TIM PEAKE’S SPACECRAFT
The shiny rocket egg thing, or the Soyuz TMA-19M Capsule to give its full title, will be on full display in Cardiff’s National Museum for three months into February. Those in the know will recognise this as the vessel that piloted Tim Peake and two of his peers into the great beyond (and back again) for a trip to the International Space Station back in 2015. Visitors to the exhibition can brush up on all things astronomical when the capsule lands in Cardiff this coming month.
The exhibition is likely to be a hit with anybody who has ever wondered what it might be like to leave terra firma for the vast, yawning chasm that is space. The museum promises that attendees will be able to get up close and personal with Tim’s ship. It’s been freshly decked out with a fully-equipped interior, but still has the char marks from when the Soyuz hurtled back into the atmosphere. The ship will be accompanied by one of Tim’s space suits, the Sokol KV-2, as well as a space antenna and plenty of interactive displays explaining the ins and outs of day-to-day life in zero gravity.
Those looking to get a more hands on approach can opt for the Space Descent VR Experience. Participants are asked to wear VR headsets, before being invited into a VR lounge. Here, through the wonders of technology, they are transported into a Soyuz capsule on its 250-mile journey back to earth. The experience features moving seats that simulate all the action and there’s even a sciencey narration from Tim himself.
So, if you’re looking to discover what might lie beyond our home planet, spending an afternoon in Tim Peake’s exhibition this winter might be an ideal place to start. Who knows, it might lead to one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind? JAKE ANDREWS
National Museum Cardiff, Thu 15 Nov-Sun 10 Feb. Admission: free (VR experience £6). Info: 029 2057 3500 / museum.wales