Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture
2024-08-02 09:00 - 10:00 UTC | New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Rd. 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture
Location: New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
The Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center. Museum staff, and sometimes special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to space future. Free to the public. Coffee and donuts provided. For more information, email msh.info@dca.nm.gov or visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting
2024-08-08 19:00 - 20:00, 2024-09-12 19:00 - 20:00, 2024-10-10 19:00 - 20:00, 2024-12-12 19:00 - 20:00 | New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Rd. 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting
Location: Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting – The Astronomy League meeting is held on the second Thursday of each month in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center and is free to attend. Museum staff and sometimes special guest speakers discuss topics ranging from public observing to off-site adventures. For more information, email msh.info@dca.nm.gov or visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture: History of the V-2
2024-09-06 09:00 - 10:00 | New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Rd. 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture
Location: New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Topic: History of the V-2
Speaker: Museum Education Director Mike Shinabery
The Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center. Museum staff, and sometimes special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to space future. Free to the public. Coffee and donuts provided. For more information, email msh.info@dca.nm.gov or visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture — From Project Y to the Present: Los Alamos at the Intersection of Science and Circumstance
2024-10-04 09:00 - 10:00 | New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Rd. 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture
Location: New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Topic: From Project Y to the Present: Los Alamos at the Intersection of Science and Circumstance
Guest Speaker: Patrick Moore, Executive Director of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Bradbury Science Museum
Patrick Moore, Executive Director of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Bradbury Science Museum, will present From Project Y to the Present: Los Alamos at the Intersection of Science and Circumstance that expands on the history of Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project and highlights how the remarkable events behind the Trinity test near Alamogordo resulted in the creation of one of the nation’s premier global security and scientific research laboratories.
The Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center. Museum staff, and sometimes special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to space future. Free to the public. Coffee and donuts provided. For more information, email msh.info@dca.nm.gov or visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture: Sputnik 2 — Laika's Cosmic Journey
2024-11-01 09:00 - 10:00 | New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Rd. 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture
TEMPORARY Location: Museum 2nd Floor
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Topic: Sputnik 2 — Laika’s Cosmic Journey
Speaker: Museum Education Specialist Marie DeLeon
Dive into the captivating story of Sputnik 2, the Soviet mission that sent Laika, a courageous canine, into orbit around the Earth. Discover the mission’s historical context, scientific breakthroughs, and ethical dilemmas, and see how this pivotal event set the stage for future space exploration.
The Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center. Museum staff, and sometimes special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to space future. Free to the public. Coffee and donuts provided. For more information, email msh.info@dca.nm.gov or visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting -- CANCELED
2024-11-14 19:00 - 20:00 | NM
Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting — CANCELED
Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting — CANCELED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN THE BUILDING
Location: Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting – The Astronomy League meeting is held on the second Thursday of each month in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center and is free to attend. Museum staff and sometimes special guest speakers discuss topics ranging from public observing to off-site adventures. For more information, email msh.info@dca.nm.gov or visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture
2024-12-06 09:00 - 10:00 | New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Rd. 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture
TEMPORARY Location: Museum 2nd Floor
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Topic: Dr. John Stapp’s Record-Setting Rocket Sled Ride
Guest Speaker: Michael Shinabery
Why: What’s it like to fly without wings? Join us for our upcoming monthly Launch Pad Lecture, “0 to 632 x 10 in 5 Seconds.”
What: Commemorate the 70th anniversary of Dr. John Stapp’s record-setting rocket sled ride at Holloman Air Force Base on December 10, 1954. Dr. Stapp, known as “The Fastest Man on Earth,” achieved a land speed record of 632 mph in just five seconds, subjecting himself to forces up to 46.2 Gs.
When: Friday, December 6, 2024, 9:00 a.m. on the second floor of the Main Museum.
Where: New Mexico Space History Museum, 3198 State Road 2001, Alamogordo, NM. (575) 437-2840 www.nmspacemuseum.org
The Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month. Museum staff, and sometimes special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to space future. Free to the public. Coffee and donuts provided. For more information, email msh.info@dca.nm.gov or visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture
2025-01-03 09:00 - 10:00 | NM
Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture
TEMPORARY Location: Main Museum 2nd Floor
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
The New Mexico Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month. This month’s lecture will be held on the second floor of the Museum due to construction in the New Horizons Dome Theater. Museum staff, and sometimes special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to space future. Free to the public. Coffee and donuts provided. For more information, email msh.info@dca.nm.gov or visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture
2025-02-07 09:00 - 10:00 | New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Rd. 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States

Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture — Stars of a Different Kind: The Mercury 13 and Their Quest for Space
2025-03-07 09:00 - 10:00 | New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Rd. 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Jerrie Cobb, one of Mercury 13. Photo courtesy of NASA
Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture
TEMPORARY Location: Main Museum 2nd Floor
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Alamogordo, NM — Stars of a Different Kind: The Mercury 13 and Their Quest for Space, is next in our monthly Launch Pad Lecture series at New Mexico Museum of Space History. The Mercury 13 tested the mental and physical rigors of space flight for women. Despite its groundbreaking potential, it fell victim to gender biases, as the 13 women involved were deemed to have the “right stuff” but the “wrong sex” for space missions.
Uncover the full story of the Mercury 13, revealing their remarkable achievements and the unjust barriers they faced with Museum Curator Brianna Buller. Brianna says she is excited about “highlighting forgotten female pilots who proved women’s capability as astronauts, clearing for takeoff into Women’s History Month.” Learn about a legacy that has significantly inspired and advanced the pursuit of greater equality and diversity within space exploration.
The free Launch Pad Lecture will be on the second floor of the Main Museum at New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo on Friday, March 7, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Coffee and donuts will be served, compliments of the International Space Hall of Fame Foundation. For more information, visit www.nmspacemuseum.org
New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo is a division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. A Smithsonian Affiliate, the museum showcases the significant role New Mexico has played in the development of the U.S. Space Program and features the International Space Hall of Fame, and New Horizons Dome Theater.

Launch Pad Lectures Return to New Horizons Dome Theater
2025-04-04 09:00 - 10:00 | New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Rd. 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
ALAMOGORDO, NM – The New Mexico Museum of Space History is pleased to announce that the Launch Pad Lecture series will return to the New Horizons Dome Theater, starting with the April 4, 2025, lecture. Mackette Kark will present One Orbit, Endless Impact: Yuri Gagarin’s Vostok 1 Mission at 9:00 a.m.

Before he became a global icon, Yuri Gagarin was the son of a carpenter who dared to reach for the stars—quite literally. Uncover the remarkable story of how one Soviet cosmonaut’s 108-minute flight forever altered human history, showcasing the extraordinary courage that propelled humanity’s first steps into the cosmic unknown.

This free event is open to the public, with coffee and donuts provided courtesy of the International Space Hall of Fame Foundation. For more information, visit www.nmspacemuseum.org or call (575) 437-2840.

Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting
2025-04-10 19:00 - 20:00 | Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting
Date: Thursday, April 10, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center
The NM Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League meeting is held on the second Thursday of each month in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center and is free to attend. Museum staff and sometimes special guest speakers discuss topics ranging from public observing to off-site adventures. For more information, contact the Museum Outreach Department at 575-437-2840 ext 41135 or visit our website at www.NMSpaceMuseum.org

New Mexico Museum of Space History's Launch Pad Lecture: National Parks and Night Skies
2025-05-02 09:00 - 10:00 | Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
NM Museum of Space History’s Launch Pad Lecture: National Parks and Night Skies
Guest Speaker: Ranger Sarah Sherwood, Park Guide at White Sands National Park
Location: New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Public lands such as national parks and forests preserve some of the darkest skies left on earth. Come learn about the role the National Park Service plays in protecting the night sky, why it’s important to recognize and treat dark skies as a natural resource, and how you can support these efforts.
The Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center. Museum staff, and sometimes special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to space future. Free to the public. Coffee and donuts provided. For more information, visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

New Mexico Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting
2025-05-08 19:00 - 20:00 | Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting
Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center
The New Mexico Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League monthly meeting is held on the second Thursday of each month in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center and is free to attend. Museum staff and sometimes special guest speakers discuss topics ranging from public observing to off-site adventures. For more information, contact the Museum Outreach Department at 575-437-2840 ext 41135 or visit our website at www.NMSpaceMuseum.org

NM Museum of Space History’s Launch Pad Lecture: Digging Up Ancient Astronomy in the Desert Southwest
2025-06-06 09:00 - 10:00 | Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Guest Speaker: David Greenwald, President of Jornada Research Institute
Location: New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium
When: June 6, 2025, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Explore how ancient New Mexico communities aligned with the stars at the New Mexico Museum of Space History’s upcoming Launch Pad Lecture Archaeoastronomy Associations of the Great Kiva at Creekside Village. David Greenwald’s presentation will focus on the Jornada Mogollon agricultural community (A.D. 600-900) and their use of astronomy in daily life.
The Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center. Museum staff, and sometimes special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to space future. Free to the public. Coffee and donuts provided. For more information, visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

July 4th Launch Pad Lecture is canceled
2025-07-04 09:00 - 10:00 | Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
July 4th Launch Pad Lecture is canceled. Lauch Pad Lectures will resume August 7, 2025.

