U.S. Space & Rocket Center

U.S. Space & Rocket Center
US Space & Rocket Center
Established 1965
Location Huntsville, Alabama
Type Science museum
Director Dr. Deborah Barnhart[1]
Curator [2]
Website spacecamp.com/museum/
Association of Science-Technology Centers
astc.org

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama is a museum showcasing rockets, achievements, and artifacts of the U.S. space program. The facility is also home to United States Space Camp and Aviation Challenge. Sometimes billed as "Earth's largest space museum", astronaut Owen Garriott described the place as, "a great way to learn about space in a town that has embraced the space program from the very beginning."[3][4]

It houses interactive science exhibits, more than 1,500 permanent rocketry and space exploration artifacts, as well as many rotating rocketry and space-related exhibits. The center is located on Interstate 565 at exit 15, near NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.[5]

The U.S. Space Camp is located on the grounds of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. The camp provides residential and day camp educational programs for children in various age groups and adults. These programs include space oriented camp programs, aircraft themed Aviation Challenge camps, and outdoor oriented X-Camp programs.

Contents

History

Some of the rockets in the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. From left to right: Saturn I, V-1, Jupiter IRBM, Juno II, Redstone, Mercury-Redstone, and Jupiter-C

The idea for the museum was first proposed by Dr. Wernher von Braun, who led the efforts of the United States to land the first man on the moon. Plans for the museum were underway in 1960 with an economic feasibility study for the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce.[6]

Von Braun, understanding the dominance of football in the Alabama culture, persuaded rival Alabama and Auburn coaches Bear Bryant and Shug Jordan to appear in a television commercial supporting a $1.9 million statewide bond referendum to finance museum construction.[7] The referendum passed on November 30, 1965, and a donation of land from the Army's Redstone Arsenal provided a location on which to build.[8][9]

To help draw tourists from far afield, the center needed a crown jewel. The Huntsville Times reported, "Edward O. Buckbee is the type of guy with the tenacity to 'arrange' for this planet's largest, most complex mechanical beast to become a part of the Alabama Space and Rocket Center at Huntsville. / Pulling off the coup — getting a Saturn 5 moon rocket here which cost 90 times the center itself — was 'a little difficult,' admits Buckbee in a galloping understatement."[10] Buckbee worked with von Braun to see that the Saturn V Dynamic Test Vehicle would be delivered to the site as it was on June 28, 1969. The Saturn I which stands erect at the museum was delivered the same day.[11] Initial plans called for visitors to walk through the Saturn V.[12]

Also on display immediately were the lunar landscape with lunar lander mockup, and a wide variety of hardware from United States Army Aviation and Missile Command, NASA, and aerospace companies, including a helicopter, Pershing missile system displayed as if ready for launch, and the standing rockets as displayed in the photo.[12]

The Space & Rocket Center was a "major sponsor" of the United States pavilion at the 1982 World's Fair, providing exhibits on space and energy as well as equipment and operations for the IMAX theater at the fair. At the time, the Space & Rocket Center also served as the Alabama Energy Information Center.[13]

Mike Wing plunged the Center into debt as its director from 1998 to 1999.[14] Wing oversaw construction of a full-scale vertical Saturn V replica to be finished at the end of the 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, July 1999. It serves as a towering landmark in Huntsville, and cost the center $8.6 million of borrowed money. The Huntsville Times estimated interest costs at $10 million. Wing also sought to create a program for fifth grade students in Alabama and elsewhere to attend Space Camp at no cost to them. Anonymous corporate pledges that Wing promised would fund the $800 per student never arrived. The program ultimately cost the center $7.5 million. Wing was pressured to resign, and several members of the governing Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission were ousted from that board as a result of the debacle.[15][16] At the end of Wing's term as director, the center was $26 million in debt.[17][18][19]

The expenditures would shape more than the next decade for the center. Larry Capps was selected as director after Wing, and he reduced the debt to $16 million while also building the Davidson Center for Space Exploration and moving the Saturn V Dynamic Test Vehicle into its custom-built facility.[17] Capps was director through his retirement in 2010.[20]

Exhibits

The Apollo 16 capsule is on display, with the parachute hanging above it.

A variety of exhibits lay out the story of the early days of space travel through to plans for the future.

