SingaporeMotherhood | Family Fun
November 2016
NASA – A Human Adventure at ArtScience Museum is a Must-visit for Space Geeks Young and Old!
Starting from 19 November 2016, visitors to ArtScience Museum can go on a once-in-a-lifetime expedition to Singapore’s largest space flight exhibition, NASA – A Human Adventure. Here’s what we learnt at the media preview yesterday!
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Listen up, space geeks! NASA – A Human Adventure has landed at ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands and it opens its doors to the public tomorrow. Trust me when I say that it’s a must-visit for true blue space geeks. This exhibition will bring you on an enthralling journey into the world of space exploration, which encompasses the world’s most significant accomplishments in space technology. More than 200 artefacts are on display in five galleries (Dreamers, Go Fever, Pioneers, Endurance and Innovation) – these include many items which have actually flown in SPACE!
Psst! You can also experience forces of up to 2G with the out of this world (quite literally) G-Force simulator or listen to the sound of space and envision life beyond Earth! Are you psyched yet? Read on for a sneak peek into NASA – A Human Adventure!
(See also: 30 Terrific Year-End Holiday Activities for Children, 2016)
Gallery 1: The Dreamers
I loved how the exhibition starts off with a gallery dedicated to the dreamers, because afterall everything starts with a mere dream, doesn’t it? This section serves as the perfect first chapter of the narrative that is the entire exhibition. It pays tribute to the dreamers – the men who dreamed of space exploration and devoted their lives to turning their dreams into a reality. Scrutinise the portraits of Leonardo da Vinci, Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Chesley Bonestell and Robert McCall, all of whom had an immense interest in space.
If you aren’t too familiar with the works of these famous men, fret not for there are texts accompanying each portrait. Read up on the writers who imagined space travels and the artists who dreamed of how other worlds could possibly be like!
Gallery 2: Go Fever
History buffs, rejoice! The second gallery of NASA – A Human Adventure will let you go on a historical journey of conquest. Travel back in time to experience the Space Race between the USA and the Soviet Union as a result of the Cold War. The silver lining of the Space Race? It allowed major breakthroughs in space technology and most definitely pushed the boundaries of human achievements!
See all the milestones of space discovery such as the Soviet launch of Sputnik in 1957, the first manmade satellite to orbit the Earth and the establishment of NASA by American President Eisenhower back in 1958 (yes, NASA is now 58 years old)!
Gallery 3: Pioneers
Just like how the Singaporean government honours the Pioneer Generation, NASA – A Human Adventure honours the pioneers of space travel by dedicating an entire gallery to them! Let’s face it – without the genius rocket scientists and engineers who made the ambitious dreams of space travel a reality, Neil Armstrong wouldn’t have been able to plant the American flag on the Moon. So give it up for the pioneers of space travel while you ogle at the amazing and rapid evolution of rockets created by NASA scientists.
Gallery 4: Endurance
Think space travel is now child’s play just because technology has advanced by leaps and bounds? Think again. There’s a reason why this exhibition features an entire gallery that explores the challenges of travelling to space and surviving the hostile environment. You can learn all about the daily lives of astronauts in space, from what they wear and eat to the instruments and hardware used on their missions. Also look out for information on the first landing on the moon as well as the special rover used by astronauts on their explorations.
Fun fact: To use the bathroom in the space station toilet, astronauts have to position themselves on the toilet seat using leg restraints. The toilet works like a vacuum cleaner with fans that suck air and waste into the commode.
Now, aren’t you glad you don’t have to be an astronaut?
Gallery 5: Innovation
Innovation is always at the heart of space exploration. It’s all about churning out new ideas and ground breaking technologies which can contribute to making the impossible, possible. At this gallery, you will be introduced to the innovations which took the Americans to the orbit and the Moon.
Some Other Super Cool Space Stuff on Display…
Also on show at NASA – A Human Adventure is a Jupiter nose cone that was launched into space and later recovered from sea! What makes this nose cone so special? It has a covering which was developed to protect the nose from the heat generated during re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere! Temperatures could hit up to 1,000 degrees Celsius, so that covering was super essential! These nose cones are also key milestones in making future re-entry vehicles that allow manned space flights.
There weren’t fancy DSLRs available back then, but NASA used uber cool Swedish-made Hasselblad cameras (above) for its lunar operations between 1938 to 1972. The astronauts left the cameras and lenses behind on the Moon upon departure to save weight. As such, only the film magazines returned, including three from Apollo 8, 12 and 17 programmes, which are on display at NASA – A Human Adventure.
(See also: 5 Child-Friendly Digital Artworks at Future World at The ArtScience Museum)
Experience a Ride Like No Other on The G-Force Astronaut Trainer!
If you’re thinking, “I thought you mentioned something about a G-Force simulator?”, hold your horses, I’m coming to that! Adrenaline junkies can choose to embark on a simulated flight of the 1961 Mercury Liberty Bell 7 with astronaut and test pilot himself, Gus Grissom! The G-Force Astronaut Trainer ride will take visitors on a quick but adrenaline-pumping ride as they withstand forces of up to 2G! Each ride can accommodate up to four people. Think you can stomach it? Get your tickets ($6 per pax on Mondays to Thursdays and $9 per pax on Fridays to Sundays) for the G-Force Simulator and hop on then!
Check Out These Other Activities for Space Enthusiasts!
Space Quest Workshop
Get ready for your mission to outer space by completing a series of exciting hands-on activities in this one hour workshop. Participants will get to race against time and find out if their space agency has what it takes to launch a space mission!
Dates: 2, 16 & 30 December 2016 (part of Family Fridays at ArtScience Museum)
Time: 4.30pm – 5.30pm
Venue: Rainbow Room, Basement 2
How much: $8 per participant. Up to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.
Make Your Own Cyanotype Universe!
Join other space geeks in Cyanotype Universe where you will use one of the oldest printing techniques to create beautiful photographic blueprints of space! It will make for the perfect keepsake of your visit to NASA – A Human Adventure!
Date: January 2017 (refer to the ArtScience Museum website for more details)
Venue: Rainbow Room, Basement 2
How much: $8 per participant. Up to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.
Sunday Showcase x SingAstro
Get ready for a weekend filled with sun and star gazing, listen to the sound of space and see how astronomical instruments have evolved from the past. This will be all you need to know about space in one weekend! Admission is free – just register at the lobby of ArtScience Museum!
Date: 18 – 19 February 2017
Time: 1pm – 7pm (18 Feb) and 10am – 7pm (19 Feb)
Venue: ArtScience Galleries, Level 4
NASA – A Human Adventure will run from 19 November 2016 to 19 March 2017. Tickets are available at all Marina Bay Sands box offices and website. Ticket prices as follows:
Standard ticket: $20 (adults), $17 (seniors, 65 years and above), $12 (child, aged 2 to 12), $55 (family package: 2 children and 2 adults)
Singapore residents: $15 (adults), $12 (seniors, 65 years and above), $9 (child, aged 2 to 12), $40 (family package: 2 children and 2 adults)
Images: NASA/Marina Bay Sands.
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