Exploration and imagination intersect in the Space Command exhibition. The phases of the Moon come into focus as you learn about Earth’s only natural satellite. Construct a rover and see how it fares on a rocky terrain. Spin a ball into the Gravity Well and see centripetal force in action. Touch the meteorite—the oldest thing you’ll ever touch.

Explore neighboring planets including where they are, how they move, and what they’re made of. Discover how the sun impacts each planet in the solar system by providing the light and heat necessary to maintain planetary conditions. You’ll experience the excitement of space exploration and develop an out-of-this-world appreciation for the night sky.

Things to Do and See in Space Command

Reflections of Greatness Mural

Painted by Philadelphia artists Evan Lovett and Frank Chapell, the mural depicts an astronaut in space. The International Space Station is reflected in the astronaut’s mask, with sunrise over Earth in the background.
Mission Control

New for the Space exhibit are 4 displays with live data from the International Space Station including current position, crew, and upcoming passes of the ISS that will be visible from Philadelphia.
Scope Lobby

Just inside the 20th Street entrance, a new gallery of antique microscopes and telescopes brings to life the ways humans have used lenses to look outward and inward for hundreds of years.
Mechanical Geochron Global Time Indicator

This world clock displays night and day overlaid on a world map, showing areas of light and darkness. An intricate clockwork mechanism controls the date and time. As each day progresses, the clock’s gears cause the backlit world map to scroll from left to right.
Planetarium Hallway

Planetarium Hallway now features 8 screens displaying live and curated content from NASA and our Chief Astronomer, Derrick Pitts, with live feeds from the Hubble Telescope, Mars Curiosity Rover, upcoming rocket launches and more.
STS-135 Launch Video

Experience the launch of STS-135, the 135th and final mission of the American Space Shuttle program. It launched on July 8, 2011, and landed on July 21. Watch and listen to NASA crew as the Shuttle takes off.
Spin a Ball into the Gravity Well

Experiment with centripetal force in action.
Touch a Real Meteorite

At over 50 million years old, the meteorite is the oldest thing you'll ever touch!
Build a Mars Rover using K'Nex

Will your rover be tough enough to navigate the harsh terrain on Mars?
Design a Rugged Rover

Design and draw your own rover, launch it onto the simulated terrain, and see if your design is rugged enough to go the distance.