10|06|2004

Chapter Display Collection 1987 Self-standing display produced for X-Con opportunity, used 30x since. Made of a framework of sweated half-inch copper tubing supporting display panels of aluminum faced half inch foam sheathing, this 7 ft high, 2 ft thick and 8 ft long display offers 64 square feet of display space and an 8t. square foot table to hold flyers and informational handouts. The display cost about $50 to make (back then), comes apart and stacks in a 10" x 3'x4' package for EZ transport in a wagon or hatch back. It is very lightweight and can be handled, assembled, and disassembled easily by one person in minutes. The photos, prints, drawings, and posters displayed on the unit are periodically refreshed to remain relevant. The unit has been seen by many thousands of people over the years at more than 30 public outreach events. Blueprints and fabrication instructions are available. [SASE to Display Blueprints, c/o Peter Kokh, 1630 N. 32nd Street, Milwaukee, WI 53208]   1989 small self-standing display, Plexiglas two-sided, easily changeable, used to promote workshops and special events.   12" globe of the Moon by Replogle. (We would like to acquire second hand 12" globes of Mars and of Venus, as Replogle no longer prints them).   A new freestanding multi-fold display, modeled after the one used by Midwest Space Development Corp. to promote the annual MSDC conference. It is made of 14 foam core panels, each 20" wide and 40" high. Eight of them are covered on both sides with portions of two wallpaper murals* ("Earthrise" - Earth over a lunar landscape, and "Columbia in orbit" over an Earthscape). The other six panels are covered (using a fabric adhesive) on both sides with velcro-friendly blue fabric, for hanging pictures and info-items with male velcro tabs. The display sets up zigzag fashion, seven below, seven above, alternating mural and fabric panels. As you walk around the display, you see alternately just the Earthrise mural, then one set of info-display panels, just the Columbia mural, then the other set of info-displays. This unit was prepared in time to promote ISDC '98 in Orlando at ISDC '97 and has been used only twice otherwise. But we plans to begin using it again once we prepare new sets of items to hang on it. One side will promote LRS & MMM, the other side NSS, ASI, and SFF. * These wallpaper murals come in 8 sections, 4 top, 4 bottom, and have combined dimensions of 8' 8" in height, 13' 8" in width. We selected a central portion 6' 8" in height and 6' 8' in width. We bonded them to the foam core pieces using a spray fabric adhesive. Then we trimmed the edges with half-inch black plastic U channels (very hard to find).   "Z-Vue" Table model 1/8th scale working demonstration model of a periscopic picture window unit in a future Lunan homestead. Produced for ISDC '98 Lunar Homestead Exhibit, exhibited since at Discovery World Museum (2-day stand). The unit is 24" wide, and about 28" high and deep, and has two 8"x12" mirrors on 45° angles. The object (a model of the Apollo Lunar Lander) appears to be straight ahead of the viewer.   "Moon Brick Set" -- (a) one standard Earth brick weighing 3.5 lbs, (b) a much larger brick makable on the Moon and sized to weigh 3.5 lbs. (one Earth brick encased in styrofoam of negligible weight to the size of a 6-pack of Earth bricks, fleck-painted to look like ceramic), (c) a bonded 6-pack of Earth bricks, fleck painted to look like one brick, to show how much mass would go into the much lighter feeling (b). All the bricks have handles. This touchy-feely exhibit is very popular as it quickly gets across the idea of the Moon's 1/6th gravity. Produced in time for ISDC '98 Lunar Homestead Exhibit, and seen by thousands since at the Deke Slayton AirFest in LaCrosse.     Earth-Mars-Moon "Gravity Bricks" -- similar to the "Moon Brick Set" and designed to demonstrate Mars' 3/8ths Earth standard gravity as well on a lower weight scale. Produced for the organizing meeting of the Wisconsin Mars Society, 2/13/99.   We have since improved this set with the addition of a same scale "Moon Brick" 2/2000. This set was seen in Tucson (ISDC 2000) by Pascal Lee, young NASA Ames Planetary Scientist who alerted Robert Zubrin to the strong similarities of terrain at Haughton Crater on Devon Island in Canada's arctic north. This has led to the construction of a Mars Arctic Simulation outpost there in the summer of 2000. Lee ordered a set of our Earth-Mars-Moon "Gravity Bricks" so that those doing operational simulations at the site would have a hands on feel for how much they had to account for the gravity differences in their simulation procedures. We have also offered to make additional sets for other chapters of NSS, MS, and the Moon Society. As of September, 2002 there are two dozen sets in circulation in North America. UPDATE: 10|12|02 - for those who want to try their own hand(s) at making a set of "gravity bricks" for their chapter or group, a full set of instructions (including materials list, tools list, and options) with illustrations to be added