http://youtu.be/OB8mNO7Mp-g
The Spaceport Visitor’s Center and Gateway Gallery exhibits are set to open in June, but middle school student’s got a chance to preview the new exhibits.
Middle School Honors Students from Las Cruces and Truth or Consequences were the first to experience the new Gateway Gallery Experience at Spaceport America. Christine Anderson, Executive Director of Spaceport America says it was important to get reactions before the official opening.
“We wanted to get feedback,” Anderson said. “And we wanted to kids to come out because to me it’s all about the next generation and a lot of this was designed with them in mind. So, I’m really excited about hearing the reactions of the students.”
She says the exhibits were designed to help visitors learn about space and space travel.
“We wanted it to be fun but also educational,” Anderson said. “So, the kiosks that we have everything in it is very educational as far as learning some aspect about space, but it’s also a game. We also have the G-shock simulator that’s a fun ride and you’ll experience the G-forces, and that seems to be a big hit with the kids. And we have this magic planet which is real fun, and it talks about living in Mars, or the Moon, or asteroids and what would that be like. It also compares point-to-point travel, if you were going to different cities via air vs. space, and what the difference would be and how much faster you can get somewhere via space.”
To go along with the exhibits, Anderson says that they also have made tools available for teachers bringing students to the Spaceport.
“On our website there are some student curriculums,” Anderson said. “That teachers can follow that are based on those kiosks. So, if they use those as learning tools in the classroom then they can bring the kids out, and they can actually play games based on that, and they would have had some learning tools.”
Anderson says they are expanding their educational outreach, and trying to reach more students in the area.
“We have something called the virtual classroom we’re doing right now,” Anderson said. “And we’ve had a couple of sessions now with Dona Ana County and Sierra County where we are in the classroom via skype. They can ask us questions, we can take them around with our cameras and show them the spaceport, they as some really good questions, and the kids really seem to enjoy it, so we are going to continue that program.”
The Gateway Gallery exhibit will be open to the public as part of the Spaceport America tours starting in June with the opening of the Spaceport Visitors Center in Truth or Consequences.
