitated image display initiatives such as Google Mars and Google Moon.