Ready to Launch: Arizona's Place in Space Exhibit

For two weeks in 2010, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter remained looking straight down while its Wide Angle Camera acquired about 1,300 images. The result was this spectacular mosaic. The low angle of the Sun during this period created crisp shadows that highlight the landforms. — The LROC lunar nearside mosaic, created using 1300 images acquired in a two week period with the Wide Angle Camera (WAC), on display beside an Edwin Aldrin Apollo EMU spacesuit inside the new Ready to Launch: Arizona's Place in Space exhibit in Tucson, Arizona.

The Arizona Historical Society (AHS) and the Arizona History Museum in Tucson, Arizona have opened a new exhibit this month that looks to investigate the impact that people, landscapes, and universities throughout Arizona have had on space exploration and space science. The new exhibit is meant to inspire visitors of all ages to look up at the night sky and promote a sense of renewed connection to humanity through our common goal — space exploration! In collaboration with the event, LROC has happily loaned a number of stunning lunar landscape images, posters, 3D puzzles, handouts, and other displays to the exhibit. The exhibit also has amazing items from NASA, Lowell Observatory, Arizona State University, and the University of Arizona, including an Apollo-era space suit, hand-drawn moon maps, and photographs of deep space. These items will all be on display from now until the exhibit closes November 30, 2021.

Just inside the entrance to the new exhibit with a preview of the collection of displays that show off Arizona space exploration history. — Stepping inside the entrance to the new *Ready to Launch* exhibit gives visitors a preview of the collection of historical items that show off Arizona's place in space exploration.

LROC Giordano Bruno and Apollo 17 Landing site exhibit items on display side by side at the Arizona History Museum in Tucson, Ariz. Image courtesy of Shannon Fleischman. — LROC Giordano Bruno and Apollo 17 Landing Site exhibit items on display side by side at the Arizona History Museum in Tucson, Arizona. Image courtesy of museum curator Shannon Fleischman.

Arizona has a spectacular history of contributions to and involvement in space exploration from the 48 observatories that are currently spread throughout the state dating back as far as the early 1900s to the Cinder Lake crater field that was used to train Apollo astronauts in the 1960s and 1970s. Arizona's involvement in space continues today with ongoing efforts in space exploration and sciences at locations like the Lowell Observatory, the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University, and many other institutions that contributed to the Ready to Launch exhibit.

The Arizona History Museum located near downtown Tucson, Arizona.

The Arizona History Museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and is located at 949 E. 2nd St. in Tucson. The exhibit will run from May 20 through November 30, 2021. Be safe if you plan on visiting the exhibit, and enjoy a selection of Arizona's contributions to space exploration!

Published by Rick Hoppe on 24 May 2021