From before 1977

1977-present

The Space Shuttle Pathfinder is shown with a full stack and a specially-reinforced external tank.

Future

Rides, simulators, and facilities

Saturn V mock-up at U.S. Space & Rocket Center

In addition, several other simulators are used by Space Camp participants.

Saturn V mock-up

Since 1969, Huntsville residents could point to the Saturn I rocket at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center as a distant landmark (located a few miles from the city center).[11] In 1999, a full-scale model of the Saturn V rocket was erected, standing nearly twice as tall as the Saturn I.

Buildings

The initial museum building was designed by Huntsville architect David Crowe in a style called "early blockhouse modern." [10] It features 22,000 square feet (2,000 m2) of exhibit space.[12] An Omnimax (now called IMAX Dome) theater was installed prior to February 28, 1984.[27] The movie SpaceCamp preceded droves more campers (5,000 in 1986 to 11,000 in 1987), for whom facilities were expanded again.[28][29]

A $3 million NASA Educator Resource Center was built during Larry Capps's tenure.[30]

The SA-500D Saturn V is the centerpiece in the main hall of the Davidson Center for Space Exploration.

The newest addition to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center is the Davidson Center for Space Exploration, named after Dr. Julian Davidson, founder of Davidson Technologies.[31] The 68,000 square feet (6,300 m2)[30] building opened January 31, 2008. The Davidson Center was designed to house the Saturn V Dynamic Test Vehicle (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) and many other space exploration exhibits. The vehicle is elevated above the floor surface with separated stages and engines exposed, so visitors have the opportunity to walk underneath the rocket. The Davidson Center also features a 3D movie theater in addition to the IMAX theater in the original museum.

When the Davidson Center opened in 2008, the museum's ticket center and entrance was relocated to the Davidson Center, so it is now the first exhibit museum visitors experience. This, however, necessitated that visitors enter the original museum through the rear doors, causing it to be viewed out of its original sequence.

Traveling exhibits

In the summer of 2010, the US Space and Rocket Center began hosting traveling exhibits. The first was Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination with other exhibits planned. The United States Space Camp hosted at the facility has provided themed camps in conjunction with the exhibits, including a Jedi Experience camp.[32]

Other traveling exhibits:

Items not on exhibit

Other items located at the Center but not visible to the general public include:

The Center is also the resting place of Miss Baker, a squirrel monkey who flew on a suborbital test flight of the PGM-19 Jupiter rocket on May 28, 1959. Baker lived in a facility at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center for many years until she died of kidney failure on November 20, 1984.

In popular culture

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center was the setting for feature films SpaceCamp and Beyond the Stars.[36][37]

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center was featured on Little People Big World episode "Space Jake" in which Jacob Roloff attended Space Camp in the summer of 2008.[38]

Good Morning America has featured the Space & Rocket Center multiple times. In their 2006 proclamation the "Seven wonders of America", selected the Saturn V and particularly featured the Saturn V Dynamic Test Vehicle at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.[39][40]

Gallery

  • Moon walkers' boot prints encircle the vertical Saturn V replica.

  • The Apollo 16 capsule heat shield shows wear from its reentry.

  • A Moon rock collected on Apollo 12.

  • An Apollo Lunar Lander, Lunar Rover, lunar samples for close inspection, and a giant wristwatch are on display together.

  • Visitors can see the "White Room" from which Apollo astronauts climbed into their spacecraft.

  • Visitors can walk across a section of gantry.

  • The Quick Plane, made by William Lafayette Quick (1859-1927), flew in 1908 in Hazel Green, Alabama.

  • Mercury Procedures Simulator, where astronauts practiced, one at a time.

  • Gemini Procedures Simulator, where two astronauts simultaneously practiced rendezvous, docking, and orbital maneuvers.

  • The Orion CEV is planned to carry four astronauts.

  • Visitors can step into the Apollo 12 Mobile Quarantine Facility where astronauts lived two weeks after their return to Earth.

  • Roving robots, missiles, and unmanned aircraft on display in the military section.

  • A PATRIOT missile and others are on display.

  • Visitors can ascend a climbing wall as part of general admission.

  • An indoor playground affords a comfortable place for young children year-round.

  • Terraserver photo from US Geological Survey. This photo was taken prior to the 2007-08 construction of the Davidson Center for Space Exploration, which would be to the left of the upright Saturn V model, and now houses the horizontal Saturn V seen at the bottom of the photo.

