Colorado Springs Space Foundation's Discovery Center reopens after $3M renovation, expansion (2024)

A line of community members and space nuts alike wrapped around the Colorado Springs Space Foundation's Space Discovery Center, anxiously awaiting the museum's grand reopening on Saturday morning.

“This is our first time here, we’re super-excited. Our oldest son is very into space,” Stephanie Masini said as her family held the first spot in line.

“It’s cool that they put the funds into this to renovate. I think it’s going to be really great for the Springs,” husband Patrick Masini said.

The 3,000-square-foot, $3 million expansion and renovation features new, interactive exhibitions for all ages interested in learning more about space— a relentlessly growing industry in Colorado Springs, home to more than 200 space-innovation companies, U.S. Space Force headquarters and the U.S. Air Force Academy, said Space Discovery Center Director Terry Bramschreiber.

“We really want to reach out to the community and want everyone to know what our community does. Most of all, we want everyone to know that there’s a place for them in the space industry,” Bramschreiber said.

Saturday’s grand reopening unveiled two upgraded lab spaces, including the Mars Robotics Laboratory and the Science on the Sphere facility; a new "Drone Zone;" a hydroponic gardening area; and a 3D printing center.

At the Drone Zone, patrons could learn how to fly and navigate a drone around obstacles in one of four new courts.

“And if they get really good at it ,they can actually play drone soccer. They fly through the goals and other people try to knock them out of the way,” Bramschreiber said.

“I’m excited about all the new interactives we have. It's not just a stand-and-look-and-read museum. There’s a lot of things to do.”

Walking into the updated Space Discovery Center is an experience on its own, with new space-centric murals along with updated facilities and exhibits.

At the hydroponic gardening area, patrons have the opportunity to learn about growing food in space. Hydroponic expert and education program manager Nylah Rampersad talked about growing produce outside Earth's atmosphere.

“When we think about long-term space missions and durations, we can't bring everything we need the first time, so we need to be able to grow our own food,” Rampersad said.

“We want those foods to be highly nutritious and we want them to have a lot of flavor.”

Growing a multitude of herbs, fruits, vegetables and flowers, Rampersad went on to explain that when astronauts are in space for a long duration of time, their tastebuds can become deformed, so along with growing foods that will sustain the astronauts while on a mission, they want the foods to be highly flavorful and spicy.

“We want to grow anything that can really make their tastebuds come to life again, food they can enjoy. The other aspect along with nutrition is to assist with mental health. We kind of underestimate what it is like to live in space for long periods, a lot of the time you’re removed from your friends and family, so (food) is an excellent way to help them take care of themselves and the rest of their team,” Rampersad said.

On Saturday, Rampersad said the center is in the process of growing chile peppers, watermelon, dill, parsley, sunflowers and a genetically modified, bioluminescent flower called the firefly petunia.

The flower, Rampersad said, "actually glows in the dark. The cool thing about it is you can put plants in different areas where you need light and you can’t access it or as a backup system."

Rachel Bowers visited the Mars Robotics Lab with her 3-year-old daughter and 17-month-old son.

“For us, it was an opportunity to get away from the TV and get outside and see something different that they (the kids) don't see every day,” Bowers said.

“As a kid, I wasn't exposed to a lot of things that allowed me to know what is out there for jobs, or what you can do in life, or passions to have. Showing them this at a young age gives them an opportunity to develop those passions early on.”

Space enthusiasts and Sariah Hass and Noah Woolfenden, both 12 years old, could be seen giggling together as they explored an exhibit on gravitational mass on other planets.

Both said they hope to become astrophysicists.

“I’ve been going here for over a year now, and I really really love space,” Woolfenden said.

To learn more about the Space Foundation's Space Discovery Center, click or tap here.