An out-of-this-world traveler has hit Earth in Helena.
On Wednesday afternoon, Exploration Works celebrated its new “Moon Tree” with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The downtown science museum was selected by NASA to receive the tree following a rigorous application process.
(Watch to see the Moon Tree celebration)
In partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, NASA launched seeds from five different tree species aboard the 2022 Artemis I mission. The seeds traveled nearly 270,00 miles to the moon and back.
For ExplorationWorks’ Program Director, Sara Feilzer, the addition is extra special.
“It’s really cool to have that piece of like, for me personally, to kinda have that little bit full circle. To be there when it launched, and that have a piece of that mission here at Ex Works that I can take a peek at every day,” said Feilzer.
The historic tree, a Douglas fir, is the only known Artemis I moon tree in the state.
ExplorationWorks says the tree is under 24-hour surveillance and will be cared for with the help of Great Northern Town Center’s General Manager, Lonnie Kamna. Moving forward, Kamna will ensure the tree stays healthy with soil treatments, watering techniques, and more. But, at the end of the day, he says they will “let it grow as God intended it to.”
The fence protecting the tree from animals, or humans, was donated by Helena Fence Company. Not only was the donation important for ExplorationWorks, but it was mutually meaningful for Helena Fence Company. Their Marketing Director, Steve Roehr, said, “Exploration Works is such a great asset to not only downtown Helena, but also to the community at large. We were excited to be able to take part in the project.”
Anyone interested can see the moon tree outside Exploration Works near their sound garden.
Helena's Moon Tree is not the first tree planted in Big Sky Country to travel around the moon. In 1976, another Douglas fir that traveled on the Apollo 14 mission was planted at the University of Montana in Missoula.
