Lewis Educational Services Staff with a Spacemobile Vehicle

Members of Lewis’ Educational Services Office pose with one of the center’s Spacemobile space science demonstration units. Unlike its predecessor, the NACA, the new NASA space agency considered public outreach one of its core tenets. The early astronauts were lionized and new technologies touted. Lewis, which had previously been a closed laboratory, began hosting open houses and elaborate space fairs in the early 1960s. In addition, the center initiated educational programs that worked with local schools and a robust speaker’s bureau that explained NASA activities to the community. One aspect of these efforts was the Spacemobile Program. These vehicles included a delegated speaker, exhibits, models, and other resources. The Spacemobiles, which made forays across the Midwest, were extremely active throughout the 1960s.