January at the Columbia Memorial Space Center

DOWNEY – The Columbia Memorial Space Center has several public events scheduled this month. 

Saturday, Jan. 7, 11 a.m., Young Explorers Program - Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids: Have you ever wondered what physically separates the terrestrial planets and the gas giants? Where do comets come from? The space center has all the answers. Join them to learn the difference between comets and their cousins, meteors and asteroids.

Saturday, Jan. 21, 11 a.m., Junior Explorers Program - Robots: Bring out your Junior Explorer to learn all about robots, their many different uses, and what robots do in space.

Saturday, Jan. 21, 10 a.m., Teacher Workshop - Utilizing Renewable Energy: This workshop allows teachers to help students break a complex issue down into more manageable pieces and to explore solar energy. Teachers will learn how to demonstrate to students how to model solar energy inputs at different locations, analyze the cost effectiveness of installation and determine the appropriate locations for solar panels.

Presented by a JPL instructor. This workshop geared for teachers in grades 9-12. This workshop is free for all credentialed and pre-service teachers. Pre-registration is required.

Jan. 28, Commemoration Day:  Join us on this very special day as we remember the Columbia shuttle and her crew, the Challenger shuttle (and crew) and the Apollo 1 astronauts who also lost their lives, all around this time of year.  This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 1 tragedy.  

Hear from members of the community who were affected by these events, and pay homage to the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to extend our reach up into the cosmos.

Admission into the space center is free this day as it also lines up with Free Museum Weekend here in Los Angeles.