Preserving the Legacy of a Space Training Facility through Digital Storytelling

Liu, Junshan; Willkens, Danielle; Kim, Jeff; Kramer, Scott

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132973 Copy

Description

Title

Preserving the Legacy of a Space Training Facility through Digital Storytelling

Author(s)

• Liu, Junshan
• Willkens, Danielle
• Kim, Jeff
• Kramer, Scott

Issue Date

2026-03-12

Keyword(s)

• Digital documentation
• Digital storytelling
• Space heritage
• Exhibition planning
• Reality capture

Abstract

Introduction. The Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (NBS) at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, built in 1968, was a landmark facility for astronaut training during the Apollo, Skylab, and Shuttle programs. Demolished in 2025, the NBS is an exceptional case of endangered space heritage. This project examines how digital documentation and exhibition planning can preserve and interpret such sites at the intersection of technological innovation, Cold War history, and community memory. Method. The project combines archival research, oral histories, and advanced digital documentation. By early 2026, the team will have completed field documentation of the NBS. These datasets provide the foundation for planning an interpretive exhibition in both physical and digital formats. Analysis. Current analysis focuses on shaping interpretive themes, including space heritage, technological training, community identity, and preservation of at-risk sites, and testing strategies for integrating digital assets with archival and narrative sources. Results. Preliminary outcomes include a digital record of the NBS and prototype concepts for exhibition design. Presenting these findings in poster format at iConference will invite feedback from colleagues to refine the project’s next stages. Conclusions. This poster highlights the urgency of preserving vanished space heritage and demonstrates workflows adaptable to other industrial or engineering sites at risk.

Publisher

iSchools

Series/Report Name or Number

iConference 2026 Proceedings

Type of Resource

Other

Genre of Resource

Conference Poster

Language

eng

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132973

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2026 is held by Junshan Liu, Danielle Willkens, Jeff Kim, and Scott Kramer. Copyright permissions, when appropriate, must be obtained directly from the authors.

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