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Kenneth C. Griffin Exploring the Planets Gallery

Air and Space Museum

Exploration reveals that our solar system is filled with amazingly diverse places that transform our understanding of Earth and worlds beyond.

The Kenneth C. Griffin Exploring the Planets Gallery probes the science and history of our exploration of planets, moons, and other objects in our solar system. This exhibit tells the stories of the diversity of worlds circling our Sun and how exploring those worlds helps enhance our own understanding of Earth. Exploring the Planets draws on research from scientists in the Museum’s Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, who are actively involved in current planetary missions.


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Unfolded sample return capsule fitted with a tennis racket shaped collector extending at the top from a retractable arm.

Capsule, Stardust

Square, see-through container with multiple instruments inside labeled by function. The labels read Electrical Connections, Ion Source, Electric Sector, Mass Spectrometer, Magnetic Sector and Ion Pump, Electron Multiplier, Atmosphere Filter, Column, Gas Chromatograph, Effluent Splitter and Separator, Hydrogen Carrier Gas Tank, GC Vent, Atmospheric Inlet, Soil Loader and Soil Ovens, and Soil Inlet.

Planetary Probe, Viking, Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer

Model, Pioneer Venus Orbiter, 1:24 Scale

Camera, Television, Mariner 6 and 7

Full view of a gray and white cylindrical camera. There is an orange wire on the side.

Camera, Imager, Viking Mars Lander

Mariner 10 Spacecraft made out of aluminum, and mixed metals.

Spacecraft, Mariner 10, Flight Spare

Full scale model of roving vehicle. Rectangular, white box set on steel frame with six wheels. On the front is the articulated robotic arm, as well as the main camera that is attached to a mast.

Model, Mars Science Laboratory, Mars Rover Curiosity

The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury, First Edition

Ear Tips, Spock, Leonard Nimoy, Star Trek

Full view of a long brown stick with three interconnected circles at the top. Two sticks extend horizontally out of the main stick with golden rings at their ends. Silver machinery is at the bottom of the stick.

Detector, Plasma Wave, OGO-5

Side view of a long tube that is half black and half silver. There is an orange stripe with wires near the silver box.

Camera, Narrow Angle, LROC

Camera Charge-Coupled Device, HiRISE

Full view of a white antenna inside a radio dish. It is on a black and gold base.

Model, Deep Space Network Antenna, 1:140 scale

Gold plated disc with etched designs on the surface. At top left is a circle depicting the record. The dashes along the outer edge, in binary code, show the proper rotational speed for playing the record.

Record, Cover, Voyager (Duplicate)

Tribble, Small, Brown, "Star Trek" TV Series, Prop

Power to Explore

Small, six-wheel robotic vehicle, mounted on a rocker-bogie suspension, on display at an exhibit.

Rover, Marie Curie, Mars Pathfinder, Engineering Test Vehicle

Antenna on white disc with an aluminum arm on the left that supports multiple instruments. A long magnetometer boom extends on the right over the exhibit space below.

Voyager Spacecraft Mock-up, Full Scale

Full view of a small metal camera attached to a silver mount with gold panels.

Camera, Wide Angle, LROC

The Exploration of Mars

Large orb covered in photos of craters and mountains on Mars. The color is a brownish gray due to the black and white television images used to create it.

Photomosaic Globe of Mars

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