Space: Past, Present, and Future
The traveling exhibit Space: Past, Present, and Future is an interactive exhibit that showcases accomplishments in space exploration, with an emphasis on the efforts of Iowans. The exhibit includes display pieces from The Iowa Space Pioneers exhibit, and features experimental space research activities of James Van Allen, Louis Frank, Donald Gurnett, and others from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Iowa from 1958 through 1998.

The University of Iowa became a leader in space exploration when University staff members designed and built a scientific instrument package flown on the first successful U.S. satellite in 1958. The University's leadership role continued with the discovery and confirmation of the Van Allen radiation belts around Earth, the design and construction of nine complete spacecraft, and the scientific contributions made possible through the use of data collected by 54 instrument packages that were designed and built at the University of Iowa.

On display are artifacts and space flight hardware including one spacecraft built at the University of Iowa that flew in space twice, and a model of an antenna mechanism on its way to Saturn on the Cassini spacecraft! Also featured are accomplishments from recent research investigations on spacecraft such as Pioneer, Voyager, Dynamics Explorer, Galileo, Polar, and Cassini.

Several multimedia stations and quiz machines about space, spacecraft, and space history have been designed for family members of all ages. There are hands-on displays and visitors are encouraged to:

investigate space facts and models of flight hardware instrumentation from the beginning of the space race.

hear sounds recorded by space instrumentation (i.e., lightning whistlers and radio emissions).

view recently recorded images of the northern lights.

observe how solar power energizes satellites.

discover what your weight would be on other planets.

operate an in-house, remote-controlled Mars rover.

Exhibit travel schedule:

The Iowa Space Pioneers, Iowa City Area Science Center, Iowa City, Iowa, July 1998 to May 1999 -- Photos (6 images)

Space: Past, Present, and Future Science Station, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, July to December 1999 -- Photos (8 images)

Space Trek: Past, Present, and Future Science Center of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa, January - June 2000 Photos (7 images)

Space: Past, Present, Future, Bluedorn Science Imaginarium, 322 Washington Street, Waterloo, Iowa, June 20 - October 20, 2000 Photos (16 images)

Space: Past, Present, Future, Sanford Museum and Planetarium, 117 E. Willow Street, Cherokee, Iowa, January 2001 - July 2001.



Space: Past, Present, and Future is made possible by The University of Iowa, the Iowa Space Grant Consortium, the Greater Cedar Rapids Foundation, the Science Station in Cedar Rapids, Science Center of Iowa, The Grout Museum of History and Science, Bluedorn Science Imaginarium, Sanford Museum and Planetarium.

U. of Iowa Department of Physics and Astronomy