International Spaceflight Museum

From our special reporter MrM: Fans of spaceflight and space exploration will enjoy the International Spaceflight Museum. Located on Spaceport Alpha, the ISM has interactive displays that represent the contributions to space exploration from countries across the world.

When you arrive at the Landing Point you see flags from all of the countries represented by exhibits at the ISM.

The Rocket Ring has life-sized models of rockets from various countries. You can see rockets from the early days of space exploration up to today's heavy satellite lifters. Signs located around the ring give notecards with information about the rockets.

A clockwork model of our solar system is on a viewing platform above the Rocket Ring. You can command the planets to move into position for any specific date (within some limits). Try your birthday to see how the planets were aligned!

The Canadian Robot Arm ("Canadarm") display is an interactive exhibit in which you can control a model of the robot arm that is used on the US Space Shuttle. The Canadarm is used during missions to assemble spacecraft on orbit.

Take a ride into outer space aboard the Gemini 4/Titan II! Board the Gemini capsule and on your command the powerful Titan II rocket will launch you to low Earth orbit. When you arrive, be sure to use the teleporters to tour the solar system, including the Asteroid belt, and perhaps even the surface of Mars.

A full scale model of the Saturn V, the most powerful rocket ever built for the Apollo missions, is complete with its http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.giflaunch tower. The top of the launch tower, where the Apollo capsule sits above the Saturn rocket, is 144 meters high and provides a wonderful view of the ISM.

There are many more displays and interactive exhibits at the International Space Museum – too many to describe here – so give yourself plenty of time to explore when you visit.

Landmark: Spaceport Alpha 48, 78, 24 (PG)