National Corvette Museum opens new exhibit connecting NASA and America’s Sports Car

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.- A new exhibit has opened at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green and it’s out of this world.

The exhibit is called, Gas Station to Space Station: How NASA Conquered low Earth Orbit. It focuses on the connection between Corvette and NASA 50 years after Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.

While Corvettes and NASA may seem like they have nothing in common, they actually do.

Astronaut Alan Shepard created the tie between the two when he drove a 1957 Chevrolet Corvette to the astronaut training base. A few years later, Shepard became the first American to travel in space in the year 1961.

When he arrived home, he was honored with a brand new Corvette from General Motors President, Ed Cole, to celebrate his success. Later a General Motors dealer offered astronauts the opportunity to lease a Corvette from his dealership for only $1 per year.

“The exhibit appeals to anyone that has an interest in American history, Corvettes and space travel,” said, Katie Ellison, with the National Corvette Museum. “It has a little bit of everything and a few hands-on activities. It really connects Americana with the automotive side and that NASA story.”

The exhibit runs through June 30.