The Science Museum in London has reopened its beloved Space Gallery with a fresh redesign. Located in the West Hall at the back of the museum, the new gallery brings together historic spacecraft and forward-looking projects.
Apollo 10 and Soyuz Side by Side for the First Time
The gallery’s centerpiece is undoubtedly the Apollo 10 capsule. Used in the 1969 lunar mission and bearing the scars of its fiery reentry through Earth’s atmosphere, the capsule is now prominently displayed alongside the Russian Soyuz capsule used by Tim Peake for his 2015 journey to and from the International Space Station. This is the only place in the world where an American and a Russian capsule are exhibited side by side. The Soyuz’s massive parachutes rise toward the ceiling, greeting visitors.
Revisited Classics
The gallery also features iconic pieces beloved by space enthusiasts:
- The J-2 engine from the Saturn V rocket
- The UK’s only satellite launch vehicle, Black Arrow, and the Prospero satellite
- Neil Armstrong’s headset
- A double-decker model of the European Space Agency’s BepiColombo Mercury probe
- And, of course, a Moon rock from Apollo 15.
Visionary Projects for the Future
New additions include a model of Rolls-Royce’s mini nuclear reactor designed for lunar bases, a foldable heat shield, an unconventional lunar robot, and a new docking system for deorbiting old satellites. Additionally, a giant digital globe narrated by Helen Sharman (the first British astronaut) offers an interactive experience about planets and satellites.
What’s Missing
The gallery’s biggest absence is the Lunar Module replica, a centerpiece for years, which is currently not displayed due to its delicate condition. Similarly, the Beagle-2 spacecraft model and detailed pieces on early rocket history have been removed from the collection.
Visitor Information
With its refreshed, more spacious design, the Space Gallery is ready to welcome science and history enthusiasts. The Science Museum’s new Space Gallery is now open to the public, with free admission.
Photos: Matt Brown
