posted 04-20-2025 12:22 PM               

There are a number of space-related exhibits as part of the event, including a Mars meteorite collected by Japan's Antarctic observation team and a bench made of a discarded rocket tank.

The China Pavilion has on display lunar soil samples retrieved by the country's Chang'e missions from both the near and far sides of the moon.

The U.S. Pavilion also has a section dedicated to the past, present and future of space exploration, where guests can see an Apollo moon rock (an Apollo 12 sample exhibited at the 1970 World Expo in Japan drew large crowds), a large model of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and take a virtual tour through the solar system (including a stop at the International Space Station, where the crew recorded a message for visitors).

posted 08-20-2025 06:49 PM               

The exhibition at the U.S. Pavilion of the Osaka Expo was wonderful. The footage from directly beneath the rocket launch platform was incredibly powerful, and seeing the moon rock up close was deeply moving.

Watching the video of the ceremony where I handed over the ISS commander duties to NASA astronaut Steve Swanson the day before returning from the ISS in 2014, I felt a strong sense of nostalgia for the crew I worked with on the ISS and the colleagues at the ground control center.