Airshow Runs June 13-14 

America's plans for opening the space frontier - including new human exploration of Earth's moon and future voyages into the solar system beyond - are featured in an interactive exhibit scheduled to visit the Ocean City (Md.) Air Show June 13-14. The NASA Exploration Experience traveling exhibit gives visitors a vivid glimpse into the nation's ambitious future in space.

"We hope the multimedia experience helps people better understand how the country plans to explore the moon and journey beyond in the next decade or so," said outreach coordinator Kirk Pierce from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

While in Ocean City the exhibit will be on display at Seventeenth Street and Broadway and will be open both days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. From Ocean City, the exhibit moves to the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar - Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va., June 19-21, before moving on to Harbor Fest in Charleston, S.C., June 26-29.

The exhibit simulates a breathtaking visit to the first destination on America's new journey into the solar system: Earth's moon. "Interactive control panels and activity station, immersive 3D imagery and audio effects will plunge visitors into a not-too-distant future on the moon," Pierce added. "They'll discover what it will be like to live and work on the surfaces of other worlds - and how it will benefit life back home on Earth."

NASA staffers will be available to answer questions and discuss some of the thousands of technologies used on Earth as a result of years of space-based research and development by the agency and its partners.

"Exhibit visitors can learn how our quality of life improves when America's space exploration activities refine existing technologies and develop new breakthroughs in areas such as power generation, computer technology, communications, networking and robotics," said Pierce. Visitors also can learn how other advanced technologies are increasing the safety and reliability of space transportation systems, while also reducing costs.

Touring the NASA Exploration Experience exhibit takes approximately 10 minutes. The exhibit is wheelchair-accessible. Exhibit visitors also can see what they would look like on the Moon by having their photo taken in a space suit against a lunar landscape.

NASA's Aerospace Education Services Project (AESP), a NASA resource that delivers education programs in all 50 states and US territories, will support the exhibit. NASA's Marshall Center manages the traveling exhibit for the agency's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate in Washington.

In addition in to the traveling exhibit, AESP education specialists Rick Varner and Sonya Williams of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center will present educational workshops for teachers called "Physics through Rocketry" at Stephen Decatur High School, Berlin, Md., on July 24 and at North Caroline High School, Ridgely, Md., on July 31.

FMI: http://exploration.nasa.gov, www.ocairshow.com