“Orion – Journey to Mars,” a new exhibit at Discovery Science Place, allows visitors to learn more about manned space travel through hands-on displays and a life-size model of NASA’s Orion space capsule.

Orion is NASA’s newest crew module that will carry four astronauts into deep space, back to the Moon, and eventually to Mars one day.

The Discovery Science Place, 38 N. Broadway Ave., received the low-fidelity engineering mockup of the Orion capsule from NASA Houston in late 2014 and began designing its new exhibit with the model as its centerpiece. Features of the exhibit include a remote-controlled Mars rover, a spaceship-themed crew seat that guests can sit in complete with controls seen on the capsule, hands-on displays that highlight the difficulties of working in space using the gloves worn by astronauts, a “build and launch” rocket computer simulation and an interactive display that demonstrates the relationship between mass, gravity and weight.

“The Discovery Science Place is excited to bring this evolving exhibit focusing on current events in space exploration to East Texas students and families,” said museum Executive Director Chris Rasure. “As future news from the world of space science comes to light, whether that be about the search for water and the potential for life on Mars, or the first manned Orion test flights, we intend to add to and modify our exhibit to reflect those developments.”

The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, including admission rates and memberships, visit the website at discoveryscienceplace.org.

A partner of The University of Texas at Tyler, The Discovery Science Place strives to inspire interest and education in science, technology, engineering and math.

– UT Tyler Communications