ARE YOU READY FOR A COSMIC ODYSSEY?
Book your mission below
Sept. 26th Virtual Astronomy Night – Perilous Landing: In the Tracks of Apollo 15
The Space Science Center is closed Thursday, September 17 due to severe weather. We plan to be open on Friday, September 18.
Due to the current public health crisis, we have altered our operations to create a safe environment for our guests and staff. To assure social distancing and proper sanitation measures, will be engaging smaller groups of visitors, on a much more intimate and in-depth level, with timed experiences. This new mode will allow guests to explore the Center more safely. Please read all the information carefully so that you will know what to expect.
- Please do not visit the Coca-Cola Space Science Center if you are sick, exhibiting fever, or experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19. Guests exhibiting these symptoms will not be permitted to enter the CCSSC.
- Wear a mask or proper face covering at all times.
- Maintain social distancing (6 feet of distance, no handshakes or physical contact) while inside the facility.
- Signage reminding visitors of proper precautions, including wearing face coverings and maintaining 6-foot social distancing, is posted upon entry and throughout the facility.
- A maximum number of guests or groups are permitted during each timed rotation so that proper social distancing can be maintained.
- Common surfaces and touchpoints are disinfected regularly.
- Hand sanitation stations are posted throughout the gallery for guest use.
- Interior signage is in place on floors and at ticket & gift shop counters as a reminder of proper social distancing protocol for patrons who are waiting in line.
- Restrooms are cleaned and disinfected regularly.
- Where theater seating occurs, non-cohabiting patrons must be seated at least six feet apart.
CCSSC sanitation and safety protocols are aligned with those of Columbus State University and the University System of Georgia. They also have been developed under advisement from the American Alliance of Museums and the Association of Science and Technology Centers.
Sat: 11am (*Kids Mission)
Sat: 1pm & 3pm
Sunday: No Missions
Military/Seniors: $7
Children (4-10): $6
Under 3: Free
Columbus, GA 31901
info@ccssc.org
Briefing for Aspiring Astronauts
CSU’s Coca-Cola Space Science Center is now re-open. We have altered our operations to create a safe environment for visitors and staff. We will engage smaller groups of visitors through timed ticket reservations on an experience we call Cosmic Odyssey. These changes will allow visitors to explore the Center safely.
Your Cosmic Odyssey Mission will include a live night-sky tour and a planetarium show, a guided tour of NASA artifacts, a spaceflight adventure, and a period of free-exploration to check out exhibits and Stargazers Gift Shop. Please read all the information below carefully in preparation for your mission.
We are also excited to offer a mission for the youngest astronaut trainees. This Saturday morning experience includes a child-friendly Omnisphere Theater show. Launch reservations are $6 for children and parents/guardians. Children up to 2 years old are free. Let the mission begin!
Your mission in 4 steps
The ground team at CCSSC is excited to welcome you aboard the Cosmic Odyssey. Astronauts go through years of training in preparation for flight. This ensures optimal success. Your training will not last years but it does require you to (1) read and understand CCSSC’s sanitation and safety protocols; (2) make reservations aboard the Cosmic Odyssey; (3) learn what to expect on launch day, and (4) participate in a post-mission briefing. Astronauts – are you ready?
Safety is critical on any mission. Be prepared with your safety gear and learn what the ground team is doing to increase safety.
- Please do not visit the CCSSC if you are sick, exhibiting fever, or experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19. Guests exhibiting these symptoms will not be permitted to enter the CCSSC.
- Wear a mask or proper face covering at all times.
- 6-foot social distancing must be maintained between independent groups at all times.
- Ground team wears face coverings at all times.
- Ground team does not come to work when sick.
- Ground team maintains social distancing.
- Hand sanitation stations are posted throughout the Center for guest use.
- Bathrooms are cleaned and disinfected regularly.
- Safety teams will be at the ready to guard you against contamination by disinfecting surfaces and touchpoints regularly.
Making reservations prior to arrival is strongly encouraged. If you arrive at the Center without a reservation, our ground team will help you make reservations for the next available launch (which may be a different day because of safety limitations regarding the number of guests per mission).
- The Cosmic Odyssey launches up to 13 times a week: Monday through Friday at 12 pm and 2 pm, Saturday at 11 am (Kid-friendly mission), and Saturday at 1 pm and 3 pm.
- Each launch is the same with the exception of the Omnisphere Show. Review the current schedule below.
- TouchNet is the CCSSC secure launch reservation page. You will find up to 4 weeks of availability.
- Reservations are listed in 2-week increments. Pick the two-week increment you are interested in and follow the purchasing process.
A few pointers for the reservation process
- For safety considerations, everyone needs to have a reservation, including children who are free.
- An e-mail address is required for purchase. This is where your order confirmation will be mailed.
- You can purchase as a guest without creating a login.
- Pricing options will appear after you have made a date and time selection for launch
- You must acknowledge the mask requirement in order to make a reservation
- Go to this page to make your reservation.
Your space mission requires a very specific launch window, making proper timing very important. So, don’t be too early, and don’t be late! Astronauts who miss their scheduled launch time may be denied entry, and launch reservations are non-refundable. Congratulations, you now have a reservation on the Cosmic Odyssey. But what should you expect on your launch day? Where will you park? Read on astronaut!
