A night focused on the future of space travel — and the path back to the moon — is coming to Seneca County later this week.
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Seneca County 4-H and the Waterloo Library & Historical Society are hosting “Artemis II: Returning to the Moon, then on to Mars,” a free, family-friendly event aimed at sparking interest in space exploration and science careers.
The program will take place Friday, April 24 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Fatzinger Hall inside the Waterloo Library & Historical Society. Organizers say the event is open to all ages, with a particular focus on engaging young people in hands-on learning and exposure to potential careers in science, engineering, and technology.
The event will feature a presentation from Zoe Learner Ponterio, manager of Cornell University’s Spacecraft Planetary Image Facility, who will discuss the Artemis II mission and broader space exploration efforts. Attendees will also have the chance to participate in interactive activities, including viewing real images captured by Mars rovers through virtual reality headsets.
Organizers say the program is designed to highlight how space exploration connects to everyday life, pointing to innovations originally developed for space missions that are now widely used, including memory foam, cordless tools, and medical imaging technology.
Karen Burcroff, a 4-H educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension, said the partnership with Cornell allows the program to bring specialized expertise directly into the community.
“We are so lucky to have a great working relationship with Cornell University in so many diverse topics,” Burcroff said. “It really is something special to bring experts into our community. You never know — we might have a future astronaut living right here.”
Registration is requested, though walk-ins will be accepted. Those interested can register online through the Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension website or call the office directly for more information.
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