Last week the Space Shuttle Discovery made its final launch into space. I came across this incredible video showing the launch, not from the ground as we are accustomed to viewing it, but rather from the vantage of a high altitude aircraft. Have a look for yourself....

Watching this final launch and recognizing that we are nearing the end of an era in space made me a little sad, but none the less totally overcome with awe at what we have done.

Kids are also fascinated by space and space travel but few will ever enjoy the thrill of actually going there one day. The closest most of us get to space is in a movie or through the window of an airplane. However, for savvy schools there is a great alternative.

For thirty years Mobile Ed has offered a great science assembly program called Sky Dome Planetarium. This portable planetarium actually sets up in the school and brings kids an experience unlike any other science assembly. Sitting inside a huge silver dome, students are projected into the heavens by way of a state of the art digital star projector which accurately simulates the stars. All manner of special effects allow students to witness the Greek constellations, the stars of the Southern hemisphere, comets, the phases of the moon, our solar system and even a simulation of a Black Hole. This great science assembly is as close to visiting the stars as most of us will ever come, and it is one exciting ride.

So while we mourn the end of an era with the demise of the Space Shuttle program, we are happy that the kids of today are at least still able to visit the stars, albeit through a wonderful science assembly program, the Sky Dome portable planetarium!

Geoff Beauchamp is the Regional Manager of Mobile Ed Productions where "Education Through Entertainment" has been the guiding principal since 1979. Mobile Ed Productions produces and markets quality educational school assembly programs in the fields of science, history, writing, astronomy, natural science, mathematics, character issues and a variety of other curriculum based areas. In addition, Mr. Beauchamp is a professional actor with 30 years of experience in film, television and on stage. He created and still performs occasionally in Mobile Ed's THE LIVING LINCOLN