NM Museum of Space History’s Launch Pad Lecture: Black Holes: Visualizing the Inconceivable
2025-08-01 09:00 - 10:00 | Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Guest Speaker: Guest Speaker Jon Brinkmann—retired affiliate professor at New Mexico State University and a veteran of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS).
When: Friday, August 1, 2025, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM MDT
Location: New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Join us on August 1 for an engaging dive into black holes. In this captivating Launch Pad Lecture, Dr. Brinkmann will discuss the evolution of our understanding of black holes—from Ole Rømer’s groundbreaking 1676 discovery about the speed of light to the latest breakthroughs in astrophysics and photography.
Dr. Brinkmann will share insights from his work at the SDSS as a scientific instruments engineer, manager, and systems administrator at Apache Point Observatory near Sunspot, NM. He played a vital role in coordinating the SDSS, which has mapped over a quarter of the sky since 2000, cataloged more than 930,000 galaxies, and transformed our understanding of galaxy evolution, quasars, and the structure of the Milky Way.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to delve into the science of black holes with a true pioneer of modern astronomy, Dr. Brinkmann!
The Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month. Museum staff, along with special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to its future. Free to the public. Coffee and donuts provided. For more information, visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

Photo: NASA: Best-Ever Snapshot of a Black Hole’s Jets

Launch Pad Lecture: Trailblazing Women of Space
2025-09-05 09:00 - 10:00 | New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
On September 5, 2025, Carolyn Peeler will highlight the remarkable achievements of women identified by NASA as key trailblazers in the space program. She will explore their diverse backgrounds, their groundbreaking contributions to space exploration, and their ongoing legacies in supporting STEM long after their time at NASA.
Guest Speaker: Carolyn Peeler, military veteran, retired Civil Servant, and President of the Holloman Tuskegee Airman Chapter
When: Friday, September 5, 2025, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM MDT
Location: New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
The Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month. Museum staff, along with special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to its future. For more information, visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org
Photo courtesy of NASA: April 14, 2010, in the International Space Station, clockwise (from the lower right) are Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Stephanie Wilson, Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Naoko Yamazaki.

Launch Pad Lecture: 49 & Counting - The NM Museum of Space History's Countdown to 50
2025-10-03 09:00 - 10:00 | New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
On October 3, Museum Education Director Michael Shinabery will bring to life the fascinating origins of the New Mexico Museum of Space History with his signature animated style and depth of knowledge. From Dwight Ohlinger’s dream that led to the International Space Hall of Fame to the influential NASA scientists who shaped its legacy, this presentation shows how the museum became part of New Mexico’s bold vision for spaceflight—years before NASA even existed.
Guest Speaker: Michael Shinabery, Director of Education, NM Museum of Space History
When: Friday, October 3, 2025, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM MDT
Where: New Horizons Dome Theater, New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Road 2001, Alamogordo, NM 88310
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
The Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month. Museum staff, along with special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to its future. For more information, visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

Wings & Water - New Mexico Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Star Party
2025-10-25 19:00 - 21:00 | New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Rd. 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
This is a public star party supported by the NM Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League and Museum Educators. This event is free to the public and will be held at the NMMSH Outdoor Observatory in the upper parking lot.
When: Saturday, October 25, 2025 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
7:00 PM Constellation show in New Horizons Planetarium
7:45 PM Telescope viewing – Museum Observatory Complex – Upper Parking Lot
Where: NM Museum of Space History
3198 State Rd 2001, Alamogordo, NM 88310

Experience the wonder of an autumn starlit night with the Astronomy League and Museum Educators for an evening of celestial discovery at the New Mexico Museum of Space History on Saturday, October 25, 2025.
The evening starts with the featured planetarium show, “Wings and Water,” where a museum educator will guide visitors through the fall constellations, including Pisces, Aquarius, Aquila, and Cygnus. Afterward, guests can enjoy live telescope viewing, deep-sky imaging demonstrations, and large-screen displays of celestial objects captured by local astronomers.
Parking: Park in the middle lot; no parking in the upper lot (observation area) ADA parking is available at the Hubbard Building.
Restrooms: Availability during the planetarium show. None after the planetarium show.
In the event of inclement weather, programming will move indoors to the Tombaugh Dome and Planetarium.

