Space Foundation Press Releases


Space Foundation Summer of Discovery Features "Oceans of the Universe," June 4-8

Written by: developer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 31, 2013) - The public is invited to visit the new Space Foundation Discovery Center this summer for 10 weeks of educational space activities appropriate for all ages. Each week will focus on a specific theme, culminating with a full day of special activities each Saturday, included in the price of the Saturday admission.

The Space Foundation Discovery Center, located off Garden of the Gods Road at 4425 Arrowswest Drive, is the region's first and only space, science and technology attraction, and will be open to the public from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays, June 4 - Aug. 10. See details about exhibits and daily fees at www.spacefoundation.org/visit.

"The exhibits and activities we're offering this summer will interest anyone who enjoys science and space exploration," said Vice President - Education and Discovery Iain Probert. "Parents can share the excitement of discovery with their children, while seniors can relive the thrill of the early U.S. space missions."

The theme for the first week, Tuesday, June 4 - Saturday, June 8, is "Oceans of the Universe," examining the similarities between space and deep sea exploration. Among recent additions to the Space Foundation's exhibits is the Scott Carpenter Station, designed by NASA and used for seafloor research. It was formally known as the Scott Carpenter Space Analog Station, because its primary mission was to demonstrate the ways in which the ocean environment could be used as an analog to the space environment.

The Saturday, June 8, "Oceans of the Universe" activities celebrate World Oceans Day and include:

  • Science On a Sphere® demonstrations, featuring a unique spherical display that brings the Earth, Sun, Moon, planets and other celestial bodies to life
  • Underwater robotic activities with remotely operated underwater vehicles ROVs) similar to the ones used to train astronauts
  • Squid dissection activity, "You've Got Guts." See for yourself what's inside these small ocean creatures!
  • "Fossils of the Deep," children will enjoy digging for fossils and shells
  • An interactive exhibit comparing SCUBA equipment with astronaut EMU suits (extravehicular mobility unit)

For young children, the June 8 activities will include crafts, balloon art, face painting and story time with local personalities reading popular children's books aloud in the Small Fry Reading Corner.

See the full schedule of June 8 activities at www.spacefoundation.org/events/summer-discovery. Activities are subject to change.

Other Summer of Discovery themes include:

  • "Mars, Rovers and Robots" June 11-15
  • "Astronauts!" June 18-22
  • "Blue Planet - Green Living" June 25-29
  • "Red, White and Blue" July 2-6
  • "Weather Wonders" July 9-13
  • "One Giant Leap" July 16-20
  • "Women in Spaceflight" July 23-27
  • "Colorado Days" July 30-Aug. 3
  • "A Taste of Space Technology" Aug. 6-10

Daily admission is $9 for adults, $7 for seniors (age 65+), $7 for college students with I.D., $3 for children ages 4-17. Admission is free with military I.D., to children age three years and younger and to holders of the Colorado Springs Together Card.

501st Legion, ScienSonic and Wendy's are Summer of Discovery co-sponsors. ATK and Snappy Print are printing co-sponsors.

About the Space Foundation
The foremost advocate for all sectors of the space industry and an expert in all aspects of space, the Space Foundation is a global, nonprofit leader in space awareness activities, educational programs that bring space into the classroom and major industry events, including the Space Symposium, all in support of its mission "to advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable and propel humanity." The Space Foundation publishes The Space Report: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity and provides three indexes that track daily U.S. stock market performance of the space industry. Through its Space Certification™ and Space Technology Hall of Fame® programs, the Space Foundation recognizes space-based technologies and innovations that have been adapted to improve life on Earth. The Space Foundation was founded in 1983 and is based in Colorado Springs, Colo. Its world headquarters features a public Discovery Center with two main areas - the El Pomar Space Gallery and the Northrop Grumman Science Center featuring Science On a Sphere®. The Space Foundation also conducts research and analysis and government affairs activities from its Washington, D.C., office and has a field office in Houston, Texas. For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org. Follow us on FacebookLinkedIn and Twitter, and read about the latest space news and Space Foundation activities in Space Watch.


Posted in Space Foundation Press Releases