Mission: Experiment – GLOBE
Saturday, Jan. 17, 1 – 3 p.m.
The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program is an international science program that provides volunteers worldwide with the opportunity to participate in data collection and the scientific process, as well as contribute to our understanding of the Earth system and global environment. 
 
Come learn how you can explore your environment as a volunteer scientist with GLOBE Observer, the app of the GLOBE Program, and make connections to NASA satellite data during the next Mission: Experiment event on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Goddard Visitor Center. We’ll show you how to take your own observations using the Clouds, Land Cover, Trees, and Mosquito Habitat Mapper tools. We’ll also share hands-on activities to help you understand the data and why the perspective from the ground is important in complementing the view from satellites. 
 
As part of the Mission: Experiment, you will be able to:
-Participate in a scavenger hunt to look for common objects that can hold water and become mosquito habitats
-See a do-it-yourself mosquito trap you can use to collect larvae and view examples of what they look like
-Learn how to use the GLOBE Trees tool and a clinometer to measure the heights of trees, as well as test them out on trees at the visitor center (perhaps the Apollo 14 Moon Tree located out front!)
-Color by number to reveal a view of Earth from space with the Color-a-Pixel activity, as well as explore how satellites collect data about land cover from space and why it is important to have multiple types of data, including ground observations such as those gathered with GLOBE Land Cover
-Practice your cloud identification skills with NUBE, a new card game from GLOBE Clouds, and then use those skills to take a GLOBE Clouds observation

For more information, please call 301-286-8981.

Third Thursday of the Month, 9 – 10 a.m.

Grow with Goddard! Join us for activities and demonstrations for ages 3-5 here at our visitor center during a special morning hour before we open to the public. Please see the list of dates and topics below. Registration is required for each child participant. Parents and guardians do not need to register, but at least one parent or guardian must be on-site for the program.

More dates to be announced.

Explore the Goddard Visitor Center during a sensory-friendly hour before we open for the day. Sounds and lighting in our exhibit spaces will be limited during this time. We will also have touch items for visitors to experience.

First Saturday of each month at 1 p.m. (formerly Sundays)
(Some holidays excluded; weather, security conditions permitting; call ahead to confirm: 301-286-8981)

Like to build model rockets, but don’t have a launch pad? Now you do! Anyone can bring a model to fly at the Goddard Visitor Center rocket launches; there are no costs or fees to participate. Rockets, motors and supplies are available for purchase at the nearby Goddard Gift Shop (and many hobby shops or toy stores) and you can even get rocket construction and launch tips from our on-site experts on launch day!

Don’t want to launch your own rocket? That’s fine, too — come out to watch, and cheer on our rocketeers!

Model rocket launches are held at the Goddard Visitor Center the first Saturday of the month (some holidays excluded, and weather and security conditions permitting). Launches start at 1 p.m. and are brought to you by the NARHAMS Model Rocket club. These launches have been part of Visitor Center programs since 1976.
Visitors bring and prepare their own models; a group safety briefing is given at 1 p.m., and models are given a preflight safety assessment. We allow single-engine models that must not exceed C-class models. 1/2A or A models work best for our field. We do not permit rocket gliders, models whose altitude may exceed 2,000 feet, clustered motors, or two stage rockets.

Weather decisions will be made the day of the launch — to check the status of a launch, please contact the Visitor Center front desk at 301-286-8981.