See also

Flag of Alabama.svg Alabama portal

References

  1. ^ "U.S. Space & Rocket Center board hires Dr. Deborah Edwards Barnhart as new CEO". 21 December 2010. http://blog.al.com/space-news/2010/12/us_space_rocket_center_ceo_sea.html. Retrieved 3 February 2011. 
  2. ^ "Employee cuts at U.S. Space and Rocket Center have historian concerned about future of 'exceptional' archives". 29 January 2011. http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/01/us_space_and_rocket_center_arc.html. Retrieved 3 February 2011. 
  3. ^ Villano, Matt (2007-09-09). "Space Camp, Dogwoods And 'cue In Huntsville, Ala.". SFGate.com. http://articles.sfgate.com/2007-09-09/living/17261489_1_space-camp-space-flights-space-training. Retrieved September 24, 2011. 
  4. ^ "Huntsville Holidays". http://www.bon-voyage.co.uk/destinations/huntsville_alabama_holidays. Retrieved September 24, 2011. 
  5. ^ In the Beginning: US Space & Rocket Center
  6. ^ Kopp, William T. (1960). Economic Feasibility of a Proposed Space Science Exhibit in Huntsville, Alabama. Pasadena, California: Southern California Laboratories of Stanford Research Institute. 
  7. ^ Dewan, Shaila (2007-12-31). "When the Germans, and Rockets, Came to Town". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/us/31huntsville.html. Retrieved September 25, 2011. 
  8. ^ "Madison County Election Returns". The Huntsville Times. December 1, 1965. 
  9. ^ "United States Space and Rocket Center". http://www.aero.com/museums/us_space_and_rocket/wmuusr01.htm. Retrieved September 25, 2011. 
  10. ^ a b Casebolt, Barry (1972-09-24). "A World Wonder in our Midst". The Huntsville Times: pp. B-1+. 
  11. ^ a b von Braun, Wernher (2010) (DVD), The Rocket Man: Wernher von Braun: The Man Who Took America to the Moon: His Weekly Notes: 1961-1969, Steward & Wise Music Publishing, p. NOTES 6-30-69 SIEBEL, ISBN 978-1-935001-27-0, http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum9/HTML/001778.html 
  12. ^ a b c "Alabama Space Science Center". Times Daily. 1969-02-23. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PforAAAAIBAJ&sjid=usYEAAAAIBAJ&dq=space-science&pg=764%2C3938375. Retrieved September 29, 2011. 
  13. ^ "Space, Rocket Unit Will Be At The Fair". Harlan Daily Enterprise: pp. 8B. 1982-04-23. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IkZBAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-6gMAAAAIBAJ&dq=rocket-center%20omnimax&pg=5490%2C5842962. Retrieved September 29, 2011. 
  14. ^ "Mike Wing, former CEO of Space and Rocket Center, arrested". WAFF TV. http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=4766836. Retrieved October 02, 2011. 
  15. ^ "Saturn V Replica Not Paid For Yet". Tuscaloosa News. AP. 2001-07-17. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=90ogAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WKYEAAAAIBAJ&dq=mike-wing&pg=6905%2C5593713. Retrieved October 02, 2011. 
  16. ^ "Audit Sparks Probe of Center Spending". Tuscaloosa News. AP (Montgomery, AL). 2001-05-14. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hDwdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LqYEAAAAIBAJ&dq=mike-wing&pg=3058%2C2996528. Retrieved October 02, 2011. 
  17. ^ a b Haskins, Shelly (2011-09-30). "U.S. Space and Rocket Center lays off 5, cuts 7 to part-time to save $500,000 (updated)". Huntsville Times. http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/09/us_space_and_rocket_center_lay.html. Retrieved October 02, 2011. 
  18. ^ "New CEO Ready to Tackle Space Camp's Problems". Tuscaloosa News. AP (Huntsville). 2000-02-11. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ByUdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZaYEAAAAIBAJ&dq=wing%20space%20camp%20fifth%20graders&pg=4513%2C1883747. Retrieved October 04, 2011. 
  19. ^ Lowry, Suzy (1999-06-24). "St. Clair Fifth-Graders get Free Space Camp". Gadsden Times (Asheville). http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2MEfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gdgEAAAAIBAJ&dq=wing%20space%20camp%20fifth%20graders%20anonymous&pg=6262%2C2735916. Retrieved October 04, 2011. 
