The Elder Museum of Science and Technology in Las Palmas has become the epicenter of international aerospace history with the opening of the Maspalomas exhibition 'Destination: The Moon'. The exhibition, structured as a technical and educational journey, commemorates the transfer of operational responsibilities from NASA to the Spanish administration for the Canary Islands Space Center, strategically located in Maspalomas. The highest-ranking representative of the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA), led by Lieutenant General Enrique Campo Loarte, endorsed an initiative that positions the archipelago as a historic platform for tracking manned missions and Earth observation.
The exhibition is integrated into the regular Elder Museum routes, providing easy access to one of the largest temporary collections on space exploration visible in the region. Civil and military authorities agree that the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to uncover the hidden history of the island's contribution to space exploration, reinforcing a brand of technological excellence that projects its operational capabilities toward the future challenges of Earth orbit.
The visitor experience is designed to offer a direct immersion into the technological archaeology of the space race. The museum's galleries house original components used by the U.S. space agency at island tracking stations during the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions. Visitors can closely examine period radio communication equipment, declassified official documents, high-precision scale models, and a photographic archive detailing how engineers captured the critical signals from the first journeys to Earth's satellite.
The museum's itinerary connects the legacy of the last century with contemporary exploration programs. One of the key sections of the exhibition comprises pieces of high scientific value, expressly loaned by INTA, including elements linked to the Pangea-Phoenix project, developed jointly with the European Space Agency (ESA). This technical display allows visitors to understand the current capabilities of the Maspalomas facilities in cutting-edge fields such as satellite navigation, precision meteorology, and logistical support for international maritime rescue missions.
The exhibition's design is the result of a collaborative effort between institutions and private patronage. The Gran Canaria Island Council is providing the main funding for the installation, which is being developed operationally by Bilenio Cultura. Additional support comes from the DISA Foundation, the Rotary Club, Caja Rural de Tenerife, the Telefónica Foundation, and contributions from more than twenty private collectors. This network of cooperation has facilitated the gathering of dispersed objects, which are being exhibited together for the first time to illustrate the crucial role played by the island's southern infrastructure in global events.
The educational aspect of the proposal is complemented by an ecosystem of learning activities designed to capture the interest of the general public and the educational community. The Elder Museum has structured a parallel program that includes specialized lecture series, hands-on aerospace technology workshops, and a system of guided tours led by experts in the field. These sessions analyze the human factor as the true driving force behind the Canary Islands Space Center, explicitly recognizing the generations of local professionals who operated the antennas and control systems for decades.
The visit to the site offers a comprehensive perspective on how a remote telecommunications station evolved into a vital public research infrastructure crucial to national security and defense. The exhibition is not merely for passive viewing; it invites reflection on Spain's strategic position in new global lunar return initiatives, such as the Artemis program. The tour highlights how the transfer of technological sovereignty spurred the development of the national aerospace industry, transforming a geographically isolated support site into a leading data analysis center for the European scientific community.
