ST. LOUIS, MO – June 20, 2023
Opening Weekend June 23-25 Includes Presentations on Mars 2020 Mission Updates, Future Plans by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Washington University in St. Louis Scientists
Mars is located nearly 300 million miles away from Earth, but exploration brings us closer to the Red Planet every day. Through NASA’s “Roving with Perseverance” program on display starting Friday, June 23, at the James S. McDonnell Planetarium, the Saint Louis Science Center brings key parts of that exploration here to the Metro Area.
“Roving with Perseverance” presents full-scale replicas of NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover and Ingenuity Mars helicopter, which are exploring the Red Planet right now as part of the Mars 2020 Mission, to demonstrate the scale and technology required for space exploration. As big as a car, Perseverance is a 7-foot-tall, six-wheeled vehicle that towers over most guests, while Ingenuity showcases that great things come in small packages, standing at just 19 inches and weighing four pounds. In addition to the models, the exhibit offers interactive tabletop displays and other family-friendly activities. The “Roving with Perseverance” display can be found through June 2024 in the Science Center’s Mission: Mars gallery on the first floor of the McDonnell Planetarium.
“St. Louis has played a prominent role in America’s space history, and the Science Center is proud to carry on this tradition as the focus moves forward exploring Mars,” William Snyder, manager of the Science Center’s James S. McDonnell Planetarium noted. “Through the display of these replicas and much more, visitors to our Mission: Mars gallery can discover more about our neighboring planet. And, during opening weekend festivities, guests can meet several members of the operations’ team — including individuals from Washington University in St. Louis — to learn how they are helping ensure success for this mission.”
Meet Members of the Team Working on the Mars 2020 Mission project
Throughout the opening weekend (June 23-25, 2023), NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineer Matt Muszynski, who helps create instructions that operate the rover and collect the data it provides, and others will give in-person talks and answer questions about the Mars 2020 Mission at the Science Center. Along with those opportunities, Muszynski and Washington University in St. Louis scientists Dr. Ray Arvidson and Dr. John Christian, who are part of the Mars 2020 Mission science teams, will host a special panel discussion about the mission, operation of the rover and helicopter, and future exploration plans at 6:30 p.m., Saturday (June 24) in the Planetarium StarBay.
To obtain tickets for the free panel discussion, please call 314-289-4400.
About the Perseverance Mission
Launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on July 30, 2020, Perseverance landed on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021. The most sophisticated rover NASA has sent to the Red Planet, its mission is to search for signs of ancient microbial life, collect and document rock and sediment samples, characterize the geology and climate, and pave the way for human exploration. The rover is about 10 feet long by 9 feet wide and weighs more than 2,200 pounds. It carries 23 cameras to share views of the planet within minutes of capture.
An autonomous aircraft, Ingenuity was carried to Mars attached to the belly of the Perseverance rover. This helicopter is the first powered aircraft to fly in a controlled way on another planet and is used to test performances by aircraft in future missions in the thin Martian atmosphere. Since its first flight in April 2021, Ingenuity has completed 50+ flights, covering more than seven miles.
For more on the Mars 2020 Mission, visit mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/.
The Mission: Mars gallery is free and open to the public during regular hours (Thursdays through Mondays).
About the Saint Louis Science Center
The mission of the Saint Louis Science Center is to inspire everyone to be curious and engaged in science. Named a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate in 2016, the award-winning Science Center engages guests through on-site experiences, including hundreds of hands-on exhibits, the OMNIMAX® Theater, which is one of just nine IMAX® Dome with Laser theaters in the world, and the James S. McDonnell Planetarium featuring the largest artificial sky in the Western Hemisphere. Additionally, the organization provides informal educational programming to schools and other organizations in the St. Louis community and is home to the nationally recognized Youth Exploring Science (YES) program, which works with underserved teens throughout their high school years to prepare them for in-demand STEM careers. For more information about the Saint Louis Science Center, please visit slsc.org.
About the James S. McDonnell Planetarium
The James S. McDonnell Planetarium celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2023. Designed by world-renowned architect Gyo Obata, this St. Louis icon has connected guests with science technology and the stars since opening in 1963. More than 21 million guests have visited the Planetarium to view star shows, laser light shows and other events, as well as to discover the wonders of space, aviation and spaceflight. Featured collections from the beginning of the space race to today and into the future include complete Mercury 19 and Gemini 3 capsules built by St. Louis’ McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, a meteorite collection, collections from America’s space program, imagery from the Hubble Space Telescope, and more.
For more information, or to schedule interviews with Science Center personnel, contact
Doug Bolnick, Public Relations Manager.
Email or call 314.289.4461
