Have your kids been watching the SpaceX launches this year? Some of the kids expressed an interest this summer in learning more about space exploration, and as a direct result of those requests, we were able to add an afternoon exploring the site.
The Space Foundation Discovery Center in Colorado Springs is the only dedicated center in the Pikes Peak region, focused on science, space, and technology. The center is an interactive STEAM destination that focuses on many aspects of space exploration and discovery.
Space Gallery
The main area to explore with your family is the El Pomar Space Gallery; this large space-themed museum gallery hosts most of the larger displays. The gallery boasts a nice collection of artifacts and models from actual spacecraft and tools.
Playtime!
Your kids may be masters of the Xbox and PS4, but can they pilot the underwater vehicles to capture the rings? Want something more challenging, then head over the to Mars Robotics Laboratory to program Lego robotic rovers to complete missions, either as individuals or on a team.
Artifacts and models
As you explore the gallery, you will notice that the artifacts and models cover a wide variety of activities from multiple celestial objects to the countries that were involved. The Huygens probe model was part of a collaborative space mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The probe was sent to Saturns moon Titan, during which during the descent through the atmosphere, it was able to determine the cloud layer to be about 20 kilometers thick before landing in the mud.
Have Spacelab, will travel!
During the 1980s and 1990s, the Space Shuttle was the primary vehicle used for human-crewed expeditions in space to conduct experiments, a unique module in the cargo bay allowed scientists to work in a micro-gravity environment. The Spacelab module flew over 20 missions between 1983 to 1998.
Tools for missions
One thing that the kids enjoyed was seeing how the spacesuits have evolved over time. They had fun talking about how the “old” spacesuits looked compared to the new SpaceX suits.
Discussion Question
Ask your kids where they think space travel will go when they are adults?
