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The Cité de l'Espace in Toulouse must be one of the most fascinating places in Europe, for young and old alike, and especially for space enthusiasts.
Right after entering the first pavilion, we immediately felt immersed in the adventurous spirit.
We felt like real NASA employees or employees of some space agency.
You feel part of something bigger.
The first impact of this pavilion is a replica of the Ground Operations Room.
It's not just an exhibition room; it's a living recreation of the center of critical decisions made throughout space exploration, giving wings to our imagination.
In the room, there's a huge screen with images of space in the background and several interactive monitors where we can see the spacecraft's status and the astronauts' vital signs, all remotely controlled with a click and in a very interactive way. There are also those radio voices with certain noises, which makes the whole environment more immersive, like an operations room with direct contact with the astronauts.
Monitors everywhere create a totally immersive experience where screens dominate the surrounding space, just like what we see in movies and some images shown on TV by NASA.
From trajectories to technical parameters and real-time data, nothing there seems decorative, even knowing that it is a museum, the feeling and functionality are absolute.
Several clocks display the Earth's rotation and small monitors show "partner" companies in the mission.
The command room has a space for lectures and touch-sensitive monitors where we can watch videos with mission excerpts, and even a type of interactive game where you make decisions about a given mission, all meticulously designed to keep you more involved, where every mistake can mean having to start over.
Earth's rotation date, time, and team located outside our atmosphere carrying out the mission.
Another element that reinforces this room is the prototype of the aircraft itself, protected by glass doors in the corner opposite the terminal. We can touch the buttons and experience what it's like to be an astronaut. At the top, there's a small television from which we can see from the aircraft to the operations room.
The perspective of this installation changes completely, as we can feel a bit of the perspective of the ground operator and the astronaut.
This is because we have two viewpoints from which we can position ourselves on the side that pleases us most.
Furthermore, the prototype shows how the aircraft's buttons are organized in terms of command and function, as well as their optimization.
This contrast between two adjacent, yet distinct, spaces allows us to understand exactly the perspective of each professional, and we realize that only through mutual support between the team on the ground and the spacecraft can the mission be successful.
Well, friends, that's all for today, I hope you enjoyed it :)
*All photos were taken by me during this fantastic visit to the museum.