Museum of Science and Industry Acquires Model of History-Making Cassini Probe

Beating out other science institutions from around the country, the Museum of Science and Industry announced today that it has acquired a full-scale model of the history-making NASA Cassini Probe.

The Museum was awarded the model from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory after competing in a bidding process against several other museums and space interest organizations. The Museum's world-class stature, exemplary annual attendance of nearly two million visitors, outstanding existing space exhibitry in the Henry Crown Space Center, and the resources to maintain the 22-foot probe also helped to bolster the confidence of NASA officials, said Steve Bishop, Space Center and Omnimax Projects Manager for the Museum. "In our proposal to NASA, we had to detail how the spacecraft would be displayed, how it would be interpreted to the public, and show that we had the resources to maintain it," he said. "For the Museum to be selected is a testimony to our professional skills and world-class stature."

The Cassini model, originally built for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1992, will be a featured component of the Museum's new underground parking garage Arrival Hall scheduled to open this June. It will be suspended from the ceiling, revolving slowly for a complete view. An interactive touch-screen display will allow visitors to chart Cassini's complex mission.

The actual Cassini Probe was successfully launched in October of 1997. When the history-making spacecraft orbits Saturn in 2004, it will study Saturn's rings and its 18 known moons, transmitting its findings back to Earth. Cassini will release another probe named Huygens which will parachute into the atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, and attempt to land on its mysterious surface.

The Museum of Science and Industry is one of the country's preeminent centers for informal science and technology education. Located at 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive, the Museum is open every day of the year except Christmas Day. Regular hours are 9:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays. For more information, call (773) 684-1414. Outside of the Chicago area, call 1 (800) GO TO MSI (1-800-468-6674).

The Museum is supported in part through the generosity of the people of Chicago through the Chicago Park District.