Astronaut Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin walks on the Moon in July 1969.
A new exhibition commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the 1969 Moon landing is to be opened at the Powerhouse Museum in June.
Named after the spaceflight that was the first to land astronauts on the Moon’s surface in 1969, Apollo 11 will launch on 29 June.
Chief Executive of the Museum, Lisa Havilah said that with over 200 objects, Apollo 11 explored the defining moment in history, its lasting impact on science, society and design and the crucial role Australia played in transmitting the famous footage.
Ms Havilah said key objects on display included items from the Museum’s extensive collection and from around the world: a feed horn used on the iconic CSIRO Parkes Radio Telescope, responsible for receiving some of the first images of the moonwalk for broadcast around the world; parts of the Redstone Rocket that put the first American into space; and an Olivetti Programma 101 computer, the type used by NASA to calculate the launch and landing.
She said that in a new virtual reality experience, developed in partnership with UNSW’s iCinema and using innovative 3D modelling from the Smithsonian Institute, visitors could watch the Moon landing from the unique perspective of Michael Collins, the third astronaut who remained in orbit aboard the Command Module.
An interactive arcade game, a life-size replica of the Mercury Capsule, scientific models and video footage also bring the mission to life.
Ms Havilah said that even 50 years after the Moon landing, mankind continued to be fascinated with what’s in the sky.
“At the Museum we have a strong connection to the history of space travel through our collection and an ongoing focus on astronomy at the Sydney Observatory,” Ms Havilah said.
“The anniversary is a great moment for us to explore the ongoing impact of this extraordinary moment in history,” she said.
To coincide with the exhibition, Luke Jerram’s iconic installation Museum of the Moon will be presented.
The installation, which has toured internationally, combines detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface, alongside moonlight and surround sound composition created by BAFTA and Ivor Novello award winning composer Dan Jones.
