What is a World War II proximity fuse doing on the top shelf of the Space Science Case at UHC?  That device, the on-board trigger for a large caliber explosive projectile, was developed to vastly increase the effectiveness of naval ordnance. But what does it have to do with the origins of space science and the careers of the world's first space scientists, like James Van Allen?

The Ask An Expert lecture series at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is presented every 2nd and 4th Thursday at 12:30 PM. A Museum staff member talks to the public about the history, collection, or personalities related to a specific artifact or exhibition in the Museum.