Class Overview
As the Space Age nears its 70th birthday next year, there is an international race to the Moon and new tools for exploring our place in the cosmos. This class will be a review of current and historical landmarks in the exploration of outer space.
Find out about new tools being used to determine our place in the galaxy and universe from a Solar System Ambassador for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory since 2001 and educator at Seattle’s Museum of Flight. Consider questions about the social consequences of space exploration, and the myriad possibilities and opportunities. Learn about humanity’s return to the Moon and the race to build a scientific outpost at the Lunar South Pole.
Participate in the excitement of space exploration and leave class with more knowledge, even more questions, and an expanded mind more tuned in to the wonder of the vast universe that we call home.
Learning Objectives
• Participate in the excitement of space exploration
• Critically read news and scientific reports on new discoveries in the space sciences
• Discover opportunities to participate as citizen scientists and educated public citizens in the ongoing exploration.
Who Might Enjoy This Class?
Anyone curious to learn more about the universe
Hobbyist astronomers, stargazers, and dreamers
No prior knowledge required, everyone is welcome!
Recommended Reading
This book is a great resource for this class and is optional reading:
Stott, Nicole. Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me about our Home Planet. Seal Press; 2021, ISBN-10: 1541675045 or ISBN-13: 978-1541675049.
You can find this book at the library, or a book seller of your choice.