You are all set to head to downtown Columbus, GA, do your final checkpoints, and launch your Cosmic Odyssey Mission.
- The Space Science Center is located at 701 Front Avenue, Columbus, GA 31901. Get directions and parking information here.
- Your space mission requires a very specific launch window, making proper timing very important. So, don’t be too early, and don’t be late!
- Excited for your mission and arrived early? Please wait in your car until about 10 minutes before launch time.
- If you need special assistance, please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your launch time and call our front desk (706-649-1477).
- Astronauts who miss their scheduled launch time may be denied entry, and launch reservations are non-refundable. However, if you are feeling sick, please do not enter our facility. Simply call our front desk and reschedule your space experience for a later date.
- The Center’s ground team will begin checking in astronauts 10 minutes ahead of your scheduled launch time. They will confirm your reservation and assign you a mission rotation.
- Each launch sequence lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Your cosmic voyage will include a live night-sky tour and a planetarium show in our Omnisphere Theater, a guided tour of our extensive collection of NASA artifacts, a spaceflight adventure aboard our A Space Shuttle Odyssey, and a period of free-exploration to check out our gallery exhibits and Stargazers Gift Shop.
- After the adventure concludes, visitors are asked to exit the facility to make way for the next team of astronauts.
As with all space voyagers, you will have a ground team supporting your adventure every step of the way. Experts from the Space Science Center will be on hand to guide your journey and interpret what you’re seeing and experiencing. Also, safety teams will be at the ready to guard you against contamination, and to make sure that your journey to space is as safe as possible.
Mission Accomplished! Way to go. You have successful met the mission goals of the Cosmic Odyssey.
- Enjoyed a sky-tour and show in the Omnisphere Theater
- Learned about our extensive collection of NASA artifacts from CCSSC experts
- Tested your skills on A Space Shuttle Odyssey
- Bought a souvenir in the Stargazers Gift Shop.
- Taken photos to remember this wonderful experience.
It’s now time for your post-mission press tour. Be sure to share your photos and experience with family and friends. Post pictures on Facebook and tag the Coca-Cola Space Science Center and/or tag VisitColumbusGA on Instagram. We would also love to hear about your experience so feel free to rate us on Google, Facebook, Trip Advisor. We hope the ground team gave you a superb experience!
We also ask you to consider supporting the great work of the museum with a donation.
We look forward to seeing you at the next launch!
Which Omnisphere Theater Show will I see during the mission?
(Sept 14 – Sept 26)
(Sept 14 – Sept 26)
Monday – Friday
12:00pm – Astronaut
2:00pm – Phantom of the Universe
Saturday
11:00am – Sesame Street: One World, One Sky
1:00pm – Astronaut
3:00pm – Phantom of the Universe
Monday – Friday
12:00pm – Seven Wonders
2:00pm – Secrets of the Sun
Saturday
11:00am – Legends of the Night Sky: Orion
1:00pm – Seven Wonders
3:00pm – Secrets of the Sun
Astronaut
Experience a rocket launch from inside the body of an astronaut. Explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer space, from floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body. Explorers get to meet “Chad,” our experimental astronaut and watch him endure the perils that lurk in space.
Legends of the Night Sky: Orion
An imaginative look at the stories and legends about Orion, the great hunter of the winter sky.
Phantom of the Universe
From the journey of protons racing through the world’s largest particle collider in Europe to up-close views of the Big Bang and emergent universe, and the nearly mile deep descent to an underground experiment in South Dakota, this new planetarium show is designed to immerse audiences in the manifold search for dark matter.
Secrets of the Sun
An intimate look at the role the sun plays in the life of our solar system. You will discover such mysteries as the nuclear forces churning at the heart of the sun to the mass ejections of solar material into surrounding space.
Sesame Street – One World, One Sky
A brilliant spectacle of light and color as our furry friends watch the stars twinkle over Sesame Street. Children attending the show can interact by drawing constellations and counting the time it takes the sun to set. This show aims to nurture a child’s natural curiosity about the night sky.
Seven Wonders
Turn back the pages of time and witness the ancient wonders of the world as they have not been seen for thousands of years. Then explore the seven natural wonders of the universe.
(Sept 28 – Oct 3)
Monday – Friday
12:00pm – Seven Wonders
2:00pm – Secrets of the Sun
Saturday
11:00am – Legends of the Night Sky: Orion
1:00pm – Seven Wonders
3:00pm – Secrets of the Sun
Legends of the Night Sky: Orion
An imaginative look at the stories and legends about Orion, the great hunter of the winter sky.
Secrets of the Sun
An intimate look at the role the sun plays in the life of our solar system. You will discover such mysteries as the nuclear forces churning at the heart of the sun to the mass ejections of solar material into surrounding space.
Seven Wonders
Turn back the pages of time and witness the ancient wonders of the world as they have not been seen for thousands of years. Then explore the seven natural wonders of the universe.
Getting Here: 701 Front Avenue, Columbus, GA 31901
