|  Space
Gallery
Going to the upper level by stairs or lift, visitors enter
the Space Gallery. Surprisingly, the first thing they encounter
is a small garden of growing plants, a bit of Earth in space.
Looking out over the Space gallery, visitors observe a large
orrery slowly rotating. Farther away, they see three satellites
suspended from the ceiling high overhead. As they orient themselves,
visitors hear the thunderous rumble of a rocket engine test
coming from a far corner of the gallery.
The exhibit/activity areas in the Space Gallery are:
- Solar System Model - an orrery
observed by a series of “probes” that return
images of the planets and moons in our solar system.
- Galaxy View - a re-created
slice of our galaxy that permits visitors to see a constellation
in three dimensions.
- Satellite Stations - sensors
mounted upon the overhead satellites that allow visitors
to take remote images of the gallery below while learning
about Earth-observing satellites.
- Rocket Engine Test - a multi-player
simulation of a rocket engine test.
- Space Habitat - a video
that examines the need for bio-regenerative systems for
long-term space travel, while a small space garden illustrates
the critical role of plants in creating such a system.
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