in an ASAP update is now online on the Space Chapters Hub website. [photo] UPDATE: 9|20|02 - we have designed a whole new set, this time made out of plastic jugs. The complete instructions for making your own set of "Gravity Jugs" is now online on the Space Chapters Hub website. [photo]   "Moon Manor" - a table top model of a future modular lunar homestead. Set on a hollow core 36"x80" door, this spacious "3500 sq. ft." [1' to 1 meter or roughly 1:40 scale] Lunan Home is constructed of 4" schedule 40 PVC Modules fleck painted to simulate either glass-glass composite or fiberglass reinforced lunar concrete. With cutaways to show the interior, it is partially covered with three "meters" of regolith soil (sheets of contour-shaped 3/4" styrofoam). The home has four periscopic windows (not working) one facing each cardinal direction, and a half dozen sun-following heliostats dumping sunlight into a central gallery loop lined with planter beds fed by toilet wastes (working odor-free system of retired NASA environmental engineer, Dr. Bill Wolverton). Spacious, full of sunlight, rich with green foliage and plant-refreshed air, and with picture windows out on to the moonscape, Moon Manor is connected to a pressurized sunlit tube-street to other parts of the settlement. The interior of the home is lit. Costing about $400 and taking three weeks of effort to put together, this display catches the eye, and easily gets across the major lessons of how people might someday be quite at home living on the Moon. Underground, yes. Moles, no. The display takes two people to handle and weighs about 80 lbs. At 80" bit long for most station wagon or pickup beds. We are toying with the idea of shortening it to 72" but this would be a major job. Moon Manor debuted at ISDC '98 in Milwaukee, was twice at Discovery World Museum, once at Children's Hospital, once at Moonlink Headquarters in De Pere and seen by NASA Administrator, Dan Griffin. It was seen by thousands at the La Crosse airfest in June of '98 and by hundreds at MarsCon in Minneapolis, in February '99. Click Here to see a diagram. We have received requests for blueprints and assembly instructions, but have been too busy to produce them as yet. For photos of "Moon Manor" on display, click here. On May 12, 2001, we acquired a 30"x60" folding table for general display use where there are no (or not enough) tables provided. Thanks to Charlotte Nelson. "Mini Moon-Mars Homestead" - this is a much smaller scale version of the above, using 1.25" PVC fittings instead of 4" ones, built for the Moon Society table at the Mars Society Convention 2004, August 19-22, 2004 and first shown on August 14, 2004 at the James Lovell Science Museum in Milwaukee for an LRS' outreach event. Half of the display is colored in Moon tones, half in Mars tones, to show that the same construction principles and goals will work on both worlds. Photo Display Items on our Wish List Venus globe (out of print, must find second hand) From our award-winning '89 design competition entry - Diorama of Prinzton Rille area, with a 48"x60" table top model of Eastvale Village to show long range expansion options for lunar settlers - the blueprints of this display have been gathering dust for some time. The big showstopers are the need to answer two questions: where do we store it; how do we transport it. Models of various items designed by Copernicus Construction Company, our define& design brainstorming fun group (the S.F. Jules Verne Earth-Moon cycling ferry with artificial 1/6th gravity for loop the Moon tourism); the Frontier Builder Earth-Moon cruise ship hotel; turtle back space suit configuration; etc. We plan to replicate Oregon L5's Lavatube Display and as of 9/19/02 are collecting the needed materials and components. We plan to produce a Sidewalk Astronomy setup with telescope and Information 'Kiosk" and as of 9/19/02 are collecting the needed materials and components. It would be used primarily when the Moon is in favorable position (around first quarter) or when Mars is in opposition, closest to Earth. Our storage supply area is full, and transportation of displays to and from event sites has become a problem. Can you help? contact us at LRS Display Events through the years '87 Sputnik 30th Anniversary at Discovery World Museum Regency Mall, Racine, twice during Aviation Explorers event UWM Planetarium lobby, twice Kenosha Public Library (South) Kenosha Air Show, twice Rockford Air Show Neenah-Menasha for the Neptune-Triton encounter in '89 Earth Day '90 Celebration at the Eagles Club Indian Summer ethnic festival, twice '94 Apollo 11 - 25th Anniversary at Discovery World Museum Several Science Fiction Conventions '87-99, Milwaukee, Madison, Janesville with assistance at several Chicago area Cons, and one in Minneapolis-St. Paul Two Discovery World Museum events in '98 La Crosse Air Show '98\Mission Home Event at Discovery World and Childrens' Hospital, '98 Two Cinema complex Mars movie events in 2000 Three Discovery World Museum events in 2004 Know of an Upcoming Opportunity to set up our displays?