Apollo Room:

The main theme of this room focuses on manned space flights. The characteristics of manned flights into space configure both the space crafts and the rooms in them, as well as the work and survival material for the astronauts on board.

In addition to models of different manned missions, in this room you will find real objects such as space food, a tool kit and even an inside-the-ISS space suit of the Spanish astronaut Miguel López-Alegría, which he used in his missions through the NASA Shuttle program.

DSS-63 Room:

Taking advantage of the proximity of the 70 meter diameter antenna (the DSS-63), the window of the temporary exhibition hall allows direct observation of this giant piece of engineering from a multipurpose space, adapted to the different types of temporary exhibitions that take place in the Training and Visitors Center.

Mars Exhibition Hall:

This space of the Visitor Center gathers information on missions destined for deep space, having a special focus on the exploration of the Red Planet. In it you can find a life-size model of one of the twin Martian explorers: Spirit and Opportunity. The special piece in this room is housed in a showcase dedicated to the Stardust mission, being a real sample of aerogel. In addition to some interactive screens for the little ones, in this space the visitor can access the information of the communications that are maintained, in real time, in the three Deep Space Communications Complexes.

Neil Armstrong Auditorium:

With capacity for 70 people, the auditorium is regularly used to project videos and presentations on space, scientific and technological topics.

Likewise, it is the place where conferences and talks are held about the work carried out at MDSCC, topics related to space exploration and astronomical concepts that bring us closer to a vision of our universe.

Moon rock Great Scott:

As part of our permanent exhibition, the star object is undoubtedly the real moon rock, the first in a series of three advanced missions planned for the Apollo program. The primary scientific objectives were to observe the lunar surface, survey and sample material and surface features in a preselected area of the Hadley-Apennine region, set up and activate surface experiments, conduct in-sight experiments, and complete photographic tasks from lunar orbit.

Great Scott has been used to prepare 13 lunar sample displays throughout the United States, in Canada, in Switzerland, and, in the MDSCC Trainig and visitors Center in Madrid, Spain.

Aerogel sample:

This delicate, translucent and cloudy substance, almost ethereal, is the lightest solid in the world, weighing only 3 times more than air, hence it is also known by the name of “blue smoke”, a structure porous sponge-like in which more than 99% of the volume is void space. Despite being so light, it is a very strong material, which makes it perfect for use in aerospace missions, as it can withstand the launch of a spaceship.

Its chemical structure is similar to that of glass, with the big difference that aerogel is 1000 times less dense than glass.

Thanks to these qualities, the aerogel was used by NASA in the Stardust spacecraft, to capture small particles from the tail of Comet Wild 2 and bring them to Earth for analysis.

This fascinating piece does not go unnoticed by visitors.