Space Command
Report to this low earth orbit research station, where student missions include recovering a lost unmanned space probe using technologies developed by NASA scientists. That’s just one of 30 interactive stations that put space exploration within everyone’s reach. Students visit the Orientation area before heading to Space Academy to brush up their technical skills.

Daily Demonstrations include Space Boot Camp, where aspiring astronauts can learn about space realities like propulsion, meteor impact and the effects of anti-gravity environments on the human body. A Space Suit demonstration highlights the logic behind the design and the material science used to make them. Check the daily schedule for availability.

Fels Planetarium Workshop and Live Shows

The Life and Death of a Star Workshop* Grades 3-8, 6–8 and 9–12
(Galactic Adventure Package Reservation required)
Minimum 30 students; maximum 60

Our high definition Digital Sky planetarium projection system catapults students into multi-dimensional space where they’ll explore the life cycle of the stars. With a member of the Fels staff, your class will learn about the age, size, and composition of dwarf stars, supernovas, pulsars and black holes, and discover how scientists determine these facts using various tools. Exclusive to the Galactic Experience package, students will use spectroscopes to decipher the age and composition of hypothetical stars.

Life in Space I in Musser Demonstration Theater* Grades 3-5 and 6-8
Suddenly your class is aboard a rocket heading for outer space! Once there, students enter “astronaut training” to explore the challenges of living and working in the weightless environment of space. Students become “satellites” to communicate findings back to Earth. (Galactic Adventure Package Reservation required.)

Life in Space II in the Fels Planetarium* Grades 9-12 (Tuesdays only)
The Franklin Institute’s Chief Astronomer Derrick Pitts will discuss with your high school students recent astronomical phenomena, trends in space explorations and review “the big questions” about the universe, like the existence of extraterrestrial life, UFO, and the origin and fate of the universe.
(Galactic Adventure Package Reservation required.)

SPECIAL Tuesdays through December
Every Tuesday this fall, the Institute’s Chief Astronomer Derrick Pitts will host The Life and Death of a Star Planetarium Workshop portion of the Galactic Adventure Experience. Mr. Pitts, a frequent guest commentator on WHYY-FM, NBC-10, WXPN Kids Corner, and MSNBC, has a knack for explaining complicated things so that everyone can understand.

Tuttleman IMAX Theater

Walt Disney presents:
Roving Mars
Experience the Martian surface through the eyes of two intrepid, death-defying explorers—Spirit and Opportunity, the NASA Mars Rovers. The huge IMAX screen reveals the enormity of the spectacular and rugged Martian landscape. Roving Mars was produced by Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Frank Marshall (Seabiscuit and Raiders of the Lost Ark), and produced and directed by George Butler, with original score by Phillip Glass. (Details, here.)

The Fels Planetarium

Shows last 25­30 minutes. Minimum group size: 30 (fewer if other groups have reserved; maximum 200. Special audio available for hearing-impaired visitors. ADA accessible. Reservations required. Recommended for grades 3­12.

The Search for Life: Are We Alone?
Are We Alone? It’s a question that has captured the imagination since humans first began gazing at the heavens. Narrated by Harrison Ford, The Search for Life: Are We Alone? focuses on three relatively recent discoveries: life on Earth can survive in extreme, inhospitable environments; there are innumerable planets; and all planets are formed from the same cosmic processes. These findings suggest that life elsewhere in the universe may be more feasible than once imagined.

Life and Death of a Star Planetarium Show
Classes not taking part in The Galactic Adventure Experience can still travel the Universe in an expanded, full-length show. Their Planetarium host will take them to explore the life cycle of the stars, from the most distant galaxies to our very own Sun. Students will also learn about the age, size and composition of dwarf stars.

*Available with Galactic Adventure Experience only.