Touch the Moon in South Dakota

South Dakotans will have the rare chance to touch a piece of moon rock starting next week in NASAs Driven to Explore traveling exhibit. Driven to Explore offers a look at NASAs newest space exploration program, Constellation, designed to return humans to the moon and travel beyond.

The exhibit will be at the following locations:
— South Dakota Discovery Center and Aquarium, Pierre, SD, Wednesday, August 19 through Thursday, August 20, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT daily
— Journey Museum, Rapid City, SD, Saturday, August 22 through Sunday, August 23, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. MDT daily
— Kadoka Public Schools, Kadoka, SD, Tuesday, August 25 through Wednesday, August 26, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. MDT daily
— Wheels and Wings, Aberdeen, SD, Saturday, August 29, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. CDT, Sunday, August 30, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CDT
— South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, Tuesday, September, 1, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT, Wednesday, September 2, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT

The lunar rock sample was collected in 1972 by the astronauts of Apollo 17, America’s last human mission to the moon. The almost 4-billion-year-old rock is one of only eight lunar samples in the world made available for the public to touch and feel.

As NASA celebrates the 40th anniversary of the first human lunar landing mission, Driven to Explore allows visitors to see models of the Constellation Programs rockets and spacecraft being developed and to learn how and why America will return to the moon. The exhibit also details the accomplishments of the space shuttle and the International Space Station. For more information about the NASA Constellation Program, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/constellation

For information about the Apollo 40th lunar landing anniversary, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/40th/