Space Exploration

Hear what it is like to work at a telescope on top of a mountain. Maneuver a Jet Pack Chair to fix a satellite. Explore a futuristic Martian habitat – control a rover, conduct a scientific mission and even touch a piece of Mars!

Innovations in space have allowed us to look at our place in the universe in a new way. Satellites, distant sensors, and drones let us see how the Earth is changing in real time. Telescopes on the ground and out in space let us peer into galaxies to see where stars are born.

Jet Pack Chair

Take a ride in a chair resembling a NASA manned maneuvering unit (MMU). Feel like a real astronaut as you float and navigate your way around an enclosed arena using jets of compressed air.

Mars Habitat

What would life on Mars look like and how would we take our first steps to build a home on the Red Planet? You’ll scout the surface of our nearest planetary neighbor and take control of a rover all from inside our Mars HQ.

View from Space

View from Space is based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Science On a Sphere. This gorgeous attraction features a 6-foot sphere and two projectors that cast rotating images onto it, creating the effect of Earth rotating in space. View from Space appeals to anyone who has ever wanted to be an astronaut, or just take a quick trip into space. 

The sphere and projector system at the heart of View from Space rely on data collected via satellites and other technologies being used to help us understand and make predictions about both our dynamic environment and study other planets.

Dr. Alexander MacDonald of the NOAA Forecast Systems Laboratory was a laureate of The Tech Awards in 2003 for developing this visualization system.

Location

Space Exploration is located on the Lower Level next to Solve for Earth.