Last updated on October 14, 2022 by Jeremy
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Finally, Pittsburgh has a space museum!
If you follow space news, chances are you know that robotics companies in Pittsburgh are at the forefront of innovations for upcoming off-planet missions. One such company, Astrobotic in the North Side, is designing many new technologies that can be used for future moon missions in particular.
To showcase their work and the goals of these missions as a whole, the company opened a modest educational museum, aptly named the Moonshot Museum, at its North Side production facility in late 2022.
We had the chance to visit this one just before it opened to the public and share a bit more about what you can expect during your visit!
Astrobotic’s Lunar Rover shines at the Moonshot Museum
The moon has a special connection with space exploration. It is the only other planetary body on which man has set foot to date, and missions are underway where the moon will become a hub for activities with a dedicated colony that will act as a way station for missions. later to Mars and beyond.
For now, companies like Astrobotic are designing equipment that can deliver payloads to the moon as well as lunar rovers that can perform preliminary searches of habitable sites, search for water, and more. These missions, which will take place very soon, are all highlighted in the unique room space of the museum.
So, what do you learn during your visit? To us, the Moonshot Museum feels like it can be broken down into three key sections.
First, museum visitors can watch a pre-recorded video that sets the stage for everything you’ll see next. It outlines Astrobotic, the company’s goals, upcoming missions and why Pittsburgh is at the forefront of innovation in all things space, just as the city was in steel ages ago. decades.
Second, you have the exhibits themselves. According to our count, there were about a dozen main exhibits in the museum. These cover various topics such as moon landing sites (past and future), how Astrobotic’s rover works, the challenges of finding water, recorded videos with employees on everything relates to space exploration, and many others.
Most exhibits are also interactive. You will learn more about the moon landing sites by moving specially designed pieces on a giant LED screen. Move a piece on past missions to an illustrated landing site on the moon, and a box appears explaining the event at that particular location. Many of these exhibits are meant to be enjoyed by all, so children can learn as well as adults; however, some exhibits may be more suitable for older children, if only because the material can be quite in-depth (but don’t worry, other exhibits are also suitable for younger space fans!).
To finish, and perhaps our favorite part of the whole museum is the fact that you can peek into Astrobotic’s cleanroom production facility to watch the lunar rover being built in real time!
During our visit, we saw a dozen employees assembling a piece of the rover, and it was fascinating to get a first-hand look at the work you’d only see pictures of in the newspaper or online. While some companies may be deprived of their proprietary technology, it’s fascinating to see a small piece of Astrobotic’s work first-hand like this!
As this element of the museum is likely not coordinated with visiting hours, the number of activities you will be able to see will likely vary. But whether employees are busy in the clean room or rover parts are just on display, it’s a rather unique element that helps serve as a reminder that Astrobotic, and Pittsburgh in general, is indeed going to the moon very soon!
All in all, while it’s worth remembering that the Moonshot Museum is quite small (a visit can probably be completed in about 30 minutes), we’re thrilled that this city finally has a space museum. Yes, he is primarily dedicated to educating those about the work of Astrobotic in particular. And yes, for now, everything revolves strictly around the moon. But guests will leave with an understanding of why technological development for the moon is so important to exploring the cosmos beyond.
We can’t wait to see where they take us next!
Moonshot Museum at Astrobotic is located at 1016 N Lincoln Ave on the North Side. The entrance to the parking lot isn’t the most obvious on our last visit – Lincoln Ave is located between Wendy’s and McDonald’s on Allegheny Avenue. We visited during a North Side preview event ahead of the museum’s official opening in October 2022.
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