Congressional leaders have approved $950,000 to help Sacramento State in the construction of a Space and Science Center. The $8 million project will include an observatory, planetarium, hands-on science exploration sections and laboratories for astronomy research.

The funds appropriated to the university will expand its partnership with NASA and will pay for multiple solar and astronomical telescopes, observatory domes and large lab servers.

“This facility will further enhance Sacramento State’s leadership, which already partners with NASA scientists on engineering and astrophysics research projects,” Congresswoman Doris Matsui said.

Matsui helped ensure the money to Sac State. Matsui and her husband, the late Congressman Robert Matsui, helped the university acquire $550,000 for the project.

Vice President of Public Affairs Frank Whitlatch said visiting college and high school students, as well as Sac State students would use the Space and Science Center.

“This would also be a resource for engineering students,” Whitlatch said. “This is helpful since we have interns at NASA and GenCorp Aerojet.”

Marion O’Leary, dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, said Sac State has been planning the construction of the center for years, as a part of Destination 2010.

“With this major museum and center, not only will the community interact with the campus,” O’Leary said. “But also the campus will interact with the community.”

The projected Space and Science Center will be built to the left of the University Theatre, facing the residence halls. The university is currently working with architects to design the building. Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2007.

Featured in the front part of the building will be a Foucault pendulum, which is in honor of Chien Yuan Hu, a former Sac State physics professor who willed a portion of his endowment towards the center after his death in 2002.

The Foucault pendulum demonstrates the Earth’s rotation by laboratory methods rather than by astronomical observations.

Jose Granda, a professor in the department of Mechanical Engineering, said that the Space and Science Center would encourage more students into becoming interested in science.

“Most people become interested in science by being intrigued by astronomy,” Granda said. “Astronomy can lead to other sciences, such as biology, physics or chemistry.

Jamie Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]