On the weekend of May 2nd, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California opened its doors to the public. More than 30,000 people visited JPL for this event seeking a chance to visit exhibits highlighting cutting-edge technologies (such as the Microdevices Laboratory), solar system exploration, the International Year of Astronomy, and our changing planet. At these exhibits, visitors interacted with scientists and engineers and asked questions about a variety of science and technology topics. Several demonstrations also gave the public a hands-on look at JPL's recent projects. These demonstrations included:

• Telescopes to observe the sun
• Driving demonstrations of the Mars Science Laboratory rover
• Spectrometers to analyze visitors’ own “personal frequencies”
• Thermoelectric energy labs
• Axel rover rock climbing

 

Also open to visitors were the spacecraft operations facility and clean rooms that are essential to past and present JPL missions.

 

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Open House Images

	In this demonstration, visitors got to see an infrared picture of themselves through a camera similar to the ones used on space missions that hunt for planets outside of our solar system.
	The Axel rover, developed at JPL, climbs a rocky wall.
	A General Motors fuel cell car was on display as part of a larger exhibit on developments in fuel cell technologies.
	Technologists from the Micro/Nano Thermoelectric Laboratory at JPL lead a demonstration on how thermoelectric power works.
	Future scientists observe the sun through solar telescopes. The theme of this year's JPL Open House was the International Year of Astronomy.
	The Microdevices Lab was open to the public. Researcher and displays discussed technology that had been developed in the lab.
	An ion propulsion engine was on display in the Solar System Exploration area. This engine is similar to one being used on the Dawn mission.
	Visitors were able to see how test models of the Mars Science Laboratory drover around different terrains.
	In an exhibit dedicated to earth science topics, many displays presented information about upcoming missions that could help lead to a better understanding of natural disasters.