  20. ^ Lawson, Brian (2010-12-22). "New Space & Rocket Center CEO Barnhart described as ideal choice". Huntsville Times. http://blog.al.com/breaking/2010/12/new_space_rocket_center_ceo_ba.html. Retrieved October 02, 2011. 
  21. ^ a b Kessner, Kenneth (January 19, 2011). "U.S. Space and Rocket Center cancels gala, focusing on Space Camp registrations and budget challenges". Huntsville Times. http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/01/us_space_and_rocket_center_can.html. Retrieved August 31, 2011. 
  22. ^ "Space Camp Newsletter: Mobile Quarantine Facility". September, 2007. http://www.spacecamp.com/webmail/newsletter0907/. Retrieved February 16, 2011. 
  23. ^ "NASA Administrator Charles Bolden to speak at event at U.S. Space & Rocket Center". The Huntsville Times. August 25, 2011. http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/08/nasa_administrator_charles_bol_4.html. Retrieved September 10, 2011. 
  24. ^ "The Force (F-1)". CollectSpace. http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum41/HTML/000276.html. Retrieved October 10, 2011. 
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  26. ^ "U.S. Space & Rocket Center opens exhibit with model of commercial space habitat module". Huntsville Times. August 27, 2011. http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/08/us_space_rocket_center_opens_e.html. Retrieved August 31, 2011. 
  27. ^ "Museum Shoots for the Stars to Bring Space Down to Earth". Chicago Tribune. 1984-02-24. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/633086172.html?dids=633086172:633086172&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb+28%2C+1984&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Museum+shoots+for+the+stars+to+bring+space+down+to+earth&pqatl=google. Retrieved September 27, 2011. 
  28. ^ Burkey, Martin (1987-02-04). "Space Camp Expected to draw 9,000". The Huntsville Times. 
  29. ^ Burkey, Martin (1987-08-14). "Space Camp Plans Futuristic Dorms: Space Station Inspired $3.65 Million Design". The Huntsville Times. 
  30. ^ a b Huggins, Paul (2010-08-14). "Space museum CEO retiring". Decatur Daily (Huntsville). http://www.decaturdaily.com/stories/Space-museum-CEO-retiring,66476?content_source==========stories==1332&category_id=&search_filter=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=stories&town_id=. Retrieved October 03, 2011. 
  31. ^ Davidson Technologies Inc.
  32. ^ "STAR WARS: Where Science Meets Imagination (Press Materials)". 28 May 2010. http://www.spacecamp.com/news/node/1902. Retrieved 23 November 2010. 
  33. ^ "The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Exhibition coming to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center". 5 August 2010. http://www.spacecamp.com/news/node/1914. Retrieved 23 November 2010. 
  34. ^ "CSI: THE EXPERIENCE coming to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center". 3 November 2010. http://www.spacecamp.com/news/node/1923. Retrieved 23 November 2010. 
  35. ^ Welch, Chris (May 23, 2011). "New U.S. Space and Rocket Center exhibit showcases discovery of rare T. rex skeleton". Huntsville Times. http://blog.al.com/entertainment-times/2011/05/new_us_space_and_rocket_center.html. Retrieved August 31, 2011. 
  36. ^ "On Location... Space Camp Filming Locations". 80's Movies Rewind. 2009. http://www.fast-rewind.com/locations_spacecamp.htm. Retrieved September 12, 2011. 
  37. ^ "Beyond the Stars (1989) filming locations". IMDB. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096921/locations. Retrieved September 12, 2011. 
  38. ^ "Little People Big World Season 4 DVD Set". Discovery Store. http://store.discovery.com/little-people-big-world-season-4-dvd-set/detail.php?p=259561. Retrieved September 12, 2011. 
  39. ^ "Space Camp, Movie Topic on TV Show". The Huntsville Times. 1986-05-27. 
  40. ^ "Seven Wonders of America". Good Morning America. ABC News. 2006. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/7WondersofAmerica/. Retrieved September 11, 2011. 

External links

v · d · eNorth Alabama, United States landmarks
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Coordinates: 34°42′41″N 86°39′15″W / 34.71139°N 86.65417°W / 34.71139; -86.65417


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