Colorado-Based Space Exploration Company Supports Children's Museum

DENVER (CBS4)- The Colorado-based space exploration company United Launch Alliance showed its support for the Children's Museum on Wednesday in conjunction with the launch of the mysterious "space plane."

United Launch Alliance President and CEO Mike Yankovich announced that ULA was donating $300,000 to the museum in Denver as they celebrated with the rocket launch ceremony.

The money will be used in the construction of a new 2,100 energy exhibit opening up this fall.

"We know that so often times early behaviors and attitudes toward stem-based content forms early on. And we know that if we can get children excited about stem, to make it relevant, to make it exciting, to make it a first-hand experience what a rocket scientist does, that those behaviors and attitudes really continue for a life time," said Yankovich.

Children will be able to build, launch and test rockets they build to learn about aerodynamics, physics and engineering.

United Launch Alliance and the Children's Museum began their partnership in 2007 with the goal of expanding experiences for young children.

"We're really excited because so many of the future engineers and scientists and rocket technicians are really coming from here in Colorado," said Yankovich.