The new-look space gallery opens today at the Science Museum. It’s a very British affair.
Matt Brown
Forty-five years ago today, Ariel 1 – the first satellite to include experiments from the UK – was lofted into space. The Science Museum has chosen this anniversary to overhaul its space collections. The refitted gallery, now known as ‘Exploring Space’, was opened today by British-born astronaut Nicholas Patrick.
An update has been long overdue. Several artefacts and models were showing their age, and information panels were a little dated. Until last year, the plaque describing the Hubble space telescope spoke of the instrument’s imminent launch. That happened back in 1990.
Thanks to money from the BNSC, PPARC and EADS, old displays have now been refurbished and new exhibits installed.
X-ray attraction
At first glance, the choice of the Spacelab 2 X-ray telescope as the centrepiece of the revamped gallery might seem a curious one. The telescope flew on the final successful mission of the Challenger orbiter, in 1985. This three-metre tall slab of wires and piping was the first instrument to capture images of the centre of our galaxy by measuring high-energy X-rays.
Might this be a little abstract for the family audience? Space curator Doug Millard thinks not. “The telescope has instant appeal, having actually flown in space,” he said. “It’s also entirely British – it was designed and built in Birmingham by a team headed by Peter Willmore.”
After its flight, the telescope was displayed at the University of Birmingham for many years until, ironically, lack of space forced its eviction. “An appeal was put out,” says Millard. “Either someone take it, or it gets ‘skipped’. So we took it.”
Old friends and new
Doug Millard in front of the Lunar Module model.
A popular lunar module replica, which Millard describes as ‘an old friend’, has been retained. It was originally created by Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire by the set designers of ‘Diamonds are Forever’, which features a chase sequence across a lunar set. After 30 years, the model had become slightly dilapidated and was almost removed from the exhibition. But a detailed restoration plan has seen the iconic replica returned to pristine condition. According to Millard, “It’s the most authentic model outside the States. With the US heading back to the moon, the lunar module is a symbol of the past and the future.”
Elsewhere, there’s a strong focus on British space technology. New exhibits include models of the ill-fated Beagle 2 lander that crashed on Mars in 2003. The Huygens probe was much more successful. This craft landed on Saturn’s moon Titan in 2005 – the first instrument to touch the surface was a British-built penetrometer. A replica of Huygens, complete with drogue parachute, is displayed alongside Beagle 2.
Beagle 2 model.
Tucked away in one corner is a new section looking at artificial satellites. The showpiece here is an animation showing a swarm of dots circling the Earth, representing the huge number and variety of man-made objects racing above our heads. This area also includes a model of Topsat, an observational satellite built for the Ministry of Defence.
Looking to the future
Speaking before the launch, Millard commented on his hopes for the gallery. “We are celebrating 50 years of the space age but perhaps the best is yet to come: today’s students are tomorrow’s explorers and we hope this new display will have something to stimulate their imaginations, whet their appetites and start them aiming for the stars.”
With recent calls for the creation of a UK space agency, a heavy British involvement in projects such as the European ExoMars rover, and the birth of private space companies such as London-based Virgin Galactic, the ‘explorers of tomorrow’ will have a lot to keep them busy, and their work will mean the gallery should have plenty of new material for when the next revamp comes round.