Your visitors land on the moon in the same way as the pioneering Apollo astronauts.

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See it at the Joliet Area Historical Museum

• Your visitors pilot the Apollo Lunar Module (LM) while standing in a cockpit that accurately reproduces the forward cabin of the actual historic LM.
• Offers two separate stations so that two visitors can independently fly the LM to the lunar surface.
• The enclosure integrates software by Historic Space Systems into the large window displays and the control panel displays for outstanding realism.

Identify features of the Lunar Module forward cabin using this NASA illustration.

Software features that enhance the experience include:

• A brief description giving the context of the landing (separation from the Command Module and firing the descent engine to begin the landing).
• A sweeping outside view of the approach to the landing site, showing the speed and attitude of the LM.
• Realistic attitude and speed changes as the LM approaches the moon, just as the actual LM in its final descent.
• Levels of difficulty that are controlled by the user by movement of the joystick or throttle during the descent. (By not moving the controls, the simulated LM makes an automatic landing as with the actual LM.)
• Window grid (Landing Point Designator) that gives the same kind of attitude and landing point reference as the actual LM. (The grid has also been added to the right window.)
• View of the reaction control thrusters and forward footpad through the windows.

• Accurately modeled LM seen in the bird’s eye view reacts realistically to thruster forces and landing dynamics.
• Realistic deflection of the landing gear struts at touchdown (seen in the bird’s eye view as well as with the forward footpad outside the window).
• The voice of a simulator instructor helps the user understand events during the descent, and to make a safe landing.
• The simulation models the Apollo 15 Hadley-Appenine landing site in full scale relative to the LM model, giving realistic perspective to the scene.
• A start from 3500 feet altitude with about 4 minutes allowed for a landing, while typically 3 minutes are used.
• The Lunar Module Pilot’s panel is modified from the actual LM panel to include the gauges needed for an independent landing simulation.

Enclosure features include:

• Reference to over 200 Grumman engineering drawings of the LM for accurate dimensions.
• A true sense of the size and configuration of the craft that took Americans to the moon.
• Welded steel structure that dismantles to fit through a 36” wide doorway.
• Graphics on the two stowage compartments depict the pouches with their labeled contents.
• Exhibit dimensions: 97” wide, 84” tall and 55” deep.
• Our approach to exhibit design yields a sturdy realistic cockpit with accurate dimensions, enhancing the experience.