Launch Pad Lecture: Storms, Science & Surveyor: The Story of Apollo 12
2025-11-07 09:00 - 10:00 | NM
Join the New Mexico Museum of Space History for the next Launch Pad Lecture on November 7, “Storms, Science & Surveyor: The Story of Apollo 12,” presented by Marie De Leon, Senior Instructional Coordinator at the Museum.
Apollo 12 transformed a lightning‑struck launch into one of NASA’s most precise lunar landings, showcasing extraordinary teamwork, scientific innovation, and engineering that advanced the frontiers of exploration.
WHEN: Friday, November 7, 2025 – 9:00 a.m.
WHERE: New Horizons Dome Theater, New Mexico Museum of Space History, Alamogordo, NM
ADMISSION: Free; coffee and donuts provided.
About the Speaker: Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Marie De Leon joined the museum’s education team two years ago, combining her background in psychology with a passion for inspiring curiosity through the powerful stories of space exploration.
The Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month. Museum staff, along with special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to its future. For more information, visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture: "Apollo, The Men in the Moon"
2026-01-02 09:00 - 10:00 | New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture
Guest Speaker: Michael Shinabery, NMMSH Education Director
Lecture Topic: “Apollo, The Men in the Moon”
Location: New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium
Date: January 2, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
The Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center. Museum staff, and sometimes special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to space future. Free to the public. Coffee and donuts provided. For more information, email msh.info@dca.nm.gov or visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting
2026-01-08 19:00 - 20:00 | Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting
Date: January 8, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center
The NM Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League meeting is held on the second Thursday of each month in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center and is free to attend. Museum staff and sometimes special guest speakers discuss topics ranging from public observing to off-site adventures. For more information, contact the Museum Outreach Department at 575-437-2840 ext 41135 or visit our website at www.NMSpaceMuseum.org.

Join us for "HAM Day" at the New Mexico Museum of Space History!
2026-01-31 11:00 - 14:00 | New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Ham the astrochimp after his 1961 suborbital flight. Photo by Ralph Morse LIFE Pictures
Alamogordo, NM — America’s Astro-chimp, HAM, and his fellow primate pilots are being remembered for their contributions to the US Space Race during Science Saturday, on January 31, 2026, at the NM Museum of Space History (NMMSH), from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
HAM was launched 157 miles into space on January 31, 1961, paving the way for American Alan Shepard’s flight on May 5, 1961, as well as Yuri Gagarin’s flight one month earlier.
To commemorate the accomplishment, NMMSH is partnering with the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce for HAM Day at the New Horizons Dome Theater & Planetarium. The event celebrates the anniversary of the flight and the role chimpanzees played in preparing the way for humans in space. After a short, kid-friendly overview of great apes and early space medicine, museum educators will lead hands-on, great-ape-themed crafts designed for all ages. Families are welcome to drop in at any time during the event, and all supplies are included. There will also be “ham and cheese wheels” to eat, and a homemade costume contest that will be judged by staff.
The name HAM comes from Holloman Aero Medical, where he was trained by Alamogordo resident Edward C. Dittmer Sr., who also suited up HAM and placed him in the Mercury Capsule perched on a Redstone rocket before the launch. Space scientists believed chimps had the intelligence and reasoning ability needed to test their theories about space travel for humans and whether their psychological abilities to perform in the vacuum of space would deteriorate during the flight. You can see one of the chimps’ space couches at NMMSH.
HAM is buried at the NM Museum of Space History in Alamogordo; his marker reads, “HAM proved mankind could live and work in space.”
The New Mexico Museum of Space History’s Science Saturday is held held on the last Saturday of the month from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the New Horizons Dome Theater & Planetarium.
Science Saturday is included with Museum admission. For more information, call 575-437-2840 or visit www.nmspacemuseum.org. Like us at www.facebook.com/NMSpaceMuseum/.

