After a year of hype, hoopla, pomp, and promotion, Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination has finally arrived at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

Thanks to one wonderful staffer at the Space & Rocket Center (you know who you are), I was able to go through the exhibit today during a special “Media Morning” event (hey, you’re reading this, aren’t you...fair play)!

Does the exhibit live up to the hype, or has the Space & Rocket Center sullied its name by bringing a commercial show to Huntsville?

First, I must comment on the impressive assortment of costumes seen around the Space & Rocket Center. Storm Troopers abound, along with a Leia or two, a few Darth Vaders, and many other Rebel and Imperial forces were seen around the Space Center today! And all of the costumes were as impressive and detailed as what’s behind the glass cases in the exhibit!

If there were any worries when the exhibit was announced a little over a year ago, it was that the Space Center might have gone for something a bit gimmicky and unrelated to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s core mission of using our space-faring history to educate the public.

And this is a legitimate concern. Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination certainly comprised of bit more imagination than Science, but that’s not to say it’s not a perfectly legitimate attraction to bring to The Space & Rocket Center.

It’s definitely about two parts imagination:

to one part Science:

If nothing else, it’s bound to bring even more visitors to the Space Center than the NASCAR IMAX movie could.

If the line at 9am this morning, the first Saturday of the exhibit, is any indication, the Star Wars exhibit will do exactly that. People will make the drive to the Center, pay $30.00 to see the exhibit, and for that fee, get to see what the rest of the museum has to offer as well. It’s not a bad proposition.

And if you’re thinking of attending with children, there’s quite a few activities that will keep them busy, including this floating car lab where they can put together a car to levitate as well as move with magnets.

Another activity includes programming a robot:

and other activities will keep your kids (or yourself) occupied for some time.

Ultimately the decision to bring this exhibit and future exhibits (A Chronicles of Narnia traveling exhibit is next, with a CSI exhibit to follow) to the “old” museum building is probably correct. After the Davidson Center opened, they just never put a whole lot of artifacts back into the old place to fill the void (I remember a certain SkyLab trainer that used to fit quite nicely in that room), so it’s nice to see people filling the old museum once again.

And, ultimately, it’s a really nice attraction to have at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. A great deal of work went on at the Center to get things ready for the exhibit and it really shows.

If you’re a Star Wars fan and haven’t seen the exhibit one of its previous destinations, you should visit all of the costumes and props from some of your favorite movies (and not so favorite movies) at least once.

And if you have kids, there will be quite a bit to keep them busy and entertained.

But be prepared to leave with some Star Wars merchandise:

What unfortunately couldn’t be done last year has now been confirmed for this year!

Max-Q, the intrepid band of astronaut musicians, will perform at the 2010 Space Camp Hall of Fame Ceremony.

Though it is a shame that there will be no alumni camp this year to provide a great excuse to come visit, this is certainly another fantastic reason!

STS-131 crew member, Space Camp alumus, and Hall of Fame member, Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger had been confirmed for the 2010 Hall of Fame event for some time. As the current front-woman for Max-Q, the idea to get the whole gang to Huntsville for this event was on the minds of many. And so shall it be!

It has long been my personal hope to have Max-Q perform at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center for some time. Their music really isn’t recorded anywhere and I think it would be a great idea to record their performance at the 2010 Hall of Fame to be made into a CD for fundraising purposes. It’s a good idea.

But one can never be sure if the powers-that-be will act upon a good idea. So if you want to hear the musical stylings of Max-Q, you better get yourself to the 2010 Space Camp Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on August 20, 2010.

Some very lucky Space Camp trainees were able to go to Marshall Space Flight Center today to sit in on the STS-131 crew visit!

Commander Alan Poindexter, Pilot James Dutton, Mission Specialist 1 Richard Mastracchio, and Mission Specialist 3 Stephanie Wilson were kind enough to spend some time with some of the trainees from Space Camp this week as well as some very enthusiastic NASA-folk! Unfortunately, STS-131 crew member, Space Camp alumus, and Hall of Fame member, Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger could not make the trip.

A few of the Space Camp for Educator counselors snuck over to MSFC as well, including Space Camp Hall of Fame member, Dan Oates.

The crew brought along a highlight reel of their mission and took questions and, after the show was over, they were kind enough to stick around and sign autographs!

Also noteworthy was the Q&A session that was held, especially when the astronauts were asked about the impending retirement of the Space Shuttle fleet: