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[b]Adler Planetarium Opens Shoot for the Moon Exhibition on November 11, 2006[/b] It's been 34 years since Chicagoan Eugene Cernan left the last footprints on the Moon, but we are quickly approaching the day when humans will return to the lunar surface. What role will you play in the next great space adventure? Find out in [i]Shoot for the Moon[/i], a new permanent exhibition at the Adler Planetarium. [i]Shoot for the Moon[/i] highlights the exciting stories of space exploration and America's bold plans to return to the Moon. [i]Shoot for the Moon[/i] opens to the public on Veterans' Day, Saturday, November 11, 2006 &mdash the 40th Anniversary of the Gemini 12 mission. General museum admission will be free for veterans and active military on November 11, 2006 in honor of Veterans' Day. "America's plans to return to the Moon, NASA's recent shuttle launches and some of the world's first 'space tourists' are creating public interest in space exploration," said Adler President Paul H. Knappenberger Jr., PhD. "We hope the Adler's [i]Shoot for the Moon[/i] exhibition makes space history more accessible to young visitors and inspires them to imagine their own futures as explorers." [i]Shoot for the Moon[/i] is the dramatic first expression of the Adler Planetarium's new institutional vision to be the world's leading space science center. The exhibition begins with [i]A Journey with Jim Lovell[/i], featuring the fully-restored Gemini 12 spacecraft and the Lovell Collection of personal space artifacts. In [i]Mission: Moon[/i], young visitors discover the thrills and dangers of being an explorer and imagine their own futures in space. BRC Imagination Arts is designing and producing the [i]Shoot for the Moon[/i] space exploration experience for the Adler Planetarium. "Growing up near Chicago, the Adler inspired me to think about becoming a space explorer one day," said Captain James A. Lovell, Jr. "In turn, I hope this new exhibit introduces today's young people to the thrill of space exploration and inspires them to become a part of humankind's return to the Moon." The fully-restored Gemini 12 spacecraft, flown by Lovell and Dr. Buzz Aldrin in 1966, is the centerpiece of [i]Shoot for the Moon[/i]. Lovell and Aldrin will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Gemini 12 mission at the Adler; and reunited with the Gemini 12 spacecraft for the first time since their historic mission in 1966, the two astronauts will dedicate the exhibition to the next generation of explorers. "Every generation should have the opportunity to experience the wonders of space travel," said Aldrin. "Exhibits like the Adler Planetarium's [i]Shoot for the Moon[/i] are a critical part of building public enthusiasm for NASA's scientific and exploratory missions and the new space tourism market." [b]A Journey with Jim Lovell[/b] [i]A Journey with Jim Lovell[/i] shares the story of America's first journeys into space in the 1960s as told through the powerful narrative of Lovell. It includes the personal stories of Lovell's initial failures to gain acceptance into the U.S. Naval Academy and NASA astronaut program, and his ultimate triumphs flying on four spaceflight missions and traveling to the Moon twice. Visitors will gain insights about the dramatic moments leading up to each of his Gemini missions and learn how Lovell and others risked their lives to advance scientific understanding when manned space flight was still in its infancy. [i]A Journey with Jim Lovell[/i] first introduces visitors to a young boy from Milwaukee who would grow up to become an American hero. They will learn about his childhood interests and find out how Lovell's perseverance as a young adult got him through a series of setbacks that included initial rejections by the Naval Academy and NASA's astronaut program. Visitors will understand the life- threatening risks Lovell took during his time as a Navy test pilot and as an astronaut in the Gemini and Apollo programs. As a teenager, Lovell discovered a passion for rocketry and wrote to the American Rocket Society (ARS) to ask about becoming a rocket engineer. The ARS replied that Lovell should go to MIT or Cal Tech. But Lovell, raised by a single mother, could not afford those schools. Instead he applied to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, but was rejected. After the United States Navy placed Lovell on an alternate list, he entered college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison under the Navy's Holloway Plan, which allowed him to take flight lessons while pursuing his education. After two years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Navy's ROTC program, Lovell applied to the Naval Academy again and was accepted. In 1959, Lovell was invited to a secret meeting to try out for a spot on America's first roster of astronaut pilots. After a week of grueling tests, Lovell failed his physical exam because of a medical technicality. From his television at home, Lovell watched as the Mercury 7 were proclaimed America's first astronauts. But Lovell's perseverance eventually paid off. Three years later, in 1962, NASA again called for astronaut candidates and Lovell reapplied. This time, he passed all the tests. Jim Lovell was now officially an astronaut in training. "First, if you want to be successful as an astronaut or anything else, you have to keep trying. There will be disappointments in your life. You'll get so far and then there will be a setback. And if you let the setback overcome your drive, your willpower, then you're in trouble," said Lovell. [b]Mission: Moon[/b] [i]Mission: Moon[/i] continues the story from the Gemini program to focus on the historic accomplishments of the hugely successful Apollo missions, which saw America reach its goal of landing a man on the Moon. A Lunar Dangers Training Lab invites young visitors to serve as members of an exploration team going back to the Moon in the 21st century. A Lunar Leap, Touch Down interactive and other state-of-the-art exhibit elements allow visitors to discover the thrills and challenges of lunar exploration and imagine their own futures in space. Prominent in the gallery are four of the Apollo missions: Apollo 8, the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon; Apollo 11, when Neil Armstrong and Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the Moon; the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission when Lovell returned his crew safely to Earth after a life-threatening onboard explosion; and Apollo 17, mankind's last Moon landing. In the Lunar Dangers Lab, visitors will meet A.L.E.X. (Analyst of Lunar Environmental Extremes) an animated robot who thinks that he's ready to live on the Moon. ALEX goes through a series of rigorous tests in this special effects presentation to see if he can survive the dangers of the Moon, which include: Temperature Extremes, Solar Radiation, Micrometeorites and Lunar Dust. The scientific content of this segment is narrated by Lovell and delivered with visual puns and environmental special effects, making it fun and accessible for all ages. [b]Shoot for the Moon Artifacts[/b] The fully-restored Gemini 12 spacecraft flown by Lovell and Aldrin in 1966, is the centerpiece of a multimedia show celebrating the Gemini 12 mission and America's race to the Moon. Contextual exhibits surrounding the spacecraft tell stories about the Gemini 12 mission and the awe-inspiring moments Lovell and Aldrin shared during their three days in space. Supporting objects, graphics and videos tell the background story of the Gemini program as a critical step on our way to landing on the Moon. State-of-the-art technology brings the Gemini 12 spacecraft alive in a manner not seen anywhere else in the world. Designed and created by BRC Imagination Arts, the presentation plays on two large projection screens positioned above the Gemini 12 spacecraft. During the show, narrated by Lovell, visitors can relive some of the most exciting and ground-breaking moments of the Gemini 12 mission. As the show unfolds, key features of the spacecraft are brought to life with lighting effects in and around the capsule, which are choreographed with the video and narration. In addition to the Gemini 12 spacecraft, the exhibition includes artifacts and memorabilia from Lovell's personal collection, the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, NASA and the Oscar-winning film Apollo 13. Among the outstanding pieces in [i]Shoot for the Moon[/i] are: an Apollo 8 in-flight suit, Apollo 13 helmet and gloves, Lovell's visual acuity test card from Gemini 7, original flight plans and manuals flown on the Gemini 12 mission, the Omega chronograph worn by Lovell on Gemini 12, an Apollo 11 pen light, an Apollo 15 Moon rock, Lovell's optical sight from Apollo 13, which ultimately saved the lives of the Apollo 13 crew, and the director's "clapper" used in the film Apollo 13. Also included are some of the rocketry and science fiction books that inspired Lovell as a child, as well as other personal effects from his early years, including photos and diaries. The Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum &mdash America's First Planetarium &mdash was founded in 1930 by Chicago business leader Max Adler. The museum has announced a new vision to be the world's leading space science center. The museum will inspire the next generation of explorers by sharing the stories of human space exploration and America's space heroes. The Adler is a recognized leader in science education, with a focus on inspiring young people, particularly women and minorities, to pursue careers in science. BRC Imagination Arts is designing and producing the new [i]Shoot for the Moon[/i] space exploration experience for the Adler Planetarium. For more than 20 years, BRC Imagination Arts has been the leader in the design, creation and production of innovative and immersive experience-based attractions for museums, experiential marketing, and cultural heritage sites worldwide. Their previous work includes the Kennedy Space Center visitor complex and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum.
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