More HAM Day 2026 Details:
WHAT: To commemorate HAM’s launch 157 miles into space on January 31, 1961, paving the way for the US Space program.
WHY: To remember the scientific accomplishment, NMMSH is partnering with the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce for an explanation of the role all the Astro-Chimps played in preparing the way for humans in space.
WHERE: The New Horizons Dome Theater & Planetarium at New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM. Science Saturday is included with Museum admission. For more information, call 575-437-2840 or visit www.nmspacemuseum.org.
WHEN: Saturday, January 31, 2026, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
WHO: Everyone’s invited, after a short, kid-friendly overview of great apes and early space medicine, museum educators will lead hands-on, great-ape-themed crafts designed for students in grades 2–7. Families are welcome to drop in at any time during the event, and all basic supplies are included. There will also be “ham and cheese wheels” to eat, and a homemade costume contest that will be judged by staff.
Science Saturday is included with Museum admission. For more information, call 575-437-2840 or visit www.nmspacemuseum.org. Like us at www.facebook.com/NMSpaceMuseum/.

HAM the astrochimp training for his historic flight. Photo courtesy of NASA.

Celebrate John Glenn’s historic trip around the Earth with an egg drop at New Mexico Museum of Space History on Feb. 28
2026-02-28 11:00 - 14:00 | New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Rd. 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
What: Astronaut John Glenn orbited the Earth in February of 1962. Celebrate that event with the John Glenn Egg Drop at the New Mexico Museum of Space History.
When: Saturday, February 28, 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Why: After orbiting the planet, John Glenn’s Friendship 7 capsule plummeted back to Earth, but it was engineered to protect him from the life-threatening impact when it landed. During this Science Saturday, NMMSH will explore ways engineers and scientists create space capsules to protect astronauts like John Glenn as they return from their historic journeys to space. Using an egg as your John Glenn stand-in and various materials like aluminum cans, cardboard tubes, plastic bags, paper, cotton balls, tape, and string, create a Friendship 7 capsule to safely help your John Glenn return to Earth. Alamogordo firemen will take our John Glenn Eggstronauts up their ladders and drop them down from “space” so we can see if they survive their journey back to Earth! Will your John Glenn Eggstronaut survive? Or will you be eggsasperated?
Where: New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Road 2001, Alamogordo, NM.
The New Mexico Museum of Space History’s Science Saturday is held held on the last Saturday of the month from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the New Horizons Dome Theater & Planetarium.Science Saturday is included with Museum admission. For more information, call 575-437-2840 or visit www.nmspacemuseum.org. Like us at www.facebook.com/NMSpaceMuseum/.

New Mexico Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture: Listen to the Stars: How a Blind Astronomer “Hears” the Cosmos
2026-03-06 09:00 - 22:00 | New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
New Mexico Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture
Speaker: Brianna Buller, Museum Curator
Lecture Topic: “The Groundbreaking Work of Blind Astronomer Wanda Díaz-Merced”
Location: New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium
Date: March 6, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Alamogordo, NM – The groundbreaking work of blind astronomer Wanda Díaz-Merced will be brought into focus at the New Mexico Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture on Friday, March 6, 9:00–10:00 a.m. Museum Curator Brianna Buller will introduce visitors to Díaz-Merced’s methods, demonstrate how data can be translated into audio patterns, and highlight how these approaches open doors for researchers with diverse abilities while enriching how all scientists interpret information from space.
Drawing from her lived experience with disability, Díaz-Merced has created new ways of engaging with astrophysical data that have broadened accessibility for scientists and students across the space science community.
“I’m excited to share Wanda Díaz-Merced’s story because it shows that space science belongs to every kind of mind, not just those who see,” said Museum Curator Brianna Buller. “Her work with sonification reminds us that when we change how we listen to the universe, we change who gets to participate in discovering it.”
The lecture is free and will be held in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium at the New Mexico Museum of Space History, located at 3198 State Road 2001, Alamogordo, New Mexico. Visit us at https://nmspacemuseum.org/ or call 575-437-2840. Coffee and donuts will be provided by the International Space Hall of Fame Foundation.

New Mexico Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting
2026-03-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
New Mexico Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting
Location: Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center
The NM Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League meeting is held on the second Thursday of each month in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center and is free to attend. Museum staff and sometimes special guest speakers discuss topics ranging from public observing to off-site adventures. For more information, contact the Museum Outreach Department at 575-437-2840 ext 41135 or visit our website at www.NMSpaceMuseum.org.
