Explore the Project

Can you take a stroll to Mars? How come we aren’t mining Jupiter’s moons? The picture in my textbook looks like the asteroid belt is crowded, so why is it so hard to collect samples?

The Hanford Reach Solar System (HRSS) is a scale model of our solar system, designed by local students to answer all these questions, and more! Centered at the Solar Arches at The REACH Museum in Richland, The HRSS stretches out as far as Grandview, the White Bluffs, and even into Stanfield, Oregon.

When completed, this installation will be a draw for tourism and a landmark for community and classroom learning. Markers are set along our rivers to denote the Orbit of various planets. There may be *several* of each planet, so be on the lookout for more!

Local students were also tasked with understanding the history, discovery, exploration, mythology, climatology, and geology of each planet. Then they teased out key elements of each planet that would artistically represent that planet, including a scale size sphere to show the size comparison. 

If you can hold a softball at the mall, or a marble in Grandview, you are creating your own scale model! When all is said and done, these installations will be a permanent story of our solar system, spanning across the entire Mid-Columbia for generations to come.