2023-11-07 17:46:02
Par Mélina Le Corre
Published on 7 Nov 23 at 6:46 p.m. See my news Follow News Toulouse
A truly feeling of takeoff, “you go faster than a bullet”. Here is the promise of the new immersive experience of the Cité de l’espace in Toulouse: Lune Xplorer. Highly anticipated by Toulouse residents and tourists, this space attraction already ticks all the boxes and will undoubtedly become one of the city’s flagship events. Opening on November 14th to the public.
The moon in the center of the City
It’s in the old Terradom building that the brand new space mission of the Cité de l’espace has been installed, just behind the MIR station. “We have been dreaming of this immersive experience for around ten years. The technique now allows us to do these things with the rehabilitation of this building,” explains Jean-Claude Dardelet, vice-president of Toulouse Métropole in charge of attractiveness and president of SEMECCEL.
A lunar star who is already causing a sensation within the Cité de l’espace, notably with the “Moon, Episode II” exhibition. And as a reminder, the site houses a moonstone brought back by the Apollo 15 mission in 1998. And it was Jean-François Clervoy, French astronaut, who placed it here himself. “I had a handcuff with my briefcase in my hand, from the plane to here! “, he laughs.
Jean-François Clervoy, French astronaut, was present at the inauguration of Lune Xplorer. (©Mélina Le Corre / Actu Toulouse)
The astronaut is also present at the inauguration of this new experience. “We are often asked the question: what is it like to go into space? Before it was only visual, now the audience will experience physical sensations“, teases the French astronaut. In a black and white setting, Lune Xplorer juggles between immersion and history. “And Lune Xplorer will evolve as news develops, particularly on Artemis”, the new lunar mission which should take off in November 2024.
An experiment in a centrifuge
The route is done in four steps, “40 minutes of visit and 40 people maximum in the experience”, explains the host of the Cité de l’espace, in the first visit room. Here, a spacesuit, Apollo and Artemis launchers, as well as two ship models.
The reception of the Moon Xplorer mission. (©Mélina Le Corre / Actu Toulouse)
At the end of this long arc-shaped corridor, access to the mission. As with attractions, there are a host of precautions to follow before entering: not recommended for pregnant women, claustrophobic people, those suffering from motion sickness, heart problems, etc. And minimum 1.30 m for height. A queue then takes us to the hall de briefing.
The queue to get to the experience. (©Mélina Le Corre / Actu Toulouse)
“You will live a dynamic experience for five minutes with a crew of four people,” continues the host. In the projection room, a short debrief before takeoff. Here we are welcomed by the astronauts Thomas Pesquet, Samantha Cristoforetti and Matthias Maurer, on video. “You will physically experience the takeoff and the moon landing, planned at the South Pole of the moon, in one of the craters,” explains Samantha.
The astronauts explain the mission to us before leaving for takeoff. (©Mélina Le Corre / Actu Toulouse)
The last room before accessing the platform looks like a Star Tour, an attraction at Disneyland, one might be mistaken. Claudie Haigneré, godmother of the Cité de l’Espace, wishes us a safe journey before the metal doors open. Behind, a huge centrifuge with its cabins numbered 1 to 10.
In each cabin, four people can sit. (©Mélina Le Corre / Actu Toulouse)
Installed in an armchair and harnessed with a belt, the doors close. No theme park experience comes close to this one, (although the Tower of Terror gives us a feeling of weightlessness). Here, the crushing of 2G* on the body is impressive.
No dizziness (or regurgitation), only the impression of… taking off towards our natural satellite. Be careful, however, do not move your head, every movement can make you feel dizzy. “You have to put your head to the back of the seat,” explains one of the Cité de l’espace employees, like… in a roller coaster following all.
Dashboard and view of cabin space. (©Mélina Le Corre / Actu Toulouse)
A tool to raise awareness
But be careful, no word of attraction in the City. “It’s an immersive experience, because to learn, you have to live it,” explains the Cité de l’espace, which insists on this point: Lune Xplorer aims to be pedagogicfirst of all.
After the adventure, a debrief room welcomes the future astronauts. “It’s unique in the world, you lived hypergravity, explains Jean-François Clervoy, French astronaut. To prepare as an astronaut, the only way is to centrifuges. This is a first for the public,” although astronauts experience more than 2G during training. Some participants feel groggy, while others already want to get back into the capsule.
But why now, following 50 years of the Apollo mission? “We are in unprecedented times,” adds Jean-Claude Dardelet. “This trip to the moon, the Artemis mission, is to prepare for Mars,” confides the astronaut. “It’s a testing ground.”
“And it is a technical and scientific tool which will play an important role in raising awareness among our young people,” assures Thierry Cotelle from the Occitanie Region.
Thierry Cotelle, Jean-Claude Dardelet and Jean-Baptiste Desbois, director of the Cité de l’espace. (©Mélina Le Corre / Actu Toulouse)
16 million euros for Lune Xplorer
An immersive experience of 16 million euros in total, “this is the first time that the European Union has invested so much in the Cité de l’espace to the tune of 5.4 million euros,” adds the president of Semeccel.
Behind it all, the building was designed by the local architectural firm Bétillon et Freyermuth. “To meet the challenge of scenography and sensory experience, a consortium was formed, led by scenographer Thierry Amiel,” explains the Cité de l’espace.
Thanks to this new experience, the Cité de l’espace promises to welcome between 30,000 and 40,000 additional visitors every year. For the vice-president of Toulouse Métropole, “a ticket for 26 euros to go to the moon, once morest the official ticket of 20 million euros in reality… It’s worth it! »
The Cité de l’espace continues its momentum of novelties with a new exhibition next February between space and sports, “an exhibition in line with the preparations for the Olympic Games”, always on the lookout for current events.
*Twice its weight
Practical information
Moon XPlorer at the City of Spacefrom November 14
Of. Jean Gonord, 31500 Toulouse
An experience also accessible to PRMs and the visually impaired.
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