The Space Centre, which was opened on 30 June, is a great gain for this economically depressed city. As well as a 3,500 m2 museum with real and reconstructed rockets, satellites and space stations, the centre also contains a planetarium and a space research institute with a fully equipped satellite-control station. Visitors can view the technical equipment and the work conducted here through a window. The salient feature of the development is the 42-metre-high Rocket Tower, which resembles a stack of inflated translucent inner tubes. Consisting of partly printed ETFE cushions, it is visible from afar and is a striking symbol of the future-oriented functions housed within the centre. It is hoped that the planned mission to Mars can be supervised from here.