SPACE CRAFT.Leicester University is a leading centre of space research: a new exploration centre is growing under its aegis. Britain's National Space Science Centre (NSSC NSSC National School Safety Center NSSC National Soil Survey Center NSSC National Senior Service Corps NSSC National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace NSSC NASA Standard Spacecraft Computer NSSC National Space Science Centre (UK) ) is being built in Leicester in England's East Midlands The East Midlands is one of the regions of England and consists of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It consists of the combined area of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and most of Lincolnshire. on some disused disused Adjective no longer used Adj. 1. disused - no longer in use; "obsolete words" obsolete noncurrent - not current or belonging to the present time disused adj underground storm water tanks. The tanks have been converted by placing a new roof plane over them and are added to by a tower in which rockets and other space craft can be displayed. The NSSC is to be closely linked - at least organizationally - to the Space Research Centre of Leicester University, which has a reputation for work on satellites and space exploration vehicles. In fact, the NSSC will be an exhibition centre which is intended to rouse general interest in education and research into space sciences. The new square green roof is penetrated by a dome, the top of the planetarium planetarium, optical device used to project a representation of the heavens onto a domed ceiling; the term also designates the building that houses such a device. A modern planetarium consists of as many as 150 motor-driven projectors mounted on an axis. , and round it will be a spiral of planting to evoke a galaxy, to be seen not from space but from the tower and the approach. In the low part there will be flexible exhibition space. The tower which curves in both plan and section is of course much more conditioned by its big exhibits. It is the climax of the exhibition route and will be a light steel structure largely clad in ETFE ETFE Ethylene/Tetrafluoroethylene Copolymer foil (the stuff the same practice is using in the Eden Project, p82). Three layers of foil will be pneumatically inflated to provide a large scale transparent and insulative in·su·la·tive adj. Serving to insulate or keep safe: the insulative value of an animal's fur; insulative packing materials. skin. Heat gain in summer is hoped not to be a problem, and the walls of the lower part can be opened on hot days to allow convection cooling. Completion is hoped to be in early 2001. |
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