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Travel into space with NASA – A Human Adventure at ArtScience Museum

By Reta Lee - on 20 Nov 2016, 12:28pm

Note: This opinion was first published on 18th November 2016.

Credit to NASA, Marina Bay Sands

Space, the next frontier! I’ve always been intrigued about life in the universe and quite possibly there is a chance we’re not alone out there; and with the nail-biting race between United States and Russia to send the first man to travel into space won by the latter, by astronaut Yuri Gagarin, suddenly that dream isn’t a dream anymore. Fast-forward to today, with headlines made by business magnate and SpaceX founder Elon Musk to plan super-fast global internet by launching 4,425 satellites in space, one will wonder, is space technology really advancing beyond our dreams and expectations?

To answer that question, perhaps a walk back in history is worth remembering, on how mankind went as far to propel not just humans into space, but the engineering marvel and technology into making that happen; and you don’t have to travel to Smithsonian Museum in the United States to witness all of that!

Credit to NASA, MArina Bay Sands

Starting this weekend, 19th November, the ArtScience Museum is presenting the largest space exhibition in town: NASA – A Human Adventure, curated and produced by Jukka Nurminen. “We are excited to welcome the public to NASA –A Human Adventure at ArtScience Museum. This exhibition has something for everybody. We hope that after visiting the exhibition, visitors will be inspired to continue to explore the world and what lies beyond. The exhibition shows that with determination, courage and the spirit of adventure, we can achieve the impossible,” added Jukka, who is the Director and CEO of John Nurminen Events B.V.

The exhibition spans into five galleries, with over 200 historically significant artifacts are on show, including many items, which have flown in space. When asked, what was his favorite highlight of the exhibition, Jukka paused to say, “the full scale construction of the front section of NASA’s iconic Space Shuttle.”

What we personally like about the exhibition as it opens up to the history of space travel is, you’ll also be able to witness firsthand, spacecraft, rockets and technology that were in possession of the US Space Center and Kansas Space Center, just to name a few. Not only that, there is film shot by Apollo astronauts using Hasselbald cameras. The astronauts left the cameras and lenses behind on the Moon upon departure to save weight. Only the film magazines returned, including three from Apollo 8, 12 and 17 programmes which will be exhibited at the exhibition. One of the displayed film magazines was autographed and used by Eugene Andrew “Gene” Cernan, Commander of Apollo 17, on the last moon-landing mission on December 1972.

Credit to NASA, MArina Bay Sands

Then there are food, drink samples consumed by astronauts on spacecraft, as well as personal item belongings. Another of my favorite highlight is the installation by Indonesian artist Venzha Christ, who installed a three-meter long sculpture and mixed media installation that enables visitors to see and hear space. It was haunting, to say the least! And if you have the stomach to brave G-force, you’ll have the opportunity to embark on a simulated flight of the 1961 Mercury Liberty Bell 7 with astronaut and test pilot, Gus Grissom.

Don’t let us spoil the highlights for you; you’ll want to feast your eyes and ears on this truly remarkable space exhibition.

For more information on the exhibition, including ticket pricing and programmes, please visit www.marinabaysands.com/ArtScienceMuseum

Reta Lee

Reta Lee / Former Group Editor (New Media)

Full-time writer, part-time rock star stalker, avid music lover, and an animal lover.

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