Just passed on the used satellite lot, box-o-moon probes, and a rocket garden - better sitting on someone else's display shelf than in boxes in a hot, humid garage.
Turns out the Pensacola Junior College planetarium is being redone (finally going digital) and they had asked the local IPMS club (Pensacola Modelleers - nice, interesting bunch) if they had any space related items to donate. Fellow AF Association member in the club mentioned the request to me in passing - so the space probes and (some of the) rockets have a new home. I'll post a picture after they finish arranging their displays. They seemed happy - also amazed that the models were paper.
Made sure it has a display graphic: "Build Your Own Space Exploration Fleet" with a short selection of free model websites (NASA/JPL, LHVCC, etc.). Most of the planetarium show traffic is kids in school groups so, maybe we add to both the engineering and modeling population. Also the reason to push free sites - school teachers never seem to have any money for these activities.
Next up - a question. They'd really like an ISS model to hang in the entry (big, high open space). I'm wondering how to create a visually effective ISS light enough to safely hang, big enough to be seen hanging 10'/3m above the floor (1:24 or 1:12 scale?), and simple enough that it can be duplicated by a school class (or maybe built by several classes in cooperation?).
Any thoughts?
Yogi - (not quite an "empty workbencher" yet ...)