Challenger Center - Lunar Quest

The Challenger Center Space Mission Simulator offers visitors the next best thing to actual space flight with a Mission Control room designed after NASA Johnson Space Center and an orbiting space station modeled after the laboratory on the International Space Station. During a space mission, team members work as scientists and engineers to solve real-world problems in an engaging, immersive environment.

Onboard astronauts in the Space Station Simulator work with their counterparts in the Mission Control Simulator to operate vehicles and rovers to search for resources critical to the expansion of lunar research. Teams will need to observe the Earth, sun and beyond as they navigate to the moon and select sites for future lunar mining.

In the not too distant future several permanent habitats on the Moon are home to astronauts and scientists conducting research. Human operated vehicles and rovers search for resources critical to the expansion of lunar research. The new crew sent to help with the expansion faces a tough task and students will be challenged to make decisions that will impact the success of the mission. Teams will need to observe the Earth, sun and beyond as they navigate to the moon and select sites for future lunar mining. Ultimately, the primary mission goal of keeping the crew safe will become a challenge as the teams will have to exercise their problem solving, communication and teamwork skills before they can call the mission a success.

Cadets will also participate in a team building activity as well as view the planetarium.