Aidan Vanhoof, Staff Writer
A miniature model of an Apollo lunar lander has officially been put on display outside the Edelman Planetarium, located at Science Hall, after months of restoration.
Having arrived at Rowan on Oct. 21, the model was brought to the university with the goal of permanently helping educators immerse visitors in stories of spaceflight. Rowan purchased the one-third scale model in 2024 from NASA’s Artifact Program, a program helping eligible non-profits obtain NASA artifacts for educational use, when, for years prior, it spent its life in a state of disrepair at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
“Combined with Luna, our Artemis Moon Tree, the lander will help us to tell the story of human spaceflight, past and present, and help us to answer the questions ‘Where do we come from,’” said Amy Barraclough, the director of the Edelman Planetarium.
Once Rowan acquired it, restoration began in May 2025 by StoneDog Studios, a woman-owned design and fabrication company based in Freehold, N.J. It took five months to complete, according to the Edelman Planetarium’s website, as the Planetarium aimed to have the model durable enough to be displayed outdoors.
“There were a few bits missing, so we needed to fabricate them from scratch. For example, there were many small gray thrusters missing, so fabricator Katie Walsh created a custom mold and cast new ones out of resin,” said Kate Eggleston, a mixed media fiber artist working for StoneDog Studios.
Upon arrival at StoneDog, its parts were scattered across three crates. It needed a functioning support structure, thrusters, as well as various aesthetic fixes for degraded or dated parts.
“Overall, we all worked on the lander at some point over the course of a few months. In total, nine people assisted in the restoration project,” said Eggleston. “We are all very proud of the final outcome.”
The refurbished model was transported to Rowan in two separate crates. When fully assembled, it weighed approximately 800 pounds, meaning installation efforts took nine people — including workers from StoneDog, movers, carpenters, and groundskeepers—several hours to complete.
It was funded by alumni Ric and Jean Edelman, the planetarium’s namesakes, costing nearly $20,000 in shipping and refurbishment costs. According to Barraclough, the model itself costs nothing.
Many students didn’t seem to notice or question that there was anything new outside of the Planetarium, though the model did still garner some curiosity and interest.
“I think it’s pretty cool, and since it’s from NASA, that makes it a lot neater,” said Jared Wilkins, a senior exercise science major.
For comments/questions about this story, DM us on Instagram @thewhitatrowan or email ottoch32@rowan.edu
Aidan Vanhoof 
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