Air travel has really taken flight in the past few decades and this new Science Centre exhibit shows a future where weekend getaways to the moon or even Mars are not too far off!
Science Centre Singapore’s really pulling out all the stops for its 40th Anniversary. Just last month we were tottering across the high wire and doing backflips at Circus! Science under the Big Top. This weekend, making its Southeast Asian debut, Above and Beyond – The Ultimate Interactive Flight Exhibit invites you to experience the wonders of flight and aerospace innovation, design and technology. The moment you step into the hall, you’re taken on a journey through the history of flight. Comprising five galleries – Up, Faster, Higher, Further and Smarter – this exhibition is a blend of technology and interactiveness that’s sure to keep kids of all ages occupied.
We got to take a sneak peek into the future (flying cars and space elevators? Yes, please!) with exhibits featuring all the different ways humans can fly, from 3D models to flight simulators. Here are some of our favourites…
Full throttle
Budding pilots and aerospace engineers can design and fly their own aircrafts in this simulator (pictured up top). Assemble your aircraft and hop into the cockpit to take flight. Race against your family and friends through the course and pass through the rings to see who can get the fastest time. It’s harder than you think, even for console-loving teens. Psst, if you want to try out our design it’s 9V-645. We challenge you to beat our time of 1 minute 34 seconds!
Spread Your Wings
Take to the skies in this virtual reality experience, not in a plane, but as a bird. Kids will have a blast flapping, gliding and steering through valleys and over mountains and forests. Fly as a group through motion-sensing technology and be an actual bird flying to the tropics this winter. Remember to stay in formation!
Marathon to Mars
Mars is one of the more viably habitable planets, but how long will the journey take? The trip is estimated to be a whopping six months. If rainy days are a huge test of our patience, imagine six whole months in a spaceship with the kids. Or just experience it in this simulated flight to Mars instead, and check out some of the proposed solutions through augmented reality.
Space Junk
If you haven’t already heard of this invisible form of pollution, space debris is the result of old satellites and spent rockets orbiting around the Earth. This dumping ground can cause any amount of harm from scratching the glass on a space station window to wiping out your connection to the Internet. Take part in this game and compete with friends to see who can clean up the most junk by using the best bot for the job. Get the kids inspired to solve this galactic problem!
Elevator to Space
Ever wanted to visit space? Well, a weekend trip to the moon isn’t possible yet but this exhibition gives you a taster of what it might be like to pop into space via elevator (wonder if it’s the same route as Charlie’s glass elevator?). The journey is estimated to take six days before you reach one of the space ports orbiting the Earth but the view is well worth it. Step into this exhibition booth for a sneak peek at what might become the dream holiday destination of the century, and see how it can be achieved.
Dreams Aloft
The exhibition finishes off with an inspiring interview with young aerospace engineers from Boeing. We’re especially loving what the women in STEM have to say (more than half of the people featured were women so score one for representation, girls), and the way the exhibit gives kids an idea of what it’s like to work in aerospace technology. When that’s all said and done, it’s clear that the sky is definitely the limit.
Above and Beyond
Where: Hall C, Science Centre Singapore, 15 Science Centre Road, Singapore 609081
When: 16 December 2017 to 8 April 2018
Time: Opening hours 10am – 6pm
Cost: Free (Admission to Science Centre Singapore applies)
www.flightexhibition.com
Top image credit: Above and Beyond
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