NEW YORK, N.Y.- Beyond Planet Earth: The Future of Space Exploration, a new exhibition on view at the American Museum of Natural History from November 19, 2011, through August 12, 2012, offers a vision of the future of space travel as it boldly explores our next steps in our solar system and beyond. The exhibition takes visitors on humanity’s journey to explore the next frontier, either ourselves or via robotic proxies, which have already traveled to every planet in our solar system. Future missions highlighted in Beyond Planet Earth, once limited to the realm of science fiction but today discussed by leading scientists and engineers, include building a space elevator on the surface of the Moon, deflecting a hazardous near-Earth asteroid, and traveling to Mars—perhaps even establishing colonies there. “This year, as we mark the 50th anniversary of human space flight, is a particularly timely moment to celebrate t