Lunar Recon opens Sunday, June 23, with special programs and lunar-based activities.

(TRAVPR.COM) USA - June 21st, 2013 - CONCORD, N.H. –- On Sunday, June 23, 2013, The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center invites visitors to celebrate the grand opening of Lunar Recon: Spacecraft, Craters and Cosmic Rays, their newest exhibit highlighting National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), scientific discoveries on Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and Earth’s only natural satellite, the Moon.

The LRO satellite was launched June 18, 2009 as a preliminary step toward returning astronauts to the moon. It was designed to map out possible landing sites and characterize the radiation hazards astronauts would encounter as a result of cosmic rays and other high-energy sources that flood the lunar surface. Today the LRO is in a two-hour polar orbit around the moon.

The exhibit includes: fun Moon activities, mini lunar talks, and exciting meet and greet opportunities with scientists who are making the latest lunar discoveries. Visual displays and hands-on experiences will take visitors on a journey through our solar system, providing an exclusive look at how scientists and engineers team up to design, build, test, and send a spacecraft to the moon.

Lunar Recon has been developed in partnership with the University of New Hampshire and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). “We are delighted to be able to team with UNH and NASA to share the latest scientific findings on Earth’s nearest neighbor with our visitors,” says Jeanne Gerulskis, executive director

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center.

Admission to the grand opening is free with paid admission to the Discovery Center. For full details on Lunar Recon: Spacecraft, Craters and Cosmic Rays, visit http://crater.sr.unh.edu/craterexhibit.shtml.

About The Discovery Center features 21st century interactive exhibits on aviation, astronomy, Earth and space sciences, a state-of-the-art planetarium, and a variety of science and engineering programs. The educational programs are designed to engage families, teens, seniors, students, community groups, and lifelong learners. The center includes facilities for conferences and special events, and a NASA Educator Resource Center. For more information, visit www.starhop.com.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.

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