Mission LEAP: A Lunar Colony Experience of the Future

Opening Fall 2012 at MOSI, inside Kids In Charge!

Mission LEAP Background:

Mission LEAP will be a simulated permanent lunar base in the year 2070. The premise is that it is built near the south pole of the Moon where there is believed to be large reservoirs of frozen water reasonably available within the rocks, and where some highlands can experience long periods of sunlight. LEAP is the operations center of a larger operation that also includes food production (farming) and mining facilities. 

The Mission LEAP Experience at MOSI:

Guests will have the ability to participate in the NASA vision for living on worlds beyond Earth. Through an interactive immersive experience, enhanced with various augmented reality simulations and virtual views to the vast lunar scape, participants in LEAP will feel like they have become members of a lunar outpost where they will discover what is needed to thrive and maintain human habitation in a harsh environment.  This immersive, eye-opening, and fun experience will incorporate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields) as guests experience first hand the challenges of operating a lunar base.

Conceptual design of Mission LEAP

MOSI guests will perceive that the colonies and lunarscape beyond surrounds them by the use of virtual scenes that fill the windows and computer screens. Guests will be able to monitor facets of the functionality by virtual views of the operations. Within the LEAP center will be various zones or pods that help the guest to organize the information in the primary topics of off-world habitation including :

·   Operations - to successfully balance the supply and demand infrastructure to sustain life and run a viable colony

·   Robotics - To engage with the primary workers on the Moon - the robots

·   Habitation - To experience creature comforts:  medical and food production

·   Resources - To live off the land by finding, mining and processing the minerals needed

·   Lunar Surface - To experience the parameters of this unique environment in a safe and educational way

In each zone, guests will be involved in helping the colony to be sustainable by carrying out certain activities and getting feedback on their success. From time to time, an emergency scenario may happen, such as a solar flare or a meteor storm, where all guests must work together to keep the colony safe. 

Mission LEAP will encompass a 2500 square foot space and will be designed for individual MOSI guests to experience at their own pace, as well as school group visits following a three to four hour scenario.  

Mission LEAP at MOSI is being funded, in part, by NASA and is part of MOSI's plan to continually improve our guest experience and support the future of STEM.  For more information, please contact Dave Conley, Vice President of Exhibits at 813-987-6340.