Voyage Mark II — Scale Model Solar Systems at Moderate Prices

The Voyage Scale Model Solar System has now been in place on the National Mall in Washington, DC (outside the National Air and Space Museum) for more than 18 years, along with Voyage replicas in Houston, Kansas City, and Corpus Christi. These scale models provide an outstanding way of demonstrating the true scale of space, and they can be used to promote many educational ideas, including the critical importance of taking care of our small planet. In the past, cost has been the main obstacle to spreading these models to more universities and communities. Now, the Voyage National Program (voyagesolarsystem.org) has made available the "Voyage Mark II" at a price that, if enough communities build at the same time, can be as low as about $30K; moreover, seed grants are available to help get your fundraising started. I'll briefly summarize the Voyage project and benefits, and discuss how you can obtain one for your university or community. The Voyage National Program is run through the nonprofit National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (ncesse.org).