This is an interactive exhibit group which will transport visitors through the world of aerodynamics as it explores the innate curiosity and compulsion that drives humans to explore the unknown. The exhibit contains several specialized simulators that feature high-resolution, photo-realistic graphics, and detailed 3D models of the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. Visitors can learn how astronauts dock the Space Shuttle with the Space Station through use of joystick controls and visual cues. The Mars Flyer simulator is a futuristic fantasy mission set during the early stages of human exploration of Mars; visitors’ time management and navigational skills are tested as they are tasked with locating a missing Martian rover before a dust storm terminates their mission! Also, with the paper Airplane Launcher, visitors can create their own paper airplane, and then send it soaring off a motor driven platform. By turning a crank, the launch angle may be varied and visitors are encouraged to try different designs, flap settings, and paper weight.


The Museum of the Great Plains is one of five museums in the Oklahoma Museum Network (OMN). The OMN was conceived and is funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation to help fulfill a growing need for inquiry-based, hands-on learning opportunities for all Oklahoma children.