CLEVELAND–America’s plans for opening the space frontier – including new human exploration of Earth’s moon and future voyages to Mars and beyond – are featured in an interactive exhibit now touring Minnesota, and scheduled to visit Minneapolis October 6 and 7.
Hosted by Jefferson Community School, the NASA Exploration Experience traveling exhibit is intended to give visitors a vivid glimpse into the nation’s ambitious future in space. “We’re excited that visitors in our region will have the opportunity to have fun while learning about NASA’s work to explore space,” said Howard Ross, acting director of External Programs at NASA’s Glenn Research Center, Cleveland. “We hope the multimedia experience helps people better understand how the country plans to explore the moon and travel beyond in the next decade or so.”
Jefferson Community School is a K-8 school in downtown Minneapolis and was selected this year as a NASA Explorer School. NASA Explorer Schools bring together educators, administrators, students and families in sustained involvement with NASA’s education programs to promote science, technology and mathematics education among students.
The exhibit’s tour will continue at the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth on October 10 – 12.
The exhibit simulates a breathtaking visit to the first destination on America’s new journey into the solar system: Earth’s moon. “Interactive control panels and activity stations; immersive 3D imagery; and audio effects will plunge visitors into a not-too-distant future on the moon,” said Shannon Ridinger, Outreach Coordinator at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. “They’ll discover what it will be like to live and work on the surfaces of other worlds, and how it will benefit life back home on Earth.”
NASA staffers will be on hand to answer questions and discuss some of the thousands of technologies used on Earth as a result of years of space-based research and development by the agency and its partners.
“Exhibit visitors can learn how quality of life improves when America’s space exploration activities refine existing technologies or develop new breakthroughs in areas such as power generation, computer technology, communications, networking and robotics,” said Ridinger. “Visitors also can learn how other advanced technologies are increasing safety and reliability of space transportation systems, while also reducing costs.”
Touring the Vision for Space Exploration Experience takes approximately 10 minutes. The exhibit is free and wheelchair accessible.
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., manages the traveling exhibit for the agency’s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate in Washington.
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