Be Our Guest: JPL Invites Public to Open House

MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91109. TELEPHONE 818-354-5011
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov

Priscilla Vega 818-354-1357
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
priscilla.r.vega@jpl.nasa.gov

News release: 2011-134 May 4, 2011

Be Our Guest: JPL Invites Public to Open House

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-134&cid=release_2011-134

PASADENA, Calif. – NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory invites the public to its annual
Open House on Saturday, May 14, and Sunday, May 15, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event,
themed "The Excitement of Explorations," invites visitors to share in the wonders of
space through high-definition and 3-D videos, live demonstrations, interactions with
scientists and engineers, and a first look at JPL's new Earth Science Center.

The Earth Science Center showcases our home planet and JPL's Earth science missions.
Visitors will pass by two touchscreens located on opposite walls of the facility that
control real-time views of "Eyes on the Earth," an interactive 3-D visualization website.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to watch a movie in the 3-D theater, which seats
up to 40 people.

Other Open House highlights include:

- A chance to see the most unique car in this world before it leaves Earth: The next
rover bound for Mars, Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity, in the "clean room"
before it is shipped to Florida for a November 2011 launch. Curiosity also stars in
its own "reality TV show" via live-streaming webcam:
http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl .
- Life-size rover models in a "Mars" test bed.
- A perennial crowd-pleaser, the Robo-Dome, where a pair of 700-pound robots
glide in a high-tech arena under artificial stars. The Robo-Dome is used to
simulate complex maneuvers that could be used for future space missions.
- JPL's Microdevices Lab, where engineers and scientists use tiny technology to
revolutionize space exploration.
- Solar-safe telescopes that allow visitors to see the sun.

Selected locations at Open House will be featured live online, with a live chat available,
on Ustream TV at: http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2 on Sat., May 14, from 9 a.m. to
noon PDT (noon to 3 p.m. EDT).

JPL is located at 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, Calif., 91109. Admission to Open
House is free. Parking is also free, but is limited. To get to JPL, take the Berkshire
Avenue/Oak Grove Drive exit from the 210 Freeway in La Canada/Flintridge. All visitors
should wear comfortable shoes -- no buses will be provided from JPL parking lots. JPL
will provide vans for mobility-challenged guests.

Vehicles entering NASA/JPL property are subject to inspection. Visitors cannot bring
these items to NASA/JPL: weapons, explosives, incendiary devices, dangerous
instruments, alcohol, illegal drugs, pets, all types of skates including skateboards,
Segways and bicycles. No bags, backpacks or ice chests are allowed, except small purses
and diaper bags.

More information about JPL is online at: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov . Follow us via
social media, including Facebook [hyperlink to
https://www.facebook.com/NASAJPL ]and Twitter [hyperlink to
http://twitter.com/#!/nasajpl ] . A full list, with links, is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/social/ .

Media wishing to cover the event should RSVP to Priscilla Vega
Priscilla.r.vega@jpl.nasa.gov or at 1-818-354-1357.

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