COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Space Foundation Discovery Center held its second annual National Space Day community event Saturday, offering families free access to hands-on STEM activities and a chance to meet two former NASA astronauts — Duane "Digger" Carey and Tim Kopra.
More than 30 community partners teamed up to put on the event. Attendance grew from more than 3,000 last year to over 4,000 this year.
"We're just so excited because last year during the inaugural community event we were hoping for maybe 1,000 attendees and we saw well over 3,000. This year we've surpassed 4,000 and we just couldn't be more thrilled,"
Families explored the Discovery Center and took part in a range of interactive activities, including 3D printing pens, Mars Robotics Lab, Sphero Robotics and more.
"Having an environment like this where they can come and it's free and they get to actually learn as well is twice as important,"
The excitement was shared by younger visitors as well.
"I really liked the 3D pen writing. It was really fun to do and I made a little alien. It's really cool,"
Attendees also got a look at the next-generation spacesuit from Axiom Space, which will be worn by astronauts when the Artemis program returns humans to the moon.
Organizers plan to bring the event back next year.
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