Design of Lifelong Learning Content Using Space Education: Development of the Mobile 3D (Three Dimensional) Image Projection System

This paper reported the use of space education for the lifelong learning lectures in order to enhance science ability of the community. In 2010, the interests towards space among Japanese people became higher than ever. This may be largely influenced by the diversified mission (approximately 5.5 months from December 23, 2009 to June 2, 2010) of Mr. Soishi Noguchi, the astronaut of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), as well as the return of Hayabusa asteroid probe on June 13, 2010, after 7 years of its trip in space. It was the year when not only students but people irrespective of age and gender paid attention to the space. Thus, we decided to use the space simulator software Mitaka which was developed by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan as the educational content for our lifelong learning lectures in the community. This paper reports the development of the 3D image projection system for our visiting classes and its verification experiment.