The National Space Centre (NSC) in Leicester has announced plans to launch a space flight simulation.

Scheduled to open in summer 2005, the Lunar Base 2025 exhibition will be situated on the site of the existing John Eggleston Suite corporate hospitality suite.

Funded by two equal grants of £1.2m – from the Millennium Commission and the Leicester Shire Economic Partnership – the exhibition has been designed by Leicester-based Haley Sharpe Design.

The concept designs were received by planners earlier this summer and building work is expected to begin before the end of the year.

The NSC’s chief executive, Chas Bishop, said: “Human space flight is the subject our visitors most enjoy and this new exhibition will give us a great opportunity to add astronaut tests, simulation and interactivity to the current exhibition.”

The Lunar Base 2025 aims to combine science education with entertainment and is part of the NSC’s Phase II development plan, which also includes the launch of new corporate facilities.