By Jeremy Pittari
STENNIS — By 2010, a new interactive science center should be available for children at Stennis Space to boost interest in the fields of science and technology.
Plans for the $42 million INFINITY center tout state of the art touring attractions. Thursday, the center received a $500,000 donation from a long time Stennis facility, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.
“We are certainly proud to be part of it and proud our employees will be involved in it,” said PWR president Jim Maser.
Roy Estess, INFINITY board member and former Stennis director, said the goal is to raise enough money, about $26 million to $27 million, to construct the building. The remaining money in the grand total will be used for constructing the interior of the building, Estess said. So far $10 million has been earmarked by the state and $9 million has been set aside by NASA to construct the building. Estess said those donations are contingent on the remainder of the money being raised from private donors to construct the building.
Estess said board members plan to hold a fund to raise the remainder of the money raiser. They hope more aerospace or private sector businesses will step up at the fund raiser and donate money for the facility.
Exhibits expected to be included in the center include an Earth gallery where the focus will be on the scientific aspects of the planet, space gallery where NASA will share its knowledge of the frontier and an environment gallery, Estess said. Pratt&Whitney; Rocketdyne plan to include models or retired versions of their engines as exhibits, Maser said.
The goal of the center will be to excite children about careers in science and technology, Estess said.
The center will cater to Mississippi and Louisiana residents as well as anyone passing through Hancock County.
Maser said PWR has been part of Stennis for about 40 years and has been building rocket engines since the Applo missions and plans to continue their work during the Ares missions when the shuttle is retired. He hopes that children who tour the INFINITY science center will someday consider working for Pratt&Whitney; Rocketdyne.
More information about the center can be found at http://www.infinitysciencecenter.org/.
